The best hotel in Tuscany depends on one decision: whether you will have a car.
Our top pick is Palazzetto Rosso, a Siena old-town hotel that works with no car at all, and our best budget pick is Hotel Palazzo di Valli, also in Siena. If you are driving, the farmhouses and wine estates below are where Tuscany earns its reputation.
This is our list of the best hotels in Tuscany for a first trip from the US, 16 picks from a Siena palazzo to a thermal spa resort in the Maremma. Each one has a verified Booking.com score, the area it sits in and one honest catch.
Updated November 2026. Booking.com scores and review counts were read on 4 November 2026.
Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the order of our list.
Our Top Picks for the Best Hotels in Tuscany
Best overall: Palazzetto Rosso, Siena old town, 9.5 from 684 reviews.
Best splurge with vineyard views: Castello Banfi - Il Borgo, near Montalcino, 9.4 from 124 reviews.
Best hill-town hotel: Albergo Il Marzocco, Montepulciano, 9.6 from 530 reviews.
Best spa stay: Monastero di Cortona Hotel & Spa, Cortona, 9.4 from 538 reviews.
Best for Chianti wine: Castello di Fonterutoli Wine Resort, near Castellina, 9.0 from 931 reviews.
Best farmhouse with a pool: Agriturismo Il Macchione, near Pienza, 9.3 from 548 reviews.
Best base without a car: Palazzo Dipinto, Lucca, 9.3 from 629 reviews.
Best budget: Hotel Palazzo di Valli, Siena, 9.3 from 1,024 reviews.
Best apartment-style stay for families: Lucca Heritage Retreat, Lucca, 9.6 from 512 reviews.
How We Chose the Best Hotels in Tuscany
Every hotel here scores 9.0 or higher on Booking.com.
Most have more than 300 reviews. Three small properties have fewer, and we flag each one in its entry. We have not stayed at any of them. The scores, review counts and addresses come from the Booking.com pages we read on 4 November 2026, and each hotel is filed under the town its street address sits in.
We have not read nightly prices for this list, because rates swing hard between a May weekend and a November Tuesday.
The tier on each entry (luxury, mid-range, budget) is our editorial label, not a quote. Click through for live rates on your dates.
The order is our order of preference for a first-time visitor to Tuscany from the US, not a ranking by price.
Hotels you can use without a car come early. The ones that need a car are marked, because that catch matters more in Tuscany than a star rating ever will, and it is the first thing most guides to the region skip.
1. Palazzetto Rosso – Siena
Mid-range · 9.5 on Booking.com (684 reviews) · Via dei Rossi, inside Siena's old town
Best for: first-timers who want one medieval base · Skip it if: you want a pool or a farmhouse view
A historic palazzo hotel in the old town that scores 9.5 across hundreds of reviews. That is the combination that put it at the top of our list: a high score with a review count you can trust.
The Booking.com page lists a bar, an elevator, family rooms and an exceptional breakfast rating.
Rooms have walk-in showers, bathrobes and tea and coffee makers. You can leave the car behind, because Via dei Rossi is inside the old town.
The catch is parking.
Siena's historic centre is restricted to most cars, so ask the hotel how it works before you arrive. Our Siena travel guide and things to do in Siena cover what to see once you are here.
Tip: if you are arriving from Florence, check bus times before you assume there is a direct train. Our Florence to Siena guide has the options.
2. Castello Banfi - Il Borgo – Montalcino countryside
Luxury · 9.4 on Booking.com (124 reviews) · Poggio alle Mura, 6.2 miles from Montalcino
Best for: wine lovers and a landmark stay · Skip it if: you will not rent a car
This is a Relais & Châteaux property on a hilltop, overlooking its own vineyards. The page lists an outdoor pool, a gym, two restaurants, free parking and the estate's own winery and cellar, and the restaurant serves Tuscan food with local wines.
It is the best splurge in Tuscany for a wine-focused trip, and the setting is the point. You wake up inside a working wine estate rather than near one.
The catch is distance.
