• Email from a Guest from Montreal Canada

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  Email from a Guest from Montreal Canada

  • Guest Guests from Montreal Canada
  • Date of stay 07/24/12
  • Review Submitted 08/04/12
  Hello Julia We have been received at your place like king and queen ,the expérience of our vacation will always stay we us in our mémories forever. I dont know if you do that with all your guests but I could tell you that you have been a perfect host for people that dont know the piedmont région . Grazie mille and so much more dear Julie. PS,we have left you letters and gifts for you and your friends on the table for our appréciation toward what you have all done to make our stay the best vacation ever!!! Gaétan,Elise,Audrey and Simon Ciao ciao from a happy customer Envoyé de mon iPad

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• A Charming Peaceful Getaway in a Medieval Village

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  A Charming Peaceful Getaway in a Medieval Village

  • Guest Linda, Reston Virginia
  • Date of stay 10/01/11
  • Review Submitted 07/24/12
  Guest Review from Tripadvisor. For this trip we were looking for a small walkable village in or near mountains and in the southern Piemonte area. When we saw the advertising for l’Ermitage di Garessio we knew this could be just the spot we were looking for for a two week stay. We were not disappointed. Upon our arrival we found several bottles of wine and some chocolate waiting for us--a very nice welcoming gesture. The only limiting feature of the property is that there is one bathroom which was not a problem for us but might be for a larger group of people in the rental party. Our stay at the Ermitage was truly the highlight of our month in Italy as it was well positioned to visit the wine country, some very old towns like Cuneo and Mondovi and offered many hiking venues. The owners of Ermitage di Garessio, Julia and Scott, are very friendly and helpful and went out of their way to ensure that we were comfortable and had what we needed. They provided us with a good deal of information on good restaurants in the area, local markets, and places worth a visit. Four doors away is a butcher shop that sold a preparation of rabbit that we came to treasure and even bought one to take with us on the next leg of our trip to France. Mario rescued us one day when we had lost power and he came up the street and pushed the right button to turn it all back on. The town website provides information on marked hiking trails which I printed off in English before we left home. If you are into the Slow Travel movement and you enjoy a relaxing pace of life, this is the place for you. We have very fond memories of our stay in Garessio and hope to return there sometime in the future.

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• Garessio Villa in Old Storico

  Garessio Villa in Old Storico

  • Guest Doctor Fun
  • Date of stay 06/24/12
  • Review Submitted 07/21/12
  Our three-week stay in Garessio was wonderful. One could easily conjure up images of Napoleanic or Nazis troops marching up the narrow cobblestone streets. Julia Monforte was very gracious. Julia is multi-lingual and knowledgeable about the history of the area. She pointed out places to hike, places to eat and buy groceries, and recommendations for sightseeing and visits to small family-owned wineries. The listing description was very accurate, especially the pictures depicting the villa (see caveat below regarding location). The villa was very clean. However, it should be noted, there is no maid service regardless of length of stay (as stated in the listing). So, during our three-week stay, if we needed dusting, sweeping, bedsheet and towel changes, we were responsible. We would without qualification recommend this property to friends and relatives. As I said, Garessio is a great base from which to explore N. Italy. We hiked up the Salt Road and up to the Savoy castle ruins looming above the village. But, to explore all there is arond, you must have a car. Ormea, a town nearby, is a hub for an extensive hiking and mountain biking trail system. We enjoyed hikes up the ValldInferno, and hikes around the small villages of Caprauna and Alto. Be sure to discover Valloria, the Village of Painted Doors, 15km north of Imperia. We made the round-trip to Cinqueterra and all its villages in one day. The Italian Riveria from Genoa to Monte Carlo (in FR) are all reasonable day trips. Equally accessible is the Piedmont wine region. We enjoyed visiting hilltop towns such as Mondovi, Bassolasco, Montezomolo, and Barolo on our way to the wineries. I would end with these cautionary notes: First,Garessio is about an hour from Alba. So, the listing location is just a bit deceiving. It turns out that wasn't a drawback. Garessio is in a great location from which to explore beautiful haunts and by-ways. Used as a base, we toured the Ligurian coast, the Maritime Alps, and the Piedmont wine district with ease. Second, the stairwell from the street to the two-level villa are made of stone & concrete, steep and narrow; the stairway from the main floor to the bedrooms is as well. The bathroom is on the main floor. Night time visits to the bathroom require taking the stairs and made us appreciate why chamber pots were so popular in olden times.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: When listing a property on VRBO, one has to choose the closest location. In the case of the Ermitage and Garessio, Alba was our closest listing location so the property is listed under Alba as per VRBO sorting criteria. Please check a map program to see where we are located before reserving with us. Garessio is off the tourist trail, a small medieval village in the Ligurian Alps. It is a special location offering slow travel and a relaxing environment as well as a well located base from which to explore both Liguria and Piemonte.

