Only a few kilometres south of Siena, Pipistrelli is a stunning conversion of a large Tuscan farmhouse. A New York designer turned this ancient secular building into a stylish luxury villa for 14, fully air-conditioned, with all bathrooms ensuite and with an infinity swimming pool that looks out over the valley of the Merse river. The setting is utterly Tuscan and fabulously private - the drive up to the house crosses olive groves on a track lined with cypresses before diving into a dark holm oak forest that protects your privacy and makes you feel snug and safe from the world.
Then the view from the pool opens out onto a valley with no buildings, just a river snaking through. At the end of a cypress-lined drive, the house is enclosed at the front by large walled courtyard opposite a jasmine-draped Zen garden. A fitting welcome to a beautifully tended property that ensures a restorative and pampered holiday.
The house has been recently restored with great care and retains many of its original Tuscan features.
Pipistrelli is listed under the following categories:
There is one entryway into a hall and a cloak room, and another into a large country kitchen with an open fireplace and equipped with all amenities necessary for a gourmet dinner or cooking classes to inspire one. An open archway leads to the dining room with access to a small furnished terrace. Another arch leads up to the living room with its spectacular fireplace built on natural rock formation and french doors onto a Zen terrace, perfect for enjoying cocktails and the evening light. Also on this floor are two twin bedrooms each with en suite shower rooms, and a small WC with washer and dryer.
Antique travertine stairs lead up to a landing with access to a covered loggia overlooking the courtyard. On this floor there is a large living room with open fireplace and one twin and two double bedrooms, all with en suite shower rooms. All twin bedrooms can be made into doubles upon request.
Additional accommodation is available in the converted barn. Light and airy thanks to its open plan design, on the upper level it has a double and a twin bedroom, each with an en suite shower room. An open staircase leads below to a dining room/kitchen and a living area with a fireplace and large doors onto a furnished terrace.
The decor is elegant but eclectic: beam ceilings, wood and local stone, softly coloured walls and terracotta floors all find a natural mix with twists of modern Italian design.
Behind the main house there is a travertine terrace, with umbrellas and good quality sun furniture and a pool whose infinity edge looks out over the low Montagnola hills and whose fountain provides refreshing massage
Villa Pipistrelli is reached via a gravel road up to Montestigliano then a further stretch from the estate itself to the villa. The road is well-maintained and not too bumpy, nobody has reported having trouble driving to the house. The total distance is around 2kms from the paved road, and around 500m from the Montestigliano estate.
As lovely as this house is, there are good reasons to be away from it briefly, for the medieval city of Siena, with its bustling weekly market, its famous shell-shaped piazza and its meandering streets is a short drive away. Yet also within an hour are the beaches of the southern Tuscan coast, Chianti villages of note and spas that welcome the weary. A wonderful corner to explore, a treat of a place to call your own all the holiday long.
The art cities of Tuscany like Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Arezzo are all within reach, though the relaxing pool, charming nearby villages and good restaurants may keep within close range of this fabulous house.
From € 1,203 to 2,160 per day
From € 8,424 to € 12,960 per week
Approximately
$ 9,098 to $ 13,997 in USD
For availability and pricing see the calendar above. To book online click on your desired arrival date, then on the departure date. The calendar will grey out dates for stay lengths that are not accepted - most villas book Sat to Sat but many also allow shorter stays or odd dates.
If you have any questions or would like help choosing, we visit our properties regularly and can help you select the best villa for your holidays.
We can hold dates for you for 48 hours while you make sure everything lines up, then you simply pay the deposit (30% of total) to secure your booking. The balance will then be due 10 weeks before you travel.
Simply add "XCover" to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel. For more details see our Booking Conditions and XCover. You can add XCover to your booking at any time until you have paid your balance, ask your agent. If you simply need to change your dates please let us know: we can often modify your booking rather than cancelling outright.
Many local administrations now charge a “Tourist Tax” for people staying in rented accommodation and these vary from town to town. The charges are generally per person per night with a maximum number of nights, usually around 5 but sometimes 7, beyond which they will not charge. The charges range between 50 cents to 5 euro. Children are sometimes included, sometimes not and these charges should be collected by the property owners.
It can often be faster to contact us to ask for advice - we visit all the houses so can give you first hand advice based on your wishlist. Once you find a villa you like we can hold dates for you for around 48 hours while you check flights or make sure everybody is on board.
Please ring us with any queries - there are a lot of answers in our FAQ page too. If you want to keep searching, have a look at our suggestions below!