Il Pelagone Hotel & Golf Resort Toscana is a Maremma golf resort in the hills above Follonica, built around its own 18-hole course and a park of olive trees, cypresses and small lakes. You sleep in one of 123 apartments, walk to the first tee, and drive down to a private beach facing Elba in summer. It is not a palace hotel, and it does not pretend to be one. My one-line verdict: arguably one of the best value golf weeks on the Tuscan coast, as long as you come for the course and the beach rather than for polished five-star service.
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Quick facts: Il Pelagone Hotel & Golf Resort Toscana
- Location: Località Il Pelagone, Gavorrano, province of Grosseto, in the hills about 13 km inland from Follonica in the northern Maremma.
- Rooms and suites: 123 apartments in two areas, the Villaggio and the Borgo, from one-bedroom units to three-bedroom apartments for up to six people.
- Price level: moderate by Tuscan resort standards, with golf packages that make longer stays good value.
- Season: marketed as open year-round, with outdoor pools and the beach service seasonal. One booking platform lists a closure of some facilities in December. Ask the hotel for your dates.
- Nearest airport: Pisa, roughly 80 to 100 minutes by car. Florence and Rome Fiumicino are each around two hours or more.
- Best for: golf groups, friends and families who want a self-catering base with a course at the door and the sea close by.
Check prices and availability
Spring and autumn golf weeks and the July and August beach season fill first. Compare apartment types and package rates before you fix your dates.
Location and getting there
Il Pelagone sits on former mining land in the municipality of Gavorrano, part of the area’s mining heritage park, which explains the open, rolling terrain. The resort covers roughly 100 to 120 hectares (sources differ) of Mediterranean parkland, and from the higher holes you look out towards the Tyrrhenian Sea and, on clear days, the island of Elba. The coast at Follonica is about 20 minutes by car, the medieval hill town of Massa Marittima is a similar distance inland, and Scarlino station is around 7 km away.
Pisa is the most practical airport. Booking platforms quote around 80 minutes by car, and I would plan on closer to 90 minutes or more in summer traffic on the coastal road. Florence is about two hours away, Rome Fiumicino somewhat more. You will want a car: the beach, restaurants in town and day trips all depend on one. If you are heading on to the island, Piombino’s ferry port is within easy driving distance, and our guide to Portoferraio on Elba makes a good day or overnight extension.
A note on the name: older listings and some golf directories still call it the Cordial Hotel & Golf Resort Il Pelagone. The Austrian Cordial group was the long-time owner; according to a 2021 industry report, a German group bought the resort in 2018. It is the same place, now marketed as Il Pelagone Hotel & Golf Resort Toscana.
Rooms and suites
This is an apartment resort rather than a classic hotel. The 123 units are spread across low-rise buildings and bungalows in two zones, the Villaggio and the Borgo, each with air conditioning, a safe, satellite TV and a balcony, terrace or small garden. Most have a kitchenette, which matters if you are travelling as a group or staying a week.
- Standard one-bedroom apartment: around 30 m², for two.
- Standard two-bedroom apartment: around 45 m², for three or four.
- Standard three-bedroom apartment: around 50 m², sleeping up to six. Compact for six adults, so think of it as a family unit.
- Deluxe apartments and studios: renovated one-bedroom units of around 35 to 38 m²; some platforms also sell Superior studios and apartments.
Renovation is the honest issue here. In 2021 the management announced a programme of about 7 million euros to upgrade the apartments and add new accommodation, a spa, a new clubhouse and a new restaurant, with works planned from 2022. Renovated Deluxe apartments are clearly on sale today, but I could not confirm how much of the wider plan has been completed. Guest reviews from 2024 to 2026 keep saying the same thing: the Deluxe units feel fresh, while parts of the older Villaggio feel dated. So book a Deluxe apartment if you can, and ask the hotel which building you will be in.
Dining
There are two restaurants and a couple of bars, which is enough for a week if you mix in self-catering and evenings out.
- Le Cerretelle: the main restaurant, serving Tuscan and Italian cooking and the half board dinner when you book it. Recent guests describe the à la carte menu as strong on fish.
- Pool Bar & Restaurant: relaxed lunches by the pool, with pasta, pizza, snacks and Tuscan wines.
- Breakfast: a buffet that recent reviews praise again and again. Some rates include it, others charge extra, so check what you are booking.
The resort says one of its restaurants was named the best restaurant among Italy’s golf resorts, but I could not find the year or the organiser, so treat it as marketing. I also found no Michelin listing for the resort in the 2026 guide. For a special dinner, drive to the coast or to Massa Marittima, and ask the hotel about Monteregio di Massa Marittima wines from the surrounding hills.
Check rates at Il Pelagone Hotel & Golf Resort Toscana
Spa and pools
Wellness is modest. The Toscanella wellness centre is small and Tuscan in style, with classic and Ayurvedic massages, beauty treatments, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a gym. Treatments must be booked in advance.
The pool set-up is an outdoor pool with a jacuzzi, a separate children’s pool and the poolside bar, which is why some listings say “two pools”. Photo captions on booking sites mention a new pool area, but the hotel has not published details. The outdoor pools are seasonal: in earlier years they ran from March to October. Ask the hotel for 2026 dates if you are travelling in winter.
If a serious spa matters as much as golf, Terme di Saturnia, a little over an hour south, is the stronger choice. Our Terme di Saturnia review explains how its thermal pools and course work together.
