Relais Almaranto

For an introduction to what makes the north of Italy such an enduring destination, it’s hard to top this. Set in the village of Calamandrana, in the spectacular countryside of the Piedmontese region of Monferrato, about midway between Genoa and Turin, Relais Almaranto packs a lot into a 23-room hotel: fine local wines, fine local cuisine, elegantly comfortable rooms and suites, and even an indoor/outdoor wedding and celebration venue.

In classic Italian style, the 23 rooms and suites feature modern designs cut from historical cloth: heritage architecture, modern and contemporary furniture, and details like weathered tile floors or, in some suites, roll-top bathtubs that evoke the romance of an earlier time, even as they offer up-to-date comforts. More typical are walk-in rain showers, though some add whirlpool tubs; many rooms open onto terraces or out into the gardens.

There are not one but two restaurants, the more formal Adagio and the bistro-style Anima, with a view of the sunset over the hills. Both offer exquisitely crafted Piedmontese fare accompanied by well-chosen Piedmontese wines — and there’s a cooking school on site as well, in case you’d like to return home with some professional-quality kitchen skills.