Lake Garda - Villa Feltrinelli
Autumn 2008
Frank's view 
'Heaven'
A friend mentioned that he had just returned from the best hotel he had ever visited. I immediately took note as this billionaire global traveller is notoriously tricky and difficult to please. If he raved, it was worth a look.
As we eased down the winding drive, through stunning parkland, the manager and valet approached and were into the trunk, pulling out our bags, before I’d switched off the engine.
“We will deliver the bags to your room and the maids will unpack for you.”
Villa Feltrinelli is a grand mansion in Gargnano on the edge of Lake Garda, littered with extraordinary historical carnage.
Built in 1892 by two wealthy brothers in the timber industry, Angelo and Giacomo Feltrinelli, the house was passed on to their nephew, Carlo in 1913 and all was hunky dory until 1943 when the Germans toppled the King of Italy and Mussolini became a reluctant house guest of Field Marshall Rommel.
After the war the Villa returned to Feltrinelli custody and Carlo’s son Giangiacomo, a publisher and member of the Italian Communist Party, who stumbled upon the manuscript of a novel entitled Dr Zhivago. The book became a global best seller, Omar Sharif starred in the movie, and Giangiacomo was expelled from the Communist party because of the book’s criticism of the Soviet Union. He continued his militant political activism and in 1972 he was found dead at the bottom of an electricity pylon outside Milan, apparently killed by his own explosives.
The Villa lay derelict until 1997 when hotelier Bob Burns, the brains behind the Regent chain, bought it for $3.5m and spent the next 5 years and a further $35m transforming it into a luxury residence.
2007 saw a further twist when Burns sold Feltrinelli to a Swiss investment group, Grierson Corp, for an alleged $52m. The exact ownership of Grierson remains a mystery but staff at the Villa told me the effective new owner of Feltrinelli is Viktor Vekselberg, the Russian Oligarch, who apparently has never visited.
The Villa may have been built at the end of the 19th century but the trees in the 8 acres of garden are several hundred years old, particularly the vast Magnolias, which stand at least 15 metres high. The garden runs along the side of the lake with 7 suites in two buidings at either end. The main Villa has 13 suites. The ratio of rooms to space explains why Feltrinelli is so exclusive and very expensive.
We arrived at lunchtime and before our suite was ready. The outside terrace was in the shade and the camel’s companion asked if it would be possible to prepare a table in the sun by the lakeside. As we dined on sea bass with ginger and a mixed salad, a group of ducks from the lake sat by us and were very happy to be hand fed the Villa’s finest home baked bread.
I’d booked a ‘Premium Junior Suite’ in the Villa, of which there are only three. ‘Il Poeta’ is on the 2nd floor and looks out across the lake through two ‘etoile’ shaped windows. At an off-season cost of €1600 per night I was expecting to be impressed, and I was.
This huge room has a large bed positioned at an angle in its centre, cleverly partitioned from the entrance by a folding wood and glass screen, which both creates a subtle divide and generates a feeling of space. The furnishings, including a writing desk, huge wardrobe, sofa, chairs and small dining table, are classic and sophisticated, but let down by a nasty fake tiger skin rug.
The rectangular bathroom of white tiles and marble basin has a long walk-in shower at one end and large bath at the other, with a separate closet. Surprisingly there is only one wash basin where there is comfortably space for two. The towels were over-washed and worn out.
The toiletries were Aqua de Parma.
Il Poeta sits above Feltrinelli’s premier suite, Il Lago, which has its own private balcony across the front of the Villa. This large balcony has a table for dining and two loungers.
If you really want to do Villa Feltrinelli properly, book Il Lago, but it will cost you over €2000 a night.
The complimentary mini bar was always stocked with local red wine, white wine and Ferrari Brut Metodo Classico, excellent sparkling wine. Another appreciated touch was the complimentary laundry and of course, wireless internet access was available at no extra charge.
It is a clever approach. Hotels which charge a high price for accommodation, should offer complimentary services and facilities. It is particularly outrageous to charge for Internet access when a guest is already paying €1000 or more for a room.
At Feltrinelli, clearly the cost of the minibar and laundry are factored into the room rate, but the feeling is that they are complimentary which helps generate a warm feeling towards the establishment.
The Villa has a one Michelin star chef in Stefano Baiocco, which created a high level of expectancy as we headed to the restaurant. Everything was so impressive, the cuisine had to be exceptional!
The food was all about presentation, expensive and disappointing. Even the lamb was chewy. A conversation with fellow guests the following evening confirmed this camel’s view, as they recommended several local restaurants, particularly La Tortuga, a few minutes walk away in Gargnano.
Despite the disappointing restaurant, Villa Feltrinelli is fabulous, an exquisite example of old fashioned luxury, in the most stunning setting.
Let’s hope the new owners don’t tinker.
Villa Feltrinelli
Gargnano
Lake Garda
Italy
+39 365 79 80 00
http://www.villafeltrinelli.com/
As we eased down the winding drive, through stunning parkland, the manager and valet approached and were into the trunk, pulling out our bags, before I’d switched off the engine.
“We will deliver the bags to your room and the maids will unpack for you.”
Villa Feltrinelli is a grand mansion in Gargnano on the edge of Lake Garda, littered with extraordinary historical carnage.
Built in 1892 by two wealthy brothers in the timber industry, Angelo and Giacomo Feltrinelli, the house was passed on to their nephew, Carlo in 1913 and all was hunky dory until 1943 when the Germans toppled the King of Italy and Mussolini became a reluctant house guest of Field Marshall Rommel.
After the war the Villa returned to Feltrinelli custody and Carlo’s son Giangiacomo, a publisher and member of the Italian Communist Party, who stumbled upon the manuscript of a novel entitled Dr Zhivago. The book became a global best seller, Omar Sharif starred in the movie, and Giangiacomo was expelled from the Communist party because of the book’s criticism of the Soviet Union. He continued his militant political activism and in 1972 he was found dead at the bottom of an electricity pylon outside Milan, apparently killed by his own explosives.
The Villa lay derelict until 1997 when hotelier Bob Burns, the brains behind the Regent chain, bought it for $3.5m and spent the next 5 years and a further $35m transforming it into a luxury residence.
2007 saw a further twist when Burns sold Feltrinelli to a Swiss investment group, Grierson Corp, for an alleged $52m. The exact ownership of Grierson remains a mystery but staff at the Villa told me the effective new owner of Feltrinelli is Viktor Vekselberg, the Russian Oligarch, who apparently has never visited.
The Villa may have been built at the end of the 19th century but the trees in the 8 acres of garden are several hundred years old, particularly the vast Magnolias, which stand at least 15 metres high. The garden runs along the side of the lake with 7 suites in two buidings at either end. The main Villa has 13 suites. The ratio of rooms to space explains why Feltrinelli is so exclusive and very expensive.
We arrived at lunchtime and before our suite was ready. The outside terrace was in the shade and the camel’s companion asked if it would be possible to prepare a table in the sun by the lakeside. As we dined on sea bass with ginger and a mixed salad, a group of ducks from the lake sat by us and were very happy to be hand fed the Villa’s finest home baked bread.
I’d booked a ‘Premium Junior Suite’ in the Villa, of which there are only three. ‘Il Poeta’ is on the 2nd floor and looks out across the lake through two ‘etoile’ shaped windows. At an off-season cost of €1600 per night I was expecting to be impressed, and I was.
This huge room has a large bed positioned at an angle in its centre, cleverly partitioned from the entrance by a folding wood and glass screen, which both creates a subtle divide and generates a feeling of space. The furnishings, including a writing desk, huge wardrobe, sofa, chairs and small dining table, are classic and sophisticated, but let down by a nasty fake tiger skin rug.
The rectangular bathroom of white tiles and marble basin has a long walk-in shower at one end and large bath at the other, with a separate closet. Surprisingly there is only one wash basin where there is comfortably space for two. The towels were over-washed and worn out.
The toiletries were Aqua de Parma.
Il Poeta sits above Feltrinelli’s premier suite, Il Lago, which has its own private balcony across the front of the Villa. This large balcony has a table for dining and two loungers.
If you really want to do Villa Feltrinelli properly, book Il Lago, but it will cost you over €2000 a night.
The complimentary mini bar was always stocked with local red wine, white wine and Ferrari Brut Metodo Classico, excellent sparkling wine. Another appreciated touch was the complimentary laundry and of course, wireless internet access was available at no extra charge.
It is a clever approach. Hotels which charge a high price for accommodation, should offer complimentary services and facilities. It is particularly outrageous to charge for Internet access when a guest is already paying €1000 or more for a room.
At Feltrinelli, clearly the cost of the minibar and laundry are factored into the room rate, but the feeling is that they are complimentary which helps generate a warm feeling towards the establishment.
The Villa has a one Michelin star chef in Stefano Baiocco, which created a high level of expectancy as we headed to the restaurant. Everything was so impressive, the cuisine had to be exceptional!
The food was all about presentation, expensive and disappointing. Even the lamb was chewy. A conversation with fellow guests the following evening confirmed this camel’s view, as they recommended several local restaurants, particularly La Tortuga, a few minutes walk away in Gargnano.
Despite the disappointing restaurant, Villa Feltrinelli is fabulous, an exquisite example of old fashioned luxury, in the most stunning setting.
Let’s hope the new owners don’t tinker.
Villa Feltrinelli
Gargnano
Lake Garda
Italy
+39 365 79 80 00
http://www.villafeltrinelli.com/
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