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• Slow Living

  Slow Living

  • Guest Anne
  • Date of stay 05/24/12
  • Review Submitted 07/12/12
  Hi Julia, even though it is now over a month since we returned from Garessio, the memories are still wonderfully vivid always giving a reason to smile. Thank you so much for your hospitality, all the sharing and detailed advise on the best walks for tricky knees! Thanks for introducing us to that luscious red wine and making a convert of this diehard white wine drinker! To anyone thinking of visiting I can say you will not be disappointed in the villa, the amenities, and the spectacular alps. Julia introduces you to your surroundings pointing you in the direction you want to go without ever being intrusive. We look forward to our return visit and hearing about all the interesting and challenging restorations you are working on. Namaste, Anne and Brendan

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, age 55+, adventure seekers.

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• Email from a Guest from Australia

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  Email from a Guest from Australia

  • Guest Marlene
  • Date of stay 04/27/12
  • Review Submitted 06/06/12
  Hi Julia, Our stay with you was absolutely delightful - we would love to return and perhaps stay in the newest addition to your portfolio (the one you showed us). Somehow the village found it,s way into my heart - It is one of the most interesting and unique places I have visited in Italy. Your hospitality and warmth contributed so much to our enjoyment and meeting you was an enormous pleasure. Continuing our discussion on longevity I believe that each time we laugh we live a little longer so you are well covered there! I shall keep in touch and look forward to meeting you again wherever our paths may cross. Travelled happily today,roads not busy, had a beautiful lunch in the castle at Grinzare Cavour and have now reached the farmhouse outside of CASTELLO - for an urban soul like me seems like the middle of nowhere however I will practice living sloooow! Missing Garessio . Thank you for everything. Most affectionately, Marlene x

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• Email Comments from a Guest

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  Email Comments from a Guest

  • Guest Ed and Susie
  • Date of stay 04/16/12
  • Review Submitted 06/06/12
  Hi Julia, It was such a pleasure to meet you. Your hospitality, knowledge of the area, and great conversation, made our vacation truly special. We would have been lost without your guidance and would never have made it to places such as Cuneo and Mondovi. We would have gone to "Walt's" destinations! We loved staying in your house, it was just perfect for us.It was a home away from home, very comfortable and fully equipped with everything we needed. If you are ever Stateside and in the vicinity of Florida, we would love to see you and return some of your welcoming hospitality. Many, many thanks.

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• sauce queen

  sauce queen

  • Guest trudie burnham
  • Date of stay 07/16/11
  • Review Submitted 08/22/11
  > I am a foodie, cookbook author and a die hard slow food advocate. If you are into slow food, staying at the Ermitage di Garessio is wonderful. Surrounded by local fresh produce and val di tanaro specialties, you will be amazed at the culinary offerings in this part of the italian piemonte region. Of course, the wines of barolo and the ligurian wine region within an easy drive. Pollenzo, the slow food headquarters, is near at hand. This place is for slow living, savouring the moment, enjoying food and wine and taking a break from the rest of the world. Nothing lacking in the funghi hunting department either, if you like to get up into the woods and enjoy a meandering 'shroom walk. additionally the kitchen is v well appointed, with a great oven, so there is plenty of opportunity to cook a meal at home when u don't feel like taking advantage of the many eateries around the area,

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, adventure seekers.

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• Simply Wonderful

  Simply Wonderful

  • Guest madeincali
  • Date of stay 06/22/11
  • Review Submitted 07/29/11
  This is an outdoor sports paradise. We stayed at the Ermitage di Garessio for two weeks. During that time we had a wonderful time hiking and mountain biking the surrounding Ligurian Alps. The village of Garessio is a peaceful place in a wonderfully strategic position between the Italian Riviera, the Langhe wine country and the Italian Alps. We took advantage of all of this, going to the Mediterranean sea to swim and sunbathe, then to Sinio in the wine region for lunch. But our best days were spent checking out the excellent rock climbing near Garessio. We will be back with our climbing and snowboarding equipment. The Ermitage di Garessio is a restored villa in the heart of the historical village center. For us this was great because we could get to everything easily, the butcher, the local cafe for a cappuccino. The house itself is comfortable and well furnished. Fully loaded kitchen with a balcony giving stunning views of the nearby mountains. When we come back next time, we will be better prepared by bringing all our outdoor sports gear. We were surprised and stunned at the availability of the adventure sports at your doorstep. This is the Boulder of Italy. Not for tourists wanting to shop and look at what is listed in the Lonely Planet. Garessio is for the adventurous visitor who wants to be off the beaten path.

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, age 55+, girls getaway, adventure seekers.

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• Guest comment entered by owner

  • Guest Malcolm (San Francisco, California)
  • Date of stay 06/01/11
  • Review Submitted 06/20/11
  It's a splendid address on a street named for a great nobleman who imagined modern Italy. It's also a splendid house. From the front door, a flight of stairs leads to the living room on the street side of the house, to the dining room, with its alluring white sofa and grand dining table, thence to the expansive and lavishly equipped kitchen on the Southwest side of the house. A balcony spans kitchen and living room with table and chairs for al fresco meals. Up another flight of stairs are four bedrooms, each with a king or queen sized bed, one bedroom at each corner of the house. They surround a central library packed with books and curiosities. The house itself was built in medieval times, and the restoration was done with respect for the great ceiling beams which support the upper floor as well as for examples of the house's inner construction carefully revealed by panels in the modern plastered finish. Garessio is a ninth-century jewel, a village preserved for over a millenium because it was founded on the ancient salt road. The countryside is mountainous and harbors the springs and brooks from which its famous waters, long believed to be curative, spring. It would be unimaginable that even a few days could be spent in this time-warped place by anyone who didn't respond to it with her own sense of wonder.

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• Guest comment entered by owner

  • Guest Stephen from Aberdeen
  • Date of stay 01/05/11
  • Review Submitted 06/05/11
  We have recently returned for Garessio and thoroughly enjoyed our stay in " Ermitage Di Garessio " It's kinda difficult to describe it, it's sort of like dipping your head in a cool mountain stream on a hot summers day, the peacefulness of the area just washes over your soul leaving you refreshed and ready to face the world again. At the end of the week I almost had to be dragged from it kicking and screaming like a spoilt child demanding one more ice cream ( or perhaps that should be Gelato ). The house itself is set in the middle of the Borgo Medieviale on a narrow cobbled street, the type of which is normally only seen in a film set and inside it's an eclectic mix of antiques and startlingly modern ( the Ray Wiger sculpture in one of the bedrooms is outstanding ). The beds are old dark Italian antique with new and very comfortable mattresses, the kitchen is well equipped and easy to use, The balconies on the kitchen floor and bedroom floor are the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine while watching the clouds and sunlight toy with the view of the not so distant mountains. To waken up in the morning and not hear the thunder of traffic was bliss and the arduous three door trip to the butcher down the street for fresh bread rolls was certainly worth it ( fabulous fillet steak in there by the way ). For a foodie like me this was the perfect holiday, Tratorria del Regolo was about 5 minutes stroll away, a lovely restaurant where Ettore cooked with the slow food ethos of local good ingredients done very well. The riviera was around a 45 minute drive away for a good seafood lunch, the town of Barolo, home to amazing wines grown in an almost too manicured setting, provided another spectacular lunch, beautiful Mondovi for coffee in the piazza, Cuneo market, with produce squeaky fresh ( I bought some rabbit, couldn't resist, delicious with early season artichokes and white wine ). There's a new movement taking place or perhaps it's an old movement that we with our hurried and harried lifestyles just haven't noticed, Slow Living, go to Ermitage Di Garessio and try it, you won't be disappointed.

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300 Euros per week/ 20% deposit required.(2013 rates)
250 Euros per week for stays over one week. 250 Euros/week for returning guests. 
Flexible check in/check out dates. Minimum one week stay.
The Ermitage di Garessio is closed from October 1st and reopens May 15th.
Available May 15th through September 30th.
Optional weekly maid service at 20.00 euros/cleaning session

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.