Torre di Moravola

Italy isn’t exactly hurting for impressive small hotels, but Torre di Moravola stands out all the same. Frankly, they had us at “thousand-year-old Umbrian hilltop watchtower converted into a seven-room boutique hotel,” and that was before we ever saw inside. For while the exterior may be a thousand years old, the interiors are as modern as they come.

It may have a little something to do with the owners. Christopher Chong is an architect, a former Norman Foster associate, and his wife, Seonaid Mackenzie, is a designer. And what they’ve done is more than a renovation. Within the outer shell of the tower they’ve constructed an entirely new inner structure, with seven strikingly modern suites arranged around a central stair.

This turns out to be a surprisingly green way to build. The old stone walls keep temperatures stable, and the central stair gives rise to convection currents which ventilate as well as any air conditioning system. And the suites, with their stone walls and sunken baths, stay remarkably comfortable, despite their minimalism, while solar panels have made the hotel very nearly electrically self-sufficient.

Most unexpected, perhaps, is the rooftop infinity pool, with obviously wide-ranging views of the tower’s surroundings; there’s also a spa set in the forest with its own views of the valley, equipped with a sauna, a marble hammam, and a jacuzzi on the terrace. Meanwhile the restaurant follows the slow food philosophy, and you’re minutes from the ancient town of Montone, which offers other options, none of them particularly fast. As Italian countryside getaways go, it’s hard to do much better — and as a design pilgrimage it’s practically a religious experience.

Please note: Torre di Moravola is open seasonally from the end of March through mid-November.