{"id":1736,"date":"2021-01-28T08:23:09","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T13:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/panoramitalia.com\/?p=1736"},"modified":"2021-01-28T08:23:13","modified_gmt":"2021-01-28T13:23:13","slug":"alberghi-diffusi-are-the-most-sustainable-hotels-in-italy-heres-why-forbes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/panoramitalia.com\/index.php\/2021\/01\/28\/alberghi-diffusi-are-the-most-sustainable-hotels-in-italy-heres-why-forbes\/","title":{"rendered":"Alberghi Diffusi Are The Most Sustainable Hotels In Italy \u2014 Here\u2019s Why Forbes"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Livia Hengel<\/a> Forbes<\/a><\/p>

At the time of publishing, American travelers are not permitted to visit Italy and international travel is not currently advised. This piece is intended to serve as inspiration (and armchair travel) while we wait for the situation to improve.<\/em><\/p>

When Giancarlo dall\u2019Ara first came up with the\u00a0albergo diffuso<\/em>\u00a0model in the 1980s, it was a creative solution born out of a tragic situation. An earthquake had devastated dozens of towns in the northwestern region of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and Professor Dall\u2019Ara, then a young hospitality marketing consultant, was tasked with finding a way to revive tourism in the area.<\/p>

Instead of constructing new lodgings to accommodate visitors, he thought, why not use the existing houses? Why stay in a hotel when you can stay in\u00a0the\u00a0village?<\/p>

The term albergo diffuso<\/em><\/a> can be roughly translated to mean a \u201cscattered hotel\u201d \u2014 that is, a property that features rooms and suites located across numerous buildings within the same town. The model was born to drive tourism to Italy\u2019s smaller destinations, so they exist exclusively in small borghi<\/em>, or villages, where quaint homes are located within a short walking distance of one another. <\/p>

\u201cThis type of hotel allows visitors to experience the most authentic, if elusive, side of Italy: daily life in its small towns,\u201d begins Professor Dall\u2019Ara. \u201cIt encourages an exchange between travelers who want to learn about a territory, and locals who open their doors to share their heritage and tradition.\u201d<\/p>

\"\"<\/a>
Trulli Holiday offers guests the chance to sleep in Puglia’s famous historical trulli.
\u00a0TRULLI HOLIDAY<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>

The term albergo diffuso<\/em><\/a> can be roughly translated to mean a \u201cscattered hotel\u201d \u2014 that is, a property that features rooms and suites located across numerous buildings within the same town. The model was born to drive tourism to Italy\u2019s smaller destinations, so they exist exclusively in small borghi<\/em>, or villages, where quaint homes are located within a short walking distance of one another. <\/p>

\u201cThis type of hotel allows visitors to experience the most authentic, if elusive, side of Italy: daily life in its small towns,\u201d begins Professor Dall\u2019Ara. \u201cIt encourages an exchange between travelers who want to learn about a territory, and locals who open their doors to share their heritage and tradition.\u201d<\/p>

\"\"<\/a>
Located in Apricale, Liguria, the Albergo Diffuso Muntaecara means “Up and down” in ALBERGO DIFFUSO MUNTAECARA<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>

To qualify as an\u00a0albergo diffuso<\/em>, the hotel must use existing architecture that has maintained its local flair. Contemporary accommodations are not allowed in an effort to safeguard historical structures. \u201cAn\u00a0albergo diffuso<\/em>\u00a0is like a hotel that is not built\u00a0as such,\u201d says Dall\u2019Ara. \u201cIt has simply been given a new life.\u201d<\/p>

This type of accommodation offers all the inimitable warmth and charm of Italian hospitality, together with the quality control of a traditional hotel. Each\u00a0albergo diffuso<\/em>\u00a0has dedicated common areas for guests, including a lobby for check-in and a dining room for breakfast. \u201cThe living room is the piazza,\u201d says Dall\u2019Ara.<\/p>

To qualify as an albergo diffuso<\/em>, the hotel must use existing architecture that has maintained its local flair. Contemporary accommodations are not allowed in an effort to safeguard historical structures. \u201cAn albergo diffuso<\/em> is like a hotel that is not built as such,\u201d says Dall\u2019Ara. \u201cIt has simply been given a new life.\u201d<\/p>

This type of accommodation offers all the inimitable warmth and charm of Italian hospitality, together with the quality control of a traditional hotel. Each albergo diffuso<\/em> has dedicated common areas for guests, including a lobby for check-in and a dining room for breakfast. \u201cThe living room is the piazza,\u201d says Dall\u2019Ara.<\/p>

