NEW FOR 2018: Pieve Suites: stylish, good-value curated apartments in a charming Umbrian hilltown
Country towns in central Italy are attracting increasing numbers of travellers keen to experience the authenticity and relaxed pace of life outside a big city, without the planning, expense or long gravel-road drives associated with villa rentals. Pieve Suites, a chic new three-suite townhouse in the lovely Umbrian town of Città della Pieve, taps into this growing trend for independent, apartment-based, small-town breaks. Neither hotel nor B&B, Pieve Suites is a fine small-town example of a growing Italian hospitality trend: the ‘curated apartment’.
Pieve Suites is perfectly placed to help guests dive straight into an immersive Umbrian hilltown experience. Inaugurated in January 2018, it consists of three independent studio apartments inside a tastefully restored Medieval townhouse. Step outside, and you’re in Borgo di Giano, a flower-decked lane of charming weathered brick houses which regularly wins Città della Pieve’s ‘Best Kept Street’ competition. Inside, the three stylish suites, one on each of three floors, look out over the walls of the town to a perfectly framed Umbrian landscape dominated by the chestnut-fringed slopes of Monte Arale.
Ideal for couples, the Suites are spacious, self-contained units whose owner, Anglo-Australian landscape architect Anne Hanley, curated every detail of the interiors, including original furnishings made to her design by talented local artisans. Bathrooms come with locally sourced organic toiletries and rain-head showers. There is broadband wi-fi in each air-conditioned bedroom, plus tea- and espresso coffee-making facilities. A welcome pack of local wine, fruit and biscuits greets all incoming guests, along with one of Pieve Suites most original features: a printed guide to Città della Pieve and environs, written by Anne, and sent to guests as a pdf download. Once a guidebook editor herself, Anne has channelled years of travelling experience into the design and facilities of Pieve Suites, and years of Time Out Guide research and writing into her honest, tell-it-like-it-is descriptions of local attractions, restaurants and drinking spots. If this doesn’t suffice, Anne is always a phonecall away for further tips and problem-solving.
It’s not easy to choose between the Garden Suite, the Mid Suite and the Top Suite. The first gives onto a small, neat garden perched on top of Città della Pieve’s Medieval town walls – a great place to unwind over a glass of wine after a day spent exploring the town and its surroundings. Shades of teal and peacock green on walls and sofa, and elegant Rubelli curtain fabrics set the tone in the intimate, luminous Mid Suite, perfect for cocooning couples. The Top Suite, as might be expected, has the best views. Its duplex layout means it can accommodate an extra person thanks to the sofabed in the downstairs living room. Upstairs, in the sleeping area, a well-placed skylight encourages cloud- or stargazing from the comfort of one’s own double bed.
All this comes at rates that start at just €120 per suite per night.
Città della Pieve, a walled Umbrian town close to the region’s border with Tuscany, is an under-the-radar holiday and long-weekend destination with a real insider cachet. Stroll through its medieval lanes, past ancient chapels, al fresco trattoria tables and rows of charming townhouses in warm, weathered brick, and it’s not difficult to understand why so many visitors, both Italian and international, have ended up falling in love with the place and moving here for all or part of the year.
At the centre of a food and wine region that stretches into Tuscany and northern Lazio, Città della Pieve boasts some of central Italy’s best olive oil, just one element of the genuine, market-fresh local cuisine offered in a range of local restaurants and wine bars. With a glorious small theatre from the 19th century and a thriving music and art scene, it offers cultural distractions all through the year. In and around town are a sprinkle of quirky shops and craft bottegas, while lovers of the outdoor life will embrace the walking, cycling and horse-riding opportunities on offer in the iconic landscapes of these Umbrian-Tuscan borderlands. Yoga courses, cooking lessons and spa packages at the nearby hot-spring resort of San Casciano dei Bagni can all be arranged or advised on. And the cultural, environmental and culinary magnets of Perugia, Siena, Orvieto, Lake Trasimeno and the Val d’Orcia are all an hour or less away by car. But above all, this is a place to kick back, unplug and enter into the gentler rhythms and generous community spirit of one of Italy’s most enjoyable small towns.
For more information or to request hi-res images, go to www.pievesuites.com, or contact Anne at anne@pievesuites.com or +39 349 3607431.