A visit through history… The Italian Palace of Villon has become open for overnight stays for guests

2023-12-04 20:59:53

This ancient Italian house, which many people cannot imagine the possibility of spending a night in, is now open and available to the public to rent and stay overnight.

Villone Palace, a 17th-century Rome hotel with multiple wings, all filled with masterpieces, is an ultra-luxury hotel spanning 1,100 square metres, consisting of several floors, with a private gym, spa, cinema, butler and chefs. 24 hours a day.

Now, Villon Palace can be yours entirely for 25,000 euros ($26,665) per night if you choose the “buy-out” offer.

The ancient palace of Villon

This dreamy Baroque palace is not your typical luxury hotel; Villon Palace provides a rare opportunity to take you back to the time when noble families ruled the eternal Italian city, so whoever wants to enjoy this experience will not only pay for a place to stay, but also pay for centuries of history and art that is reflected in the architecture and decoration of this ancient historical palace. .

Overlooking the Tiber River, close to the Spanish Steps of Campo Marzio and a few minutes’ walk from Rome’s must-see landmarks, the palace was for centuries the private residence of the Borghese family, one of the most powerful and influential ruling families in Europe in the 17th century. .

Today, Villone Palace is believed to be the most expensive historical retreat in Italy. The services are tailored and all the extras make the final price even higher.

What does the basic fee include? Only breakfast, if you want a private dinner with a gourmet tasting menu cooked inside the palace’s huge, gleaming kitchen, you’ll pay an additional €1,000 per person, which includes the best wines.

The original heirs of the palace

Heirs of the original Borghese family — a millennium dynasty that includes popes and princes — still inhabit the attached palace, and although individual rooms can be booked, staff tell CNN that most people prefer to have the entire place to themselves.

“We opened this summer, and so far we have a foreign clientele, mostly Americans, both young and elderly couples and families with children, who choose the all-inclusive option, booking it exclusively for a few days even though there is space,” says Deputy Director of the Villon Palace, Samuel Florio. It accommodates 12 people.

For privacy reasons, he says he cannot share any details regarding clients, but he confirms that not many have had the opportunity to experience this legendary “secret” palace yet.

Distinctive services

“Prices may vary depending on request and period,” Florio says. Services requested also include a car wash and guided tours of the neighborhood fresh produce market, where guests choose vegetables, meats, and bread to take back to the palace, and they prepare their own meals or follow kitchen lessons. Everything is customized. Extremely”.

In fact, the deputy director says that luxury does not always mean luxury when it comes to food. Many customers are more interested in discovering the small shops, where Romans bought their daily ingredients, and then experiencing what it is like to cook and eat like a local inside the palace’s modern kitchen, equipped with steel equipment. High-tech similar to those Michelin-starred restaurants in the city.

Dinner is served by candlelight in the Hall of Mirrors, which features a long table fit for a Renaissance-style banquet. The hall is decorated with bas-reliefs, gold plaster and original Flemish mirrors made during the Renaissance. The Florio team takes care of the menu and prepares famous Italian dishes, all prepared and served from Before a dedicated team of waiters, bartenders and chefs.

The palace team also offers guided tours through Rome and the entirety of Italy, but these services are more “standard” than guests can find at any upscale hotel, Florio says.

He’s always been alive

With a private garden featuring fantastic views of Rome, the palace has been redesigned and furnished with a mix of modern and antique pieces, and since it is classified as a historic residence, no structural changes have been made to the original architecture to adhere to the restrictions imposed by the state technical authorities.

The hotel has just four stunning suites, and one of the highlights is the Chapel Suite, which is housed inside a true Baroque church with a frescoed vaulted ceiling overlooking a king-sized canopy bed.

The walls and ceilings are decorated with frescoes, illusion paintings with rural and mythological scenes, carpets, fine plaster, rare and precious marble in rainbow colors throughout the entire palace, and also shining golden patterns are everywhere.

Sunset drinks are served on the terrace overlooking the Tiber River, while morning espressos can be enjoyed in the private garden, where the aristocracy once spent time gossiping and flirting.

As for other amenities, guests can enjoy a 120-square-meter health club that can be used 24 hours a day, and is equipped with a luxurious swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath and jacuzzi. Guests can enjoy massage sessions and beauty treatments at the on-site spa.

The palace also enjoys the ultimate luxury in the historic center of Rome, with its own parking. Guests traveling elsewhere in Italy will not have to spend hours driving around to find one of the neighborhood’s rare free parking spaces, although there are private drivers available at the hotel. For an additional cost.

Despite all the luxury, Florio stresses that Villon Palace is not a museum brought back to life. It has always been a private residence, and now it opens its doors to guests.

“The last person to live here until a few years ago was a famous Italian film producer,” Florio says. “The state of preservation of the palace is perfect because it has never fallen into oblivion or been neglected, it has always been alive.”

(Silvia Marchetti – CNN)

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