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The Originals
Set in the Umbrian hills, with rolling, UNESCO-protected hills as far as the eye can see, Eremito is conscious at its core. The hotel is built on the site of a centuries-old home that was taken apart and reassembled stone-by-stone in keeping with the 13th-century art of Italian masonry. During construction, thick insulation was built into the walls to save energy and keep the building warm in the winter months. Electricity is generated by a photovoltaic system, though the main source of lighting is candlelight. Rooms, inspired by monastic cells, are serene and pared-down, with natural products in reusable containers in the showers. Guests, many of whom are solo travelers, are encouraged to disconnect from technology and reconnect to themselves through meditation sessions, yoga classes, walks through the forest, and swims in the local river (which the owner chose in lieu of building a pool). Dinner, which is vegetarian and made with local ingredients, is served in silence to a soundtrack of Gregorian chanting, with cicadas humming outside open windows.
During renovation, the team of local builders disassembled and reassembled the centuries-old structure stone-by-stone, building in robust insulation and respecting the original floor plan of the central building.
No plastic bottles are used on property. Food waste, all of which is organic, is used to feed the chickens and create compost for the garden.
Energy consumption at Eremito is very low, thanks to six solar panels, a thermal coat inside the stone walls, and biomass for heating. The main source of lighting is candlelight.
Drinking water is sourced locally from a well at 100 meters. Guests are invited to drink water from the tap. Rather than building a swimming pool, guests swim in the nearby river.
The cuisine is vegetarian, with most ingredients coming from the hotel’s garden. Bread and pasta is homemade. Eggs come from Eremito’s chickens, and legumes and wine are sourced from local producers.
The hotel is preserving monastic culture for a modern audience. The local community is invited to participate in talks and readings.
Guests, can explore the UNESCO nature reserve on foot, swim in the nearby river, join yoga and meditation classes or readings in the chapel, or simply choose a chair and read on the lawn.
Eremito is managed by a community. All staff live on property and aim to enjoy life first and then enjoy their job.
We spoke with Marcello Murzilli, the Original behind Eremito, to learn the latest on the hotel’s conscious journey.
Eremito is one of the first “digital detox” hotels in Italy. I found the luxury I wish to offer in the past, when nights were lit with only candles and the moon. Real luxury for me is fresh air and organic food from the vegetable garden: the rediscovery and appreciation for the essential.
With true sustainability, you need to start before you build. When I first arrived here 13 years ago, I built the project to be sustainable. Inside the one-meter stone walls, there is 20 centimeters of insulation. Even in the winter, when you walk around Eremito with no shoes, the floors are warm. We also have six solar panels on the roof, which you can do after. So this was my vision, 13 years ago – that this would become a “must.”
While the hotel is remote, we have been well accepted by the local community. We used a team of builders from the local village during construction—no architect, just me and them. We encourage guests to hike to the local village on Sundays, when the café is open. We are able to grow most of our ingredients on property, but we source legumes and wine from local producers.
Food is not easy to grow in an organic garden, especially as we are open all year. In Umbria, we are not in a climate to have only our vegetables all year-round. But we follow the seasons.
The Originals Marcello Murzilli
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