Where to stay in Barolo wine country: Barolo winery hotels

Nestled in the vastly beautiful Northwest Italian region of Piedmont lies a mecca for wine aficionados, Baralo, stocked with gorgeous views and countless Baralo hotels (and Baralo wine hotels).

Here exists an awe-inspiring setting ranging from picturesque valleys with alpine backdrops to scenic lakes, and many dreamy vineyard roads including Langhe, Roero, Monferrato and Alto Piemonte.

Until only recently though, luxury Baralo hotels have been sparsely scattered throughout this idyllic land; specifically Barolo and Barbaresco were lacking in high end accommodations. Not anymore! Baralo wine hotels and other hotels in this city are now some of the best hotels in the entire region.

If you’re looking for a luxurious accommodation during your wine tour in Piedmont, we’ve got the perfect list of choices for you. From castles and chic wineries to country houses and dreamy villas, all set against rolling hills draped with vineyards – our Cellar Tours team has picked out some of the best hotels to stay at while exploring this stunning region.

Barolo winery hotels: Locanda La Raia

Nestled amid the picturesque vineyards of Monferrato, Locanda La Raia is a delightful boutique Barolo winery hotel featuring 12 charmingly-furnished rooms. It was once a mail station but has been restored with exquisite care, and its decor features an elegant blend of historic and modern design furniture. A stay at this cozy country house will undoubtedly be one to remember!

Every amenity was thoughtfully crafted, from the luxuriously comfortable beds to stylish bathrooms, a fragrant herb garden and scrumptious breakfast. No detail overlooked!

Additionally, this hotel offers an intimate but well-appointed spa, heated outdoor swimming pool, plus an art park showcasing works by renowned international artists like Francesco Jodice, Michael Beutler, Remo Salvadori and Koo Jeong A.

The onsite restaurant is supervised by Michelin starred Chef Tommaso Arrigoni, who strictly follows a farm-to-table approach. All the restaurant ingredients are sourced locally, including many from the estates vegetable garden and the onsite farm.

It offers traditional mouth-watering dishes, including anchovies, soft farinata, and fennels; creamy Risotto with Castelmagno cheese and Locanda’s aromatic herbs; rabbit with Taggiasca olives, plums, and pine nuts; potato dumplings, with beef ragout and black summer truffle.

Website: www.la-raia.it

Address: Località Lomellina, 26, 15066 Gavi AL, Italy

Telephone: +39 0143 642860

Baralo winery hotels: Hotel L’ostelliere

Next on our list of Barolo winery hotels is the Monterotondo Wine Resort, located in the village of Gavi.

Gavi is one of Piedmont’s least-visited wine regions, but this isn’t a bad thing at all. What a pity, as the countryside is pristine and so inviting. The Monterotondo Wine Resort is set near the well preserved historic village of Gavi.

The rustic wine resort has it all top-class restaurant (La Gallina), the famous winery (Villa Sparina)- all set amid manicured vineyards. As in all the wine hotels, the most spectacular months to visit are September and October (harvest time) when the vineyards are at their best, and the weather is still nice enough to sit outside on the terrace, sipping a glass of wine, taking it all in.

The resort also offers a range of non-wine-related activities, including bike tours of the area, posh picnics on the river, cooking classes, truffle hunting, and rice producers’ visits. In 2020 the resort underwent a significant renovation.

website: www.villasparinaresort.it

address: Frazione Monterotondo, 56, 15066 Gavi AL, Italy

telephone: +39 0143 607801

Barolo winery hotels: Castello di Gabiano

Monferrato – especially the Lower Monferrato – is a hidden gem for gourmet and wine lovers featuring great wines, authentic cuisine, warm welcome, quaint villages, and castles. One of these is the fairy tale Castello di Gabiano.

You can live the dream here, sleeping in one of the luxury suites, eating at onsite restaurant Tre Orologi, wandering in the historical maze, fishing at the estate lake. The castle includes a working winery, whose first vintage was 1804!

You can tour the cellar and enjoy a full tasting of their wines, discovering and sampling two of the smallest and off the beaten tracks appellations of Italy: Gabiano doc and Rubino di Cantavenna doc (both made with Barbera, Grignolino, and Freisa grapes)

Website: castellodigabiano.com

Address: Via S. Defendente, 2, 15020 Gabiano AL, Italy

Telephone: +39 0142 090104

Barolo winery hotels: Relais Tenuta Santa Caterina

In the Basso Monferrato, near the town of Asti, at the wine estate Tenuta Santa Caterina you can find an elegant country house, immersed in the gentle hills covered with Freisa, Grignolino, Barbera vineyards.

