Planning on spending some time in Tuscany? Check out our COMO Castello Del Nero review before you lock in your trip. We’ll take a close look at the heritage hotel, which is COMO’s first property in continental Europe, located just 30 minutes from both Florence and Siena in Italy’s iconic Chianti wine region.
With Florence to one side and Siena to the other, COMO Castello Del Nero is a perfectly positioned castle hotel in one of the most idyllic areas of Tuscany, occupying no less than 740 acres of verdant farmland.
That sentence alone should be more than enough to perk anyone’s interest, especially luxury travellers who have a keen interest in deep, beautifully structured Chianti wines and a particular desire to relax in one of the world’s most coveted countryside regions.
And yet, there’s more than just a location going on here. There’s a sharp sense of authenticity and a beautiful restoration, transforming the distinctive sun-coloured 12th-century castle into a great example of fantasticism framed by rolling hills and endless vineyards.
As the story goes, the property was once owned by the aristocratic Del Nero family of Florence before falling through several ownership changes up until the 1980s. There were once plans to turn the estate into a large golf resort, but an American real estate investor instead purchased the castle and turned it into a small hotel. With the farmlands and vineyards left intact.
The unnamed investor ran the hotel primarily as a spa destination for several years before the COMO Group got involved in 2018, springboarding off its solid reputation for wellness-focused accommodation, built from well-established institutions like Bali’s COMO Shambhala Estate and Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos. As such, the castle is now COMO Castello Del Nero and its expansive gardens, walking trails and vineyards are a thing of pure Tuscan beauty.
COMO Castello Del Nero – Table Of Contents
Location
As above, COMO Castello Del Nero is located between Florence and Siena in the heart of Chianti Classico. For wine enthusiasts, especially those who favour Sangiovese and Canaiolo Nero, there are few locations in the world as immensely satisfying and exciting.
So many of Tuscany’s greatest hits are just minutes away by car, including the quintessential Badia di Passignano which is absolutely worth the stop for lunch or dinner at the Michelin-starred Osteria di Passignano. I personally wouldn’t have experienced the acclaimed restaurant if it wasn’t for COMO’s outrageously well-connected concierge, who got me a lunch booking within 24 hours.
The castle’s easy access to the richest arteries of Tuscany is invaluable, but there are also several walking trails around the property that deserve attention. Some of them can be rather steep, muddy and challenging while others are leisurely strolls around and through the vineyards, where empty wine bottles lay discarded next to garbage cans – telling signs of how the locals like to spend their days.
COMO’s location also means the property’s backyard, a massive tiered area with a sparkling 25-metre outdoor pool surrounded by sun loungers, offers the greatest of views. Scanning the property I could see some other distant castles peppered in between those Tuscan hills and vineyards as far as the eye can see. It’s the type of life-affirming vista worth the price alone.
Design & Features
You’d expect COMO Castello Del Nero to really turn up the dial for Baroque architecture, and while the castle’s faithful restoration more than takes care of that, there’s a smooth, flowing simplicity that adds greatly the hotel’s charm. It’s opulent, but not stuffy.
Milan-based designer Paolo Navone has done a fine job, particularly in the bar and restaurant, which sit opposite each other with empty spots mirroring the stolen frescos that you’d find all around Italy. It all feels popped out of a fantasy novel, particularly giving the signature Michelin-starred restaurant, La Torre, a great deal of personality.
The bar, La Taverna, feels almost medieval in character. Which is perfect for a nightcap when the massive fireplace is crackling as staff pours the beautifully smooth Vino Rosso that the property produces exclusively for the hotel.
A room completely covered in mirrors, to the side of the reception ara is often missed by guests who aren’t staying in the above heritage rooms, but COMO rarely hides its secrets. Most of the best features are found in the gardens, where that pool must be MVP during sunnier days, and the arresting scent of fresh roses lures people away from the pool and into a contemplative courtyard.
Unfortunately, it was quite overcast for most of my visit. This is when staff fold the umbrellas down and the pool is virtually empty. Not quite the resort’s best scene.
The poolside pavilion restaurant is, however, teeming with guests, either tucking into the exceptional breakfast buffet – with some of the best fresh fruit I’ve had in Italy – or lunch, where the showstopping Chianina burger showcases just how incredible the meat in Tuscany is.
The modest sense of luxury is spread to COMO’s memorable spa, COMO Shambhala Retreat, which is as infectiously calm and genuinely restorative as the brand’s other lauded wellness facilities across the world. Key to this is the hydrotherapy pool, which has numerous areas for different water flow patterns if you’re in need of an aquatic massage.
Rooms
Although there are 50 suites and rooms across the building, very few feel the same. The three heritage suites should be the goal as they are invariably impressive; tasteful but minimal, opting for elegance over opulence with the history doing the talking.
My entry-level Estate Room, comfortable and fitting, is however not quite as impressive and looks plain when compared to the rest of the accommodation on offer. Again, if you want everything to align perfectly then I’d suggest going for one of the romantic heritage suites.
Food & Drink
Giovanni Luca Di Pirro has made La Torre a beautiful experience. Not only does the minimal approach to using Tuscan produce work so well, but the highly personable, friendly service is a sharp reminder of how staff can really make or break a dinner.
Much of the produce used is sourced from local farmers or directly from the property’s organic garden, wisely focusing on contrasting but simple flavours that express the land just as well as the matching Chianti wines. Tuscans are spoilt with big, bold and natural flavours; that much is clearly evident from Di Pirro’s cooking.
While La Torre is a resounding success, the poolside pavilion can be just as impressive. The food here is much more casual, lifted greatly by that bucolic view over the Tuscan county. As mentioned above, the burger is much more than “just a burger.” It uses some of Italy’s most prized meat and the result is a full-flavoured, palate-smashing validation of the country’s most coveted cattle. Plus, you can dip straight into the pool after.
Service
Whether it’s truffle hunting on the property, wine tasting – of course – or taking a hot air balloon over the Tuscan countryside to a morning picnic, the incredibly efficient COMO team seems more than willing to help guests make a stay at the castle much more than about accommodation.
You are in one of the most enviable locations in the world, after all, so it’s worth leaning on the list of activities if you’ve got the money to do so. A lot of these activities can run up quite the bill so it’s worth planning ahead.
That being said, it seems the staff are pros at organising things at the very last minute, even when you think chances are slim.
Special mention must be made to the softly-spoken team at the COMO Shambhala Retreat wellness facility. As soon as you step out of the elevator, there’s a soothing glow from the waiting room – where a spot of tea is essential – to the soft, minimal treatment rooms.
Verdict & Value
You’re looking at around AU$1,791 on average for a night at COMO Castello Del Nero, which is open seasonally. This isn’t a city hotel you’d book at the last minute, but rather a destination in itself, so it’s perfectly understandable why the price hikes so high.
Yet, it’s hard to swallow that kind of tag if you’re opting for an entry-level room. Fortunately, the heritage suites are thoroughly impressive and perfect. If you can justify paying even more, I’d suggest booking one of those to really soak up the experience of staying at COMO Castello Del Nero.
COMO Castello Del Nero
Address: Str. Spicciano, 7, 50028 Barberino Tavarnelle FI, Italy
Contact: +39 055 098 1946
Average nightly rates start from around $1,791.
The author, Chris Singh, stayed at COMO Castello Del Nero as a guest of COMO Hotels and Resorts.
Enjoyed our COMO Castello Del Nero review? Check out our other hotel reviews around Italy:
