Concierge.com's insider take:

Scottish knitwear designer Wallace Shaw moved to Spoleto after working in the Hong Kong and New York fashion worlds. His large, panoramic apartment occupies the third floor of a palazzo, which abuts the 13th-century Torre dell'Olio—an imposing tower named for its defenders' habit of pouring boiling oil over gate-crashers. Shaw is more welcoming: An eclectic art lover and homegrown philosopher, his classy B&B is geared toward jaded types looking for something other than the usual Tuscan-Umbrian villa experience. The decor is sharp, modern, and minimalist, which enhances the dramatic exposed stone wall of the medieval tower. There are four double guest rooms with air-conditioning and private bathrooms, and there's a common elevated living room with huge windows and giddy views over the rooftops of Spoleto (and Wi-Fi, too). Shaw organizes regular art exhibitions and concerts here—which makes the Art House a perfect place to stay when attending Spoleto's Festival dei Due Mondi. Just be sure to book well in advance.

Closed December and January.