There are six large and elegant suites (each one named after the estate wines), a cozy living room with an antique and grand fireplace, lounges, and libraries. A large pool overlooking the vineyards leads you to complete and immersive relaxation. But there is also plenty to do, if you prefer to be more active: cooking classes, truffle hunting, horseback riding, bike tours, golfing, sightseeing (not to be missed the impressive Grazzano Badoglio abbey founded in 961 by the Marquess of Monferrato or the “big benches” trail), grappa tours and tastings.

Tenuta Santa Caterina offers a wonderful wine experience, including a tour of vineyards and historic winery, the visit of the UNESCO World Heritage “infernotto” (a cellar carved by hand in tufa stone ), and of course, exhaustive wine tastings with the winemaker.

Website: www.tenuta-santa-caterina.it

Address: Via Guglielmo Marconi, 23, 14035 Grazzano Badoglio AT, Italy

Telephone: +39 0141 925472

Barolo winery hotels: Villa d’Amelia

Langhe is one of our favorite Italian wine regions, and Villa d’Amelia is one of our preferred hotels here. What used to be a 19th-century farmhouse is now a luxury hotel, with breathtaking views of Langhe hills and vineyards, imposing the Alps in the background.

You will feel pampered and spoiled by the attentive and helpful staff. Indulge in the heated outdoor pool and small spa, deeply enjoy the two onsite restaurants by chef Damiano Nigro (the informal Damà and the Michelin starred Damiano Nigro, where tasting menus are named after Italian composers, like Rossini, Vivaldi, Paganini).

The chef and the hotel organize special gourmet events, the most famous of all being “La Nocciola in Tavola” (Hazelnut on the Table), yearly held in November, hosting more than 20 Michelin starred chefs and wine producers.

Website: www.villadamelia.com

Address: Località Manera, 1, 12050 Benevello CN, Italy

Telephone: +39 0173 529225

Barolo winery hotels: Casa Scarpa

Located in the heart of Barolo’s wine country, these four Barolos winery hotels’ villas luxurious villas offer stunning views of Langhe’s countryside. Each villa is carefully designed with deluxe interiors, a well-equipped kitchen, outdoor barbeque and lush private gardens that overlook Nebbiolo vineyards and hills. In addition to all this beauty, you can enjoy splashing around in the shared pool surrounded by picturesque scenery!

At Casa Scarpa, every detail has been taken care of – even the original music playlist is expertly tailored to suit different occasions! Owned and managed by Scarpa winery, there’s an array of activities available: truffle hunts; vineyard walks; picnics with a private sommelier for wine tastings; or having a personal chef cook up some gourmet dishes. And when you just want to relax in supreme comfort and blissfulness, we’ll make sure that happens too…

Website: vineyard-villas.com

Address: Cascina Monvigliero, 28, 12060 Verduno CN, Italy

Telephone: +39 348 4765176

Barolo winery hotels: Palàs Cerequio

Next on our list of amazing Barolo winery hotels is Palàs Cerequio – owned by Barbera, Barbaresco, and Barolo producer Michele Chiarlo – is literally in the vineyard, and what vineyards! We are talking about the crème de la crème of Barolo crus Cerequio and Brunate, with spectacular views of the nearby Cannubi hills. This is a wine lover paradise!

Michele Chiarlo restored this palace (thus the name, palàs in local dialect) and turned it into a boutique hotel with four suites in historic style and five suites in a more modern contemporary design; each room has a small en-suite spa. At the helm of the restaurant is Michelin starred chef Francesco Oberto. The cuisine is simple but of high quality traditional local dishes. You can also enjoy what they call “Apericrus” (Piedmontese tapas), a selection of cheeses, cured meats, and tapas-style bites, paired with Barolo or Barbaresco by the glass. The highlight of any stay at Palàs Cerquio is the wine cellar, where you can enjoy a guided wine tasting of the best Barolos you’ve ever dreamt of with a private sommelier.

Website: www.palascerequio.com

Address: Borgata Cerequio, 12064 La Morra CN, Italy

Telephone: +39 0173 50657

Barolo winery hotels: Castello di Guarene

If you are seeking a lavish experience with an air of aristocracy, Castello di Guarene is the perfect destination for you. Nestled in the Roero wine region yet just minutes away from Alba and Langhe, this stunning castle boasts twelve grand rooms adorned with original antiques and aristocratic details such as exquisite silk or velvet tapestries.

This hotel boasts the most opulent comforts, providing you with an incomparable stay. Not only is the spa mesmerizing, boasting a sensational swimming pool carved from stone and wonderful gardens that date back to the seventeenth century, but its onsite restaurant serves up delectable local dishes with a hint of creativity. The only downside? You won’t want to leave this enchanting castle!

