good '4 star base' for day trips in Tuscany

Tuscany is a big area, we can give better advice if you can share with us what part of Tuscany you've got in mind? Also, could you clarify what you mean by "good location 4* hotel", it doesn't seem to quite fit the Tuscany lodging scene, which is different from Amalfi.

I was hoping to visit Pisa, Siena, Assisi and points south of these.
Hoping to find good location from which to arrive from Rome(train/bus)
and travel (could rent car) Seen sites on Cortona, Montepulciano???
Don't know this area at all....hoping to pay 250-300usd per day.
Would like info.
Lise

Thanks for the clarification. Based on that, here is one way to do it: take the train from Rome to Orvieto (75 minutes), and rent a car there. That puts you in the southern area of the Tuscany and Umbria hill country. If you have read Frances Mayes "Under the Tuscan Sun" or seen the movie, you might enjoy staying in Cortona, although it is just one of many towns you could choose to home base in. For lodging there, you could check out Albergo Italia, which is recommended by Michelin. Or Albergo San Luca, recommended by Rick. Rick's other lodging recommendations there are below the price range you want to pay. you have many choices in Tuscany, this is just one of them. You have many choices for seeing Tuscany, and this is just one of those.

As Kent said, Tuscany is a pretty big area. Assisi is not even in Tuscany, it's in Umbria, so you've added another big area.

Pisa and Siena are in western Tuscany. Assisi/Umbria is east of Tuscany. If you pick a base town in the middle, you'll waste a couple of hours a day in the car just getting TO Assisi or Pisa then back home to your base at night.

If I were you, I'd spend 2 nights in the west, seeing the Siena area (a day trip can include a couple of hours in Pisa to see the tower...there's nothing else special in Pisa) then spend 2 nights in the east, perhaps in Assisi, for touring of Umbria and eastern Tuscany.

Or, considering your limited number of days, omit the west or the east and spend all 4 days just seeing western Tuscany or 4 days seeing eastern Tuscany and Umbria.

For our upcoming trip, we chose to make Siena our home base for day trips with a rental car. It seems to be close enough to the hill towns that interest us. I don't know about 4-star hotel options -- I did find several 3-star hotels when I went searching. We ended up choosing Hotel Villa Elda, but obviously I can't report on it yet.

Since you mentioned Assisi (which is simply stunning), I suggest that you consider a central location like Chiusi. There's a couple of really nice hotels there. You have Cortona, Perugia and Assisi off to your east and Montepulciano, Siena, San Gimignano and Volterra off to your west. And, if you really have to day-trip into Florence, you are 1.25hrs away by train.

Lise,

We just came back. The Albergo San Luca in Cortona was a splurge for us @ 120 Euros... but it is perfectly located, huge breakfast, great staff and Cortona was a fun base. It was about one hour on train to Assisi. many of the hill towns are in range... by the way, if you have an interest in ceramics, the fabulous little town of DeRuta is a few minutes South of Perugia and worth the detour. If you decide on Cortona write me separately and I'll recommend some restaurants that pleased us.
George

We just returned from 2 nights at Borgo Grondaie in Siena and it was excellent. It is right by the train station, just outside the old center with free parking. It made an excellent base for us to explore by car.

Not sure whether you would consider it too secluded, but Villa di Monte Solare (www.villamontesolare.com) is quite nice and has a fantastic restaurant. It really is a country villa thoughtfully restored and run by a very nice couple. Somewhat expensive, but you are asking for 4* quality. The villa is located in Umbria about half way between Chiusi and Perugia, and it would be a convenient central base to explore many of the towns you mention. Siena would be the longest drive.

My recommendation is a Monsignore della Casa at 16 mies from Florence. Ou can take the train into Florence or drive in. Serena will give you great directions and explain how to park. They have apartments or single rooms available and pools,wellness center,and great food. It is a first class operation and there are other little towns like Scarperia to visit and Fiesole is very close.

You can cacht a train from Rome to Chiusi and rent a car there.
Woul be good to stay in Montepulciano or near there
and going around by car.
Some nice web site for the area:
www.arco-naturale.it

www.sanbrunorelais.it
www.aesserent.it

or if you like termal place www.fonteverdespa.com