The most special stay we had during our recent trip to Italy was at La Palazzetta del Vescovo in Spinetta. This small villa had nine rooms varying in size from 23 to 36 square meters, the two largest of which were suites. Originally built in 1763, La Palazzetta del Vescovo served as a summer residence for local bishops.

After acquiring the property several years ago, the owners, Stefano and Paola, carefully transformed it into a lovely country home with the intention of providing a comfortable place for their guests to experience. They have achieved exactly what they set out to do.
There is a comfy living room, a dining room and a lovely outdoor patio with extensive views of the countryside and a large infinity pool. The “romantic” room we had was full of old-world charm with high ceilings and beams. It had plenty of space, although it was one of their smaller accommodations. There was a large, very modern bathroom with a window and pretty marble, robes and even a make-up mirror.

The nightly rate includes an excellent buffet breakfast; it is quite a treat with many options, such as cereals, fruits, baked goods and eggs cooked to order.

The infinity pool is beautiful – it overlooks vineyards and olive groves in every direction.  Plush pool towels are thoughtfully provided. If you spend the day, or even part of the day, you can order a lunch carefully crafted by Paola.    

Paola is a very passionate cook, and Stefano has become a sommelier (a wine steward), among other required talents. The food is outstanding, all cooked by Paola and her assistants. The dinners begin at 8 p.m. on the patio with “aperitif,” which means complimentary hors d’oeuvres and wine. 

They have an extensive wine list, featuring selections from local Umbrian producers as well as national and international wineries. At 8:30 p.m., you are seated inside or outside, depending on the weather and the host’s choice. The tables are set far enough apart to allow for privacy, but you can also easily carry on a conversation with the next table if you want to. We met several nice couples while we stayed there and enjoyed getting to know them a bit. 

The hosts are happy to share all of their information if you need it so that you can enjoy the area. We had daily “briefings’ on which roads to take to such places as Orvieto, Montepulciano and Assisi. They suggested exactly where to exit the highways and where to park. 

Despite their great efforts, we got lost on a daily basis, but that was part of the fun (see the Driven Crazy: Using GPS in Italy post for that adventure). One thing to keep in mind regarding directions is that La Palazzetta del Vescovo is not really in Todi or Fratta Todina as I deduced from their address.  It is actually located in Spinetta; if you can find that on a map, call me.

While dinner is an up-charge of 38 euros per person, it is worthwhile for several reasons—the main one being that it is excellent. The other reason is that driving around at night seemed daunting and unwise, especially after running around all day and getting lost. Paola made excellent soups, pastas, baked goods and entrees. You would be missing something special if you did not dine here.