Cascina Baràc — Hotel in Alba

We stayed in the Deluxe Suite (w/kitchenette) and this was HUGE. It really was more like an apartment vs a hotel room. There was air conditioning in each room so that was really nice, esp. in the heat of the summer. Breakfast is okay -- not bad but not amazing. There is an array of bread/pastries, fresh fruits, meats and cheese, and includes one hot drink. There is an additional fee for more drinks or other breakfast entrees not featured in the buffet (i.e. eggs) but it's not expensive at all. The family that owns this estate is very warm and friendly. I didn't get their names unfortunately but the son welcomed us upon check-in and offered us complimentary glasses of spumante (which was delicious! we ended up purchasing multiple bottles). The mother, who runs the place, is an absolute saint. Their hospitality was shown even beyond the hotel grounds. We were driving along the road to Treiso and got stuck in a drainage ditch when the lovely owner happened to pass us, turned around, and called multiple people until she could get someone (it was her brother-in-law, who owns the property next door to Cascina Barac and he's also absolutely wonderful!) to help tow us out. She doesn't speak English really and yet she still made us feel so well taken care of. She even called the restaurant we were heading to (before we got stuck) to let them know we were running late. The location of Cascina Barac is pretty well-situated as it's an easy enough drive to Monforte d'Alba, Barbaresco, Neive, etc. We recommend hiring the e-bikes (25 euros for 4 hours, 40 euros for 8 hours per person) and exploring the region. Because it's electric, it makes going up the hills quite easy. They are happy to recommend restaurants and make the reservation for you, which we appreciated. There is plenty of parking so you do not need to worry about that. The only thing that would have made this place absolutely perfect is if it had a pool! But overall, we had a lovely stay and enjoyed...

My wife and I went to Tenuta Barac for a wine tasting and tour. From the moment we arrived we were warmly welcomed. Our host was a young woman, Marta, who was very knowledgeable about the facility, the wine making, and the wine itself. She was also knowledgeable about the different vintages and grapes. Marta was very warm, friendly and personable. She was joined by a young man, I think his name was Alberto (if I’m wrong please forgive me) who was also quite knowledgeable. The whole experience was fun, unhurried, and lots of great wine and a very nice plate of cheeses and meats. Their 2016 riserva Barbaresco is amazing at any price and it’s priced very reasonably. We had six bottles shipped. I went back the next day to see if I could get in and buy a bottle of their Risvera to drink that night. Marta greeted me warmly and even gave a couple more tastes of wine I didn’t have yesterday. My only regret was not being able to stay in one their rooms as the hotel/tasting room is in a very pretty and peaceful setting. I highly...

I did not know what to expect when we booked two junior suites for our four day stay. What a pleasant surprise. It’s situated about a fifteen minute drive from Alba in the beautiful vineyards. The drive is a bit scary at night, so we hired a taxi to go for dinner. The same taxi also picks you up. Round trip fare was 50 Euros, but consider that it added 25 Euros to the room rate of 160 Euros. Still very inexpensive for a lovely room and bathroom. Breakfast was fine. Alberto is the owner’s son and looks after the hotel. He is an excellent host. The last night, after 11 lunches and dinners, we asked Alberto if he minded if we bought some food and brought it back for dinner. They only serve breakfast. Not only did he not mind, but they set the table for us, baked us fresh bread, and we drank their wine. |All in all, a very...