Prati Palai is a lovingly restored 16th century farmhouse, offering eight suites and one double room in 18 hectares of woodland, gardens and olive groves.

With their views of the lake, Prati Palai's rooms combine rustic beamed ceilings and polished wooden floorboards with contemporary amenities such as air conditioning and satellite TV.

Although Prati Palai has no restaurant, guests can enjoy breakfast on the terrace or in their rooms. During the day simple dishes such as salads and sandwiches, made with local and homemade products, are available on request.

The original building has not been altered, but refined using ancient materials in keeping with the period.

Interiors have been furnished with antiques, artefacts and bespoke pieces made by the area's artisans.

Prati Palai's amenities include a small library, helicopter landing area and honesty bar (the home-made limoncello, from the main villa's own citrus fruit, is a particular favourite).

Guests can also hire Domenico's classic Italian four-seater Riva Super Florida motorboat, along with pilot.

The lake itself offers windsurfing, water-skiing and canoeing and the area is also home to several 18 hole golf courses, including Golf Cà Degli Ulivi and Golf Club Paradiso del Garda.

Located a 30-minute drive from Verona and 90 minutes from Venice to the east and Milan to the west, Prati Palai is the creation of Domenico Ferrari Barettoni.

Not a hotelier by profession, his family are landowners with properties on Lake Garda and in the province of Verona.

Six years ago Domenico decided to restore one of their best positioned farmhouses to its former glory.

At the same time he wanted to demonstrate how it was possible to create a tourist facility that had respect for both a building's history and the local landscape.

Together with local craftsmen, he set about renovating the abandoned house, a project that would take him nearly three years.

Useful links

​ www.pratipalai.it/en