Staying here five nights was a highlight of our trip to Italy. Tranquil isolated location could…read morenot have been more beautiful yet an hours drive to many fun locations to visit. The dinner every night was fantastic. Food and service was excellent. Loved walking the farm and being able to visit the sheep, pigs, donkies, cattle.

We visited at end of July 2017. There is so many things to enjoy about this place. Given that…read moreItaly has been in adrought/heat wave, this place was a boon as it sits on top of a hill (gorgeous views) and was relatively cool. The view, the atmosphere, the fresh air, the hospitality, the food, the animals, the pools & kids playground, the hospitality, the delicious fresh milk and farm eggs and did I mention the hospitality? I heard that Gubbio is known for its black truffles and asked Roberta where to eat lunch at Gubbio for truffles and lo and behold after conferring with the kitchen, she declared truffles will be served at dinner. She also helped me arrange horseback riding at a nearby farm and was nice to my terrorsome 3 year old. I think all the rooms here have a view of the valley. The animals are well taken care of. You get to see geese, rabbits, chickens, pigs, goats and cows. They raise the regional speciality cows (Chiansi?) and and wild boar. They are also known for their red wines in spite of the fact that Gubbio is not known for winery, the temperate weather up the mountain makes for a great combo. Also come in November to participate in olive (oil) harvesting and Sept for (wine) grape ones. July is good for harvesting a sun tan by the poolside.

I recently was able to witness the Antico Sipario Boutique Hotel as I had seen it being restored…read morefrom a 14th century cloister. It is now a magnificent boutique hotel that offers all the charm and elegance of an Umbria village hamlet experience. You must book here - we had the pleasure of being cared for by Claudio and Martina and the experience - from check-in to room selection to breakfast and just lounging in their beautiful library - we felt like we were at home. We will definitely be visiting again next summer. Paciano - the village where the hotel is located - is also home to Ed Sheeran!

What a wonderful treat! The Park Hotel ai Capuccini is a stunning property. As I understood, it was…read moreand still is partly, a convent or monastery turned modern hotel. Don't worry- your accommodations are very modern! The rooms are luxurious and high end. Including turn down service. The bathroom includes a walk in shower that fits two ;) and the rooms are very spacious. Our room overlooked the stunning herb garden. Other views are absolutely breathtaking including mountain vistas and olive groves. I love the Coventry well which is preserved with other artifacts. Breakfast is Umbrian with modern offerings. Service is courteous. The only reason I have 4 stars instead of 5: they do not have to lend any steamer, nor hair implements, and the lighting in the room is dark. Highly recommend this stunning luxury accommodation.

Had the "lamb three ways", risotto, eggs with truffle, and vino of course... ohmygosh, so good!!!…read more Not the most memorable meal I had in Italy (that I save for a debacherous affair in Rome), but easily the best from a culinary point of view. The flavor, the freshness of the ingredients, the preparation was simply perfect. Highly recommend a trip up to the abbey if you happen to be in the Gubbio area. And a bonus is the hotel location, which is gorgeous and perfectly designed.

La Pila is the perfect place to get away and experience the breathtaking landscape of central…read moreItaly. Only 15 minutes drive from Assisi, a city filled with peace and warmth that also gave birth to Saint Francis of Assisi, La Pila is more than just a one night stay. Regular workshops take place here, from yoga and meditation to dance and astrology. Maria Serena, the owner and primary caretaker of the facility, wanted this to be a place where great teachers from all over the world could come and share their knowledge and insights with the people of Italy. In the past 20 years since she started La Pila, many fantastic events have taken place here to honor the land, to celebrate peace or the new and full Moon, as well as intimate dinners and drum circles around a fire pit. If you are visiting Assisi or Umbria, this is definitely a place to drive up to. Located on top of one of the beautiful rolling hills of Umbria, you can look down on the valley in the morning as you drink coffee and listen to cats meow, and in the evening count shooting stars as you look across at the shining basilicas of the city of Assisi. Indoor and outdoor lodging is available. You can book a room or bring a tent and sleep outside. There are plenty of options all around the ground to choose where you'd like to camp and sleep. The cost for a room is 25 Euro, per person, per night and that includes a light breakfast. The cost for camping is 10 Euro per night, and that includes a light breakfast as well. I can't say enough great things about this cozy italian getaway. Next time you're nearby, stop over for some tea and a tour and I am CERTAIN you will never want to leave!

I'd give it ten if I could. Our 2nd trip to quiet Il Fontanaro, near historic Paciano, Italy. A…read morefamily business which has honey, olive oil, wine and an amazing guest houses. Clean, classy, well appointed. You immediately feel both at home and on vacation. I can't stay long enough, wine tours, cooking classes, ancient towns, hand made Italian leather shoes! You know what - Don't go....leave it all for me MamaK and Glammom totally approve!

