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Reviews of Sextantio Albergo Diffuso

4 out of 5
Sextantio Albergo Diffuso
Via Principe Umberto SNC, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, AQ

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 81 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 28 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 121 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

9.6/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

justin

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous stay
Authentic 13th century village experience
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anthony, Toronto

Travelled with partner
Liked: Amenities
Very unique experience but maybe not for everyone. Very rustic rooms, comfortable bed, spectacular views but not The Ritz. We loved it!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathryn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was a place that everyone should experience at least once! Our room was on the castle grounds and was rustic and authentic…down to the beeswax candles lighting the space. We had one window with shutters that provided absolute darkness when needed and a fresh breeze and sunshine in the mornings. It was like experiencing life in a medieval fortress, with some modern day conveniences. We would highly recommend this place!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

T

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

angelo

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

John, Fernandina Beach

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
One of the most special hotels we’ve stayed in (and we travel a lot). Probably the closest one can get to feeling that their living in the 1400’s (in a good way), one of the most authentic historical properties that I’ve ever visited. Attention to details, in terms of authenticity, was off the charts. Service and staff was amazing as well. Highly recommend, one of the highlights of our 4-week southern Italy tour.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Primitive
Moldy, musty dark rooms. Smell of oldness was overpowering and sickening. No screens on tiny old windows allowed mosquitoes to enter, into damp dark rooms. Sparse lighting made it difficult to see. Unfortunately paid an excessive price to experience poverty.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Reception on Jul 7, 2023
Hello, thank you for staying with us. We are sorry we were not able to explain better our philosophy and concept. Rather than a "standard" resort, Sextantio is a cultural project. With the researches of the “Genti d’Abruzzo” Museum, carried out by national ranked anthropologist and archaeologist, we have re-used only original forniture, handmade bed covers, and other autochthonous materials. We use crafted pottery, natural soaps and candles. We've saved the traces of past lives on the walls/ceilings, and lots of the activities related to the oral traditions of the mountain. It is a place that need to be chosen and internalized. International press (The New York Times, CNN, The Times, etc.) talks about "safeguarding of minor historical heritage" of Italy, and "a jump into the past".Best regards.

10/10 Excellent

Gregory

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This place is simply amazing. Unlike any other hotel we’ve ever stayed in. It’s like going back in time. The staff was very professional. Very unique experience. We highly recommend this castle to people looking for a new experience.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Salina, Kaneohe

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing property and experience
Response from Reception on Feb 8, 2023
Dear Salina, thank you so much for your kind review and for staying with us. Kind regards.

10/10 Excellent

Joseph

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Brian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We enjoyed this experience - and that is what is it, an experience. It aims to show guests what living there over the centuries would have been like. That said, if you have issues with mobility you must be prepared. Not just for the hotel, but of course the whole town and region. Stairs, cobble stones, scaffolding- a cane is the best one can do for assistance and be prepared with hiking shoes to tackle the streets and myriad stairs. It was slow going for my arthritic hips and the cane helped a lot. It’s beautiful and the hotel is doing a wonderful job. It’s sooo quiet at night and the starry skies are lovely. If you have noisy neighbors, you’ll hear everything- the ancient doors and alleyways don’t muffle any sounds!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lawrence

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a truly unique property that gives you the experience of living in the 16th century. (With the essential modern conveniences of course)
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A most interesting project - the renovation of a mediaeval village being done with great sympathyto retain it's original character while providing modern sanitation. Individual houses are used as bedrooms with central restaurants using local produce - all set with the Apenines as a backdrop. A delightful experience
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place
Fantastic
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Merilyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
True mountain beauty
Our stay at Sextantio was totally lovely. The staff were without exception charming and helpful. Our room was beautiful, the food excellent and the whole village wonderful. Ancillary services such as porterage made our stay just so easy. The whole project at Sextantio is excellent. We would love to come again.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tina, Australia

