72 Hours at the L'Albereta, Franciacorta
It's holiday and the weather is very bad in Tyrol! What to do before the easter holidays? Staying at home? No, it's time for another discovery. How about a shortbreak to Italy's Lago d'Iseo.
As I am always looking for a great deal, I got a really amazing one via a Private Sale Site, which is for members only!
For about 200$ per night I was pretty lucky to be the highest bidder! :-)
The location itself isn't that stunning, it's anywhere between Milan and Verona! The weather wasn't good at all but the arriving was indeed more exciting! After arriving in Via Vittorio Emanuele, 23 in the little town of Erbusco, we were greeted with a very soft and dreamy corporate scent by several room diffusors.
As we were one of their only guests (mid April, the week before easter), they upgraded us from a Deluxe Room to a Tower Suite with a covered terrace and a picturesque view over Lake Iseo and the surrounding. The living room with the guest toilet en suite was a nice as the bedroom with an oversized marble bathroom with plenty of Etro Musk toiletries, a multi-functional Jacuzzi tub and a seperate Jacuzzi Shower (which is very difficult to handle - it ended up with water coming out of all sides!).
The main reason for our stay in navy Franciacorta region was the Henri Chenot Spa (costs 30 Euros per person and day). As special guests with benefits at a much reduced rate the access was free of charge on all days for all three of us! Although the whole spa area is a bit dated, the service and the products come up to high standards! With missing tiles, the pool looks a bit unhygienic in some corners, but overall it is a very nice spa with excellent tratments at affordable prices.
The breakfast was included for us, too and would normally cost about 30 Euros per Person. As we had breakfast included, I would say it is a beautiful restaurant with a well arranged buffe with a nice choice of itlaian food. Eggs, coffee an freshly sliced Prosciutto from Parma can be ordered. On two of three days we were the only guests in the breakfast room from 9 till 10 am. Maybe it's becuase the other guests did not book a special offer as we did.
Not to forget is the famous restaurant of Italy's Alaine Ducasse: Gaultiero Marchesi. He is well known over the borders of Italy and he has the reputation to be the best cook in Italy, so the prices which rank from 60-200 Euros! As we were on a bargain trip we skipped the luxury dinner and went on the lakeside in the beautiful town of Iseo, where we had great pasta, fish and sparkling wine for less than 70 Euros for all three of us.
Beautiful Easter decoration made out of wine boxes!
If I would have booked the standard rate via the hotel's website I would have paid the more than 400 Euros excluding breakfast, spa access and suite upgrade. To be honest, I would have claimed for a total price of 1500 Euros for 3 nights!
In fact, it is a charming resort in apeaceful setting in the mid of nowhere and therefore the perfect place to recharge your batteries!
