TORRE DEL NERA ALBERGO DIFFUSO SPA

An “albergo diffuso,” or “distributed hotel,” is an Italian hospitality form that takes not a single building but an entire village as its raw material. In the case of Torre Del Nera Albergo Diffuso Spa the village in question is the staggeringly picturesque Scheggino, a triangle-shaped hamlet built around a medieval fortress in Umbria. The hotel occupies a cluster of beautifully restored historic buildings in the heart of the village, down a cobblestoned lane that's only accessible on foot, the interiors thoughtfully transformed into peaceful rooms and suites.

The aesthetic is elegant and timeless: terra cotta or exposed stone walls, wood-beamed ceilings, and parquet flooring. Each room features one-of-a-kind antiques, from hand-painted headboards to decorative armoires, as well as modern details, like modern bathrooms and sophisticated lighting systems. Some rooms have private balconies or small sitting rooms, and larger suites are apartment-like with wood-burning fireplaces and cozy kitchenettes. Torre Del Nera’s expansive spa, with its pool framed by old stone archways and facing views over the terraced gardens outside, is a particular highlight, as is the atmospheric restaurant specializing in Umbrian cuisine.