L’Albereta is an ivy-clad manor house set in 61,000 hectares of private parkland in the heart of beautiful Lombardy. Vineyards stretch across the landscape, peppered here and there with ancient churches and it’s hard not to have been soothed by the beauty and tranquillity of it all as you check in at reception.
Rooms are very plush – in true old-school Italian style – with spectacular views. The emphasis is on sumptuous fabrics (think satin, silk and grosgrain for the drapery and flax and linen for the bedclothes), while sink-into beds ensure the soundest night’s sleep and each room is decked out with beautiful antiques. The bathrooms offer even more wow-factor: hydro-massage tubs are made from luxurious marble in pearls, greys and sages and superior suites even come with their own Jacuzzis.
However, L’Albereta is really all about the Henri Chenot spa. Focused on what Chenot calls ‘biontology’, it combines Chinese and Western medicine to restore the body to peak condition. At the Espace Vitalité spa, natural sunlight floods in over the enormous swimming pool and there are five different types of hydro massage and sauna. If it’s a more serious, in-depth overhaul that you’re after, then there’s a programme of carefully planned treatments, nutritional education and a strict menu.
Enticing you away from any kind of strict diet is the gourmet cuisine at the Gualtiero Marchesi restaurant, which serves up only the freshest of dishes using completely organic ingredients. For the dedicated and the detoxing there is, of course, a wellness restaurant that’s designed to offer balance and flavour without dismantling the health programme. Ultimately, though, the temptation of a glass or two of fine Franciacorta bubbly out on the terrace might be hard for anyone to resist…
What’s hot?
- The award-winning gourmet cuisine
- The fact that you’re completely rested by the end of your trip
- The stunning grounds and surrounding area
- Every treatment scheduled on your ‘wellbeing plan’ has a targeted outcome – whether it’s a lymphatic draining massage or a facial peel
What’s not?
- It’s very pricey
Need to Know: L’Albereta
Number of rooms: 38
Check-in/check-out times: 2pm and 11am
Room service: No
Swimming pool: Yes. There’s a soothing indoor pool that lets acres of natural light in
Spa: Yes. The Henri Chenot spa is world-renowned. From lymphatic draining massages to reduce water retention and facial peels to stimulate collagen production and detoxifying wraps, to go with a whole host of assessments, such as a bio-energy test in which electrodes are placed on the body and the current monitored (the easier the energy flows, the better your body is working), there’s something for everyone. There’s also technogym equipment, a Turkish bath, Kneipp bath and a huge array of aromatherapy facilities.
Dogs welcome: No
Eating and drinking: The special Biolight menu was created by Henri’s wife, Dominique, and each dish is devised to give a balanced intake of each food group. If you’re not following the Chenot food plan, however, then you’re in for a real treat. Gualtiero Marchesi is the hotel’s head chef, and his food is legendary. The Montisola scrambled eggs (scrambled eggs returned to their shells and garnished with little pieces of dried chub, tomato and chervil) and the saffron rice are out-of-this-world delicious.
Near to? Surrounded by 61,000 hectares of private parkland you probably won’t want to leave. If you do fancy a day out, though, you can head for one of the area’s beautiful lakes – Maggiore, Garda, Como and Iseo – which are surrounded by typical Mediterranean views of lemon trees, fig trees and fresh bougainvillea.
Getting there: Alitalia run regular return flights from London Heathrow to Linate, Milan (www.alitalia.com); from there it’s a 50-minute drive to the hotel
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