The Place
Our Italy editor Nicola Swallow has no doubts that this should be a new entry. It’s a little off piste from central Tuscany, near the coast, north of Pisa and south of La Spezia. The coast itself is nothing special, flat and in parts spoilt by sprawling new housing and beach resorts, but see below about the Locanda’s beach gazebos. In any case, the hotel stands back from the coast in peaceful hilly country, relatively isolated from the main roads nearby, with great coastal views.
You’ll find it hard to find anywhere else in the vicinity that combines an intimate ambience, high quality but unobtrusive service and superb food all cooked in house from primary ingredients rather than dishes half prepared by external caterers.
The decoration is eclectic, combining local Tuscan styles with furniture and artefacts from around the world. Bedrooms are especially spacious and comfortable, with top-quality bed linen leading white and off-white colour schemes. Owner Riccardo is hands on, a born hotelier. One guest reports: ‘They certainly have left no stone unturned, it’s a truly exceptional place;’ and another ‘such unobtrusive hospitality in a wonderful space.’
Each room has a private gazebo and changing room at beach club Bagno Chimera in Marina di Pietrasanta, a 15-minute drive from the Locanda. The gazebos are in two rows and there’s no pool, so no screaming kids – the makings of a relaxing and peaceful beach day.
In late 2025, the locanda, not suprisingly, was nominated for a prestigious UK hospitality award.