Ed.: The Inspired Stays series highlights hotels we love around Italy. Each property is independently reviewed by an Italy Magazine writer, who is generally hosted on a complimentary basis. Our contributors do not accept compensation or gifts in exchange for specific types of coverage. We only showcase properties we would genuinely recommend overall.
Why we love it
This historic hotel just an hour from Rome has one of the largest spas in Europe, and its programming goes far beyond massages and facials. This is a true medical spa retreat that draws people from around the world, often with a specific health-focused objective in mind.
What to expect
They take health and wellness seriously here. In 2023, 85% of guests checked in for one of their targeted programs, which range from 3 to 21 days in length and focus on areas including weight loss, detoxing, longevity, ayurveda and other options. Stays often begin with a medical visit by one of the doctors on staff and there’s a no alcohol and no coffee policy. Activities include yoga and HIIT classes, sunrise hikes and core strengthening exercises using virtual reality. But there are plenty of opportunities for pampering, too.
Background
Originally opened in 1913, this Liberty Style hotel was given a new life by Lorenzo Giannuzzi, CEO and General Manager of Forte Village in Sardinia. In its early 20th-century heyday, it hosted King Vittorio Emanuele III, Pablo Picasso, Gabriele D’Annunzio and Enrico Caruso. Following a €30 million, three-year renovation, it reopened in 2021 to much fanfare.
Location, location, location
A small and charming medieval town located in Ciociaria (a rural area in southeastern Lazio), Fiuggi is home to a mineral spring whose water has healing properties that supposedly include the power to expel kidney stones. It has drawn pilgrims for centuries and reputedly cured Pope Boniface VIII and Michelangelo of their ailments.
Where you’ll sleep
The 102 rooms and suites feature plush beds, herringbone parquet floors, velvet drapes and pristine white bathrooms. In place of espresso machines, there are herbal teas and bottles of Fiuggi water. My spacious Balcony Suite had a sitting area with a sofa and armchairs, a desk, a table and chairs and a small balcony with views of the medieval center of Fiuggi. Waiting for my husband and me in the room were separate sets of robes and slippers meant for use in the room and the spa.
Dining & drinks
Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck has collaborated with the hotel’s Medical and Scientific Director David della Morte to create a Food Line of menus with specific calorie counts. Guests doing a program typically eat all their meals at the on-site restaurant, Quattro Continenti, in order to comply with the nutritional guidelines. I opted for the Optimal Weight menus (1,200 calories per day) and thought that the food was so beautifully presented and delicious it hardly felt like a sacrifice.
Service notes
Staff are professional and efficient, from the restaurant to the spa. Guests sit at the same table for every meal and the servers remember which menu you’ve opted for and if you prefer still or sparkling water. If you do any medical exams, you can choose to receive the results in English or Italian.
Spa time
At 6,000 square meters, the spa is the main attraction. It has thalasso pools, dry, steam and infrared saunas, a Kneipp pool, indoor and outdoor pools connected via tunnel, a yoga studio, 12 medical rooms and 39 treatment rooms, including 2 dedicated to Ayurvedic treatments and 7 dedicated to beauty.
Family perks
This isn’t really the kind of place for a family vacation. Kids must be 14 years or older to stay here.
You should know...
The old ballroom is now a gym outfitted with Technogym equipment, weights and ICAROS for virtual reality fitness experiences. The daily activity schedule includes things like hiking, cross training, yoga, sound healing and “aquarobics.” Bikes are available to rent if you want to explore the area.
Accessibility
- The hotel has an elevator.
Features & amenities
- Semi-rural
- Restaurant
- Free WiFi
- Free parking
- Spa
- Pool
- Fitness room
Contacts
Palazzo Fiuggi
Via dei Villini 34, Fiuggi
Tel. +39 07757661
Website
