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You can almost touch the sky at this hilltop retreat in Italy’s oh-so-hip Umbria region. Landing at the tiny airport in Perugia, most visitors head eastwards in the saintly footsteps of Francis of Assisi – you don’t get monks on just any Ryanair flight – but my pilgrimage is the secular kind. The kind that comes with a shimmering pool, shady cedar trees, traditional Umbrian dishes, the odd spritz from the cocktail hut and that creeping sensation that you should probably just stay here forever.
Perched outside the medieval town of Monteleone d’Orvieto, 10 minutes’ walk along a dusty olive grove, The Monteleone is everything you’d want from a short break. Arriving, I felt an instant wash of serenity – not my factory setting, so easy to clock when it happens. Throughout its 17 rooms and suites, tranquility prevails, so much so that a few nights here feels like a sabbatical. Throw in some fresh pasta, stirred through with the prized local black truffles, and a glass of Sangiovese and it’s basically bliss.
Why stay at The Monteleone?
Elegantly modernist in design but holding to its rural roots, the box-fresh Monteleone (it opened in April 2026) was once a 19th-century villa, and its collection of stone buildings still has a lovely throwback quality. The unobtrusive hospitality comes with a personal touch here. Owner Giulia and her team are on hand to help plan excursions, provide local tips, or just fire up the hot tub for you. Chef Pina will rustle you up something delicious from the kitchen. The garden bar will furnish you with a cocktail or two for a late afternoon laze by the pool. There’s morning pilates on the lawn for the early birds. There’s more to come here, too, with a new outdoor cinema planned for 2027 and further collaborations with top chefs that will showcase regional dishes. The town is special, too. A wander down the hill and then up and through Monteleone d’Orvieto’s stone gates yields ancient cobbled lanes, churches and walkways and striking vantage points across neighbouring valleys.
What are the rooms like at The Monteleone?
I stayed in the suite in the tower, like some kind of minor duke. It comes with a separate living room and a huge bathroom that boasts a heavenly rolltop bath. The bedroom was a nice combination of stylish and spacious; light and airy during the day, cool when the sun sets. Partly designed in collaboration with Roman architects StudioTamat, the refit is all clean lines, clutter-free spaces and a healthy disdain for unnecessary furniture. There are six categories in total, scaling up from superior rooms to suites. Six of them come with private gardens and sunloungers.
What is the food and restaurant like at The Monteleone?
The hotel’s restaurant, half indoors, half nestled under a shaded veranda, is run by Chef Pina with local recipes and ingredients to the fore. Breakfast is a feast to set you up for a day’s exploration (or lounging). Lunch was spot-on, too, with a summery panzanella salad, that regional icon, a vegetable flan that should win awards, and a classic eggplant parmigiana on the menu.
There isn’t a full dinner service yet, so take a 5-minute stroll down the hill for the two buzzy spots in this hushed town: the more informal Al Baciamano, where I picked up a margherita pizza for a shade over €10, and the locally renowned Seven Café, a family-run restaurant run by two brothers, one of whom doubles as the truffle hunter with his trusty Lagotto Romagnolo. The tagliolini tartufo – buttery ribbons of pasta with shavings of black truffle – is a soaring highlight.
What’s the area like around The Monteleone?
If Tuscany is the Cotswolds, Umbria is more like Dorset. Still mellow, but earthier. Less try-hard. They don’t set Hollywood romcoms here, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any less romantic. This is ‘the Green Heart of Italy’ and its rep is spreading (Tom Holland and Zendaya come here on holiday).
I saw a few more of its arteries than intended. Google Maps is wrestling with the definition of ‘road’ in this neck of il bosco, and my car ended up bumping and clattering across a field as I tried to find my way to a display by the region’s famous buttero – cowboys – at the picturesque Poggiovalle estate. The countryside is glorious – all sun-baked olive groves, undulating hills, shady maple and oak forests – even if not all of it is navigable in a rented Fiat. The Monteleone is only ten minutes’ drive from Tuscany, the lovely lakeside town of Castiglione del Lago is half an hour away, and the famous medieval town of Assisi is in range for a day trip.
I’d recommend a visit to La Scarzuola, a nutty architectural babylon built by mid-century architect Tomaso Buzzi. Its grand amphitheatre is adorned with scale versions of some of the world’s most famous ancient landmarks – the Acropolis, Colosseum, etc – in miniature. Word of caution: the Italian owner and tour guide is straight out of a ’70s sitcom (‘potentially offensive if you speak Italian’ notes one TripAdvisor review), so stick with the Aussie guide. Giulia and her team will happily help with a booking – and point you towards the nearest ‘sagra’, local food festivals that’ll let you eat and drink like a local. Ask the Monteleone team to book a table at Poggiovalle’s al fresco restaurant, too. It’s one of the most romantic spots in this corner of Italy.
DETAILS
Address: Via Sandro Pertini, 10, 05017 Monteleone d'Orvieto TR, Italy
Price per night: standard rooms from £200
Closest transport: 50 minutes drive from Perugia, two hours from Florence