40 years, this is a marvelous birthday: Villa le Barone, a historic patrician home in Chianti, property of the heirs of the Della Robbia family, opened 40 years ago as a charm boutique hotel, faithful to its original family values: hospitality, elegance, refinement and “buon gusto”
For centuries Villa le Barone operated as a farm under the supervision of a “Fattore” with about 200 workers to tend a variety of crops. After the First World War, Marie Blanche Viviani Della Robbia transformed the property into a modern estate, but he Second World War brought new social and technological changes. In the seventies, the daughter of Marie Blanche, Duchess Franca Visconti decided to respond to the emerging tourism trends in the Chianti region and to open the Villa to Guests. In June 1976 the first 9 rooms with 4 bathrooms were made available and the spirit of Villa le Barone was set: a stylish old family house open to friends. Villa le Barone grew over the years, with a pool, a tennis, a restaurant. The story of this transformation has been told in a book published for the 30th birthday of the Villa, “A Hotel in Chianti: the Renaissance of a Tuscan Farm”.
Franca Visconti wished Villa le Barone to remain in the family. Corso and Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel are now the proud custodians of this wonderful place with the aim to continue the tradition of sharing the house and its Tuscan hospitality until the next generation is ready to take over.
Today Villa le Barone has 28 rooms (and 28 bathrooms! :=)))); the spirit of Villa le Barone, elegance, hospitality, charm, attention to detail, has been maintained but the new modern technologies have been installed: air conditioning, Wi-Fi, fitness room, fitness trail! Rina Bonamici has been the manageress since the opening of the Villa, and still comes a few days a week. Some of the staff are there for the last 25 years or more, and all together we are happy to welcome Guests from all parts of the world.
Firmly anchored in tradition, alert and well adapted to the present, Villa le Barone is eagerly looking forward to the future! Happy 40th birthday Villa le Barone, as a leading boutique hotel in Chianti.