Open since April 2004, this converted castle and former Papal residence is beeeeeautiful. Situated on the top of a rise in the hills outside of Siena, it is a landscape photographer's dream--stunning views everywhere you look. The building itself is newly renovated and the rooms (we had a bedroom, a bathroom, and a "wellness room" (a nook at the bottom of a short staircase)) are very comfortable, deocrated in a strange mix of sumptuous and low-key. Exposed beam ceilings meet mostly bare walls, but richly patterned drapes and bedding break the calming mood. The staff is friendly if inexperienced (we had to explain a "wake up call"), and the breakfast is better than your average Italian hotel. But the hotel lacks some serious basics, and their literature boasts some perks they just don't have. We found the pool...behind an empty building up the road, with no amenities or staff. The spa, though, remains a mystery...there simply isn't one. Nor could we find the advertised "American Bar", and the "restaurant" looked more like a conference room in which they placed a breakfast buffet. Some day, this will be a top-notch luxury hotel, but it isn't now. A great idea that needs a little more effort.