At 6.2 miles from Montalcino, you need a car, and with 124 reviews the score rests on a smaller base than most hotels here. Treat 9.4 as a strong sign rather than a certainty. Our Val d'Orcia travel guide covers the countryside around it.
Tip: book the estate's restaurant for your first night so you are not driving to dinner after a long arrival day.
3. Albergo Il Marzocco – Montepulciano
Mid-range · 9.6 on Booking.com (530 reviews) · Piazza Savonarola, inside Montepulciano's walls
Best for: couples who want a hill-town base · Skip it if: you want a pool or spa
The Booking.com page calls it the oldest hotel in town. It sits in a 16th-century building inside the medieval walls and has run as a hotel since 1860, with rooms that look over the town or toward Lake Trasimeno.
At 9.6 from 530 reviews, it is one of the best-scored hotels on this list with a proper review base behind it. The breakfast is rated wonderful, and being inside the walls means dinner is a short walk.
The catch is that this is a traditional hotel.
Facilities on the page include parking, Wi-Fi, a bar and room service, but no pool or spa. Montepulciano is also not a car-free base: the closest mainline station is Chiusi-Chianciano Terme, and you still need a bus or taxi from there. See our Montepulciano travel guide.
Tip: ask for a room with the Trasimeno view when you book.
4. Monastero di Cortona Hotel & Spa – Cortona
Luxury · 9.4 on Booking.com (538 reviews) · Via del Salvatore, Cortona
Best for: a quiet spa stay in a hill town · Skip it if: you want to be on the Siena and Florence loop
A former monastery with a garden and a spa and wellness centre. Facilities on the page include a restaurant, a bar, private parking and an airport shuttle, and breakfast is rated wonderful.
Cortona sits in eastern Tuscany, a quieter corner of the region that draws fewer day-trippers, quieter than the Val d'Orcia towns and easier to combine with Umbria. Our Umbria vs Tuscany comparison helps if you are deciding between the two.
The catch is location. It is further out than the Siena and Florence loop, so it works as a one- or two-night stop, not as a base for day trips.
Tip: the spa is the draw, so ask what is bookable in advance when you reserve.
5. Terme di Saturnia Natural Spa & Golf Resort – Saturnia
Luxury · 9.1 on Booking.com (1,021 reviews) · Via della Follonata, Saturnia, Maremma
Best for: thermal baths and golf · Skip it if: you want to be near Florence or Siena
A resort built in travertine marble, 1.2 miles from the medieval village of Saturnia, with Roman baths and natural swimming pools.
The page lists two swimming pools, a spa, two restaurants, a fitness centre, free parking and an airport shuttle, and there is an 18-hole golf course. It is part of The Leading Hotels of the World.
At 9.1 from over a thousand reviews, it is the most reviewed luxury property on this list.
The catch is that Saturnia sits in the southern Maremma, a long way from most Tuscany itineraries.
You go for the thermal water and the spa, not as a base. You will need a car. Our Saturnia hot springs page has the detail.
Tip: treat it as a two-night spa stop at the end of a trip.
6. Castello di Fonterutoli Wine Resort – Chianti
Luxury · 9.0 on Booking.com (931 reviews) · Via Puccini, Fonterutoli, 3.1 miles outside Castellina in Chianti
Best for: a wine-estate stay in Chianti · Skip it if: you want a pool or a walkable village
A medieval country village in the Chianti wine district, with a restaurant and a wine cellar you can visit. The rooms are in separate buildings around the grounds.
It is the lowest score on our list at 9.0, which still clears our bar, and the 931 reviews make that number solid.
The catch is that the buildings are spread out, no pool appears among the popular facilities, and you will drive to Castellina. Read about the region in our Italian wine regions guide.
Tip: if wine is the reason you are here, ask for a cellar visit when you book.
