Viole Country Hotel

The staff were nice and helpful, and there’s parking available. The newly renovated place is just wow, from its location to the room designs and valley views. Breakfast was fresh and varied, and you can enjoy it with a stunning view over the valley. The pool and jacuzzi are there to enjoy in summer. The views from the rooms over the valley below make you want to stay in bed all day.

The accessible room was a lovely surprise: recently renovated and nothing like the stark, tucked-away rooms I’ve found at other hotels. It had a great view, and there were lifts to reach the pool and hot tub. The breakfast area was spacious enough to get around in my wheelchair. As a paraplegic who’s travelled internationally quite a bit, I appreciated all of that. My only concerns were the missing shower grab bar and a seat that felt small for someone with poor balance. The rest of our group stayed in Assisi. Being outside the city wasn’t an issue for us, since a car is useful for getting around the steep hills anyway. Pushing a wheelchair on those slopes would be a real challenge.

We spent a lovely afternoon at San Potente learning about olive trees and making high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Lunch was delicious, with the oil taking center stage. A little gem of a place, and one I’d happily recommend.

The staff and owner made us feel like guests, not just customers. When we arrived, we discovered we’d made a mistake with our reservation. Within half an hour, the women had worked out a fix, even moving furniture from another part of the property and rearranging our room so we’d be comfortable. That evening, a popular restaurant in town told my family it was fully booked. As we were leaving, one of the hotel staff who’d helped with our room recognized us and asked how the night was going. I think she may have been the owner. When she heard we’d been turned away, she brought us back inside and pulled a favor to get us a table. Unreal. The setting, views, rooms, spa, pool, and design were all amazing, with five-star quality and a family feel. But the people there really took the experience up a level. Hidden gem, for now.