7-Nights Villa Il Santo - Private Estate Collection

Abercrombie & Kent

Tranquil Villa Il Santo is like a Tuscan hilltop village in miniature. The owners have sensitively restored the traditional honey-hued sandstone buildings, retaining original features while giving the interiors a contemporary shake-up. Set high in a secluded spot between Florence and Siena, the location makes for utter privacy, peace and spirit-lifting views across Tuscany’s vine-threaded hills from verandas, garden terraces and a sensational infinity pool.

The Villa
Originally built in the 11th century, Villa Il Santo has aged beautifully, like a fine Chianti wine. It’s a light-filled hilltop hideaway conjured out of a medieval tower and an old barn, and blanketed in Boston ivy, which was sensitively restored in 2023 in a top-to-toe makeover by owners Jane and Steven Collins (she is an antiques dealer, he a hotelier), who also run Henry’s Townhouse in Marylebone and Cotswold estate Temple Guiting. Their taste is exquisite. Clean, elegant interiors embody Italian quiet luxury, the earthy palette injected with fun points of focus thanks to abstract art by Peter Haigh, vintage Giotto Stopino furniture and statement seating by Pierre Paulin. Light, open living spaces foster connections, designed for eating, drinking and hanging out, from laid-back breakfasts and espressos in the well-equipped kitchen that opens up onto the garden, to chef-prepared feasts beneath the vaulted ceiling of the dining room, with its great wooden table for 16 – the perfect place to fill with your favourite people. There are eight fresh-faced, elegant bedrooms. Some have living spaces with fireplaces, some open onto gardens, two have free-standing bathtubs, and all but one have ensuite bathrooms kitted out with Dyson hairdryers, Frette bathrobes and bathroom products from Florentine institution Santa Maria Novella, the world’s oldest pharmacy. A separate studio by the pool is perfect for extra guests or round-the-clock staff. At every turn – from bedroom windows, verandas, various terraces, gardens – are sensational views of the green patchwork hills stretching out below. Outside there’s an outdoor kitchen (complete with Fontana pizza oven), dining areas, seating nooks for beating a retreat from the crew, and the most beautiful hand-tiled infinity pool, lined with parasols, that feels suspended mid-air, high above the Tuscan landscape.

Vacation Inclusions

• 8 Bedrooms Private Villa Accommodations (sleeps 16)
• A case of Tuscan wine and a welcome basket of specialty cheeses, breads and other local treats.
• Welcome and farewell dinners at the villa, prepared by an esteemed local chef.
• Wine tasting at the villa or in the winery on your estate, with an expert from a leading vineyard.
• A cooking lesson with a local Italian chef, who tailors the class to your party’s tastes and skills.
• A session at the villa with a professional photographer, who captures the best holiday photos you’ve ever had.
• Exclusive goodie bags of gifts for children and adults.
• A dedicated local host who serves as your concierge 24/7.
• Pre-arrival grocery shopping service.
• A meet-and-greet at the airport.
• Private arrival and departure airport transfers.
• A lavishly presented continental breakfast every day at a time of your choosing.
• Daily housekeeping.

Featured Destinations

Colle Val d'Elsa Colle Val d'Elsa Sitting in the heart of Tuscany lies the "Hill of Elsa Valley" first settled by man dating back as far as the 4th millennium BC. Renowned for their production of crystal glassware and art since the 17th century, this town is also known as "Crystal City" producing 15% of the world's crystals.

Valid Date Ranges