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
We felt like we’d stepped back into the 16th or 17th century. The original state of the rooms with period furniture, open fire and candle light made for a lovely stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Sextantio Albergo Diffuso on Sep 4, 2019
Thank you very much! Warm regards.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Lynne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
exactly what we expected, extremely helpful colleagues. nothing was too much trouble.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Beautiful Place
A fantastic drive thru a stunning landscape took us up to the remote village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio where this charming albergo is located. We were greeted by a very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff. Our room was charmingly rustic with one luscious bathtub by a little window. The modern bathroom smartly hidden behind an interior wall. We slept well in our old style bed; the soft light streaming through the small windows needed a bit of a boost so an extra lamp was quickly brought to us. The breakfast and the dinner at the Locanda, all very pleasant and tasty with local produce used in creative ways. The tearoom (Tisaneria) offers a place to relax with a great glass of wine and a little snack while checking out some artisanal honey and liquors. We loved our stay in this little village; the surroundings, the walks, the fresh air and last but not least the albergo and its marvelous staff. An invigorating as well as relaxing place that we certainly will return to.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tom

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Truly unique hotel- feel like you are going back in time. Once in lifetime experience but not most comfortable bed in world
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A step back in time
An amazing and unique experience. I highly recommend a stay here!!!!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Nimrod

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A wonderful stay
Beautifully restored property, wonderful wine bar with an excellent local selection.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic!!!!! A one of a kind authentic experience- it was exceptional!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent experience!! All of the staff are very professional and the food is amazing. The rooms are very well restored for a truly unique experiance
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Authentic experience, neat concept!
Fabulous / Authentic stay, neat concept. Only complain is the uncomfortable bed...I'd update those if possible. Otherwise, the town was charming and a one-of-a-kind experience. Highly recommend for those that like to discover and feel away from it all.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018

8/10 Good

Mrs S M

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
An experience!
A very interesting experience of a beautiful room which was part cave, with a totally modern bath in it. The evening meal was also an experience. My only criticism was that they took authenticity a bit too far with the woollen mattress- much too hard!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Amy, Philadelphia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderfully unique experience! We loved getting a taste of the local culture of the village and the views were amazing. Staff was also extremely friendly. Don't miss the short climb to Rocca Calascio! It's only a 15 minute drive and the views are unbelievable! As others mentioned- the beds are a bit hard, but it didn't bother us too much as we stayed only one night.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Al, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Totally unique experience. Every detail is true to the authenticity of residing in another time without sacrificing modern day luxury. We stayed 4 nights and after 2 asked the staff if we could experience a different room. They accommodated our request. All rooms are different, each incredibly special in their own way. The village is as charming as the hotel and everyone is helpful and welcoming.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

Ian, Luton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was an experience
If you are looking for a luxury experience, then Sextantio is probably not for you. If you are looking for an authentic experience of living in a medieval town and experiencing something of what it was like whilst being looked after by a fantastic staff then book now! My wife is partially disabled and normally uses a wheelchair but this was not possible because of the cobbled roads and floors, however this did not diminish the holiday. We stayed for 7 nights and the hotel even offered to change rooms so we could try a different room. The views are stunning, the area remote so a car is necessary if you want to visit L'Aquila or other towns.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful restored ancient rural village.
Wonderful staff who work diligently to ensure you stay is memorable. Very calming mountain village hotel restored with great sensitivity to its heritage
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2018
Response from Michele on Apr 26, 2018
Thank you so much! Warm regards from the whale staff.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Unique and beautiful hotel
We only spent one night here, but I wish we'd done two. It was a very unique space and made me feel like I was in a different time period, but with all the amenities of modern day life. The staff was lovely, and the people in the little medieval town it's located in were very friendly and helpful too. Take a moment to explore the area, and including a drive to a nearby town up on a mountain with the ruins of a fortress. Some of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent project; very interesting village and location. Off the beaten track but a real gem.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2017

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Hotel rooms and hotel design are spectacular. Location is great with nice views. Hotel staff are not welcoming at all. There was not any explanation of how things work (ex locking my room door). The only restaurant in the hotel was closed for dinner. And I was told the breakfast will be served in another hotel facility from 7 till 10. I came to that location at 8:30 the door was closed. Then I came by around 9:40 the door was open but they told me I came late and they will close in 10 mins !!!! When i checked in, i was given an upgrade to a suit which I kinda regret because I think I had a better room booked. But that's nice from them. Inside my upgraded room there was a door to a basement which was not locked. This door led to 2 bedrooms and restroom with shower. I thought it's inside my room and the door is unlocked, it must be part of my room. I took a shower only in the morning once. When I checked out, they told it was not my room and I was suppose to figure this out and it's my mistake. After stupid nogations they didn't charge me for using the other room.