7. Hotel Belvedere di San Leonino – Chianti
Mid-range · 9.3 on Booking.com (440 reviews) · Località San Leonino, Castellina in Chianti
Best for: drivers who want a proper hotel in the vineyards · Skip it if: you want to walk to dinner
A 15th-century country house surrounded by vineyards, with private gardens, free parking, an outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar. It is a hotel rather than a farmhouse, which suits travellers who want services.
The catch is isolation. It is out in the Castellina countryside, so you plan dinner around the car.
Tip: use it for two or three nights, with day trips to Siena and Florence.
8. Agriturismo Il Macchione – Pienza
Mid-range · 9.3 on Booking.com (548 reviews) · SP 71, 0.9 miles outside Pienza
Best for: a farmhouse stay with a view · Skip it if: you do not drive
An 18th-century stone farmhouse set in 50 hectares, with a swimming pool that looks over the Val d'Orcia Natural Park.
The apartments have wood-beamed ceilings and antique furniture, and a living and dining area. The page lists two restaurants, free parking and an airport shuttle.
It is our best farmhouse pick because the score holds up across more than 500 reviews.
The catch is the rustic style: it is a stone farmhouse, so expect character over polish, and the countryside has little public transport, so plan on a car. Our Tuscany villas guide covers the farmhouse and villa route in more depth.
Tip: ask whether you are booking an apartment or a room, since the layouts differ.
9. Palazzo Dipinto – Lucca
Mid-range · 9.3 on Booking.com (629 reviews) · Piazza del Palazzo Dipinto, Lucca's historic centre
Best for: a flat, walkable city base without a car · Skip it if: you want hills and sunset views
A hotel in Lucca's historic centre with spacious rooms, a bar, a 24-hour front desk and family rooms. San Frediano Basilica is 492 feet away, and the breakfast is rated excellent.
Lucca is the easiest city in Tuscany to enjoy without a car, which is why we put it ahead of the hill towns for anyone who would rather not drive.
The old town sits inside intact Renaissance walls, the streets are flat, and the station is about 200 metres from the walls. Our Lucca travel guide has the sights.
The catch is driving. Most of the historic centre is a restricted traffic zone, so park outside the walls: there are free car parks at Don Baroni, Tagliate and Macelli, according to Lucca's tourism site.
Tip: if you fly into Pisa, Lucca is a short train ride away, which makes it a good first or last night.
10. Lucca Heritage Retreat – Lucca
Mid-range, apartment-style · 9.6 on Booking.com (512 reviews) · Via del Gallo, Lucca
Best for: families and groups who want space · Skip it if: you want a bar, a restaurant or a pool on site
Air-conditioned family rooms with private bathrooms, a work desk and a mini-bar, plus a lounge and a coffee shop. Breakfast is rated very good.
The 9.6 from 512 reviews is the best score for any family-style option here. The catch is the short facilities list: no pool, parking or restaurant appears among the popular facilities, so plan meals and parking separately.
Tip: ask which room layout works for your group size before booking.
11. Leon Bianco – San Gimignano
Mid-range · 9.1 on Booking.com (1,480 reviews) · Piazza della Cisterna, San Gimignano
Best for: one or two nights in the old town · Skip it if: you want a quiet evening in high season
A building that dates to the 11th century on one of San Gimignano's main squares, with original wood-beamed ceilings, air conditioning and a fitness centre. In summer, breakfast is served on the terrace, and the breakfast rating is excellent.
More than 1,400 reviews at 9.1 makes this the most-reviewed hotel among our main 16.
The catch is the crowd: the square is busy by day, so the real reward is the evening, after the day-trippers have left. Our San Gimignano travel guide has the detail.
Tip: do not use San Gimignano as your only base. It is small and has limited transport, so pair it with Siena or Chianti.
12. Hotel Pescille Country House – San Gimignano countryside
Mid-range · 9.1 on Booking.com (1,411 reviews) · Località Pescille, 5 minutes' drive from San Gimignano
Best for: families who want a pool and parking · Skip it if: you want to walk into town
An old farmhouse with a large garden, a swimming pool, free parking and an ancient tower. Rooms have air conditioning and a mini-bar, and the breakfast rating is wonderful.
