La Villa Hotel Mombaruzzo

La Villa Mombaruzzo is a 16th Century palazzo converted into a family-run, award-winning boutique hotel, set in a beautiful location overlooking the Piemonte winelands.

Originally a winery, the hotel has been brought to life by owners Chris and Nicola, who decided to create the type of place they would want to stay. La Villa combines country chic with relaxed service to make you feel at home from the moment you arrive.

La Villa Hotel is one of the top small hotels in Piemonte with beautiful and spacious grounds. It is surrounded by UNESCO world heritage Monferrato vineyards with stunning views of the Alps.

The owners, Chris and Nicola, have created a warm and friendly atmosphere, making it a relaxing hideaway for couples and groups, and a spectacular backdrop for special events.

Guests tell us that our friendly, hands-on style makes La Villa feel more like a large, private country home than a hotel, allowing them to relax from the moment they arrive, switch off and slow down, knowing that all the little details will be taken care of. For us, it often likes friends coming home to stay.

La Villa is set amongst the Piemonte winelands, home to the famous Barolo, Barberesco, Barbera and sparkling wines. Located close to the market town of Nizza Monferrato, spa town of Acqui Terme, the home of Moscato, Asti, and the truffle hub of Alba.

We are also in driving distance of the Alps, the Lakes, the seaside and the Cinque Terre for a different day out. For serious shoppers and city-lovers we are in easy travel distance of Turin, Milan and Genoa.

We are truly proud and passionate about La Villa, as is our team. Over the past decade, we have watched them grow in confidence and quality in line with the hotel, often pushing us to always be better for our guests. We are a big extended family and Chris and I could not be prouder of what we have achieved together.

THE HISTORY
Here is our story. We are the Norton’s, a British family, Chris and Nicola with our two girls, Kelly and Gemma. When we first arrived we quickly became known locally as ‘gli inglesi’, the English, just because we stuck out as the only ones around.

We had no building experience, couldn’t speak the language, had never worked in hospitality, had to design a hotel, and had two young children to explain ourselves to as we could no longer afford to buy more Barbies.

The locals shook their heads and took bets on how fast we would leave. Yet somehow, in 2005, we opened our doors and never looked back.

I’m not sure we were completely sane when we decided in 2003 to buy a 400-year-old wreck but there was a certain something that compelled us to turn our backs on our corporate selves and throw ourselves headlong into a part of rural Italy we couldn’t even pronounce.

And although the buying of our Italian dream felt like water flowing downhill, turning it into something habitable felt quite the opposite.

We were determined to create a place we would want to stay. Since then, we have won numerous awards, been mentioned in newspapers and magazines across the world, hosted royalty and rock stars and yet our proudest moments have come from the unexpected cards, mails and thank you’s, realising we have made a difference in someone else’s life.

La Villa has finally reached the point where the gardens have grown and the wine cellar is fully stocked with old Barolos and Barbarescos.

I am still hugely hands-on and although you don’t see me with paint in my hair quite as often it’s hard to quit with the gardening gloves. It has been an amazing adventure and our first guests still share stories of the early crazy days with us.

It is difficult not to love La Villa. I still stop and marvel at the sunsets though I’ve given up trying to capture them on film.

There is a certain peacefulness here that makes it hard to leave and a pleasure to return to. I hope you enjoy your time here as much as we do. Dedicated to Chris, husband, partner and dad in our crazy adventure, who died in 2018.

ROOMS & SUITES
All our 15 rooms are designed to help you relax from the moment you arrive. They are spacious and airy, decorated with neutral colours and natural, tactile fabrics.

Some have huge walk-in rain showers and others, claw-foot baths in combination with outdoor terraces or balconies, offering guests the opportunity to wind down and enjoy the Piemontese landscape.

Everywhere are little touches that make a difference to your stay. There are all the modern facilities you would want for a stylish, luxurious get-away, from hand-made mattresses and the finest Italian linens for a good’s night sleep to soft, thick towels, artisan-made soaps, organic plant-based toiletries, large fluffy bathrobes and slippers for some bath time pampering.

