Tenuta San Pietro is everything a Tuscan hotel should be: intimate, with a mouthwateringly fantastic restaurant and wine cellar, plus a terraced garden of flowering shrubs and tubs of roses, surrounded by 500 olive trees and 2000 vines, close to historic and cultural towns. Add a dash of modern design, a divine pool with long views of the Garfagnana mountains beyond, and you’ve got something a little bit special. Nestling in a hamlet in hills to the north of the gorgeous town of Lucca, it's a hidden gem, much like the region itself. This is Tuscany without the tourists, but you're still only 40-45 minutes from Pisa and Florence. When we revisited in 2017 we were struck by the peace, enhanced by beautiful birdsong and church bells.
Tenuta San Pietro is owned by a Norwegian family, so the heavy fabrics and Baroque gilding found in so many Tuscan hotels have given way to a more minimalist, Scandinavian-influenced sensibility in this 10-roomed hotel. We loved the wooden floorboards, exposed original brickwork and design details like an iconic scarlet lip sofa in reception. Food is a real highlight - the hotel’s restaurant draws diners from miles around and is regularly booked out in the summer months. As well as a restaurant, there’s a wine cellar with 350 bottles, a tasting room (you can also sample and buy their own olive oil), a light-filled lounge, and sociable terraces overlooking the olive tree-studded grounds and orchards.
Highs
- The food. The New York Times called this region the best in Italy, and the cuisine here is excellent
- Italian manager Gastone is full of energy and enthusiasm and, being married to an Englishwoman, his English is impeccable
- Wine buffs will love the huge range of local and national vintages, and there are some excellent fattorie nearby for tasting tours (they also produce their own 1500 litres a year)
- The view from the pool of the Tuscan countryside is exactly what you come here for
- It's a contemporary hotel and breath of fresh air in a region crammed with grand Baroque palaces
Lows
- You ideally need a car and Sat Nav - it's not that easy to find - though they do offer a free shuttle into Lucca
- It's an intimate hotel and sound travels between rooms
- Summer weekends can get booked up by weddings
- Right on a small country road, some may notice this if staying in the rooms on that side of the building; note rooms have double-glazing
- Some rooms could do with a refresh; everything is immaculately kept however
Best time to go
Tuscany is a popular destination but it does have seasonality: spring is warm with wildflowers but chilly nights; summer can be hot (and there are often wedding parties booked in); autumn brings the grape harvest and the olive harvest. We'd recommend April-June and September-October. The hotel is closed November-March.
Our top tips
It's worth taking one of the Superior rooms as they have that wonderful view, or splurge on a Suite for more privacy with your own garden (and the view!).
- Boutique Hotel
- 10 rooms
- Breakfast + restaurant (open Thurs-Sat)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
Tenuta San Pietro’s appeal is in the lighter touch to its décor as well as its service and fine food. The 8 rooms and 2 suites are all individually designed with muted decor. Splashes of colour are in the paintings by estate’s Norwegian owner. The kingsize beds are a highlight - each brought over especially from Norway - which can be set up as twin beds; some have quirky looping metal bedheads. In the light modern bathrooms you’ll find power showers, and Erbario Toscano olive oil toiletries, fittingly for a hotel that presses its own DOP olive oil.
All rooms are similarly sized. Four Superior Doubles (including Bellavista where we stayed on our 2017 revisit) overlook the valley with fantastic views; the remaining four have mountain views, and being near the (minor) road can get some noise (all are double-glazed). The two Suites are in a separate renovated barn also on the road, but face the valley and are steps above the pool, ideal for families and honeymooners. Expect wood-beamed ceilings, wooden floors, a master bedroom, living room with sofa-bed and spacious bathroom apiece. You also get a little hedged garden with outdoor seating if staying in Leccino.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Minibar/fridge
Eating
Tenuta San Pietro is surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, unsurprisingly the olive oil is delicious and the wine cellar has around 350 bottles.
Superb chef Guido creates seasonally influenced local dishes with flair sourced from local producers: turbot with olives and capers, slow-cooked guinea fowl, artichoke and clam risotto, homemade pasta with milk-fed pork, and divinely presented desserts. Dinner is served either in the upstairs dining room or outside on the twinkly-lit terrace - both have those long valley views; you may need to book in high season.
For breakfast expect a generous buffet of regional cheeses and cured meats, homemade bread, fruit in season (we had fresh juicy cherries in 2017), croissants, cake, coffee and eggs to order. If not out for lunch choose salads, pasta dishes, fish, or cold cuts from the light bites menu. There are plenty of options in Lucca and nearby, note that it's a windy 7km drive to the nearest restaurant. Foodies can enroll on Guido’s cookery lessons or enjoy olive oil and wine-tasting sessions (there are 18 different local wines within 6-7km). The estate’s olive oil harvest takes place in the first week of November, join in by arrangement.
Features include:
- Children's meals
- Minibar/fridge
- Restaurant
Activities
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cooking classes
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Horse riding
- Shopping / markets
- Wine tasting
Kids
Although this is a quiet adult oriented hotel, families are made very welcome and kids will enjoy the pool. Older kids may find the place too quiet for them. The suites are ideal as family rooms, children under three stay free if sleeping in a cot; there are 4 cots available on request. Older children can stay in a pull-out bed (additional cost per night).
Best for:
Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)
Family friendly accommodation:
The Suites sleep four apiece and can take a couple of extra beds plus a baby cot. All rooms can take a baby cot, Superior rooms can take an extra bed
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Baby equipment:
- 4 baby cots
- 2 high chairs
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
The chef can create smaller portions of dishes on request, and they can suggest kid-friendly dishes too
Kids Activities on site:
- Swimming pool
- Pigs
Kids Activities nearby:
- Goats cheese farm up the road
- Horse riding (10 minutes)
- Pinocchio Park and Butterfly House (30 minutes)
- Versilia Coast (30-40 minutes)
Families Should Know:
The pool area is enclosed. The hotel is beside a quiet country road
Distances:
- Airport: 40 minutes (Pisa)
- Hospital: 20 minutes
- Shops: 10 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Tenuta San Pietro is situated 7km outside the pretty Tuscan town of Lucca.
By Air
Most people fly to Pisa, which has lots of international flights, then drive. There are also some flights to Florence Peretola airport. Clink on the links below for more details. The hotel can arrange airport transfers.
By Train
There are train lines between Florence and Lucca and between Pisa and Lucca. Taxis and shuttle buses are available at the station.
By Car
Most guests arrive by car and we do recommend having a hire car when staying here, as it is in the countryside 7km outside Lucca. See our car rental recommendations.
Detailed directions will be sent upon confirmation.
More on getting to Italy and getting around
Airports:
- Pisa 35.0 km PSA
- Florence 60.0 km FLR
Other:
- Beach 35.0 km
- Shops 7.0 km
- Restaurant 7.0 km