If I could give Fontanaro 10 or 10,000 stars, I would. It is a slice of paradise operated by two of…read morethe most wonderful women I've ever met and who have become friends for life. Located in Paciano, a small village in Umbria with a population of 1000, Fontanaro is an agriturismo which produces wine, olive oil (Silver medal winner in the world olive oil competition), honey and saffron. They also operate an organic cooking school and rent beautiful villas. We stayed in Frantoio, one of the two villas for rent on the Fontanaro farm property. The other villas are in very close proximity to Fontanaro and Paciano. Upon arriving, one is greeted with a gorgeous stone villa where the owners Lucia & Alina live, and the air is sweet with the many varieties of roses that blanket the property. Lucia and Alina go above and beyond in showing wonderful hospitality to their guests, and we left feeling like we were leaving family. They are so very kind, always keen to any needs their guests might have, and we spent hours talking with them and enjoying their perfect wine, along with the most delectable prosciutto and pecorino cheese with truffles I have ever had. All the food we ate while there was perfect, including homemade gnocchi and ravioli we made during our cooking class. It was also nice meeting other guests from different parts of the US and other countries. It is a very comfortable, homey setting. Our villa was rustic and beautifully decorated and stocked with all the basic food items we needed such as pasta, garlic, butter, olive oil, honey, wine, bread and eggs. We were welcome to pick food from their organic garden, so we enjoyed sauteed spinach, salads and the most sweetly satisfying strawberries I have ever had. The property includes a saltwater infinity pool and jacuzzi with beautiful views of Paciano and the valley, in addition to many hammocks and seating areas in which to enjoy the views of the countryside. I also highly recommend taking a tour of their olive mill and honey lab. They produce their olive oil on site in order to ensure their high standards of quality and taste. Very important to us, they use solar panels for power and collect rainwater in which to water their gardens and crops. A two hour drive from Rome, Fontanaro is very conveniently located for day trips to other cities in Umbria and Tuscany. We visited Montepulciano and Cortona while there - both medieval towns located on top of hills within a 40 minute drive (Cortona is where Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed). Alina is a master map drawer and had a plethora of shopping and dining suggestions for us wherever we went. She knows people everywhere, and upon entering any shop or restaurant, all we had to say was we were staying at Fontanaro or mention Lucia or Alina's name and receive a big smile and hugs of welcome in return. I could write for days about our experience here. It was the best vacation we've ever been on, and there is not one thing we did not enjoy. It was so perfect, we do not wish to go anywhere else... ever!

If you're staying in or near Perugia and you want to get away from the crowds of the city center,…read moreyou can't do better than Castello di Monterone. Situated on the opposite side of the valley east of the city, along a ridge that separates Perugia from Ponte Valliceppi, the renovated castle is both a perfect spot for exploring Perugia and as a jumping off point for trips to Assisi, Spoleto, or wherever else in Umbria your fancy takes you. If you have a car, Perugia's city center is a short 5 to 10 minute drive, and taxi's can get you there for about EUR 12. The nighttime views of Perugia are stunning, and the castle itself could not be more charming with winding stairs that lead to rooms, balconies, and towers, in addition to the hearths, portals, and dungeons that you'd expect from a castle whose foundation was started in the 14th century. Although the rooms are not big, they are very comfortable, nicely appointed, and many have spectacular views of the Umbrian countryside. Try for a room on the western side of the castle for the best views. Finally, the hotel's on-site restaurant, Gradale, serves delicious Umbrian fare at what we considered to be very reasonable prices. Some of the better meals we had during a recent trip to Tuscany and Umbria were our meals at Gradale. All in all, our stay at Castello di Monterone was one of the most pleasant aspects of our recent vacation, and the hotel itself one of the best we've stayed in in recent memory.

One of the most unique lodging experiences I've had anywhere in the world. Lovingly restored…read morecastle with odd corners to explore and details to discover. Can't beat the restaurant's deck for sunset views of Perugia. Tough to find but worth the effort.

Amazing property in Assissi! Best place to stay at when visiting…read more Park your car outside the hotel and walk in. The staff will ask for your key and they will drive your car in their garage, take your luggage and bring up to your room. The suites are overlooking the mountains and houses. Definitely a place to Relax and unwind

An amazing gem of a hotel worth every penny. We swooped in last-minute and could not have asked for…read morea warmer greeting. Assisi itself is astoundingly beautiful and the Nun fits right in, blending historical architectural elements with modern amenities and comforts. The staff knew what being a five-star hotel requires - they foresaw what we might need or want during the visit and made sure we had it: spa intro, restaurant recommendations, and a little prosecco. The entire campus is spotless, I could have slept anywhere. Bravo to the team here, they have put together an astounding product.

This is a very interesting hotel. It's quiet, clean, comfortable and really Spartan. I mean you get…read morethe bare necessities. No frills. Decent restaurant. Greatly located by the basilica of Saint Francis. It is also quite affordable. Recommend for one night stays.

The bar and restaurant in the downstairs area is AMAZING. BEST CANNOLIS EVER. Friendly and…read morefabulous people. Best in Assisi