La Sosta di Ottone III

Rooms

The six rooms arranged in three categories - La Sosta, Dolce Vita and Unesco Heritage - according to size, have a charming mix of antiques and homely comforts. Expect squishy chairs, wooden desks and carved beds beneath gnarled 17th-century beams, plus shuttered windows that open onto a slice of that wonderful view. Colour schemes vary - some are sunshine yellow, others duck-egg blue, and the newest rooms are more neutral and minimalist. Many have sofas that can be converted into 2 extra beds, others can be arranged as twins on request.

Choose La Sosta if you're on a budget - we stayed in one of these rooms and found it a cosy space, with an armchair gazing out at the distant sea. Dolce Vita rooms work well as triples, while Unesco Heritage rooms come with stunning sea views and can be quadruples.

All rooms have snazzy ensuites, some with grey marble tiles and bathtubs, others with walk-in showers. Nice touches in each room include Santella Extra Virgin Olive Oil soaps and body cream, kimono bath-robes and “Le DD” travel slippers. You also get all manner of teas and coffees to brew too.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Toiletries
• WiFi

Eating

Dinner, served in the intimate stone-walled restaurant or under a vine-tangled pergola outside, is a real treat. The cook is passionate about Ligurian food, taking inspiration from the changing seasons to produce creative twists on local specialities. You get a choice four tasting menus, or if that's too much food, you can choose a tasting dish a la carte. On Sundays the offering is slightly different, with a limited a la carte menu.

Everything we sampled was mouth-wateringly good - a fondue-like mix of spinach and pecorino, spaghetti with the freshest of clams, a silky-smooth panna cotta doused in chocolate. The wine cellar has a focus on local biodynamic wines, and they will recommend the perfect pairing for each course, as well as serving up an aperitivo (local wine, cocktails, mixed platters) to savour before your meal (on the house if you book through i-escape).

Breakfast is another spread of local delights - organic cheeses, cured hams, still-warm focaccia, jam and marmalade, and a freshly baked ‘cake of the day’. It’s best eaten outside so you can linger over the view.

Lunch isn’t served, though chances are you’ll be out and about anyway. Bear in mind that Monday is cook's night off, but picnics (savoury pies, salami, fresh fruit) can be ordered to enjoy in your room or on the terrace.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant

Activities

• Explore Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, the 5 pastel-coloured harbour villages which make up the Cinque Terre. Cars aren’t allowed into their centres, but they’re linked by footpath and train so you can easily hop between them
  
• Staff can recommend a variety of hikes along the area’s stunning coastal trails, taking in olive groves, crumbling hamlets and beautiful churches
  
• Alternatively, drive down to nearby Levanto and catch the little ferry which pootles from village to village – it’s a great way to admire the plunging coastline and rocky coves. Angela and Fabio can organise private boats, too
  
• There’s a sandy beach at Levanto, along with surf schools and an outdoor pool
  
• Book a session of ‘dry-stone-wall watching’ - much more interesting than it sounds! Local guide Silvia Mertens will explain the history of the area’s Unesco-listed vineyards, which are formed from dry-stone-walled terraces carved into the steep hillsides, before you sit down to sample some of their wares
  
• Olive-oil tastings and jam-making sessions can also be arranged

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Cooking classes
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Kayaking
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Wine tasting

Kids

Despite the tranquil atmosphere, children are warmly welcomed. Four of the six rooms can accommodate additional guests, and the cook is happy to tailor meals such as pasta for kids. That said, the stone steps, steep drops and bumpy path to the village mean it’s not best-suited to roaming toddlers or babies in pushchairs. Baby cots are available, too, and are complimentary.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Unesco Heritage and Dolce Vita rooms all have sofas which can convert into extra beds for children; twin rooms can be made up on request, and two rooms can interconnect on request.

Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 1.5 hours
• Hospital: 10 minutes (Levanto)
• Shops: 10 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

La Sosta di Ottone III sits in the tiny hillside hamlet of Chiesanuova, a few km from the Cinque Terre in Liguria, northern Italy.

By Air:
The nearest airport is Pisa (99km away), which is served by numerous airlines. There are also some flights to Genoa (126km away). Most people then hire a car (see below), but if you plan to mostly explore by foot you can catch a train to Levanto or Monterosso and then take a taxi from there.

By Car
For car hire recommendations, click here. Bear in mind that Chiesanouva is accessible by foot only, so you’ll have to park in one of the designated spaces on the roadside and then either use the monorail (runs daytime only) to bring you and your bags up to the hotel or walk the last 50m along a rather uneven path.

Detailed directions will be provided when you confirm a booking through i-escape.