|
Set high on a ridge in the hilltop village of Radda, deep in the heart of the Chianti region, this 4-star hotel combines a unique history with refined elegance and all modern comforts. It guarantees utmost tranquillity, as well as unspoilt, panoramic views over gently rolling hills, covered in vineyards and olive-groves. These also form the scenic backdrop to the lovely open-air pool. The cosy welcoming restaurant serves typically Tuscan specialities in a charming traditional setting, while an extensive range of fine wines may be sampled and purchased in the hotel’s own wineshop.
 The hotel stands alongside a quiet country road on the outskirts of the village, with its annexe directly opposite. Dating back to the 18th century and built into the hillside, it offers guestrooms, communal areas and outside terraces on a variety of levels.
There is a choice of three comfortably and stylishly furnished lounges, with working fireplaces and frescoed ceilings and walls, where you can relax in private.
Adjoining these is a bar with seating area and a cosy TV room with flat-screen Sat.TV. A small library and study alcove accommodates an Internet point for the use of all guests.
To the rear, a delightful balcony provides tables and chairs for open-air recreation, complemented by the stunning backdrop of the Valley.
The communal areas surround an external central courtyard, adorned by an ancient covered well, where breakfast is served in the summer season.  This extends on one side into a manicured lawn, which is shaded by a tall, white-flowering, evergreen magnolia tree.
The hotel restaurant, also open to the public, is approached down a tiled staircase, which leads through a barrel-vaulted gallery to the terrace-levels below. The restaurant is sub-divided into a selection of smaller spaces, thus creating a more intimate style of dining, but the architectural environment remains rustically Tuscan throughout, with terracotta-tiled floors and tiled/beamed ceilings.
In the summer, meals are served on the lower-level outdoor terrace, which is surmounted by an attractive pergola of sweet-scented wisteria and commands spectacular valley views.
Set to the rear on the lowest terrace of all, the heated outdoor pool likewise enjoys this splendid scenic backdrop. The paved poolside is equipped with sunshades  and loungers, or you may prefer the lawns at the far end, with their shady lime and chestnut trees.
Proceeding through the hotel gardens, which feature colourful rambling roses and wisteria, as well as rosemary and lavender bushes and brightly planted terracotta pots, you locate the hotel’s private gravel carpark, where covered spaces are also available.
As the hotel is situated on a vineyard-estate, it produces its own prestigious Chianti wines, which are on sale in the on-site wineshop, along with other typical local produce, such as grappa, olive-oil, honey and balsamic vinegar.
ACCOMMODATION: The hotel is housed in a historic split-level building, so the lift can only access the first floor. Stairs proceed to the other two storeys in the different wings.
There is a total of 45 rooms, 10 of which are located in the  Annexe. There are 5 suites, with private terrace.
Guestrooms may look out towards the roadside or towards the courtyard and valley.
All rooms have double-glazing, air-conditioning, Sat.TV, mini-bar and ensuite bathroom, with a complimentary glass of wine to welcome you on arrival.
CATEGORIES OF ACCOMMODATION:
STANDARD: Facing either the roadside or the garden. Double ensuite bedroom. Traditional wooden furniture, white-washed walls, terracotta-tiled floors, internal brick archways, vaulted terracotta ceilings.
DELUXE: Double bedroom with integrated lounge area. Ensuite bathroom with bathtub. Traditional wooden furniture, terracotta-tiled floors, tiled/beamed ceilings.
 SUITE: 3 in Main Hotel and 2 in separate outbuilding beneath pool-terrace.
Double bedroom. Ensuite bathroom with bathtub and jacuzzi-jet shower. Adjoining lounge, with writing desk and sofa. Fitted carpets. Private loggia or terrace.
Two-storey ANNEXE: 10 bedrooms of Superior and Deluxe categories, including one single room. Ensuite bathroom with shower. Front-facing towards quiet road; or rear-facing towards hills and valley.
HISTORY: The Vignale was originally a farmhouse situated on a wine-producing estate owned by the Falconi family. It was visited in 1773 by Peter Leopold, the then Grand Duke of Lorraine and Tuscany, who noted that even at that time the estate was already exporting wines to England.
This wine-production and trade were greatly extended by the Pianigiani  family, successors to the Falconis. In 1924, the so-called ‘Gallo Nero’ (‘Black Cockerel’ or ‘Black Rooster’) act was drawn up on the estate itself by Baldassarre Pianigiani, the family’s legal expert, founding a Consortium for the protection of ‘Chianti Classico’, the typical wine of the Chianti region.
The Vignale’s archives contain many more such important documents that bear witness to historical continuity.
It remains to this day the legal seat of the ‘Consortium for Chianti Classico Wine’, as well as being the ‘Centre for Historical Studies of the Chianti Region’.
Great care was taken during the restoration work to preserve the historic architectural features of the original farmhouse and subsequently to furnish it in an appropriate antique style, while at the same time incorporating all modern conveniences.
|
