Poggio Cennina Resort

Set on a ridge above the Val d'Ambra, Poggio Cennina Resort occupies a hill village roughly 360 metres above sea level, with views south over the Chianti hills. The resort is built into a cluster of old stone houses, converted into rooms, suites, apartments and villas rather than raised from scratch. Each unit has its own entrance, a private bathroom and a garden or terrace with a table and chairs. It is a quiet place to base a stay. Some double rooms have a window set into the ceiling above the bed; with no light pollution nearby, you can watch the stars from the pillow. Apartments run from 120 to 130 square metres, with kitchens, dishwashers and separate dining rooms, while the two- and three-bedroom villas reach 135 and 240 square metres. All units keep air conditioning in the bedrooms and mosquito screens on the windows. Grounds include an outdoor pool open from May through September, a tennis court, a small gym and mountain bikes for guests to borrow. A stone castle and an old abbey sit within reach nearby, both reminders that this stretch of countryside has been settled for centuries. Reception runs common hours through the day. The pace here is set by the hill and the valley below it, not by the resort.