Tuscany at it’s best. A lovingly restored and maintained convent, organized into 5 apartments of varying sizes and accommodation. Very quiet. While there were only two other parties when we were there, we rarely saw or heard anyone, except by choice. There is a large outside area around the knoll on which the property sits, with tables, lounges, a hammock, etc., all organized to allow separate parties to have private gatherings. The views over the valley, onto the adjacent basilica and up the hill to Montepulciano were breathtaking. This is exactly why you would want to be in a Tuscan hill town. We spent every early evening near sunset relaxing with local charcuterie, cheese and adult beverages, mesmerized by the view. We were there in early Spring, so I cannot speak to the potential insect situation as the year progresses. We stayed in the Bellarmino apartment, a nicely sized and appointed 1 bed/1bath with a small kitchen (just a bit more than a kitchenette) fitted to a high standard. A very comfortable bed and high quality shower room. Note that there is no freezer in the kitchen, only a refrigerator and not particularly powerful by US standards. This isn’t a complaint, only a observation for an American’s expectations. Also, there is no dishwasher. Again, not a complaint, but an observation for those expecting one. The kitchen was just average. The cooking pots/pans were acceptable, the cooking utensils a bit lacking (a spatula would have been useful) and I had to buy a few items (olive oil, pepper, aluminum foil, etc) to be able to cook. With this, I can only speak to Bellarmino. I suspect that the kitchen varies a bit with each apartment as well as your need or desire to cook. The wifi is fine but only within the unit. The routers are not powerful enough to penetrate the thick walls to be useful outside. The clothes washer/dryer are in a common space for all guests to use. There is an iron/board there as well. Soap is provided, however there is a nominal (2€/hr) charge for the dryer. Plan ahead and buy your tokens from Stefania. Drying racks are provided for free. The daily maid service is a rare luxury. Stefania was a kind, helpful and very pleasant host. As an example of her attentiveness, we had a minor ant problem and she came the same afternoon to attend to the problem. She went well out of her way to be helpful with a local map, restaurant recommendations, etc. As is the highest recommendation, we will be back. Thank you Stefania.

In questa struttura abbiamo passato un fine settimana molto piacevole, siamo stati benissimo..gli appartamenti sono comodi spaziosi e ben rifiniti. All'arrivo in frigo c'è già qualcosa tipo acqua, latte, burro, succo di frutta ..in più in dotazione c'è olio caffè etc..è molto ben accessoriato e pulitissimo..la struttura è in complesso fuori dal caos ma a portata di mano c'è tutto dal market in poi..le stanze tutto sommato sono abbastanza silenziose.. il personale è disponibile e gentilissimo nonché molto preciso..lo consiglio

Situated on a hill below the imposing hill which Montepulciano itself rests on, Montorio is a unit of several self-catering apartments of various sizes able to accommodate various size groups. We took one of the 2 'two person' apartments, consisting of a lounge area with two lounge chairs and a TV, this then went through to the sleeping area with a large, comfortable king size bed along with a large dining table, this in turn leads through to the small, well equipped kitchen with a small eating area if preferred. The shower room is to the left of the main door. The exterior of the building consists of well maintained gardens with seating areas and sunbeds, there is plenty of shade from the well established 'pencil' pine trees. The views of Montepulciano and the surrounding area are wonderful and just three hundred metres away is the Church of San Biagio. There is no pool at Montorio but that wasn't an issue for us. The interior of the property is very well maintained in a 'classic' Italian country property style (exposed timbers and red tile ceilings). Wi/Fi is available at all times and there are telephones in the apartments. The owner, Stefania, was extremely helpful and knowledgable about the area, was always available by telephone and was just a few minutes away, she was not 'ever present'. The room is serviced daily (except Sunday) with clean towels each day. Being self-catering it is useful too that there is a Supermarket two hundred yards away and others in Montepulciano itself where there are also numerous places to eat during the day and evening. The roads around Montepulciano can be busy and fast but if you've driven from Pisa (2 hours+) Florence (1 hour +) or Rome (2 hours +) you'll be used to it by now. It should be clear that Motepulciano town is hilly and quite steep in places, whilst for most people this amounts to a gentle heart workout when walking around, those people who have difficulty in these situations, especially in the heat of mid-summer, might not be comfortable. Having said that, some of the other towns in the area are less hilly once you get to them and are worth a look (Pienza, Montalcino, Bagno Vignoni). We are returning next year.

