Where are we?
In the famous truffle country of the Langhe, in Piedmont, Italy – about an hour southwest of Milan. The Vigne di Fagnano owners Manila and Carlo had reached out to us in the summer of 2025, convinced that their new property would match the criteria of the Pretty Hôtels family.
So we went.
The house
A short flight of steps leads into a courtyard that feels both restrained and quietly elegant. It is Saturday evening. The autumn garden has already dissolved into darkness, and behind the broad glass façades guests mingle with an aperitif near the stove. The silence of the Langhe is broken only by the soft crunch of gravel underfoot. Carlo and Manila greet us – and their guests – with the calm warmth of people unacquainted with haste.
Their project, Vigne di Fagnano (literally, “The Vineyards of Fagnano”), is truly more than a new hideaway. It is their shared living space, a place where their passions have gradually gathered and taken form: photography, art, design, literature, and a deep appreciation for good food. The unifying thread is a love of beauty, visible in every detail.
The rooms
There are seven suites, each different, each with its own character. Choosing one is no easy task. The rooms are shaped by Carlo’s analog photography, by comics from the collection of Milo Manara, by vintage magazines, books, and carefully chosen design lamps. Everything feels personal; nothing feels interchangeable.
Vigne di Fagnano invites a slower, more attentive, and intimate rhythm of living.
The rooms are named after works by Cesare Pavese, the great twentieth-century writer born in this region. The tiles are original or salvaged from neighboring farmhouses; the walls are hand-painted or rendered in deep, saturated tones. Ceilings are often frescoed, beds made of wood or wrought iron.
Yet the beauty does not end indoors. A single glance out of the window reveals a panorama that quite literally takes one’s breath away.
The garden
Garden and vegetable patch, tended personally by Carlo, frame the buildings with an effortless sense of nature. Flowers, plants, and vegetables come together in a quiet rural harmony. After our arrival, we too drift softly toward the communal area for an aperitif. Manila arrives with a tray of homemade bites; Carlo carefully selects a local wine. There is no sense of formal hosting. They are simply sharing their way of life.
Culinary
Breakfast is a daily ritual, served at a large communal table with the other guests. The bread, baked by Manila herself using flour from a nearby mill, is remarkable. There are cakes, seasonal fruit, and eggs from the property’s own chicken coop. Conversation flows easily; people get to know one another; friendships form almost without effort.
Sports & Wellness
A small wellbeing area has been created in the former wine cellars, featuring a steam bath, sauna, warm-water pool, relaxation room, and a small library. In spring and summer, guests can also use the outdoor pool, surrounded by rows of organically grown lavender bushes. Nearby is a small outdoor fitness area equipped with a few high-quality TechnoGym machines, for those who enjoy exercising with views over the rolling hills.
The region
Excursions and activities are recommended personally by Manila and Carlo, who know the region and its quieter nuances intimately. Yoga, visits to nearby villages, including Santo Stefano Belbo with the Fondazione Cesare Pavese – wine tastings, or a lunch centered on the prized white truffle, which draws a few more visitors in autumn than at other times of year. Depending on the season, guests can also take part in truffle hunts in the forest, go hiking or cycling, enjoy hot-air balloon rides, or picnic among the vines.
Yet Vigne di Fagnano is not a place for hurried travel. It is a place for arrival. A house that opens itself without insistence, and that stays with you long after you have left. We were in love.
Ideal for
Well-read cultural travelers who know how to appreciate a house like this.
Combine with
Given the location and its history, a visit to the nearby Il Casale Denari is an obvious choice, either before or after a stay. This can be paired with a stop at Vecchia Dogana, situated between Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore – a house full of history and collections as well.
Rates
Doubles from xx euros.
Booking & Contacts
Vigne di Fagnano 1709 Eco Relais
Via Fontanette 33
12058 Santo Stefano Belbo (CN)
Italy
