Rustic-looking rural hotel in prime Piemonte wine-country where you’ll find great exercise facilities

Le Marne Relais / Costigliole d’Asti / Piemonte / Italy

When people decide to travel to Italy many tend to end up in the same places. The fabulous cities of Rome, Firenze or Venice. Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Sicilia or the dramatic Dolomites. But there is so much more to discover in this extremely diverse country. One area that is often overlooked, not so much though when you buy your bottle of wine in your local off-license, is the region of Piemonte. Here, in the north-western corner of Italy, in the vine-striped landscape, is where you’ll find this cozy retreat, Le Marne Relais.

This rustic-looking rural estate is sitting on a gentle slope, of one of the numerous hills in the region, overlooking the surroundings. This region is one of Italy’s most celebrated regions and is UNESCO-listed. The first thing that catches your eye as you approach the hotel are the terracotta brick buildings. And the second thing that hits you as soon as you have parked, is the quiet. It is so calm and relaxing. I found myself in the parking lot just gazing at the opposing hills, taking some deep breaths.

The rooms at this 14-room hotel are inspired of different regional artists or poets, and all rooms have completely different looks. Our room was inspired by Guido Gozzano and was located on the lower ground floor, where we had our own patio with access to the extensive gardens.

One thing that makes this hotel stand out, next to what has already been shared here, is the discrete fitness profile. Yes, you should enjoy the amazing food at the restaurant and a couple of glasses of local red, at least. But if you like to exercise there is a really great gym, a 25-meter indoor pool where you can do your laps and outside there are excellent opportunities for running, hiking and biking. The yin and the yang of it all.

The hotel is a made up of a number of brick buildings, placed on a gentle slope of one of the many rolling hills of Piemonte, surrounded by vineyards.

The main feature of the reception area is this massive window. It is interesting, you often have large horizontal windows but not that often you see vertical ones like this one.

Each room is inspired by a local artist or poet. Ours was inspired by Italian poet, Guido Gozzano.

The main building shot from the lawn outside our room. And yes, what you can spot on our own little patio…

Hotel gyms are often a small, uninspiring space, hidden in some dark corner in the basement. Not at Le Marne Relais. Here you’ll find a fully equipped, bright, well-designed space with views of the surroundings. Makes the work out so much more inspring.

On site you’ll also find a 25-meter swimming pool, where you can do laps if you wish, to burn off some of that delicious local food and wine.

The wine tasting space, well it is actually a bar, has a grotto-like appearance.

Had to taste some of that local red wine. It did not disappoint.

Evening is setting over Le Marne Relais and it is time to call it a night.

Up and about early in the morning. We went out on a short, slow morning jog along the paths the hotel have created around the premises.

Our jog took us down to the small lake at the end of the garden.

This area is so stunning with all those ancient villages, placed atop of the rolling hills.

You can tell this was a mean cappuccino. I have to admit. I had three….

It was impossible to resist. This is home made Nutella.

A good recommendation for a place to stop for lunch and some grocery shopping, or if you want to bring some unique Italian wine or olive oil back home, is Eataly. They have an outpost in nearby Monticello.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are looking for a place to stay in prime Italian wine country, in the midst of rolling hills dotted with cute villages, where you eat well, drink well and where there are excellent training facilities.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the health focus of the hotel. Yes, you can eat great Italian food and drink some of that incredible local red wine, but what I really appreciate is that there is large, well-equipped gym, a 25-meter pool where you can do laps and there are running and cycling paths in

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to find a spot in the bar and curl up with a glass of local red wine.

If you like this hotel you might also like:

La Villa / Mombaruzzo, Italy

Chateau Léognan / Léognan, France

Villa La Madonna / Monastero Bormida, Italy