Villa Crespi

You could be forgiven for thinking there’s nothing really all that out of the ordinary about Villa Crespi, but only if you had a good reason for thinking it was in Istanbul. As it stands, Villa Crespi is in the north of Italy, less than an hour from Milan, on the shores of Lake Orta — which makes this hyper-opulent Moorish-style palace (minaret and all) one of Italy’s strangest and most extraordinary small hotels.

It’s a full-blown architectural folly, in the old sense, which was in no way a negative one. So thorough is the stylization of the villa’s spaces that you can’t help but feel transported. Not that Lake Orta itself is anything you’d want to escape from, mind — this is one of the North’s hidden gems, and Villa Crespi benefits immensely from a gorgeous natural setting and a suitably countrified slow pace of life.

The villa’s eight suites and six rooms are no less a feast for the eyes. They’re all individually decorated, though all in a similar period style, and aside from the modern necessities, they’re soaked in 19th-century atmosphere. Add a gourmet restaurant with a full complement of three MICHELIN Stars and a wine list with 1,800 entries, as well as a relaxation area with massages and the odd spa treatment, and you’ll quickly see why Villa Crespi’s fans are so devoted.