Villa Dragonetti is a short drive from the beautiful Gran Sasso National Park and a few kilometers from L'Aquila, the capital of Italy's Abruzzo region. The hotel was originally built in the 16th-century for the Dragonetti De Torres family, and is now filled with 18th-century antique heirlooms. This is a great off-the-beaten-track boutique hotel that doesn't skimp on luxury.

The hotel is surrounded by gorgeous country gardens, the perfect spot to enjoy an aperitif before your evening meal. The restaurant serves up authentic regional cuisine, and is popular with locals as well as guests: a true mark of quality. The Villa Dragonetti cocktail bar is lively hangout, and the hotel also boasts an outdoor pool and an internet room.

There are 10 guestrooms at Villa Dragonetti. Seven rooms are housed in the main building (all individually decorated and named after colours), and three in newly built garden annex. Though these new rooms are smaller, they come with air conditioning and the same warm rustic-style décor as the main boutique hotel. All rooms have satellite TV and telephones.

The appeal of the seven rooms in the main building lies in their authentic olde-world feel. Each room has its own special features, but we recommend the Oro suite for families (for its living room, two bathrooms and winding staircase between separate bedrooms) and Verde for romantic couples (it's a gigantic room with a cross-beamed ceiling, king sized bed and large bathroom with tub-for-two).