This is an absolutely beautiful inn. I think because it is located in a small hill town, Tuoro, it seems to have escaped the radar of most American tourists. It seems to have mostly Italian guests. I almost hate to write about it because it is like a little hidden gem. The inn's rooms are beautiully decorated and clean. The staff goes out of their way to assist you although admittedly the language barrier can be an issue when trying to ask about places to see and restaurants to visit. We were given very helpful information from a tourist information office at the nearby Lake Trasimeno where the person at the desk was fluent in English. It is also short car ride to Perugia, Assisi and Cortona. The hotel also has a first class restaurant which served us the best food that we had in Italy. It has a swimming pool with a whirlpool and in the inn itself there is a room with a hot tub, sauna, etc. that you can rent by yourselves by the hour at a nominal charge. It was wonderful to be served a bottle of wine while sitting around the pool on a beautiful June day. It was also very reasonably priced in relation to other hotels that we have stayed at in Italy, considering the beauty and amenities that it offers. It is immaculate both inside and out, incredibly romantic hotel and overall it is a wonderful place to stay.

This hotel is everything and more. My husband and I stayed for 2 nights and had a lovely suite with a canopy bed, fireplace, sitting room, small kitchen, bath. The feeling of Italy was unbelievable. The grounds were gorgeous. The relaxation room was a surprise too. If your looking for a romantic getaway this is it. The restaurant atmosphere was relaxing as well. A harpist plays for you while you dine. Dinner was so good we dined again the next night. Our hostess Laura could not have been more accomodating. I highly recommend this hotel!

Wow.

After staying at some pretty awful places this week (FIRST at Calenzano being the low point - check out my review!) I Capricci di Merion shone out like a glorious, golden Tuscan sunset.

Deliciously located on the Trasimeno lake in the beautiful hilly village of Tuoro, it was a little difficult to find on the GPS, which is usually a good sign!

The whole thing is a bit like staying at your really posh mate's Tuscan villa. So I felt a little like Tony Blair on his summer hols. The reception area is elegant and informal, all aged black and white tiling, upright pianos and gramaphones, leading off to the jaw-dropping conservatory restaurant on the right, and the sauna and jacuzzi on the left.

The restaurant has some of the finest food that Tuscany has to offer, and for exceptionally low prices.

The service throughout is second-to-none. You truly feel like you are staying at your friend's place. They are all so friendly, courteous and genuine.

I haven't even mentioned the room yet. When I was shown my sleeping quarters (named Byron - no room numbers here), I actually started to wonder if they'd missed a zero off the end of the €75-a-night fee. You get a four-poster bed, cable TV, a study area, minibar, loads of space, beautiful bathroom and a delightful feeling of peace and relaxation.

My only tiny, tiny gripe is that I could have done with some Wifi availability. It's not difficult to set up these days, you just need a router. However, I was in Italy on business with an appointment down the road in Perugia. I can't imagine they get that many business travellers. They could do though, because in spite of its peaceful, secluded location, it is in fact just off the main road to Perugia.

Quite simply, this is in my top 3 stays from over 200 in Europe.

Stay here!

Another fabulous place we "stumbled" across on our honeymoon. We only had one night free - but wish it were more. A total find and fantastic value for money. Our room was fine - but maybe not one of their top ones. The pool is beautiful - great temperature with a black tiled bottom. Great service - so friendly and welcoming . We were offered an hour or so in their spa ie, with jacuzzi and sauna etc - when we asked how much - no charge! - so you can just book it yourselves and lock the door. We ordered our glasses of wine and sat in the jacuzzi thinking what a great find! The restaurant is also excellent - we noticed a lot of people driving in for it - and it really was great. Woudl highly recommend this place -and I think we only paid 140 euros for the room. It is a beautiful traditional house - with a great history (photos of it on their website do not do it justice.)