Off the Beaten Path in Abruzzi, Italy: Albergo Diffuso Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Preservationists, historians, sybarites rejoice. The boutique Albergo Diffuso Santo Stefano di Sessanio is Italian living at its finest, in an absolutely stunning setting. An abandoned medieval hill town and castle in Italy's Abruzzi region, a former ghost village, has been restored and guests can book a stay at the magnificent hotel. The entire town's renovation project-- a $5.1 million price tag-- has been sponsored by the Italian-Swedish philosopher-preservationist Daniele Elow Kihlgren. During the restoration, the attention to detail was staggering: the exclusive use of material found in the surrounding area, interiors furnished in the Arte Povera tradition (folk arts and crafts from the Abruzzo mountains), imperceptible modern amenities (like heating beneath the floors). The press has gone wild. Gourmet magazine described it as "pretty enough to be in the movies." Enjoy the fairy-tale of this Italian Renaissance.

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HotelChatter, "An Italian Town and Hotel Gets A Sugar Daddy"

Travel and Leisure, "Italian Renaissance"