Condé Nast Traveller India - Trident Hotel Bandra Kurla

the beSt
neW hoteLS
IN THE WORLD
UK, EUROpE &
THE RUssIaN
FEDERaTION
CASteL monASteRo, Siena
photograph: JaCK COBLE
The Tuscan walled-village-ashotel
comes of age with Castel
Monastero, the first such idyll
to feature the sort of luxury
facilities and service associated
with urban five-stars. Set in
the vineyards of the Ombrone
Valley, east of Siena, the hotel
occupies an 11th-century borgo
(walled hamlet) which has been
both castle and monastery in
the pastÐhe nce the name. The
hotel made much of Gordon
Ramsay' s appointment as its
culinary consultant, but head
chef Alessandro Delfanti holds
the fort, turning out refined
versions of Tuscan classics. The
76 rooms and suites are
scattered around the property
in a series of colour-coded
contrade (districts). Guests
looking for a village vibe will
choose one of the historic,
wood-beamed rooms
surrounding the castle
courtyard; those in search of
seclusion may be tempted
by one of the stand-alone
cottages or the two-storey villa
which comes with a butler. The
warm, masculine décor is by
US designer Eric Egan, while
the spa, with two indoor pools,
uses products by the London
company Urban Retreat. This is
a convincing packaging of the
Tuscan dream, and what one
would expect of its developer,
Forte Village, the company
behind the award-winning
seaside resort for families.
When to go Summer, but the
heated outdoor pool make this
a year-round option.
Room to book Roomy
Classics and Deluxes with
courtyard views can be good
value out of season.
+39 0577 570 001; www.
castelmonastero.com.
Doubles from €385 ( 22,700)
UK, EUROpE & THE RUssIaN FEDERaTION continues on page 316
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