Sextantio
Via Principe Umberto, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo, Italy
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To give it its full name, it’s Sextantio Albergo Diffuso; roughly speaking, the Sextantio Distributed Hotel. Which sounds a bit futuristic in English, but is in fact nothing of the sort — it’s a sixteenth-century village, the Abbruzzese mountain village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, complete with villagers as residents, and packed in between them, distributed amongst the various houses and buildings of the village, are some 29 contemporary boutique hotel rooms.
It’s the sort of thing that could come off gimmicky in less confident hands, but here it feels as natural as anything — after a night you’ll wonder why aren’t there more distributed hotels? The renovation is as sensitive as it gets, and while the atmosphere is strictly classic, the comforts are modern — radiant underfloor heating, high speed internet, the whole 21st-century package. Bathrooms feature fittings by Philippe Starck, which is nice, given the state of plumbing in the 16th century, and the occasional massive egg-shaped bathtub is a very welcome innovation. There’s a little cantina where you can take breakfast or a digestif, and a restaurant that serves extremely authentic Abbruzzese cuisine.
The idea here is to live as the locals do, though perhaps with slightly better furniture. You’re not isolated in some hotel bar or stuck at the end of some air-conditioned corridor. At Sextantio, two hours’ drive from Rome airport, you’ve got one foot in the Italian countryside already — this is no tame Tuscan landscape, by the way, but undiscovered and undeveloped Abbruzzo — with the wine country, the stunning national park, and all manner of historical sites close at hand.
- 29 Rooms
- Style: Modern Design
- Atmosphere: Lively
- 5 Guest Reviews
- Sextantio
- Via Principe Umberto
- Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo, Italy
Hotel amenities and services
- 100% non-smoking hotel
- 24 hour concierge
- 24 hour front desk
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Business center
- Central air conditioning
- Free parking
- Free wi-fi
- Garden
- Library
- Luggage storage
- Pet Friendly
- Restaurant
- Shopping area nearby
- Wood burning fireplace
Other Santo Stefano di Sessanio hotels
5 Guest Reviews
All reviews are from Tablet guests with verified stays.
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- Mark
- Stayed September 2012
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
everything. it was incredible. A MUST if you're in Italy.
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing, had a wonderful stay!
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- Kathleen
- Stayed September 2011
- Rating: Good
What I liked:
The location (hill town), authenticity
We ate dinner at the restaurant - it was unbelievably good.
What the hotel could do better:
The town itself has too little going on to be interesting - it looks and feels abandoned.
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- tim
- Stayed June 2011
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
I can't begin to describe in a few words how wonderful the entire experience was. The people were amazing. We had trouble finding the hotel on GPS and found ourselves right in the middle of town through very very narrow streets where a local helped steer us to the hotel. The girl at reception was in the meantime walking the streets to find us as well. The romance of the place was unbelievable coupled with the sadness of the devastation of the Tower by the earthquake a few years ago. This town is possibly the most wonderful place I've been to and although I'd like it to be our secret I would also like as many caring people as possible to find it so that it may be brought back from the precipice that threatens so many towns of this size and location. The rooms are just brilliant and perfectly cared for. I must stop now but could rave on for ever!!! Oh yes, the food at the restaurant was exceptional.
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing, had a wonderful stay!
