La Bandita Townhouse

  • Location: Town / Village
    Amazing restaurants: In walking distance
    UNESCO-listed Pienza: In walking distance
    Val D’Orcia , the quintessential Tuscany: 8km (10 mins by car)
    Vino Nobile wine regions: 15km (20 mins by car)
  • Florence Peretola Airport (FLR): 150km (1.5h by car)
    Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO): 210km (2h by car)
    Airport transfer available on request
    Car recommended
    Free parking

Great place to experience authentic daily life in a small Tuscan town.
You don’t need a car to explore the town for a couple of days.

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An introduction to La Bandita Townhouse

How would you describe La Bandita Townhouse in a nutshell?

La Bandita Townhouse is a small and stylish boutique hotel set inside the historic center of Pienza, one of Tuscany’s most charming little villages. It gives you the opportunity to experience authentic Tuscan life.

Please tell us about the history of the building.

The building dates back to the founding of Pienza in the 15th century. Before it was a small boutique hotel, it was a place for nuns to live in, work and serve. For many generations they offered confirmation classes as well as regular schooling for the children so that the villagers all still have memories of the building.

In the end there were only two nuns left who were soon going to enter retirement. Their order was closing down the building, so they were looking to sell. Part of it had fallen into disrepair by that time. We were looking to give it a second life and turn it back into an active part of the community.

How would you describe the atmosphere of the hotel?

We tried to create a balance by preserving the beautiful old DNA of the building while bringing a really fresh, modern design to the furnishings of the hotel. We wanted to make the old very well maintained and the new comfortable and not jarring. It’s difficult to get the right balance, but I think we’ve succeeded.

The modern design is rather muted with only few bright colors, as well as a lack of ornamentation, keeping it simplistic and minimal. It is modern and stylish without seeming strange or whimsical in such an old building.

To you personally, what’s so special about staying at La Bandita?

For three or four days or however long you stay, you will really feel part of a village. This is something our guests highlight again and again. They really value that they had a chance to experience authentic daily life in Tuscany.

How long do your guests usually stay at La Bandita?

The average vacation is about three or four nights. People usually come from Rome or Florence. They’re spending a little time in the cities where there’s a lot to see, and then want to spend some time in the countryside to explore, visit the small villages, and partake in wine tastings. There’s a lot to do in the area without having to rush to see everything.

What’s been the biggest reward to you running a small hotel?

It has been a very rewarding experience to spend most of my year at La Bandita and to be able to run my own business. Although I’m busy working, the idea that we’re living here in a small village and managing a business is a great blessing.

I have also met amazing people in the process. Sometimes I feel like we’re in the middle of nowhere here, but the whole world passes through. There’s always somebody new coming in from all over the world, so we get the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people.

Superior room
Suite bathroom
Suite
Superior room
Restaurant and terrace bar
La Bandita restaurant
La Bandita restaurant
La Bandita garden
Pienza
Tuscan countryside

La Bandita Townhouse rooms & rates

Our small hotel has just 12 rooms in total. There are standard rooms, superior rooms, and suites. The only difference between the standard and superior rooms is the size. The suites are quite large. Two are family suites with a bedroom and a seating room that can be closed off. The other two are our largest rooms and on the top floor with great views of the dome of the Cathedral of Pienza and even out to the valley beyond.

  • Standard Room for 2 people / 25 m²
    325 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • Air conditioning

    Charming and comfortable double room facing the back garden and the village lanes of the village of Pienza. The rooms feature wood-beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls, warm parquet wood floors and a comfortable vintage chair. The bathrooms have spacious walk-in rain showers and are furnished with comfortable bathrobes, luxury skin care products from Ortigia, and hair dryers.

    The Standard rooms include a totally complimentary minibar, Illy espresso machine with complimentary capsules, and a spacious wardrobe. There is a wall mounted flat screen TV with international news and entertainment channels. Convenient universal outlets are available at each bedside. Air conditioning and heating are easily controlled by the central control on the wall.

  • Superior Room for 2-3 people / 35 m²
    350 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Living room
    • 1 Sofabed (on req.)
    • 1 Baby cot (on req.)
    • Air conditioning

    The Superior rooms are larger than the Standard rooms while featuring wood-beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls, warm parquet wood floors, a desk with a chair and a custom-built sofa that coverts to a comfortable twin bed. The bathrooms have spacious walk-in rain showers and are furnished with comfortable bathrobes, luxury skin care products from Ortigia, and hair dryers.

    The Superior rooms include a totally complimentary minibar, Illy espresso machine with complimentary capsules, and a spacious wardrobe. There is a wall mounted flat screen TV with international news and entertainment channels. Convenient universal outlets are available at each bedside. Air conditioning and heating are easily controlled by the central control on the wall.

  • Suite for 2-3 people / 45 m²
    450 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Living room
    • 1 Sofabed (on req.)
    • 1 Baby cot (on req.)
    • Air conditioning

    The Junior Suites are our largest rooms. The two upper level Junior Suites have views over Pienza's rooftops to the valley beyond. They are large, quiet rooms with high ceilings and a lot of light. The mid level Junior Suites have garden or village lanes views, but have a separate sitting room space with custom made sofas that covert to a double bed, or two twin beds.

