Review of La Bandita, by The TI Review Team

Take a decrepit but promising casa colonnica outside of the jewel-like Tuscan hill town of Pienza; put it in the hands of a Conde Nast Traveler editor and her entrepreneur husband; and there you have it - one of Italy's most exciting, original, and buzzed-about new country hotels.

La Bandita's charms are all about the decor, the setting, and the owner's near-encyclopedic knowledge of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. There's a small but very elegant infinity pool, surrounded by a teak deck, with a smashing view straight across the valley to Monte Amiata. The kitchen, a very laid-back place, is yours to peruse or even cook in, should you fancy a lesson in cucina Toscana (just ask Ondine or Jon to set up a class for you). Or, take a guided tour of the nearby Sant'Anna in Camprenna abbey, or the venerated wine towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino.

La Bandita's eight rooms have been stripped back to the building's excellent bones: solid walls, wide chestnut beams, and terracotta floors remain in some places, while Bisazza tiles, Moroso sofas, custom-built platform beds, and slick modern fixtures and features abound elsewhere. There's free internet access in all eight.