10/10 Excellent

Charles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hill town rustic albergo
Loved the rustic charm of the hotel in a very beautiful old hill town

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
One of my favourite hotels
Beautiful surroundings, very friendly staff, rooms are the actual original houses of the village and the whole concept of local food/products is simply genius. Very quiet no cars or any noise. I will go back
Scent of Abbruzzo

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
While I think this could be an interesting place to stay, the 2009 earthquake caused a great deal of damage to the castle which is now being repaired. At present, you'll be greeted with scaffolding, and shoring up of the walls.
Dear guest, thank you for being with us and for your review. While the damage affects the outer walls, on the contrary our rooms and common spaces are well preserved and not affected by the earthquake. And, after a few years of stalemate, luckily the restoration works have now started and they will bring to an end shortly. Thank you for supporting us in this process. Best regards.

10/10 Excellent

Joel, California

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing place. A bit hard to find
Very cool place. Almost magical.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
as expected...but please don't force the point to get comments on my review

8/10 Good

jade, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
Really cool hotel
The hotel was amazing it was like going back in time! Really great experience. The restaurant was nice but meals were very small so makesure to bring some snacks to nibble on back in your room

8/10 Good

Alan, Rockville, MD

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very unique place but service needs improvement
For a splurgy, romantic getaway, this hotel is unique. It sprawls around several buildings in a lovely medieval village in the Abruzzi mountains. The rooms all remain authentic with open fireplaces and original furnishings. A couple of peeves: the room had a bath but no shower. There is no dedicated parking so don't come with heavy bags. You will be schlepping them over cobblestones and up and down narrow steep stairways. The hotel staff will not help with this. Breakfast was OK - lots of bread and cheese and sausage but not a single vegetable. We booked a table for dinner through the desk clerk only to find the restaurant locked and closed. The clerk neglected to inform us. Bottom line, we enjoyed our stay in this very different places. It's an experience but you are paying five star prices and getting threee star service.

8/10 Good

Kimberly, Austin, TX

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very cool!
When looking at the pictures online I thought we were going to be staying in a castle! Unfortunately it's not an actual castle, but fortunately it feels just like you're staying in one anyway! However, the "turret" shown in the photos was knocked down 5 years ago in an earthquake and now only represented by scaffolding. The rooms are nice, if a bit dusty. And the beds. Oh my. I joked with my friend when I sat down on my bed that it felt like the bed was fighting back! It's so hard it's like the bed is trying to push you out of it LOL! I heard from someone else staying there that in order to preserve the authenticity of the hotel, the beds are made with sheep's wool. Interesting... The floors are heated (NICE!), the bathrooms are modern & clean, and while the room we had didn't have a fireplace in it, there was a common room with a fireplace that we used several days of our stay. I would definitely recommend this hotel. NOTE TO THOSE BRINGING YOUR DOG!!! There are several wild dogs that are allowed to roam the town freely. The first day I honestly thought my dog & I were going to be lunch. PLEASE take care when you first get there to check out your surroundings before going anywhere with your dog.

10/10 Excellent

Maurice, Farmington, Ct

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Castle Experience
Unique experience! Very romantic castle which we pretty much had to ourselves. Staff very helpful(upgraded our room).Comfortable accommodations. Hard place to find especially in the dark. Make sure you arrive before dark to enjoy the scenery. Many thanks to D.Fulgenzi Silvan ,the proprietor of the restaurant next to the Sextantio Albergo Diffuso who we followed to get to the Hotel. His hospitable family restaurant, next to the hotel, is run by his wife Anna and his daughter Fredricka who cooked us the best homemade meal we had during our 2 week stay in Italy and very inexpensive. Would definitely like to return to explore the castle.

8/10 Good

Marin, Marin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
In charming village
Hotel staff was very helpful and quickly resolved a water leak issue, from the unit above, by moving us to another room. The rooms are a bit dark but to be expected with age of the town. Rustic room with clean and modern bath. WIFI speeds are good.

10/10 Excellent

dulwichvillage, Matera

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Gorgeous
This hotel is truly wonderful.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful hotel experience. Great for a break.
The hotel was unique and the breakfast was far above standard with great service. Unfortunately, the dinner experience was not very good. We were hoping to enjoy a great dinner since we were celebrating a birthday. The whole dinner experience was slow and not up to the standard the hotel presents itself.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
an experience for the adventurer
great experience - need to be adventurious and understand the concept of the hotel very interesting