SUITE
The Penthouse is a top floor suite with some of the best views from the property. It offers a very spacious bedroom and bathroom, which includes both a walk-in shower and a claw-foot bath.

The Moorish Suite has a separate living room and balcony, and like the Penthouse is easy luxury for two. The Terrace Suite and Stable Suite both offer separate living rooms as well as an outdoor terrace. They are suitable for families as well as couples.

JUNIOR SUITE
There are five Junior Suites at La Villa – two on the top floor and three at ground level. Between them, they have a mix of bath tubs and walk-in showers. The Murano Room and Granary Suite sit side by side and have spectacular views over the vineyards.

The Moroccan and Green Rooms both have outdoor terraces to relax and watch the world go by. The Grotto Suite, in addition to the bedroom, has a small living room with sofa. It is also suitable for wheelchairs.

DINING
The hotel and our restaurant share the same philosophy – to find the best of what’s local and offer it to our guests in a stylish and relaxed environment, the food and wine is no exception. This philosophy has won us many accolades, including a Top 20 Hotel Restaurant award in 2014 by The Times, as selected by top chefs.

La Vie restaurant offers a modern twist on traditional Piemontese dishes. It is open to our guests and non residents every day of our season and dinner is served either indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather. La Vie is also open to the public upon request.

Our Chef uses fresh ingredients from local markets and growers, enabling him to capture the true essence of Piemonte and create simple, flavourful and seasonal dishes. For those who love to cook, morning Cookery Classes are available in the La Vie kitchen.

La Vie offers a fixed four-course seasonal dinner menu which changes daily. It is complemented by an extensive wine cellar that showcases local Piemontese wines, from top names to hidden gems.

The Hotel also offers simple lunches that are available every day from midday until 3 pm. We cater for allergy and dietary requirements. Please be aware that La Vie opening times may vary based on customer demand.

Our Chef, Matteo Rossi, has always been a Chef. Throughout his career, he has been widely recognised for his skills and is considered one of the best young Chefs of the region. He started cooking from a young age, learning how to make traditional Piemontese dishes from his Nonna.

From the age of 15, he started working in professional kitchens and never looked back. From local Trattorie to Michelin starred restaurants, he has now found his way to La Vie and is excited to show his creative spin on Piemontese’s classical recipes.

Matteo’s knowledge and passion for food is clear to anyone who spends time in his kitchen. For him, it’s all about finding the best local suppliers and the freshest of ingredients, from asparagus in May to porcinis in September and white truffles in October.

Matteo uses his local knowledge and classical training to deliver modern vibrant Piemontese dishes, full of flavour and beautifully, yet simply decorated.

COOKING CLASS
There is something hugely satisfying about taking a bunch of humble ingredients and turning them into something delicious. Perhaps that is why our cooking classes are the most popular activities on offer at La Villa. We offer morning classes so that you can enjoy the fruits of your labours for lunch.

Learn how to make different types of fresh pasta with a range of sauces and fillings, which you can then sit down and enjoy with a glass of wine after all of your hard work.

Join Matteo in our outdoor pizza hut to learn the traditional art of pizza making –select your own toppings and make the pizza you have always dreamed of. Learn the secrets of making dough-licious Italian breads at home.

A teach-in with Matteo to create classic Italian dishes or something to wow your dinner guests with at home.

THE WINE CELLAR
La Villa’s wine cellar is exclusively Piemontese. We love the wines of this area and have made it our mission to showcase the local producers as well as the local grape varietals. For those who would like to taste and learn more about the local wines, please contact the hotel to arrange your own personalised wine tasting.

We concentrate on the best regarded wines – for the reds this means Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera and for the whites, Gavi, Arneis and Moscato. However, we also believe in supporting some lesser known varietals, so there will hopefully be a few surprises for even the most seasonal lovers of the region.