It has the reviews to back the setting. The catch is the drive: it is 5 minutes from San Gimignano by car, and you will want one.
Tip: it suits a family with a car: the pool and free parking are the reasons to pick it over a town hotel.
13. Palazzo Patrizi Suites & Spa – Siena
Luxury · 9.5 on Booking.com (115 reviews) · Via di Città, a few steps from Piazza del Campo
Best for: an old-town spa stay · Skip it if: you want a large review base
A central suite hotel with a spa, with the Campo a few steps away and the National Museum of Etruscan Archaeology about a three-minute walk. Rooms have air conditioning and walk-in showers.
The catch is the review count. At 115 reviews, the 9.5 rests on less evidence than our other Siena picks, so treat it as a promising score rather than a proven one.
Tip: compare it against Palazzetto Rosso if you do not need the spa.
14. Hotel Palazzo di Valli – Siena
Budget · 9.3 on Booking.com (1,024 reviews) · Via E. S. Piccolomini, 440 yards from Siena's historic centre
Best for: a low-cost Siena base with parking · Skip it if: you do not want an uphill walk back
An 18th-century villa on a hill, in an 18-acre garden with olive trees, about a 10-minute walk from the centre. Free parking, a terrace and a garden are on the page, and the breakfast is rated exceptional.
A thousand reviews at 9.3 is a strong signal for a budget pick in Tuscany, where cheap rooms with a score this high are not easy to find. The catch is in the setting: it sits on a hill, so the walk home from the old town is uphill.
Tip: it is a good fit if you are driving and want free parking close to Siena.
15. Incanto B&B – Pienza
Budget · 9.7 on Booking.com (424 reviews) · Via Dogali, Pienza
Best for: a low-cost bed inside a Val d'Orcia town · Skip it if: you want a full-service hotel
A B&B in a historic building in Pienza, with air-conditioned rooms, parquet floors, a seasonal outdoor pool, a hot tub and a spa bath.
At 9.7 it has the highest score in our ranking. The catch is the word seasonal: the pool is not available all year, so check dates if the pool matters.
Tip: a B&B is small, so book early for summer weekends.
16. Albergo San Martino & Depandance – Lucca
Budget · 9.3 on Booking.com (1,086 reviews) · Via della Dogana, inside Lucca's walls
Best for: a low-cost room in Lucca's old town · Skip it if: you want a room in the main building for certain
Comfortable rooms inside the town walls with free Wi-Fi, a TV, a mini-bar and wood floors, and some with a hydromassage bath. Private parking, a bar and room service are listed, and breakfast is rated wonderful.
More than a thousand reviews at 9.3 makes it a safe budget pick. The catch is that some rooms are in an annex building, so ask which you are getting.
Tip: confirm parking and the ZTL rules with the hotel before you drive into Lucca.
Also Good
Florence: Hotel Spadai, 9.5 from 1,510 reviews, near the Duomo. Florence has its own list, so see our best hotels in Florence.
Volterra: Albergo Etruria, 9.2 from 1,338 reviews, on Via Matteotti. A budget base in a quieter hill town.
Chianti: Casa Vacanze Squarcialupi, 9.3 from 197 reviews, a self-catering base in Castellina itself. A smaller review base than our main picks.
Below our review bar: Borgo Pignano near Volterra (9.7 from 137 reviews) and Castello di Casole at Casole d'Elsa (9.6 from 78 reviews) are two estate hotels that guides often name. Both score very high but have too few reviews to meet our 300-review line, so we list them here instead of in the ranking.
Which Area of Tuscany Should You Stay In?
Our where to stay in Tuscany guide owns this question. In short:
Siena: the best single base without a car. Val d'Orcia: couples, views and a car. Chianti: wine and short drives. Lucca: flat, walkable, family-friendly. San Gimignano and Volterra: a night or two. Cortona and Saturnia: quiet and spa stops.
Do You Need a Car in Tuscany?
Yes for most countryside hotels in Tuscany, no for the cities.
