National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Escape to the country
Seeking a standout Italian hotel? These rustic-chic stays deliver showstopping views and service with style
Sextantio Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo
This is one of Italy’s more remote ‘scattered hotels’ (a concept that sees guest rooms spread across buildings throughout town) — and one of the cushiest. It occupies a hamlet in Abruzzo, with plush digs in old cottages. Doubles from €130 (£117), B&B. sextantio.it
Su Gologone, Sardinia
This mountainside hotel offers an immersion into Sardinian culture, from the meat smouldering on a spit to the farming equipment strung up on the walls. The whitewashed rooms feature colourful accessories, and there are daybeds outside. Doubles from €197 (£177), B&B. sugologone.it
Villa Paola, Calabria
Located close to the pretty coastal village of Tropea, this candy-coloured villa was originally a convent. The views are the main draw here — in an Executive room, you’ll be woken by the sun glinting on the Med. Doubles from €212 (£191), B&B. villapaolatropea.it
Castello di Ugento, Puglia
On the far-western tip of Italy’s heel is this honey-stoned 17th-century castle, whose nine rooms and suites are filled with designer Italian fittings. There’s also an excellent restaurant and cookery school on site. Doubles from €430 (£387), B&B, minimum stay of two nights. castellodiugento.com
Forestis, South Tyrol
This hideway offers a plum view of the Dolomites — including from the suites, all of which face the peaks with floor-to-ceiling windows. Leisure options include yoga and skiing, but you’ll also want to leave time for the spa, with its pine, spruce and larch treatments. Doubles from €320 (£288), B&B. forestis.it
Eremito, Umbria
In a forest north of Orvieto lies this newbuild ‘hermitage’, where dinner is eaten in silence, rooms have a monastic aesthetic and there’s little to do except soak up the solitude. Eremito was designed with solo travellers in mind, so be ready to mingle (quietly). Doubles from €230 (£207), all-inclusive. eremito.com