Sleepover: A bed in Italy

La Favate

Where is it?

Deep in the Cilento National Park, south of Salerno, a truly unspoiled and undiscovered region of Italy with the sea only a few kilometres away.

Where is it?

Deep in the Cilento National Park, south of Salerno, a truly unspoiled and undiscovered region of Italy with the sea only a few kilometres away.

What is it like?

An ochre-coloured manor house dating from 1600, complete with chapel, dovecote and old water mill, overlooking 100 acres of ancient olive groves. La Favate is a working estate producing olive oil and wine. It has been impeccably restored and is part of the Agriturismo scheme. The main house contains the bedrooms, dining room, games room and lounge, while the old water mill has two self-catering units.

What is its USP?

Charm, comfort and utter peace – and it's incredible value for money. For bed, breakfast and evening meal you will pay between £33 and £50 per person.

Service?

Nothing is too much trouble for the owners, Antonio and Elvira, or their staff. After dinner one evening Antonio insisted in piling everyone into cars for an impromptu visit to a local fiesta.

Rooms

The rooms are furnished with superb taste. In the 14 bedrooms there are hand-made terracotta floors, fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, old armoires and lace-trimmed sheets – and the best hydromassage power showers I've ever had.

Food and drink?

Food and drink heaven. You wake to the scent of baking and come down to a sumptuous breakfast laid out on a balcony overlooking the hills. The estate rears its own chickens, rabbits and pigs and evening meals are feasts of traditional local delicacies. Fruity local wines flow like water. You're in the middle of a vineyard, don't forget.

Clientele?

Difficult to say as La Favate is almost brand new. It is in an area more popular with Italians than foreigners

Things to do?

This is the place for the stressed-out to do almost nothing but absorb the beauty, sipping cool drinks or dipping into the superb pool. However, Antonio has established a fledgling nightclub/bar in a far corner of the estate and there are walks though the Cilento National Park; horse riding through the olive groves; the seaside village of Ascea just down the road; the archaeological sites of Paestrum and Velia and, for shopping, untouristy Salerno.

Address?

Agriturismo La Favate, Ascea, Contrada Favate, Italy (0039 0974 977310; email e.licusati@ favate.it; www.favate.it).