Borgo Santo Pietro Rooms and Suites
Near the main house, among the 13-acre grounds are two Pool House suites of 85sqm with their own private gardens and pool. Most rooms and suites have fireplaces. I’m staying in the stunning and very spacious La Casa Dell’ Unicorno Garden Suite. The size of a house, this is luxury estate living at its best.
Imagine exposed wooden beams, stone flooring with vintage sofa and chairs, a giant glass chandelier adding to the grandeur of the space. The capacious hand-carved four-poster bed is endowed with a special mattress (from Denmark) and the softest linens from Italy, alongside beautiful antique furniture. 
The ensuite bathroom has his-and-hers basins, an enormous freestanding bath and a superb power shower.
Amenities are from Borgo’s own organic skincare range. The Retreat marine algae mineral bath salt with essential oils of Sandalwood, Neroli and Rose; The Revival low foam recovery shampoo with damask rose, orange peel, lemon and rose geranium; and The Purity hand and body cleanser are all gorgeous and leave my skin silky smooth.
The Unicorn Garden Suite boasts not one but three French doors: follow the first to an outside dining terrace with a fireplace and a large canopied day bed on a raised grass area.
The other leads to a sunken patio with loungers bordered with blossoming white camellias and lavender. The garden faces southwest with sunny and shady areas in which to rest, read and eat – I love the large dining table next to the fireplace.
The third door opens onto a delightful Mediterranean courtyard with Moroccan day beds to lounge in and a selection of tables and chairs set among lemon trees and a central fountain. Water is a recurring theme at Borgo, with the soft trickling providing a relaxing backdrop.
A bottle of Spumante and a selection of canapés, along with a welcome card, await me next to an exquisite flower arrangement. Modern accoutrements are discreetly hidden: The plasma TV and DVD player are concealed behind a unicorn-motif panel, and the aircon is low level.
Add touchscreen lighting, a fully loaded iPad with music, and Borgo’s concierge app. Plus, an iPod and a dock. There’s even an old-school DVD library. I decided to catch up on Game of Thrones (confession: I haven’t seen a single episode), but such is the magic of Borgo. I’m not in the mood for anything other than relaxation.
Blissfully, the shutters on every window ensure deep sleep during my stay. Pillow lavender-infused chocolates appear at turndown, together with bottled water. I feel cocooned from the rest of the world, yet I am only a minute’s walk to the main house.
Borgo Santo Pietro Gardens
I meander around Borgo’s grounds before supper; the pink-hued sky a dramatic canvas in this Tuscan paradise. The main house and garden suites at Borgo Santo Pietro are nestled in 13 acres of formal yet relaxed gardens, each divided into Italianate-style sections. Designer Valstad Helle has collaborated with Jeanette to create a series of masterpieces.
Each garden flows seamlessly into the other: the flower garden (used in Borgo’s own organic Seed to Skin skincare range) and herb gardens; a lake with Giverny-style bridge and plantings; a vegetable garden; pool area, shady terraces and hidden rose-canopied arbours for Italian-themed movie nights and boules.
This enchanted haven instantly connects me with nature, and I feel grounded and peaceful. There’s a freshwater infinity pool with its own bar and jacuzzi next to the Trattoria Sull’Albero restaurant.
Surrounded by canvas parasols and wooden loungers, this idyllic location boasts hidden alcoves in which to escape the midday sun. Shady spots for reading, sipping tea and stronger stuff abound. Even though the rooms and suites are at full capacity, such is the grand scale of Borgo Santo Pietro, I only see other couples at dinner as I wander among the tranquil gardens and terraces. The estate is beautifully designed, and like a symphony, each area plays its part in creating a work of art.
As well as the formal gardens, Borgo Santo Pietro’s farm-to-plate philosophy is evident in the massive orto (culinary gardens). Walk or cycle among edible flowers, herbs, vegetables (more than 200 types) and fruit trees. All the organic produce is grown according to lunar cycles and biodynamic principles, with the produce used at Borgo’s Michelin-starred restaurant Meo Modo and at its sister Michelin-starred restaurant in Florence – La Bottega del Buon Caffè.
You must be logged in to post a comment.