Know Before You Go: Relais San Maurizio (Piedmont, Italy)
This resort astonished us with its beauty, warmth to families, and plethora of things to do onsite and in the area. Of all the properties we visited in Piedmont, this one was far and away the best for families. We left wanting more and excited to hopefully return for a longer stay someday.
OVERALL RATING
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Exceptional
Overview
At-a-Glance
Date of stay: November 2019
Length of stay: 2 night / 3 days
Trip type: Family trip around the Italian countryside
Property type: Historic 17th century hilltop monastery converted into a luxury spa resort catering to adults and families alike
Tailor-made for: Nature and art enthusiasts, food and wine lovers, spa-goers
Highlights
The surroundings and views
The service experience
Michelin star dining on site
The Presidential Suite configuration — ideal for families
Good to Know
There is much to do on-property, but we would recommend having a car to explore the surrounding area
Our room was not ready on time upon arrival, but we were offered welcome drink and treats for kids as concession
There was a faulty thermostat in one of the bedrooms
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Location & Setting
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Relais San Maurizio is set in the gorgeous, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Langhe hills and vineyards, located 15 minutes from Barbaresco wine country, and 30 minutes from Barolo wine country. This region is also world-famous for its white truffles.
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Property & Grounds
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Relais San Maurizio was originally a monastery built in 1619. The resort comprises 23 rooms and suites in multiple buildings, a Michelin 1-star gourmet restaurant, bistro, breakfast alcove, bar/lounge, spa with indoor pool, fitness center, and panoramic outdoor pool (closed in winter), all set in an expansive park.
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The resort and park is highly art- and design-focused. A chapel was converted into an art exhibit, bronze sculptures are located all around the property grounds, and fine paintings and works of art can be found throughout hotel and in the room.A wellness haven, the resort's centuries-old park features extensive walking paths, a meditation temple, organic garden, and beehives producing lavender honey.There are lots of cozy nooks, sitting areas and alcoves with fireplaces and comfy chairs throughout hotel's main building.
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Room
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Across from the main building, the Luxury Suites are located in a separate building where the panoramic outdoor pool is located. The building is gated and there is a separately staffed building entrance. We stayed in a Presidential Suite with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 private terraces (one with a hot tub), and a large sitting area with a 19th-century grand piano. Best. Room. Ever. We received a welcome gift of chilled Moscato, house made cakes with house made hazelnut chocolate spread, and bottled Monastery water in the room. The resort offers a pillow menu -- reception can advise guests on best pillow for sleep type.
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The Presidential Suite featured:
• Two bedrooms; practically two 1-bedroom suites, lockable doors at each end of the entryway allow for greater privacy, if desired
• Closets and drawers in each bedroom, but limited space for luggage
• One bedroom can be arranged as 2 twin beds or 1 king bed
• Two bathrooms, one attached to each bedroom -- each with a toilet, bidet and shower with rain shower head (one bedroom has jacuzzi tub with cover setup like a daybed), double sink vanity, and Skinfood toiletries (Relais San Maurizio spa product brand)
• Two outdoor terraces / patios accessible from four entrances; 1 terrace with table and 2 chairs located off one bedroom, another with hot tub, 2 lounge chairs, and 2 patio chairs located off the other bedroom; both terraces are enclosed by hedges
• A large sitting area with 19th-century grand piano, TV, library, minibar, 3 armchairs, coffee table, Krups coffee and Bugatti tea caddy
• Minibar with NIO (need ice only) cocktail mixes, RSM lavender chocolate bar, nuts, juices, etc.
• Entryway with art
• Smart room with room controls on TV and iPad in room; had some glitches with this, like heating/cooling in 2nd BR; the bedside lights were only controllable by manual switches
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Service
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Service here was outstanding overall. The family owner/operators were frequently onsite. One of the family members, Giulita, paid extra special attention to the kids and was really wonderful. She even gave each of them gift of the hazelnut chocolate spread and strawberry jam as departure gifts. There were some challenges with translation with some of the staff (e.g., over the phone when calling from the room). Our suite was not ready at check in time, 15 minute delay. Staff offered us complimentary drinks while we waited which was a nice gesture.
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Dining
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The resort offered top-notch dining options:
Il Ristorante di Guido da Costigliole, the Michelin 1-star gourmet restaurant -- dinner here was delicious
Bistrot - serving lunch and dinner
Bar/lounge with adjacent, enclosed cigar room and historic buggy behind glass
Breakfast room
In-room dining featuring the bistrot menu
We also had lunch out one day at family-friendly La Ciau del Tornavento, Michelin 1-star gourmet restaurant, in Treiso (last 3 pictures below), about 30 minute drive from the hotel. The restaurant featured spectacular views of the Langhe Hills and delicious food. The service team did great with the kids, and even had kids menus, coloring activities, and kids tableware/cutlery, and took the kids' orders almost as soon as we sat down; however, as soon as the lunch service got started, the service dropped precipitously given the high volume of large groups.
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Family Services & Amenities
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The park has a kids play area with swing set, and the park and gardens with walking paths are all kid-friendly and stroller-friendly. The Concierge can arrange babysitting services. Cribs and rollaway beds are available upon request. The house dog, Louie, was a big hit with the kids. The seasonal outdoor pool is family-friendly, and although the indoor spa pool is technically not, the spa attendant while we were there offered to let the kids come swim during off times.
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There is a Play Station 3 and board games available in the main building.
The jar of sweets with flavored marshmallows and gummy bears in the lobby was also a big hit with the kids.
The downsides:
• No kids menus, however, the Bistrot can prepare off-menu, simple dishes for kids
• No step stools in the room
• No kids welcome amenity (though they did receive generous departure gifts)
• No kids tableware, cutlery, glassware or activity books
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Activities
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Onsite activities include the park and botanic garden, and the art exhibition in chapel and extensive art/antiques collection throughout hotel. Bikes, electric bikes, Vespas, and electric scooters are available at the hotel. There is a grand piano in the bar/lounge area and guests are encouraged to play. Board games and video games are available for guest use. The Concierge can arrange activities such as hiking, winery visits, and truffle hunting (seasonal).
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Wellness
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The resort is extremely wellness oriented. Wellness offerings include:
Fitness center with panoramic views
Spa with Dead Sea salt cave, relaxation area and panoramic terrace; Barolo and Barbera wine therapy treatments
Indoor spa pool
Sauna and hammam
Outdoor panoramic pool (open seasonally)
Bikes and electric bikes
Walking/hiking paths
Meditation pavilion in the park
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Wow Factor
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Between the breathtaking setting, the character-filled historic property, the Michelin-star dinning program, and the high-touch service, this place had a top-notch wow factor.
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Value
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Given the expansive park and generous room size, the value here was quite good relative to similar size and calibre properties we’ve visited in Europe and we felt it was the best value of the places we stayed on this trip.
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Overall
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This art-filled hotel, its well-manicured park, and the UNESCO World Heritage surroundings set the stage for a memorable stay. The amazing suite, outstanding food, personal and warm service, and family-friendly amenities put it over the top.
Rating Legend*
💛💛💛💛💛 Exceptional
💛💛💛💛 Notable
💛💛💛 Standard
💛💛 Substandard
💛 Unsatisfactory
*All ratings are relative to similar-class properties