Every wine on our list has to earn its place, which involves visiting the wineries, meeting the producers and tasting the wines. Consequently, our list is ever-changing and contains some hidden gems, alongside the big names of Piemonte.

Alongside cooking, learning about the local wines is the most popular activity at La Villa. Nicola, the owner, hosts the tastings, bringing her extensive knowledge of the region’s wines to offer tailored classes for her guests.

Having first studied wine with WSET in the UK, Nicola’s real knowledge of the region’s wine comes from the time spent with local producers in their cellars.

THE WELLNESS
Wellness is one of the great pleasures of a holiday and finally having the time to treat yourself and do the things you always promise yourself you’ll do but never have time to get around to. At La Villa, we offer something for both hedonists and fitness fans alike.

On-site massages are a fast route to winding down and achieving mindfulness. We offer a range of different types from sports to aromatherapy and have a pool of well-trained masseuses available on request, based on the type of massage you prefer.

All the wellness products, including the massage oils used at La Villa are specially formulated by a local skincare company from the best natural ingredients.

We have teamed up with a leading natural skincare producer to create a range of luxurious bath products specially for us. In the rooms you will find La Villa’s own shampoo, body wash, conditioner and moisturiser.

We also offer natural sun screen and bug spray for those who want to enjoy the outdoors but stay protected, naturally.

YOGA
Being able to stop and do nothing is in itself an achievement these days. We have created our Zen garden just for that reason.

Surrounded on all sides by vineyards and nature, it’s a very quiet, tranquil space to practice yoga and mindfulness. Grab a mat and go enjoy! If you prefer, we also have a highly trained yoga teacher, available on request. No mobiles allowed!

FITNESS
We have a dedicated gym for those who prefer indoor rather than outdoor training, equipped with weights, cross trainer, rowing and running machines. For runners, we have a number of tried and tested jogging routes based upon the length of time and difficulty level you want to work at.

The surrounding area is stunning and hilly, making it excellent for hiking, trekking, walking and cycling, and we have some excellent routes mapped out.

WEDDINGS & EVENTS
Right from the very beginning we always felt La Villa was a happy home, ready to bring everyone together to relax, laugh, party and have a good time. We have celebrated weddings, wedding anniversaries, birthday parties, communions, baptisms and everything in-between from groups of 20 to 150 people.

We organise and manage everything for you – from the venue, the accommodation, food, and music to all the other little touches that go into making your event a one-off.

We are very proud to have been recognised as the best wedding location in Piemonte. We are even more proud to be able to call many of our brides and grooms a part of the La Villa family and friends for life.

Choosing the right location is one of the hardest decisions couples have to make when planning their wedding. There are many beautiful spots around La Villa to use as the backdrop to your perfect day.

At La Villa, every wedding is as unique as the couples themselves. We work with you every step of the way to make your dreams come true.

Getting married in this part of Italy is very simple. Whether you say ‘I do’ in a little country church or our flower-filled gardens is up to you.

We have a number of beautiful churches nearby with delightful priests for Catholic ceremonies, and our own personal pastor who conducts weddings here in the grounds of La Villa for Protestants and Methodists.

We organise and manage everything for you – from the venue, the accommodation, food, and music to all the other little touches that go into making your event a one-off.

Corporate events by their very nature are one-offs. We work with you on the organisation of your event down to the smallest details, so that from the moment of arrival you can relax, knowing that your colleagues will be given the best of service.

MEETINGS
We offer a variety of indoor meeting and conference room options for businesses up to forty participants and an outdoor covered option for up to 160. This is further enhanced by many outdoor spaces, ideal for break-out sessions and smaller meeting points needed for team building off-site events.

Alongside the accommodation and facilities at La Villa, we can help organise transport and many other group activities including wine tastings, cooking classes, guided bike and walking, golf, truffle hunts and many others.

The Hotel Facilities at La Villa create a place to relax and take time for yourself. There are many quiet indoor and garden spaces to read a book, practice yoga or just be.

