Duchessa Margherita

“This charming very comfortable historical hotel treats guests as visiting nobies”

There is a perfect balance of antique decor, noted historical royal personalities associated with the property and functional modern facilities. Background classical music and chandelier light in the common areas and carefully selected antiques adorn every angle of the hotel giving it a chateaux c… more

There is a perfect balance of antique decor, noted historical royal personalities associated with the property and functional modern facilities. Background classical music and chandelier light in the common areas and carefully selected antiques adorn every angle of the hotel giving it a chateaux class of its own. At the same time modern facilities ensure the practical needs are met including fast Wifi and great water pressure. The discreet staff are helpful and willing. The views to the verdant countryside with the rural silence make this so restful. The Santuario di Vicoforte at your literal doorstep is a stunning must see surprise. Nearby Mondovi and going up on its cable car is a historical city worthy of adding to an itinerary to understand the real Italy beyond mass tourism routes. We took country roads through maize fields, hazelnut trees, vineyards to the Grotta of Bossea to experience this cave wonder - a delight. The surrounding gourmet paradise that includes Borolo, Alba plus other epicurean highlights make this hotel a great base to visit the area for so many reasons.

less

“A Little Gem”

We stayed five nights in this small but perfectly formed gem of a hotel. Friendly staff, quiet and peaceful, clean and beautifully furnished. Our room was extremely comfortable and the bathroom worked a treat. Vitoforte is great to place to tour from and the village is charming. The church and dome… more

We stayed five nights in this small but perfectly formed gem of a hotel. Friendly staff, quiet and peaceful, clean and beautifully furnished. Our room was extremely comfortable and the bathroom worked a treat. Vitoforte is great to place to tour from and the village is charming. The church and dome are spectacular! All highly recommended. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Piedmonte and in particular this hotel.

less

“Well restored classic, friendly helpful staff.”

We spent three nights here and were very impressed, the place seems to have been recently restored but the style is nineteenth century grand house. It is a remarkable achievement. The consequence is that one feels spoiled in an old fashioned way but everything works to modern standards. The locati… more

We spent three nights here and were very impressed, the place seems to have been recently restored but the style is nineteenth century grand house. It is a remarkable achievement. The consequence is that one feels spoiled in an old fashioned way but everything works to modern standards. The location is convenient with bars, restaurants, and the church - well worth a visit - all within walking distance. The best part of the whole experience was the service, friendly and attentive with lots of suggestion about where to go, what to do, where to eat etc but always happy to facilitate your ideas when you wanted to do your own thing. One hesitates to offer advice to people who have got it very right but whatever it takes to keep Valentina do it. She is an exceptional hostess.

less

“Could have been better”

Vicoforte is a lovely town with a breathtakingly beautiful church complete with Trompe l'oeil frescoes on the dome. Wow! There are several small restaurants in the Piazza just a few minutes walk down the hill from the Villa. However, this place is 30+ KM from Barolo, and the package I bought said… more

Vicoforte is a lovely town with a breathtakingly beautiful church complete with Trompe l'oeil frescoes on the dome. Wow! There are several small restaurants in the Piazza just a few minutes walk down the hill from the Villa. However, this place is 30+ KM from Barolo, and the package I bought said "near Barolo" which it isn't really. N.B. - This might have been the travel consolidator's sales hook, and not the B&B's. Okay, so we booked the smallest room in the B&B, and I did not get a chance to see the bigger suites, so please note that many of my comments may not universally apply. If the room is smaller, why not furnish it with a Queen instead of King bed? To me that just makes sense. Perhaps it's so all the linens fit all the beds in all the rooms. Who knows, but it really felt cramped in the room. Fortunately, there is a "living room" downstairs for all to use and it was pleasant to sit in there, and afforded us a chance to meet other travellers, which was nice. There's also a lovely shared terrace on the 1st floor when the weather is fine, and an enclosed patio area with seating on the ground floor as well, where they have blankets to keep you warm if it's a bit chill. Both these outdoor areas have a view of the Italian Alps on a clear day. Our small suite had a shower rather than a bathtub, which was one of the main reasons we selected it, as neither of us like to climb in and out of a long bath to take a shower. The problem was, it was significantly choked, and would have overflowed if you took a 4 minute shower without turning the water off in between. We did ask for this to be looked at, but it didn't change in the 5 nights we stayed. A plus: the living room has free flow of tea, and also select spirits. We ended up having a Grappa tasting with some other couples and found one of them very smooth and pleasant. A minus: We asked the staff if we could buy a bottle off them, since we didn't know where to source it, and one could see reserve stock in a locked cabinet in same living room, but they just couldn't see to this. The breakfast was typical of what we saw in the region. It appeared you only got one portion of breakfast beverage, or at least, we were never asked if we wished another coffee or shot of espresso. My husband thought the towels were thin and miserable. While I agreed they were thinner than the average hotel towel, I think they were practical since it appears they were line dried and not put through the dryer, judging by their texture. All in, as the title says, it could have been better, especially the shower drainage issue - the housekeeper certainly would notice, so it's confounding that it was not addressed before we checked in.

less