    All the Junior Suites also feature wood-beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls, warm parquet wood floors, a desk with a chair and a custom-built sofa that converts to a comfortable twin bed. The bathrooms have spacious walk-in rain showers, and oversized bathtubs and are furnished with comfortable bathrobes, luxury skin care products from Ortigia, and hair dryers.

    The Junior Suites include a totally complimentary minibar, Illy espresso machine with complimentary capsules, and a spacious wardrobe. There is a wall mounted flat screen TV with international news and entertainment channels. Convenient universal outlets are available at each bedside. Air conditioning and heating are easily controlled by the central control on the wall.

Included in the rates
Rates are per room per night and include all taxes and service charges, a delicious breakfast, free WiFi, free minibar of soft drinks, bottled water, coffee, free laundry service for stays of more than 3 nights, free dinner for children under 5 in the Townhouse Caffe and access to full time English speaking concierges to arrange all activities.
Optional extras
Optional services on request include airport transfers (EUR 325 from Florence, EUR 395 from Rome), babysitting (EUR 15/hour).
Children & Extra beds
Children are welcome. Babies up to 2 years in baby cot are free. Children up to 12 years and adults in extra bed also free.
Minimum stay
1 nights
Check in time
after 14:00
Check out time
before 12:00
Closed January 8 to March 31

Facilities & services

  • Bar
  • WiFi
  • Concierge service
  • Air conditioning
  • Maid service
  • Children welcome
  • Restaurant
  • TV
  • Garden
  • Babysitting on request
  • Whirlpool/Plunge pool
  • Honesty bar/Minibar
  • Central heating
  • Steam room/Hamam
  • Safe box
  • Laundry service
  • Hair dryer

We have a library, a bar and a restaurant open to the public. There’s a garden divided into two parts, one for outside dining for the restaurant and the other is only to be used by our guests. Even though we’re in the middle of town, the garden provides a nice private space for guests.

We also have a spa area with a sauna at La Bandita. It’s not officially a spa but more of a private suite with a Jacuzzi, steam room and a relaxation area for treatments that are offered on request. You have exclusive use of the room for however many hours you need it.

We also have a restaurant and we aim to do something different than the other restaurants in the area, which are very simple and traditional with limited menus. Our restaurant is an elegant and sophisticated place where we draw upon a wider range that focuses on Tuscan food but draws inspiration from all over Italy. Our focus is on fresh vegetables and seasonal food with a modern presentation. Everything is homemade and fresh, including the pasta.

Things to do in Tuscany & Pienza

  • Art / Culture
  • Shopping / Markets
  • Wine tastings
  • Cooking classes
  • Massages / Treatments
  • Hiking
  • Cycling
  • Horseback riding

We try to send all of our guests to the wineries for tastings, especially since some of Italy’s best wine is made only 20 mins from here. There are many small, interesting and highly regarded producers whose wine is otherwise difficult to find. We can organize private wine tastings at their vineyards.

Another thing I recommend is visiting a local farm. There are several organic farms nearby that offer cheese tastings and lunches made with their own products. You can see how the food is grown and made.

It is also definitely worth visiting Siena, which is only 15 mins away.

La Bandita Townhouse reviews

3 of 5 stars
Verfied Welcome Beyond stay
In the heart of Pienza, this house is perfect to start your tour of Tuscany.
Staff is kind and helpful. However, the overall style is too much contemporary. The room is cold, and very distant from the warm and beautiful Italian touch. Speaking of italianity, breakfast was an unpleasant surprise. Croissants and the only one cake were teastless, maybe industrial. Quality-price ratio is totally unbalanced.
dejan m. (Italy)
stayed at La Bandita Townhouse in August 2022
5 of 5 stars
Verfied Welcome Beyond stay
Incredible stay! Top-notch experience. Beautiful design, quaint little village, and over-the-top amazing staff. So great that we booked an extra night while we were there. Highly recommend!
Kristen V.
stayed at La Bandita Townhouse in May 2017

The location of La Bandita Townhouse

We are located in the heart of Pienza, which is pedestrian only so that you will park your car outside and then walk about three mins to the center and La Bandita. It is very easy to navigate and manageable to get from one side to the other. You can go to dinner and walk back to the hotel without having to drive.

It was Pienza specifically what made me fall in love with the area as this valley here is particularly beautiful. The most quintessential Tuscan landscapes are here, and the wine areas of Montepulciano and Montalcino are close by. It has a string of small villages that are well preserved, charming and easy to get in and out of. The area has a steady amount of small-scale tourism without big hotels and tour buses. As it is not particularly overrun by tourist infrastructure, I felt there was an opportunity here.

When is the best time to visit Tuscany?

Spring is very beautiful here with green valleys and wildflowers everywhere. But it’s a little chilly in the evenings.

People love the summer, of course, when the weather is warmer. But there are always more tourists at that time.

The weather is really nice in the fall, with fewer tourists and more interesting foods in season, like white truffles and porcini mushrooms.

So it depends on what you’re looking for in your vacation. If you were looking for a really good food experience, I would recommend spring and late fall as the best times to come. If you’re looking to experience the beauty of the countryside, in June the valley is a golden color and at its prettiest. That is a good time to take walks and experience the countryside.