\"Albergo<\/a>
The beauty of an albergo diffuso often lies outside its doors and in the town itself. AETHOS SARAGANO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>

The concept may seem similar to an agriturismo<\/em> (farm stay) or a bed & breakfast, but the intent behind an albergo diffuso<\/em> is different. \u201cWe want to create a community among locals and visitors. The hotel is an integral part of a virtuous network that promotes an economic and social revival outside of Italy\u2019s cosmopolitan centers,\u201d explains Dall\u2019Ara. \u201cIt is a driving force of sustainable development for a small town, for a region and for our country.\u201d If the idea of a scattered hotel is to give a local experience, then local life must be defended and preserved.<\/p>

Decades after the earthquake in Friuli, the albergo diffuso<\/em> still feels like the new frontier of hospitality \u2014 one that is poised to expand in a post-Covid-19 world.<\/p>

\"Albergo<\/a>
Il Borgo dei Corsi is an albergo diffuso located in the town of Ortignano Raggiolo, Tuscany. IL BORGO DEI CORSI<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>

There are over 140 alberghi diffusi<\/em> in Italy and each one reflects the diversity of Italy\u2019s heritage. In Puglia, you can sleep in a conical-shaped Trullo<\/a> in the enchanting town of Alberobello, while near Rome, you can sleep in a medieval castle<\/a>. One of the leading proponents of the hotel model is the Sextantio<\/a> brand which operates two alberghi diffusi<\/em> in Italy. The first property revived the formerly abandoned village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio in the mountainous Abruzzo region, while the second accommodation features evocative cave dwellings tucked within the Sassi di Matera<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Sextantio<\/a>
The Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita is one of Italy’s most evocative cave hotels. MANDALYN REN\u00c9E<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>

In this moment of global upheaval when many of us are searching for ways to live more sustainably, and travel more meaningfully, the model has broad appeal. 90% of Italy\u2019s alberghi diffusi <\/em>stay open 12 months a year \u2014 an occupancy rate most traditional hotels struggle to meet. <\/p>

And last summer, travelers flocked to Italy\u2019s small villages to stay in scattered hotels in spite of the pandemic. Located off-the-beaten-path, the properties are immersed in nature which guaranteed social distancing, but Dall\u2019Ara believes travelers were motivated by more than just their safety.<\/p>

\"Albergo<\/a>
Some alberghi diffusi are set on hilltop towns within Italy’s castles, like the Castello di Proceno … [+] CASTELLO DI PROCENO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>

\u201cThe pandemic has made us reflect on the fragility of our lives and our land,\u201d he says. \u201cBy seeking out alberghi diffusi<\/em>, travelers demonstrated a desire to support small businesses and villages that represent a real value in our society.\u201d The hotel model promises a high-touch experience centered around shared values. \u201cWhen you are hosted in an albergo diffuso,<\/em> you\u2019re not just buying into an exchange of services. You\u2019re entering into a human relationship,\u201d explains Dall\u2019Ara.<\/p>

\"Albergo<\/a>
The Albergo Diffuso Muntaecara features rooms and suites nestled within ancient towers and stone … [+] ALBERGO DIFFUSO MUNTAECARA<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>

With a mission and philosophy grounded upon intrinsic human values, the hotel concept has been adopted outside Italy\u2019s borders as well. Entirely bespoke and reactive to the local territory, it is a flexible model and can be adapted to individual territories \u2013 or adapted over time to suit changing needs.<\/p>

\u201cThere is a culture predisposition for this kind of model in many areas of the world,\u201d says Dall\u2019Ara. \u201cWhen I visited Japan and saw traditional ryokan inns, I was impressed by how each one was physically distinctive while remaining representative of Japanese culture and hospitality.\u201d In 2018, Yakage-ya<\/a> became the first albergo diffuso<\/em> in Japan certified by the association. Centered around a 200-year-old house, the property straddles a highway and features guest rooms clustered around a courtyard, along with hot springs, an open-air bath and hot stone spa. <\/p>

The Sextantio brand will also export the model to Africa this year with the launch of a new hospitality destination consisting of a series of huts located on Nkombo Island<\/a> in Rwanda.<\/p>

\"Albergo<\/a>
Located in Orosei, Sardinia, the Albergo Diffuso Mannois lies a short drive from the beach. MANNOIS<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Forbes<\/a><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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