Siena, Italy
Grand Hotel Continental
Ornate Idyll
What it is
An 51-room jewel set in a 17th-century palazzo, with frescoed ceilings and antique-stocked rooms.
What it isn't
Adults-only. Yes, everything looks untouchable—but it isn’t. Here, kids stay free (including gratis breakfast) and are treated to welcome kids and any amenity they require, from bottle warmers to playpens.
What we think
We may never be royals—but we can live like them. Even the starter rooms in this glamorous respite are fit for sovereigns of state, with their four poster canopied beds, sumptuously patterned linens and tufted armchairs you can sink into. Upgrade to the Heritage Suite for what will undoubtedly be one of the most stunning stays of your life, thanks to vaulted ceiling frescoes above and travertine marble bathrooms. Oenophiles freak out—rightfully so—when they see the hotel’s stone-walled wine cellar, tucked within a 13th century tower.
You're here because
The hotel has perfected the ancient art of pampering guests, from the shoe shines to the 24-hour room service to the pillow menu (like it plush? Like it down? Like it hard as a Roman statue? Your wish is their command).
The Moment
If you squint, you think you’re in a Wes Anderson movie—that’s how cinematic the locavore Sapordivino Restaurant is, with its burnished peachy pink walls and cherry red striped seats. One bite of your Cinta Sense ham carpaccio in powdered liquorice and balsamic vinegar, and you’re not just in a movie—you’re stealing the scene. This is, as the restaurant's name alludes, divine.
Restaurants & Bars
Sapordivino Restaurant - Tuscan food, open year round
Luca's Cuisine - Incredible food from an award winning chef
Enoteca SaporDivino - Wine bar
Location
On Siena’s medieval sandstone main street (Corso Senese), just a quick walk from Pasticceria Nannini, a landmark circa 1930 coffee shop that’s the Instagrammable opposite of Starbucks.