Le Marne Relais Hotel Review | Hotels Above Par

"Nestled in the UNESCO-listed heart of Langhe and Monferrato, this charming hideaway has a poetic, artistic vibe and sits amid 30 hectares of vineyards and orchards. Created by entrepreneur Guido Martinetti and his wife Martina in three restored 19th-century brick farmhouses, it follows the Mura Mura mantra of “living slowly and wisely,” with life meant to be lived mostly outdoors among trails and vines. Interiors blend rustic echoes with custom-made Italian artisan furniture and a few standout design pieces, like the cedar-wood Molletta bench by Riva 1920, land art installations, a modernist-style lounge for tea by the indoor pool, and a Camaleonda sofa by B&B Italia; while there could be more cozy nooks inside, the focus is on movement, harmony, and reconnecting with the earth, which makes it a favorite base for athletes who come to jog, e-bike, and do cyclocross. The 13 rooms each have a distinct personality: five in Dimora dei Poeti are dedicated to Piedmontese authors such as Cesare Pavese and Natalia Ginzburg, with details that evoke their voices, and a standout suite, “La Bellezza Esiste,” pays tribute to Gianmaria Testa, feeling like an artist’s postcard with a terrace and large windows framing the vineyards and rolling hills; the remaining eight rooms in Dimora degli Artisti are conceived as livable works of art offering a visual and sensory journey. The crown jewel is La Casa sospesa tra le Vigne, a wooden suite suspended five meters above the ground, particularly loved by couples, where leaving the curtains open rewards guests with the soft pink dawn light over Monte Rosa and the Monferrato vineyards. Dining centers on Radici Ristorante In Vigna, set under original late-19th-century barrel-vaulted ceilings, where Chef Mykyta Bida uses typical Piedmontese ingredients in modern ways—such as hand-chopped raw veal, 30-yolk tajarin with smoked butter, and agnolotti della tasca stuffed with veal cheek—paired with estate wines like a 2019 Barbaresco, and guests can join guided cellar tastings with Giovanni Solo, sampling Barolo and Barbaresco (Rigore wines) or Barbera, Grignolino, and Moscato (Fantasia wines), the latter sometimes said to rival a Château d’Yquem Sauternes. The wellness area offers a 25-meter, three-lane indoor pool with vineyard views, a fully equipped Technogym fitness center, and a spa with sauna, whirlpool, cold plunge pool, and treatments such as a cane sugar and Mura Mura millefiori honey scrub followed by a grape seed oil massage, making it ideal for post-activity recovery. With no official star rating but service and attention to detail described as truly five-star, the atmosphere is one of inspiration and harmony, steeped in literature, fine wine, and Italian cuisine, and enriched by amenities such as truffle hunting with a trifolao, cooking classes, wine tastings, bike rentals, and floor-to-ceiling windows that blur indoors and outdoors, plus Italian-style hospitality expressed through art, food, wine, culture, nature, and wellness, with breakfast-inclusive rates starting from about $470 per night." - Mariangela Rossi