I have been travelling in the Maremma for the last ten years. The Il Melograno hotel near Montemerano is “the” place to stay to explore this most fascinating area of Tuscany because of the great service, hospitality, surroundings, and quality premises to be found there. The family that manages the hotel understand how to entertain visitors to the area, to guide them to the hidden treasures of the Maremma. Let them lead you to some of the best wine and olive oil makers, best restaurants (“La Trattoria Verdiana”), spas (The Terme of Saturnia), beaches etc. They will know how to counsel you. The Melograno is much more than a hotel, it’s the beginning of a great Tuscan adventure.

l Melograno Hotel is a small, seven-room place just at the base of the hill that is topped with the very old town of Montemerano, about a 40 minute drive (and a lovely one at that) to the east of Grosseto, and only 15 minutes from the historic spa town of Saturnia. Melograno is family-run and its details show it. The rooms are spacious, light, impeccably clean, and well furnished. Most rooms have small terraces that look out on the lovely rolling hills of the area. The bathrooms are exceptionally large with showers, double sinks, and truly absorbent towels. The breakfasts are a pleasure, with local breads and pastries as well as jams and honeys, all to the tune of a noisy machine that in the owner's hands produces very fine cappucino. The bonus is that less than 100 yards away is the Trattoria Verdiana where one can feast on a contemporary interpretation, using the very freshest ingredients, of the authentic dishes of the area.

Hotel Il Melograno, just outside the town of Montemerano, is a great base for exploring “la maremma” the southernmost part of Tuscany that is still yet to be discovered by many foreign tourists, so go now! All but one of the 7 rooms has a roomy, covered terrace with a view on the gardens and over the rolling hills, and rooms are quite spacious with double sinks in the bathroom and a sitting area. Very nice for a 3-star hotel and well-priced, too, about 140 euro double with breakfast featuring fresh ricotta and just-baked cakes. The friendly owner is always ready with lots of information about what to do in the area. There is an excellent restaurant next door, frequented by Italians in the know, and after a great dinner, I walked slowly back to the hotel through an olive grove sparkling with fireflies-truly heavenly! Nearby there are fascinating Etruscan sites, sleepy hilltowns, good wineries, hiking trails, the hot springs at Saturnia, the amazing 2-star Michelin restaurant Caino and good, simple trattorie, while the seaside is close enough for a day trip. This makes a good stopover when going to or from the Rome airport, which is about 2 hours away.