Siena and Lucca work without a car. The Val d'Orcia, Chianti and the farmhouses really do not. If you are driving, read our driving in Italy guide first, because restricted traffic zones in historic centres catch tourists every year. You can compare rental prices on DiscoverCars.
For the trains, Pisa airport links to Pisa Centrale on the PisaMover shuttle, about five minutes, running every five to eight minutes from 6:00 to midnight.
Florence's airport connects to the city by the T2 tram in about 20 minutes. Compare train times and tickets on Omio, and see our trains in Italy guide.
Hotel, Agriturismo or Villa in Tuscany?
A hotel suits short stays and city bases.
An agriturismo, a working farm with rooms or apartments, suits a slow trip with a car, and Il Macchione and Pescille are our two picks. A villa suits a group staying a week, and our Tuscany villas guide covers that.
Most Tuscan towns charge a small per-person tourist tax, paid at the hotel.
Rates vary by town and star rating and change, so ask your hotel for the current figure. Some countryside properties also have shorter seasons, so confirm opening dates for spring and winter stays.
What We Left Out
Tuscany's best-known estate hotels are not all here, and a few of the best hotels in Tuscany by reputation sit outside our ranking for that reason.
The famous coastal address Il Pellicano at Porto Ercole, for example, scores 9.0 on Booking.com but from only 23 reviews, well below our review bar. We also checked Booking.com for several other widely named estates and could not confirm a listing that meets our standard in this check, so we left them out rather than guess.
If you want to plan beyond the hotel, our Tuscany travel guide, things to do in Tuscany, Tuscany itinerary and best time to visit Tuscany pages cover the rest.
Our Final Pick Among the Best Hotels in Tuscany
If you want one answer from this list, book Palazzetto Rosso in Siena. If you are watching your budget, Hotel Palazzo di Valli is the hotel to beat.
Plan Your Tuscany Trip
Book your Tuscany hotels first, then everything else.
If you land late and do not want a taxi queue, a pre-booked transfer from Welcome Pickups takes care of the last leg. Set up an eSIM with Yesim before you fly, or see our Italy eSIM guide. Cover medical costs and cancellations with Visitors Coverage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best area to stay in Tuscany for a first visit?
Siena, if you want one base and no car. It has a walkable old town and our top-ranked hotel, Palazzetto Rosso. If you are renting a car, split the trip between Siena and a countryside base in the Val d'Orcia or Chianti. Our where to stay in Tuscany guide compares every area.
Do I need a car to stay at the best hotels in Tuscany?
For most countryside hotels, yes. Castello Banfi, Il Macchione, Hotel Pescille and the Chianti estates all assume you will drive. Siena and Lucca work without one, and Palazzetto Rosso and Palazzo Dipinto are the easiest picks for a car-free trip.
What are the best hotels in Tuscany for couples?
Albergo Il Marzocco in Montepulciano (9.6 from 530 reviews), Monastero di Cortona Hotel & Spa (9.4 from 538 reviews) and Castello Banfi - Il Borgo (9.4 from 124 reviews) are our three couple-friendly picks, depending on whether you want a hill town, a spa or a wine estate.
What is the best budget hotel in Tuscany?
Hotel Palazzo di Valli in Siena (9.3 from 1,024 reviews) is our best budget pick. Incanto B&B in Pienza (9.7 from 424 reviews) and Albergo San Martino & Depandance in Lucca (9.3 from 1,086 reviews) are the other two. We have not read nightly prices, so check live rates for your dates.
Are agriturismi worth it in Tuscany?
Yes, if you have a car and want space, a pool and a view. Agriturismo Il Macchione near Pienza and Hotel Pescille Country House near San Gimignano both score 9.1 or higher from more than 500 reviews. Skip them if you plan to rely on buses and trains.
Should I stay in Florence or Siena when visiting Tuscany?
Siena if you want a medieval old town as your base. Florence if your trip is built around museums and fast trains. Florence has its own hotel list, so see our best hotels in Florence guide.
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