In Siena, a stone’s throw from Piazza del Campo and the Duomo, the 5-star Grand Hotel Continental, with its SaporDivino restaurant and lounge bar and a one-of-a-kind wine cellar, is the perfect choice for an elite stay among frescoed seventeenth-century rooms, ballrooms and dream breakfasts. 

With an extraordinary position on Piazza Salimbeni near the most iconic places of Siena, the ancient noble palace is the only luxury hotel in the city center. Its suggestive restaurant and lounge bar, curated by chef Luca Ciaffarafà, and the exclusive wine cellar in the medieval tower offer refined food and wine experiences.

Since 2016, part of the Starhotels group, a leader in high-profile international hospitality, the Grand Hotel Continental, with its 51 rooms and suites, is a Renaissance jewel set in one of the most famous and best-preserved medieval cities in the world.

The only 5-star hotel in the historic center of Siena, the Grand Hotel Continental is the authentic expression of the charm of an aristocratic palace.

(Nathalie Beaugonin, General Manager)

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Siena is known not only for its legendary Palio, which since the Middle Ages has involved the 17 districts of the city, but also for the extraordinary works of art that make it an unmissable destination on a Tuscan itinerary.

Among them, the marvelous Siena Cathedral and the Basilica of San Domenico, which can be admired from the sumptuous suites of the Grand Hotel, some with canopy beds, as well as from the ballroom embellished with original seventeenth-century frescoes and sparkling Murano chandeliers.

The palace boasts a fascinating history. Built at the beginning of the sixteenth century, it was subsequently enlarged until 1677 when it was renovated by the architect Carlo Fontana, a disciple of Bernini, and given to the niece of Pope Alexander VI Chigi on the occasion of her wedding, thus taking the name of Palazzo Gori Pannilini.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the structure was transformed into one of the most important hotels in Siena which saw intellectuals and aristocrats pass through its walls, including Queen Margherita di Savoia.

From the stone door, above which the Gori Piccinini coat of arms still stands out, you enter the impotent vaulted entrance which opens onto the internal courtyard, now covered by a glass skylight, which once welcomed carriages. Here is the SaporDivino restaurant and lounge bar, which lives from morning to evening with magnificent à la carte breakfasts, delicious lunches, aperitifs and romantic dinners.

For an afternoon tea, served in pure British style, or an after-dinner drink, based on delicious signature cocktails that change every month, it is also possible to opt for the library room where you can enjoy maximum privacy by sitting among sofas and publications of all kinds.

Breakfast, served as a buffet or à la carte in the rooms on the ground floor, is a wonderful experience to say the least when it is set up in your room, always on request, to give yourself the thrill of a dream awakening.

SaporDivino restaurant

Masterfully curated by Chef Luca Ciaffarafà supported by F&B Manager and sommelier Gianluca Tozzi, Sapordivino is a perfect gourmet retreat from morning to night. The menu, always evolving, reinterprets with taste and creativity the cornerstones of Tuscan cuisine, such as tagliolini with porcini mushroom powder, black truffle and burrata, spiced up by some stimulating fusion touches that give pleasant surprises to the palate, such as Cinta Senese ravioli with Chianti mustard and soy.

The best local products are transformed into contemporary recipes that nod to tradition, accompanied by an extraordinary selection of wines from the Wine Cellar by SaporDivino which houses almost 3000 labels including all the best Tuscan wineries.

The Secret

The imposing clock that dominates the central courtyard is an original, and perfectly functional, piece from an ancient London tower.

Useful Info

Grand Hotel Continental – Starhotels Collezione
Via Banchi di Sopra 85
53100 Siena
Tel. +39 0577 56011

Rooms: from 280 euro breakfast included