Locanda della Valle Nuova, Le Marche, Italy

Our charming small country house lies in a 185-acre organically run farm, in sight of the town of Urbino which is registered in UNESCO's World Heritage List. It sits nestled in a landscape of gentle, rolling hills, rich in wild flora and fauna, where ancient oaks are still protected as they were in the times of the Dukes of Montefeltro.

Always keeping in mind the philosophy that "…one should tread lightly on the earth…", we grow organically our own wheat, fruit and vegetables and raise our cattle, pigs and poultry with 100 per cent natural feed. From our fresh produce we make our own bread and pasta, jams and wine and we prepare our traditional home cooking, all as flavorful as they are healthy. In autumn we also have truffles from our woods.

Our first priority is the comfort of our guests: so our rooms are designed to provide a quiet stay and are both acoustically and thermally insulated. The home is fitted with solar collectors and the heating system is run using renewable energy, so as not to waste precious resources, we also produce 100% of the electricity with photovoltaic panels. The smiling service and high standards of both food and accommodation will best suit persons seeking superior quality in an elegant and tranquil setting and the perfect location for exploring the delights of Central Italy and many famous Renaissance towns.

We have stables available for those who bring their own horses. In addition, our horses are at our guests' disposal for lessons and walks in the countryside. Guests may swim in our pool, enjoying a sweeping view of the landscape. We speak good English and Spanish and some French and German and are always at our guests' disposal to suggest restaurants, activities and itineraries. We offer accommodation in Five double (queensize bed) rooms and one twin (2 separate beds) with en-suite bathroom with shower, little sitting area, ceiling fan, mosquito-nets, tv, safe-box and tea and coffee facilities.

All the bedrooms are located on the first floor. We also have two romantic self-catering apartments for two with complete gourmet kitchen, double bedroom, comfortable sitting room, private outside space for sunbathing, eating and relaxing.

Computer with dsl connection available in the hall, free wi-fi connection. The Locanda is a no smoking inn.

"There are plenty of rural places to stay in Italy that offer local, organic produce, but La Locanda near the hilltop town of Urbino in Le Marche goes the extra mile to do its bit for energy conservation."

Read Richard's full review of Locanda del Valle Nuova.

How does Locanda della Valle Nuova minimise its impact on the environment and contribute to a sense of place?

Surrounded by ancient, protected oaks, this converted farmhouse lies on a 185-acre organic farm and has been completely restored with the environment in mind. Comprehensively insulated, the house benefits from heated sourced from a combination of solar energy and a low-consumption wood stove (the wood is sourced from the 20 hectare wood on site). The site also boasts photovoltaic solar panels that provide both Laconda and the farm with electricity. The rooms themselves have low-consumption lightbulbs, while the linens are made from 100% natural fibres, while the bathrooms offer dispensers rather than pre-packaged soaps.

The farm also grows its own organic wheat, fruit and vegetables, plus they raise their own pigs and poultry. In autumn, you can even search for fresh truffles in the woods. With that in mind, around 70% of the delicious food served in the restaurant comes from the farm, with the rest sourced from local, organic farms nearby. In terms of waste reduction, guests are invited to recycle cans, plastic and paper. On 185 acres of organic farmland just outside the UNESCO World Heritage Listed town of Urbino, this is a fantastic base from which to experience the rugged Italian countryside.