Villa Mucellena

Hotel Description

You know what? I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to Villa Mucellena – I mean, it’s tucked away in this tiny hamlet called Località Mucellena, and honestly, if you blink while driving through the Tuscan countryside, you’ll miss the turn completely. But that’s actually the whole point of this place. It sits on this gentle hill about 10 minutes outside Casole d’Elsa proper, and the moment you walk through those weathered stone arches, you realize you’ve stumbled onto something pretty special. The villa itself is this beautifully restored 16th-century farmhouse where every room feels like someone’s elegant Italian grandmother still lives there – well, if your grandmother had impeccable taste and a serious budget for linens. The owners clearly know their stuff because they’ve managed to keep all the original character (those hand-hewn ceiling beams, the terracotta floors that creak just right) while sneaking in modern comforts that actually work.

What really gets me about Villa Mucellena is how it nails that whole “authentic Tuscany” thing without feeling like a theme park. The pool area – and this is where I spent way too much time – overlooks these rolling vineyards that stretch toward Volterra, and around 6 PM when the light starts getting golden, you understand why people lose their minds over this region. The staff runs the place like a well-oiled machine, but they’re genuinely warm about it, not just professionally friendly. They’ll tell you which osteria in Casole d’Elsa actually serves the best wild boar ragu (it’s not the obvious touristy one), and they know exactly when the local market happens in nearby Colle di Val d’Elsa. The breakfast spread is this perfect mix of homemade pastries and local cheeses – they source everything from farms you can literally see from your window, which sounds cheesy but is actually pretty cool when you’re eating it.

I’ll be honest, the location means you definitely need a car, and some of those country roads get a bit adventurous after dark if you’re not used to them. But that isolation is exactly what makes this place work. You’re close enough to hit the bigger towns – Siena’s maybe 45 minutes, San Gimignano about 30 – but far enough away that you feel like you’re actually experiencing the countryside, not just looking at it from a tour bus. The rooms are spacious without being cavernous, each one decorated with antiques that feel lived-in rather than museum-perfect. My room had this massive armoire that probably had stories to tell, and the bathroom was surprisingly modern (thank goodness, because rustic charm only goes so far). At night, it gets properly quiet out here – like, city people might find it almost unsettling – but that’s part of the magic. You’ll sleep better than you have in months.

Rooms

• Apartment with Terrace with 2 × 1 large double bed for 4 adults, 2 children
• Apartment with Terrace with 1 large double bed and 1 double bed for 3 adults, 1 child
• Apartment – Ground Floor with 1 large double bed and 1 single bed for 3 adults, 2 children
• King Studio with Sofa Bed with 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Apartment with 1 large double bed and 1 double bed for 3 adults, 2 children
• Apartment with Garden View with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Apartment with Terrace with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Large Double Room with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child

Reviews

• Natasha from Italy (9/10)

  The entire experience was very pleasant. We stayed for 2 nights and this new establishment met our expectations – friendly staff and attentive to our needs….very peaceful atmosphere and the room was clean.

• Zelda from Germany (10/10)

  Villa Mucellena is a must if you want to visit Tuscany. We stayed there for three nights on our road trip through Italy and we were so amazed by the experience that we came back at the end of our trip to spend there our last three nights. Viola is the best host you can imagine. She is friendly, responsive and always happy to give us some good local recommendations. If you go there, definitely do not miss out on booking a dinner, if she makes one. Even better than most of the restaurants we visited. She also offers a cooking class where we learned how we could take a small piece of Tuscany with us back home. Truly a great experience we will surely make again next year!

• Melissa from Netherlands (9/10)

  Beautiful location. The staff is super nice! The pool was a bit cold and there was no high chair for our baby.

• Groen from Netherlands (10/10)

  The room, outside terracces, the pool (!) and most of all Viola who was extremely welcoming and helpful. we had two unfortunate incidents, of which one medical, and she did not hesitate to support to the best of her abilities.

• Marcin from Poland (10/10)

  Villa Mucellena is a lovely place, ideally placed between Siena (25 mins) and Florence (55).
  You sleep in old, beautiful villa, you swim in a poll bigger than it looks on pictures. And you can have breakfast and lunch – very tasty and affordable.
  The staff is veeeery helpful – thank you Anna and Viola!!!
  Great place to stay for a few days!

• Laura from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Very relaxing stay. The villa and grounds look beautiful. The smart TV's with a Netflix account are a nice addition. There was good signage from the road so it was easy to find the villa.

• Mihaela from Romania (9/10)

  The swimming pool, location, surroundings

• Linda from Czech Republic (9/10)

  The location in the nature, nice swimming pool, nice room.

• Adrian from Italy (10/10)

  Ne-a plăcut totul. Pare că ești în paradis . Gazdele au fost foarte atente și amabile. Este a doua oară când mergem și vom reveni cu drag.

• Yves from France (8/10)

  Le calme

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities