Relais Villa d’Amelia sits on a ridge above Benevello, where the Langhe start to climb towards the Alta Langa and the vineyards give way to hazelnut groves and woods. It is a restored farm estate built around a courtyard, with a heated outdoor pool, a compact spa and a tasting menu restaurant called DaMà, and on a clear day the view runs across the hills to the Alps. My one-line verdict: one of the most relaxed bases for Alba and the Barolo villages, as long as you value calm and scenery over a famous name or a starred dining room.
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Quick facts: Relais Villa d’Amelia
- Location: Località Manera 1, Benevello, province of Cuneo, Piedmont, on the edge of the Alta Langa and around 20 minutes by car from Alba.
- Rooms and suites: 37 or 38 (sources differ), from Superior rooms to the San Luigi Suite and an Attic Suite with its own terrace.
- Dining: DaMà, a tasting menu restaurant, plus a more casual restaurant and bistro for lunch and lighter dinners.
- Price level: upper mid-range to high for the Langhe, with autumn truffle season the most expensive time.
- Season: unclear, see below. Some sources describe a winter closure until mid-April. Ask the hotel before planning a winter or early spring stay.
- Nearest airports: Cuneo Levaldigi, roughly one hour by car; Turin Caselle, roughly one hour 30 minutes; Milan, around two hours or more.
- Best for: couples, walkers and cyclists who want quiet countryside, a pool and an easy drive to Alba and the wineries.
Check prices and availability
With fewer than 40 rooms, the hotel fills quickly in October and November, when the Alba truffle fair is on. Compare dates early if you want the suites.
Location and getting there
Benevello is a small village in the hills south-east of Alba, on the road that climbs from the Tanaro valley towards the Alta Langa. The relais stands just outside it at Località Manera, on a ridge surrounded by woods and hazelnut groves. This is the key thing to understand before you book: you are not in the middle of the Barolo vineyards. You are a little higher and quieter, in the part of the Langhe known for hazelnuts, Alta Langa sparkling wine and long views. The upside is space and cooler summer evenings; the downside is that every winery visit means a drive.
Alba is around 20 minutes away by car, a practical base for the white truffle fair. The Barolo villages, such as Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba and La Morra, are roughly 25 to 40 minutes away depending on which one you choose, and Barbaresco is in a similar range on the other side of Alba.
For flights, Cuneo Levaldigi is the closest airport, at roughly an hour by car. Turin Caselle is the most useful international gateway, at around one hour 30 minutes, while Milan Malpensa and Linate are about two hours or more. The nearest railway station is Alba. A car is close to essential, or book a driver for tasting days.
Rooms and suites
The house began life as a 19th century farmstead known as Cascina Bonelli, once owned by the Bonelli family. Madama Amelia Bonelli gave her name both to the villa and to the DaMà restaurant. A restoration turned the farm buildings into a hotel arranged around an inner courtyard, keeping stone and wood details and adding contemporary interiors, parquet floors and travertine bathrooms. The current owners, according to Italian food press, are the Piedmontese Barberis family.
On the room count, our research turned up contradictory information. The Michelin Guide, Great Small Hotels and booking platforms list 37 rooms, while Small Luxury Hotels of the World and a regional tourism site give 38. The main categories are:
- Superior and Deluxe rooms: the entry categories, with a king or queen bed and views over the countryside. Booking platforms list them at around 24 m².
- Junior Suites: slightly larger, with room for a third guest.
- Deluxe Suites: the family option, sleeping up to four with a sofa bed.
- Attic Suite: a double under the roof with a private panoramic terrace, the room I would ask for first in summer.
- San Luigi Suite: the master suite, linked to the estate’s former San Luigi chapel, with old terracotta floors and whitewashed walls.
Room names and sizes vary between platforms, so confirm with the hotel if they matter.
Dining
For years Villa d’Amelia was known for one thing: chef Damiano Nigro, who won a Michelin star here in the 2011 guide. He later moved on (our Palas Cerequio review covers a later stage of his career), and in 2021 the hotel relaunched its fine dining under a new name and a young chef.
- DaMà: the gourmet restaurant, led by chef Dennis Cesco, born in 1993 and trained in Paris kitchens including Pavillon Ledoyen under Yannick Alléno. The cooking builds on French technique with Piedmontese and Ligurian produce, and is served as tasting menus only. Menus have included a six-course “Sentiero” menu, a vegetarian menu and one inspired by the old salt road from the coast. Small Luxury Hotels lists it as dinner only. The most recent source naming the chef dates from 2024, so ask the hotel who is cooking on your dates.
- Villa d’Amelia restaurant and bistro: the more relaxed side, serving classic Piedmontese dishes with a modern touch, with meals in the courtyard in good weather. Sources describe it variously as a restaurant and a bistro, with different opening days for hotel guests and outside diners.
- Breakfast: served à la carte rather than as a big buffet, with local cold cuts, cheeses, honey, jams and pastries.
An honest note on Michelin: I could not find a star for DaMà in the 2026 Michelin Guide. The restaurant appears in Michelin listings and the hotel is part of the guide’s hotel selection, but the star belonged to the earlier kitchen. For starred dining nearby, La Rei Natura at Il Boscareto in Serralunga holds three stars in the 2026 guide, and our Il Boscareto review explains how to book it. The wine list at DaMà is strong on Barolo and Barbaresco, which is reason enough to eat in at least one night.
Check rates at Relais Villa d’Amelia
Spa and pools
Wellness here is pleasant rather than a reason to travel. There is one outdoor pool in the garden, heated in the cooler months according to the hotel’s partners, with loungers and a view towards the hills and, on clear days, the Alps. Booking platforms list pool hours of 9:00 to 19:30.
The spa is small: a Finnish sauna, a Turkish bath and a whirlpool, plus a fitness room. Massages are available, but they need to be booked in advance by contacting the hotel. If you want a large thermal circuit or a full treatment menu, read our Relais San Maurizio review instead.
Sport and activities
Wine
Villa d’Amelia has no vineyard of its own, so this is a base for wine touring rather than a wine estate. The concierge can arrange tastings at wineries across the Langhe, and the drive to the Barolo and Barbaresco zones is short. Closer to the hotel, the Alta Langa is the home of Alta Langa DOCG, the region’s traditional method sparkling wine. Our guide to wine hotels in the Langhe compares this hotel with estates that do have their own vines, if you would rather sleep among the rows.
Walking and cycling
This is where the location pays off. Trails lead from the area through woods, hazelnut groves and vines, and the quiet lanes of the Alta Langa suit road cyclists and e-bike riders. Older listings mention mountain bikes for guests; ask the hotel what is available now and whether e-bikes can be hired.
Golf, riding and truffles
There is no golf course or tennis court on site. Courses and a driving range exist within roughly half an hour to 45 minutes, and riding lessons have been offered at stables nearby, but the details are not published, so ask the hotel. In autumn, the concierge can help arrange truffle hunts with a local trifolau and his dog, which is the experience most guests remember.
What’s nearby
- Alba: the capital of the Langhe, with the International White Truffle Fair from October into early December, a Saturday market and many excellent restaurants.
- The Barolo villages: Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba, Barolo and La Morra, each with castles, wine bars and cellar doors.
- Barbaresco and Neive: on the far side of Alba, smaller and quieter, with excellent producers.
Villa d’Amelia vs other Langhe hotels
| Hotel | Location | Standout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relais Villa d’Amelia | Benevello, edge of the Alta Langa | Alpine views, heated pool, DaMà tasting menus | Quiet countryside, walkers and cyclists |
| Casa di Langa | Cerretto Langhe, Alta Langa | Modern design, own estate, garden-led cooking at Fàula | Design lovers, sustainability-minded couples |
| Il Boscareto Resort & Spa | Serralunga d’Alba, Barolo zone | Three star La Rei Natura, two-floor spa | Gastronomes and spa lovers |
| Castello di Guarene | Guarene, Roero | 12 rooms in an 18th century castle, indoor pool | Romance and period interiors |
In short: Casa di Langa is the closest rival, a few minutes away in the same hills, with a newer build and its own estate. Il Boscareto wins if dinner is the main event, and Castello di Guarene if you want a castle. Villa d’Amelia is the gentler, often better-value choice for a calm farmhouse stay with a pool.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits:
- Couples who want a quiet country house with views, a pool and a good dinner on site.
- Walkers and cyclists who like the Alta Langa’s lanes and trails.
- Truffle season travellers who want Alba within easy reach but not a town hotel.
- Families with older children, thanks to the four-person suites and the pool.
It does not suit:
- Travellers who want to wake up among Barolo vineyards: you are in hazelnut country.
- Spa lovers looking for a large wellness centre.
- Anyone who needs a Michelin-starred restaurant in-house.
- Those who do not want to drive or pay for transfers.
Charlotte’s tip: split your nights between hills and table
Book at least three nights here and eat at DaMà on the first evening, when you are tired from the drive and glad to stay in. Spend the days on tastings with a driver, and save one dinner for Alba or a starred table in the Barolo villages. Ask for the Attic Suite or a room facing the Alps, and be on the terrace at sunset.
Practical tips
- Booking: for October and November, book months ahead. Reserve DaMà when you book the room, as it serves tasting menus only on set evenings.
- Best rooms to request: the Attic Suite for the terrace, the San Luigi Suite for a special occasion, a Deluxe Suite with children.
- Season: our research turned up contradictory information here. Great Small Hotels says the hotel closes for winter until mid-April, while booking platforms only list facilities closed from 8 to 26 December. It was not clear to us which applies in 2026 and 2027, so confirm opening dates with the hotel before you plan a winter or early spring trip.
- Dress: relaxed by day, smart casual for DaMà.
- Kids and pets: families are welcome and babysitting can be arranged on request; pets are accepted, but the fee varies between sources, so ask the hotel.
- Transfers: the hotel can organise airport transfers for a fee according to some partners, while others say it does not. Ask when you book.
Check prices and availability
Compare room categories, from Superior rooms to the Attic and San Luigi suites, and check whether your dates fall in truffle season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Villa d’Amelia have a Michelin star?
Not as far as I could find in the 2026 guide. The restaurant held a star under chef Damiano Nigro, who has since left. Today’s gourmet restaurant, DaMà, serves tasting menus and appears in Michelin listings without a star.
How far is Villa d’Amelia from Alba?
Around 20 minutes by car. The Barolo villages are roughly 25 to 40 minutes away.
Is the hotel open all year?
Sources disagree. One partner says it closes in winter until mid-April, while booking platforms only show a December closure of facilities. Ask the hotel for exact dates.
Does Villa d’Amelia have its own vineyard?
No. It is surrounded by woods and hazelnut groves, and the concierge arranges tastings at wineries in the Barolo and Barbaresco zones.