We offer in-room and outdoor massages for some one-on-one pampering and a small library for those who run out of reading material a little too early in the holiday. If you prefer we have fully-qualified yoga, pilates and meditation teachers available on request.

FACILITIES
We offer breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, in different locations around the property. There is also a well-equipped gym, plus a table tennis table. For venturing out and about there are bikes available, plus tennis racqets for use at the local courts.

For those who love to plan their days, you will find lots of guide books and books on local wines and food alongside a few good reads to keep the eyes open by the pool.

Or let us plan your days for you -we are very used to organising wine, grappa and food tastings, as well as the more typical holiday activities, such as golf, tennis, horse riding, hiking, and biking.

PIEDMONT
During your visit, you will want the full experience of Piedmont. Piemonte’s Winelands is a beguiling area, which is hard to leave. With its’ amazing history, scenery, food and wine, it is somewhere for all the senses.

It’s not just about its unique vineyards, stretching from Asti to Alba and beyond which have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Or its’ 25 Michelin starred restaurants. Or its’ many annual pageants, steeped in medieval folklore.

Or shopping designer-style to flea-markets. It’s about taking life at a quieter pace and having time to enjoy it.

THE WINES
With vineyards as far as the eye can see, a visit to Piemonte would not be complete without at least one tour of a local wine cellar.

Let us help you build a self-drive itinerary using our local knowledge of the wines and wineries of the region. Alternatively, we can organise guided wine tours, either with Nicola herself or another local company.

WALKING & CYCLING
The countryside around La Villa is excellent for walking and cycling – great scenery, quaint, sleepy villages, and gentle hillsides with a few steep ones dotted in between. For keen walkers, we have a number of routes around the hotel already mapped out and for casual cyclists a few mountain bikes for use.

For the more serious-minded, we can arrange guided walking tours as well as guided bikes tours, including with e-bikes. We are delighted to partner with Butterfield & Robinson on their tours throughout Piemonte.

SPORT ACTIVITIES
There is a surprising number of golf courses close to The Villa, the best being Villa Margara and Golf Feudo d’Asti. Many of our guests bring their own clubs. Other outdoor activities, such as horse riding, tennis and go-karting are also available as are rafting and ballooning for the more adventurous.

GRAPPA
Where there is wine, there is grappa – at least in Piemonte. La Villa is a short walk from one of the most famous Grappa distilleries in the world, Berta and a short drive from one of the most unique, Bocchino.

CHEESE
Great wine deserves great cheese and in this region we are spoiled for choice – robiola, toma, testun, gorgonzola, grano padano and even mozzarella.

For cheese lovers, a tasting of this region’s finest is a must alongside its’ chocolate, hazelnuts, and even famous Amaretti biscuits. Using our contacts, we can create a unique day out for you, taking in the smells and tastes of the region.

LOCAL MARKETS
Food markets are a way of life in Italy and almost every morning you will find one set up in one of the nearby towns or villages. We have a weekly calendar of all the local markets so you can head out early and explore.

THE WHITE TRUFFLE
The white truffle is native to Piemonte. In the months of October and November, it can be found on every menu, allowing you to taste one of the top global ingredients in any of the local restaurants. From fresh tagliatelle to a simple fried egg – white truffle is the perfect accompaniment.

At La Villa, we offer guests the opportunity to hunt their own truffles with our local hunter and prepare fresh pasta back at the hotel to enjoy their well deserved find.

La Villa is located near the best truffle fair in the world, the Alba White Truffle Fair. From the opening of the fair in mid-October until it closes it’s doors in late November, the world of Piemonte goes truffle crazy for the one of most expensive ingredients on earth.

Spending a morning or an afternoon with a truffle hunter and his dog is a real treat. At La Villa, we work exclusively with a local hunter and his dog, Bill, at his private reserve only a few minutes away from the hotel.

Autumn white truffle hunts are extremely popular, so please book with us well in advance. Please also note they are subject to the weather conditions.

Rooms: 15

Price: from 255 EUR per night

Source: www.lavillahotel.net