On first impressions La Volpaie was probably not quite what we were expecting. Having seen so many beautiful, old hotels and buildings around the area, seeing a relatively modern building which looks a little bit like a combination of someone's (albeit large) house and a motel was a bit of a surprise.

Nonetheless, it's not unattractive and has a nice garden area but if you're looking for an original character building that's typical of the area, we'd probably suggest you look elsewhere.

As mentioned in other reviews, the hotel is about 12km from San Gimignano, with this hotel being in the small village of Castell San Gimignano. There's not much going on in the village at night so if you're looking for a few beers and a choice of places for dinner you may well find yourself back in the 'main' town. That said, it's worth noting that many of the hotels on the site that are listed as San Gimignano are outside the main town on one of the nearby roads - if you want to stay in the main town itself, check location carefully before you book.

Once inside the hotel, it's very 'chalet' feeling and a really pleasant place to be. Given the very reasonable rates, the decor is very good and there's a nice 'lounge' area with TV just to the side of reception. The staff themsevles were very friendly and helpful throughout our stay.

Our room seemed relatively new and fresh - small TV, heater, cupboard and a good sized shower room which is exactly what you'd expect from this kind of place. Nothing spectacular but nothing wrong either.

The real highlight is breakfast! Again, it's not gourmet but there's a huge selection of cheeses, meats, breads, cereals, fruits etc and - on our stay anyway - fresh boiled eggs were being brought out as you arrived for your food. Again, the staff couldn't do enough and clearly take a lot of pride in what they offer you.

Overall, very good value for money, especially considering the extremely high quality of the breakfasts and newness of the whole place.

Intended to stay in San Gimignano but was glad to pass straight through, leaving tourists behind, and end up in the village of Castel San Gimignano some kilometres beyond (you do need a car to stay in this hotel). Le Volpaie was easy to find, thanks to a prominent sign on the main road (on your right if heading towards Volterra).

What a lovely place! Well laid out and decorated, very clean room with no skimping on detail. Beautiful pool, again very clean. Owners and staff very helpful - happy to show you the room before you commit and to show you several rooms if available (those without a balcony are cheaper but would have been a shame to miss the view across the Tuscan countryside). Breakfast was excellent; a boiled egg and fresh fruit salad brought to the table and then the choice of the buffet - cold meat, cheeses, smoked salmon, fruit, cereal, sweet Italian style cake and "cornetti" and much more.

The Tre Archi restaurant is in the village. Ate there the first night and it was nice, if not particularly cheap. Second night went out and found a Ristorante Pizzeria just a few kilometres down from the village (the pack they give you in the hotel will show you where to find it). That was nice too and more reasonably priced - would recommend the calzone (folded over version of a pizza).

It was a real pleasure to stay in this hotel. A top-class 3 Star with all round appeal. Seemed a shame to leave!

The first thing to say about this hotel is that it isn't in the beautiful towm of San Gimignano but in the small, pretty village of Castel San Gimignano which is a few miles from the aforementioned tourist honey pot.The first impression of the hotel was how easy it was to find; right on the road from Volterra (and Pisa) to Siena, this also meant the downside of being on a quite busy road. Having parked the car we were welcomed warmly by the woman at reception and taken to our room. This was immaculately clean (as was all the hotel), and spacious. The facilities were good with a small fridge, air con (if you want it I prefer to have the window open) and a good sized shower room. Outside the gardens are pool were beautiful and clean with plenty of seating. The breakfast was, if anything more exceptional than the rest of what the hotel provided. There was a whole range of food from fresh fruit, cold meats and fresh bread to apple tart. A great way to start a days exploration of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. We didn't sample the bar in the evenings but the terraces and lounge were all as immaculate as the rest of the hotel. The village in which the hotel is set is small with a couple of bars and a restaurant. This latter, the Three Arches, is worthy of special note for the welcoming proprietor and the supurb food and wine. The location of the hotel makes it an ideal base for exploring the local towns and cities as well as the lovely countryside. A really friendly place beautifully kept in a great location (apart from the road!) - I would recommend it to anyone who wants comfortable and relaxed surroundings.