A farm hamlet from 1622 on a hilltop facing Montepulciano.
Before Lupaia had guests, it had goats.
Farmers lived upstairs in the stone houses; their animals stayed below. Twelve rooms and suites now occupy the old farm buildings, each with its own entrance and a terrace or garden.
Heidi and Christopher Mueller looked at more than sixty properties before choosing this hilltop near Montepulciano. They restored the farm, opened the hotel in 2016 and made it their home.
“For us, Lupaia is the quintessence of what we ourselves look for when we travel: a place that provides the services and facilities of a luxury hotel while at the same time resembling a private home.”
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The old farm buildings give each room a different shape. There are whitewashed beams overhead, linen on the beds and old rugs underfoot. Every room has its own entrance and a private terrace or garden. Orto comes with a hammock; Vigna has an outdoor shower. For a view of Montepulciano, choose Vigna, Montepulciano, San Biagio or Oliva.
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Giampaolo tends the vegetable and herb gardens, bringing whatever is ready to pick into the kitchen each day. Chef Luca Oriani works with the harvest and produce from local suppliers to prepare a four-course dinner. The menu changes every evening. The olive oil comes from the roughly 1,500 trees growing on the hillside.
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Breakfast starts at eight. Later, there are light lunches and homemade gelato whenever you’re ready for them. There’s no drinks slip to sign.
The pool faces Montefollonico on the western side of the hill. If you’re hungry while you’re there, message the team on WhatsApp for a panino and a glass of chilled wine.
“It’s like staying in the lovely country house of a friend.”
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A pergola beneath a large fig tree looks across the olive grove to Montepulciano. This is where the hotel serves its Sunset Negroni: drinks mixed by a barman, with stuzzichini to go with them.
Reserve in advance.
Three questions for the Lupaia team
The terrace at sunset, with a signature Negroni and the view of the countryside and Montepulciano.
Homemade truffle pasta. Pierpaolo finds the truffles with his dogs, guests can join the hunt, and chef Luca cooks with them.
Il Casale in Pienza, a farm-to-table restaurant with its own pecorino.
A tip from the Lupaia team
An organic farm near Pienza with its own dairy: the milk of its sheep and goats becomes raw-milk pecorino. In the restaurant, set in the former stable or on the terrace above the Val d’Orcia, almost everything comes from the farm. Book a table via the website or by phone; farm tours with cheese and wine tasting for two people or more. Via Podere Il Casale 64, Pienza.
Visit Il Casale’s websiteResearched from the hotel’s official information, editorially checked on 2 October 2026. We do not claim to have stayed here. Prices and availability directly from the hotel.
Lupaia · Our story · Suites & Rooms · Dining · Services · FAQ · Location & Contacts · Truffle hunting · Sunset Negroni · Private cooking class · MICHELIN Guide: Lupaia · Podere Il Casale · Podere Il Casale: Restaurant · Podere Il Casale: Tasting Tour · Podere Il Casale: Kontakt
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Restaurant · Montepulciano · approx. 15 min by car
A sixteenth-century house facing the church of San Biagio, just below Montepulciano. Expect pici, truffle ravioli, lamb chops and bistecca, or the chef's five-course menu; in summer the tables move out into the garden.
Osteria · Sinalunga (Tenuta La Fratta) · approx. 25 min by car
An osteria in the old estate hamlet of La Fratta, where Chianina cattle have been raised since 1934. Beef from the estate's own herd goes into the ragù for hand-rolled pici, the tagliata and the bistecca; outside, tables sit against the old terracotta walls.
Organic farm restaurant · Pienza · approx. 25 min by car (last stretch on a gravel road)
Sandra and Ulisse have farmed this land below Pienza since 1991 and make cheese from their own sheep's milk. Lunch means raw-milk pecorino with honey, pici with onion, wild boar with lentils and vegetables from the garden, on a terrace looking out over the Val d'Orcia.
Historic café · Montepulciano · approx. 20 min by car
A café dating from 1868 on Montepulciano's main street, all wooden counters and mirrors, with two balconies looking over the Val di Chiana. Cappuccino and pastries in the morning, a glass of Vino Nobile by the window in the evening.
Chosen by CINCIN, not paid for. Travel times are approximate. Opening hours and menus change, so please check with the venue before you go.
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