an oasis in the Tuscan countryside
An unpaved, rutted road in front of us bounces the car sideways with every turn, bringing us further from the urban bustle. A couple more turns up the hill, and further into the olive-filled Tuscan maquis, we reach Le Lappe – with a little determination and a 4x4 as our companion. This is not a place that wants to be easy to reach.
Through the gate, the fragrant waft of Italian herbs drifts through the now-paved path. A man appears from reception before we've even had the chance to park – warm and unhurried, ready to carry our bags and answer questions we haven’t thought to ask yet. It sets the tone of our stay at this family-owned hotel, set within the biodynamic agricultural estate of Tenuta Pratolino in the Tuscan countryside.
Maria Lorenza Benini opened Le Lappe in 2010, after years spent restoring the property. It stayed largely true to her vision until two years ago, when she brought in Remy Renzullo to reimagine it, alongside her son, Niccoló de Calabrese de Feo – an architect who grew up on these grounds and is now Renzullo’s partner. Together, they set out to reinvent the space, with the hope of making it “a bit of a wonderful blank spot,” as Renzullo puts it. “I fell in love with this place," he says. "Niccolò's mother has done a fantastic job renovating it, but we saw what it had potential to be.’’
There are just eleven rooms, each a small living museum. There's a 17th-century Sienese bed, pulled from a family home, with dark wood features and three centuries of use; patterned, colourful curtains made from Carolina Irving Textiles hanging against the cold stone walls; and Ortigia Sicilia products lining the bathroom. Every surface has been meticulously considered, down to the smallest detail – an expression of the owners’ exceptional taste.
During dinner, while tucking into nettle-filled ravioli, we spoke with the chef, Sara, who learned to cook at her grandmother’s side. The wild nettles in the pasta had been foraged on the estate, which guests are invited to explore via the miles of trails and dirt roads that surround the property. The menu is dictated by the changing seasons, with all produce sourced sustainably and locally.
Evenings continue with a Campari at the bar, which also transforms into the reception – a clever way to make use of the space, with the rooms pulling double duty. The property’s real showstopper is the Salotto Dipinto sitting room. The walls are entirely painted with natural-toned landscape imagery, while a crackling fireplace warms the atmosphere the moment the sun drops. It’s a room designed for all seasons: in summer, the large French doors open onto the garden; in winter, when truffle season draws people out into the surrounding rolling hills, in-house massages move closer to the heat of the hearth, with the fire roaring all day long.
At the heart of the property stands a torre dating back a thousand years, its medieval origins etched into walls that are several feet thick in places. Modern French doors have been cut into that ancient stone, creating a synergy of old and new that runs throughout the property. Two structures are grafted together: one built on the ruins of that same medieval tower, the other a former convent stretching lazily across two floors, while Assia Pallavicino’s playful mural threads through the interiors. It’s also worth asking the staff about other local artisans, as the area around Le Lappe has creativity at its core.
That tension between what Lorenza built and what Remy and Niccoló are still uncovering makes Le Lappe feel more alive than finished. A thousand-year-old tower, a convent's quiet corridors, a mother and son working alongside a designer to discover its deep, unearthed potential. We didn't visit Le Lappe so much as arrive somewhere mid-story: a trail of lavender in the air, the dirt road entrance already forgotten.
Nina van Ogtrop - van Heuveln & Michiel van Ogtrop
A man with a penchant for travel and an eye for quality products, Michiel founded Travelteq, a beautiful Amsterdam-based leather goods brand fit for the modern traveller. His current project, The Aliveness Project, focuses on holistic health coaching for men through nature retreats in stunning locations around the globe. His wife, Nina, after stints at several contemporary galleries and at Christie’s, went on to establish her own art consultancy: Heuv Art, specialising in sourcing contemporary artworks and spotting emerging artists across The Netherlands and beyond. But their story doesn't stop there. For the past six years, the duo have been working on the regenerative farm project at Tenuta di Forci in Lucca, Italy, living on and helping to revive the land of this ancient estate.