Sport and activities
Golf is the reason to come, and it is why Il Pelagone appears in our guide to golf hotels in Tuscany.
Golf Club Toscana
The course was laid out by the English architect Keith Preston and opened in 1999. It is an 18-hole, par 71 layout of around 5,700 to 6,000 metres from the back tees (scorecards differ), so it is not long, but it is hilly and full of water. Expect several lakes, out-of-bounds lines, two heights of rough and greens with plenty of borrow. The 18th looks out towards Elba and the sea. The front nine is the gentler half; most players find the back nine harder. One golf directory gives a par of 72, but the scorecards and the regional tourism board agree on par 71.
The mild coastal climate means the course is playable all year. Practice facilities include a Toptracer driving range, putting and chipping greens, practice bunkers and a golf school with lessons. Green fees on golf booking sites start at around 70 to 90 euros, and the resort sells packages with breakfast or half board and bundles of green fees, including weeks with five rounds.
What recent golfers say: greens are generally good, the layout is fun, and maintenance is the weak point. Reviews from 2025 and 2026 mention firm, poorly raked bunkers and, in the dry late summer of 2026, patchy fairways. The clubhouse facilities are described as dated. Spring and autumn are the best months for condition.
For more courses within reach, see our guide to golf in Tuscany. Argentario, on Monte Argentario, is about an hour away and makes a good day trip.
Tennis, beach and everything else
There are two outdoor tennis courts, a fitness room, table tennis and billiards, plus bikes for exploring the lanes. In summer the resort runs a private beach at Prato Ranieri in Follonica, about 18 km away, with sunbeds and umbrellas included for guests; guests in 2025 reported no food or drink at the beach, so take your own or use the beach bars nearby. Children’s entertainment has historically run from about mid-May to mid-September.
What’s nearby
- Follonica: a busy, family-friendly beach town with a long sandy shore facing Elba.
- Massa Marittima: a medieval hill town with an impressive cathedral square, about 20 minutes away and ideal for dinner.
- Gavorrano Mining Park: the resort’s own backstory, with a museum and theatre in a former quarry.
- Castiglione della Pescaia and Punta Ala: smarter coastal towns with marinas and seafood restaurants.
Il Pelagone vs other Tuscan golf resorts
| Hotel | Location | Standout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il Pelagone Hotel & Golf Resort Toscana | Gavorrano, northern Maremma | Par 71 course at the door, apartments, private beach in Follonica | Golf groups and families on a sensible budget |
| Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort | Porto Ercole, Monte Argentario | Tournament course, larger spa, more polished hotel | Golfers who want a true luxury stay |
| Terme di Saturnia | Saturnia, southern Maremma | 18 holes plus thermal pools | Couples splitting golf and spa |
In short: Argentario is the upgrade on course quality and service (see our Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort review), Saturnia wins on wellness, and Il Pelagone wins on space, self-catering and price for a group that wants to play every day.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits:
- Groups of friends planning a golf week with five or more rounds.
- Families who want apartments with kitchens, a children’s pool and a beach within reach.
- Golfers who value a fun, hilly course over a famous name.
- Winter and shoulder season golfers escaping northern Europe.
It does not suit:
- Travellers expecting five-star polish, butler service or design interiors.
- Spa lovers: the wellness centre is small.
- Food lovers who want a Michelin-starred restaurant on site.
- Anyone without a car, as the beach and towns are a drive away.
Charlotte’s tip: pay for Deluxe, play in spring
Always pay the supplement for a renovated Deluxe apartment here: the difference between new and old buildings is the most common complaint in reviews. Then pick April, May or October, when the greens are at their best, the fairways are still green and you can tee off in comfortable temperatures.
Practical tips
- Booking: compare room-only and package rates. Golf packages with bundled green fees are usually the better deal for keen players.
- Read the small print: some platforms list extra charges for breakfast, daily cleaning, pets and the tourist tax (around 3 euros per person per night in season). Confirm what your rate includes.
- Check-in: listings give different check-in times (from 13:00 on some, 16:00 on others) and mention online registration before arrival. Tell the hotel your arrival time.
- Season: the resort is marketed as open year-round, but our research turned up contradictory information: one booking platform says some facilities close from 9 to 23 December. It was not clear to us what stays open, so confirm with the hotel for winter stays.
- Star rating: booking platforms show it as a four-star property, while the Tuscan tourism register lists it as a residence hotel without a star rating. Judge it by the apartment type rather than the stars.
- Kids and pets: children are welcome and pets are allowed for a daily fee. Ask about cots and extra beds, which vary by apartment.
Check prices and availability
Compare Standard and Deluxe apartments and see which dates include breakfast, half board or green fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Il Pelagone have its own golf course?
Yes. Golf Club Toscana, an 18-hole, par 71 course designed by Keith Preston and opened in 1999, lies right beside the apartments, with a Toptracer range and a golf school.
Is Il Pelagone on the beach?
No. It is in the hills inland from Follonica, but in summer guests can use a private beach at Prato Ranieri in Follonica, about 18 km away, with sunbeds and umbrellas included.
Is Il Pelagone open in winter?
It is marketed as open year-round and the course is playable all year, but pools and the beach are seasonal and one platform lists a December closure for some facilities. Ask the hotel before booking a winter stay.
Which airport is closest to Il Pelagone?
Pisa is the most practical, at roughly 80 to 100 minutes by car. Florence and Rome Fiumicino are about two hours or more away.
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