Getting back to nature at OasyHotel is just that – easy. Set on a 2,471 acre estate in the heart of Tuscany, surrounded by undisturbed forest, farmland, lakes and rivers, OasyHotel is where mother nature chose to really let her hair down. From its WWF-affiliation and continual conservation research to its restaurant’s farm-to-fork philosophy and state-of-the-art eco-lodges, this privately, family-owned retreat is strictly forward-thinking. And it encourages its guests to do the same. Spend days in complete wilderness symbiosis on horseback and foot along its crisscross of cypress tree-lined trails. Stop to admire the estate’s vast open hillsides on lung-busting Nordic wellness walks and watch silently as elusive wolves, deer and boar cavort before your very eyes on wildlife tours. On a four-night trip to OasyHotel, you’ll find that luxury is more than just a plush bed, bar and room service (of which the hotel has all three) though, as it is also about the wealth of its wildlife and nature that is yours to freely roam. Here’s how you could spend four days in the heart of Tuscany during a stay at OasyHotel with Original Travel…
Day 1: Wolf Tracking
Thanks to our exclusive departure services (think fast-track check-in and complimentary snacks and beverages in airport lounges, even if you’re flying economy) you’ll be ready to hit the ground running on your first day. And what better way to start than with a wildlife tour in the heart of the Oasi Dynamo reserve. With a knowledgeable geo-guide by your side, you’ll be well-equipped to head into the hinterland in search of wolves. Despite a number being released a few years ago, their lone nature can make them hard to spot. But no matter. There is plenty for the inquisitive walker to see here. From porcini mushrooms and red toadstools to stables of horses and farm animals, you’ll be practically salivating as you head for lunch at the resort’s resident rustic dining option, Casa Luigi. In the afternoon, we recommend relaxing in your lodge. Despite having the choice of 16 (14 double and two family size), you’ll find yourself blissfully secluded in the fully timbered floor-to-ceiling-windowed cabin. Curl up with a good book or watch the world go by with a couple of sundowners on your veranda – perfection.
Day 2: Farm-to-Fork Feasting
At OasyHotel, the dawn of a new day means one thing and one thing only – breakfast. From 7am, you will be welcomed to the hotel’s second restaurant, Le Felci, to the scent of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee, local fruits and homemade cheese. All sourced from the reserve, you’ll find a morning spent on the Oasi Dynamo farm the perfect introduction to the farm-to-fork philosophy for all the family. Meet and feed the resort’s animals, try your hand at cheese making and reward your efforts with a tasty lunch at Casa Luigi – complete with your freshly made cheese. After a day of good food, there is no better way to wind down than a restorative twilight yoga session. Despite encouraging slow breaths and mindless thoughts, this one is for the books. Get to grips with reverse warrior as you watch the setting sun cast shadows across the sunken valley and slip into a meditative state atop the reserve’s most panoramic point with the help of your trusty yogi instructor. After another dinner of timeless Tuscan dishes at Le Felci, see the evening out with a crackling bonfire.
Day 3: E-Bike Exploring
Nothing beats a bout of fresh mountain air. Oozing with forest smells of rain-washed pine and woodsmoke from the previous evening’s campfire, biking is the best way to breathe it all in. Thanks to the hotel’s complimentary e-bikes, you’ll be able to pedal at a leisurely pace through the range’s covers and valleys. Pause to admire the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and limestone peaks of the Apuan Alps and savour the wonders of the surrounding nature as you cascade down hidden paths carpeted in wildflowers. If you’re treating this trip as a Big Short Break and fancy an afternoon in nearby Pistoia or Florence – Italy’s cultural capital – Original Travel’s local Concierge will be more than happy to organise visits to the Uffizi Gallery and Mercato Centrale. If you’d rather hold off returning to the hustle and bustle of city life, we can think of no better activity than forest therapy. Lay back, relax and let the natural sounds of chattering birds and swaying trees wash over you.
Day 4: Going Off-Grid
To get back to nature you have to be at one with it. And at OasyHotel, they are firm believers in doing so with a compass and map in hand. While orienteering is all about finding your way, we see nothing wrong with going off-grid for your last morning. Amble through beech woods and rows of laburnum and rowan fowlers, all the while keeping an eye and ear out for roe deer, foxes and, of course, wolves. For any fellow twitchers, you’re in for a treat. From goshawks and green woodpeckers to the common hoopoe and small passerines, this is precisely the time to whip out the binoculars. After you have found your way back to your lodge and, more importantly, to La Felci for a final lunch of colourful salads, grilled steaks and fresh open sandwiches, it’ll be time to bid goodbye to your Tuscan bolthole. There’s no need to say a final farewell, however. Thanks to its exemplar sustainability efforts, well-being philosophy and ecological know-how, you can guarantee that OasyHotel will be around for a long time to come. All the more reason to make it an annual adventure we say. Just contact one of our Italy experts to get started.
Four night’s B&B at Oasyhotel costs from £3,605, based on two sharing and including transfers and flights, plus access to a concierge throughout your stay and priority check-in, fast-track security and lounge access on departure. Contact one of our Italy experts to start planning.
Written by Naomi Pike
