Ed.: The Inspired Stays series highlights hotels we love around Italy. Each property is independently reviewed by an Italy Magazine writer, who is generally hosted on a complimentary basis. Our contributors do not accept compensation or gifts in exchange for specific types of coverage. We only showcase properties we would genuinely recommend overall.
Why we love it
Fresh off a renovation, this Relais & Châteaux resort in the Perugia countryside has the air of a fairytale castle for the modern day.
What to expect
The heart of Borgo dei Conti Resort is a historic villa surrounded by 40 acres of woodlands and olive groves. Run by The Hospitality Experience (the company behind The Place Firenze and Londra Palace in Venice), the property combines the charm of a historic estate — with original wooden beams and frescoes in some rooms — and sleek, modern furnishings and amenities. With two pools, two restaurants, a lobby bar, an outdoor cinema and bikes you can use to explore the park, Borgo dei Conti Resort feels like a self-contained resort, but is close enough to Perugia to tempt you to explore beyond the grounds.
Background
Built on the foundations of a 13th-century fortress, the villa took its present form during the 19th century, when it was owned by Lemmo Rossi Scotti, Count of Montepetriolo. A painter known for idyllic landscapes and portraits of Perugia’s high society, Rossi Scotti cultivated the beautiful gardens and added the neo-Gothic limonaia. After being bought and sold several times, the property was purchased by the Babini family, who tapped Milan-based architecture firm Spagnulo & Partners to restore it to its former glory and freshen it up for today’s travelers.
Location, location, location
The hotel is about a 30-minute drive from Perugia, the capital of Umbria, Italy’s green heart. Assisi and Orvieto are each about an hour away. There’s plenty to do on the property, but if you want to venture beyond it, it’s best to rent a car.
Where you’ll sleep
Done up in earth tones like sage green, gray and various shades of brown, the 40 rooms and suites feel very rooted in the region. Original wooden beams, frescoes, and textiles inspired by Medieval Umbrian tablecloths allude to the villa’s historic character, while mod-cons including Nespresso machines, Smart TVs, and Dyson hairdryers will satisfy today’s travelers. I loved my suite, which had a separate living room with beamed ceilings and complimentary soft drinks in the minibar.
Dining & drinks
Breakfast and dinner are served at Cedri, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant set in the historic limonaia. On the breakfast buffet you’ll find nuts, seeds and made-in-house jams featuring plums or figs grown on the estate, but everything else is served a la carte. For dinner, Executive Chef Emanuele Mazzetta serves gourmet tasting menus as well as pasta, risotto, meat and seafood a la carte. I didn’t try the casual Osteria del Borgo, but in the summer it serves Neapolitan-style pizzas and Umbrian specialties on a poolside terrace.
Service notes
The staff are courteous and professional. The concierge can book reservations at restaurants and organize visits to places like the Museo Atelier Giuditta Brozzetti, which produces textiles featuring Medieval Umbrian designs on antique looms, and the Studio Moretti Caselli, a stained glass workshop, in Perugia.
Spa time
The spa is definitely a highlight here. In addition to a Finnish sauna, Turkish steam room, bio-sauna, and Himalayan salt room, there’s an indoor jacuzzi, ample relaxation areas, and a partially covered outdoor heated pool with hydrotherapy jets. Massages and facials feature Nescens products from Switzerland.
Family perks
Kids will love exploring the property by bike, picnicking in the park and visiting the vegetable gardens and apiary. Staff-led childcare is available for a few hours each day for children over three years old.
You should know...
Ask about on-property activities like tennis, cooking classes, wine tastings and truffle hunting. The staff can also set up romantic private dinners in a cottage set deep in the grounds of the estate.
Accessibility
- The hotel has an elevator and ADA friendly rooms and bathrooms.
Features & amenities
- Countryside
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Free WiFi
- Free parking
- Pool
- Spa
- Garden
- Fitness room
- Family-friendly
- Pets allowed
Contacts
Borgo dei Conti Resort
Strada Montepetriolo, 26, Perugia
Tel. +39 075 600338
Website
