This was my first visit here, and it was stop #3 on our Italy trip. June 1-3 of this year, two nights, with my little family and my in laws back with us for this leg.
I'm a travel advisor. I received one night free and paid full price for the rest of our stay, plus full price for my in laws' room.
Overall impressions
Relais Roncolo 1888 is really the only luxury family friendly property in Emilia-Romagna, which is a big part of why it's worth knowing about. This is a special part of Italy with some of the best food in the country, and the estate makes its own balsamic vinegar on property, which turned out to be a highlight of the whole trip. It's also meaningfully less spendy than Tuscany (for now), which is worth knowing if you're weighing the two and if you are wanting to get off the beaten path.
Fun fact: Catherine the Princess of Wales stayed here in mid-May during her visit to Reggio Emilia, just a couple of weeks before we did.
A bit about Emilia-Romagna, since it's less familiar
If you haven't spent time here, this is Italy's Food Valley. Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, traditional balsamic, and lambrusco all come from this area of the country. It's also Motor Valley, home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Ducati, so there's a whole other kind of trip you could build around it.
The property itself sits in the Matildic hills between Parma and Reggio Emilia, at the foot of the Apennines. It's about 30 minutes from Reggio Emilia, an hour from Modena, and a little over an hour from Bologna's airport. Milan is roughly two hours if you're coming from that direction.
Roncolo is small, just 17 rooms and suites, and it sits on a working organic estate that produces lambrusco, olive oil, and balsamic aged in a 17th century acetaia. That last part is what makes it different from a hotel that simply happens to be in the countryside.
Getting there and getting around
We rented a car through Prime Rentals and they dropped it directly at the Four Seasons in Florence for us, which was seamless. We got a Mercedes AMG SL 63 and it was an amazing, fun rental. One heads-up: a sports convertible has almost no luggage space, so my in laws took our large bags in their car. Without that it wouldn't have worked.
A car isn't essential here, but it was really fun to be able to drive through the countryside and explore on our own.
The rooms
We were in a family suite, with my in laws in a superior room directly across the hall. We effectively had the whole floor to ourselves, so it was very private. The family suite has two bathrooms, which I loved and which makes a real difference traveling with a kid.
One thing to know: the family rooms are not in the main building. They're spacious and lovely, but they're newer and they lack the charm of the main building, so know that going in.
They gave us and my in laws a lovely welcome with sparkling wine, plus some really yummy treats and a stocked minibar. The family suite has 2 mini bars, which my daughter loved since that meant she had her own.
Service
Warm, welcoming, and low key. Not quite as polished as somewhere like Castiglion del Bosco, but this is also a much less trafficked part of Italy, and it felt special in its own way.
Food & beverage
We ate at Ristorante Limonaia, the estate's restaurant set in a historic greenhouse, and had the prix fixe, which was amazing. Beautiful views out the back. Breakfast was included and was fresh and delicious.
The standout was the balsamic. We did a private tasting and learned all about how it's made, and it was genuinely educational and so cool. I'm a self-admitted balsamic connoisseur and this was the best I have ever had, and we came home with a lot of vinegar, lol.
Amenities & activities
We kept it simple and mostly just enjoyed the grounds and the gardens, which are beautiful. There's a pool, which is lovely, though it ran a little chilly while we were there. My in laws really loved it here, the resort and the balsamic especially. At night there were fireflies everywhere which was magical, and my daughter loved it.
Final thoughts
If you're headed to Emilia-Romagna and want a luxury base that works for a family, this is the one.
Happy to answer any questions.