Website: www.castellodiguarene.com

Address: Via Alessandro Roero, 2, 12050 Guarene CN, Italy

Telephone: +39 0173 441332

Barolo winery hotels: La Darbia

Alto Piemonte is a wine region on the rise, a hidden gem the most known and reliable wine magazines and writers are talking about, from Tom Hydal to Antonio Galloni, from Decanter to Wine Advocate, from Kerin O’Keefe to Eric Asimov.

If you’re passionate about all things Nebbiolo, Barolo, and Barbaresco then the best wines for you to sample are Lessona, Carema, Gattinara, Ghemme, Boca and Bramaterra. Picture it: only a 20-minute drive away from these renowned vineyard regions lies La Darbia – an authentically renovated farmhouse turned into a picturesque apartment hotel with views of Lake Orta that will make your heart flutter! Even better still is its scrumptious breakfast served every morning right in your own suite.

An intimate Nebbiolo vineyard awaits you on site, where from its grapes a bubbly rosè brut wine is crafted. During the early days of October, experience the harvest season first-hand! After visiting their small cellar and picking fresh grapes, indulge in a festive feast to commemorate this extraordinary occasion.

Immerse yourself in all that the Cantina has to offer – saltwater heated pools, e-biking and wine tasting! For a truly unique experience, Chef Matteo Monfrinotti at our onsite restaurant creates exquisite dishes with local ingredients such as Gorgonzola cheese, rice, salami and freshwater fish. And you get to enjoy these delicacies paired perfectly with some of the region’s finest wines.

Website: www.ladarbia.com

Address: Via Covini, 28010 Vacciago, Ameno NO, Italy

Telephone: +39 389 311 3813

Barolo winery hotels: Cellagrande

Husband and wife team Gino and Clelia Bagnod left Val d’Ayas in Valle d’Aosta in 1946 and moved to Canavese, north of Turin and close to the beautiful town of Biella in Piedmont. They brought their herds with them, settled there, and began producing artisan cheese and premium meat.

Over the years, the Bagnod family grew and expanded their business and founded three agriturismos (farm stay resort), a “bar à fromage,” and a wonderful winery. Located in an atmospheric, 13th-century abbey, the small wine cellar of Cellagrande produces unique and relatively rare wines: Erbaluce di Caluso and Carema.

Erbaluce is a native, white grape from Upper Piedmont, characterized by its fruitiness, freshness, rich and intense flavor. It is a versatile grape and is used to make dry, sparkling, and even sweet wines. Erbaluce Passito is a highly rated dessert wine and the one you will most likely find outside of Piedmont.

The beautiful, palatial style inn also offers nine rooms, facing the Vivarone lake. Guests can enjoy the small spa, which includes a private experience in the former large wine casks; what a treat!

There is also an onsite Bistrot (naturally with a farm to table ethos), wherein their pretty, brick-vaulted dining room, you can taste their cheese in mouthwatering dishes like Carnaroli rice with Erbaluce wine and creamy robiola cheese; slow-cooked locally-sourced lamb with Carema wine sauce; and beef seasoned with mountain herbs, mesclun (a mix of assorted small baby greens) and Gran Gessato d’Ayas cheese.

Website: cellagrande.it

Address: Via Cascine di Ponente, 21, 13886 Viverone BI, Italy

Telephone: +39 0161 189 2213

Barolo winery hotels: The Barolo wine-producing area

Barolo wine is made from the Nebbiolo grape. Barolo is produced on 1,000 hectares of wine-loving soil by 1,000 wine-makers. If you ever experience a Burgundy wine tour in France, then you’ll find similarities in the amount of land allotted to each producer. To have a piece of land in the Barolo-producing area of Piemonte means that you are now a part of history.

There are actually 11 official towns that make up the area where Barolo can be produced. The towns are quite small and honestly, you could probably run through all of them in one day ( actually on foot).

The Barbaresco wine-producing area

Barbaresco wine is also made from the Nebbiolo grape and is a bit less powerful than its neighbor Barolo, but more loveliness. In the last 20 years, Barbaresco has arguably become one of the most important wines in the world.

There are only three little towns that make the wine that can be called Barbaresco. These are Barbaresco, Neive and Treiso. If you get a chance, we recommend visiting all three so you can see how the wine differs according to location.

The Barbera wine-producing area

Barbera wines are made from the Barbera grape and are made in quite a few areas of Piedmont. Young wines have a higher level of acidity and fruit. The high level of tannins means many producers like to tame them with oak.

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