Eremito

There’s a sense in which every luxury hotel goes one of two ways: lots and lots of stuff, or an overwhelming absence of stuff. Eremito, as you’ve probably already gathered from the pictures, is a hotel of the second category. Pitched as a sort of medieval detox from modern excess, the hotel is little more than a rustic stone structure on a hill in the Umbrian woods, surrounded by a seven-thousand-acre nature reserve. If it’s old-fashioned arboreal seclusion you’re after, this is about as good as it gets.

The rooms contain no televisions, no phones, no mini-fridges or wi-fi signals — all of which we’ll count in Eremito’s favor. A wood-burning boiler keeps guests’ toes toasty in winter, while a simple alcove next to the window, overlooking the treetops of the valley outside, provides the bulk of the in-room entertainment. By day solar power keeps the lights humming, while nighttime gives way to candle- and moonlight. Some concession to sensual pleasure comes in the form of the rock-hewn steam bath and whirlpool tub, naturally accompanied by tranquil strains of Gregorian chant.

At mealtime — three square meals at set times, since your schedule is likely wide open — the kitchen turns out rustic vegetarian dishes using recipes from ancient Mediterranean monastic traditions, with ingredients from the hotel’s own organic garden and nearby bio-friendly farms. Think fresh pastas, just-baked breads and cakes, homemade jams, and veggies picked just before they’re cooked. There's also a broad selection of beverages hot and cold, including local wine, herbal teas, and digestifs. It’s all proof that, especially in Italy, what the land itself provides is often most delicious when least meddled with.

How to get there: Eremito is located 105 miles, about 2 hours by car, from Rome. The Fabro/Ficulle train station is 10 miles away, about a 25-minute drive. Eremito is in a very rural area and it’s necessary to meet up with the hotel’s Jeep for the last 2 miles of the drive, via a rough road; transfers from the parking area are included with room rates.