My husband, 20-year-old daughter and I enjoyed 4 nights at Montorio in mid-June, 2014. We stayed in the two-bedroom, one bath unit which is spotless, very spacious and charming. The entire property is beautifully maintained with top-quality fittings and furnishings throughout. Care has been taken to provide a serene setting along with everything you need for peaceful relaxation and comfort; the beds, bed and bath linens, sofas and other furnishings are perfect. There is a small, but utilitarian and complete kitchen with several cooking staples provided, i.e., olive oil, salt & pepper, coffee, tea, sugar. An initial setup of milk, orange juice, and bottled water are provided too. The dining and living room is spacious. (Nearby is a supermarket with fresh, local and very cheap groceries. It is called Eurospin. We were pleasantly surprised at the prices which were very inexpensive!) We cooked one evening and enjoyed breakfasts on the patio every morning - a real pleasure. The location and setting of Montorio is absolutely magical. The house, which was a former monastery built in the 13th century, prettily overlooks the 15th century church of San Biagio (widely considered to be one of the loveliest churches in Tuscany) and is just outside Montepulciano town walls. It is possible to hike up into the town via a broad footpath across from Montorio, but it’s a somewhat challenging walk. My husband and daughter hiked up (and down) early one morning and enjoyed it. Montorio is a super-quick 2 minute drive from the town’s parking areas which provide much easier access to the Piazza Grande. The house is situated on a knoll nestled amid a fruit and olive orchard and ringed by cypress trees. The property is remarkably private given its convenient location to Montepulciano, a grocery and nearby restaurants. Parking is ample and well-concealed so that nothing spoils the view of Tuscan rolling hills, vineyards and wheat fields. Thankfully, because of its iconic place in the history of the area, there is not a pool at Montorio to spoil the charming country atmosphere. At night, there were fireflies in the orchard! Stephania, the welcoming hostess/manager of Montorio is warm, professional and very well informed about Montepulciano, the wineries in the vicinity, other hill towns in Tuscany and the Siena area. Stephania is completely fluent and comfortable speaking English. She is well organized and was prepared upon our arrival to show us in detail the many features of our accommodations and the facilities at Montorio. She also provided us with a hand-annotated map of town with recommended restaurants ranked by price. She was available at all hours by cell phone, readily answered all questions and assisted in providing route-guidance for our day trips. We could not have asked for more. We tucked our visit to Tuscany in the middle of our trip. After the museums, cathedrals and palaces of Venice and Florence, it made a welcome change of pace. We relaxed, lazily explored nearby hill towns (and Siena too), and enjoyed the peace and abundant natural beauty so that we were rested, refreshed, and ready for Rome later in the trip! Our stay at Montorio exceeded all of our expectations, creating a memorable experience that remains a highlight of our lovely trip to Italy.

We spent a week in the studio apartment in October. It was great! The buildings are a remodeled convent or something--thick walls, tile floors, beautiful. The apartment is larger than we expected--the single room is partially divided, with a sitting/TV area, then queen-size bed and a dining room table and chairs, plus a full kitchen with another small table. The wi-fi worked well (unlike other places we stayed on this 3 week trip), and there's a washing machine on site which we used. Stefania was very friendly and helpful, with maps and suggestions. Milk and orange juice in fridge when we arrived, and coffee and a few other staples provided. Daily maid service was surprising, too. We learned about Montoria through a friend, and booked it via their website, but the price we paid was only 805 euros for the week (non-refundable; more if you wanted to be able to cancel). There's a gate with a remote control to enter; don't get there before 4 or the gate will be closed. The town of Montepulciano is close enough to walk to, but you really need a car (and a GPS!) to tour Tuscany, in my opinion.