Designed to Travel: An Inside Look at Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli

Making an entrance… 

We arrived on the first day of their season and it felt like the whole place was just waking up to spring. Cue the ducks! Lake Garda was full of them. The air was as fresh as the lake was clear and buds were just beginning to bloom. There was an enthusiasm among the team and they were eager to welcome us. A team member gave us a tour of the property immediately upon arrival, while someone else unpacked for us. Pure luxury.

Even before I saw the borne settee at the entry, or the marble walls and stained-glass windows of the grand staircase, or the fresco on our bedroom ceiling, I was captivated by the villa’s exterior. The adornment of its façade with decorative valances and historic shutters at once transported me to another time. Restored to its original beauty, the interiors are layered with antique furnishings, patterned tile floors, charming wallpapers, and intricate crown moldings. Layering is my mantra for 2025 and Villa Feltrinelli is a masterclass. At Gachot, we’re designing a hotel in West Palm Beach with a similar old-world feel. To say I was inspired would be an understatement.

Come hungry… 

Villa Feltrinelli is a food and wine experience for the senses. Throughout our stay, they’d invite us to try new canapés, such wonderful tastings. The whole place reminded me a bit of the classic setting of an Agatha Christie novel. We all got dressed up for lunch and dinner and the air quality keeps you drinking throughout. We met other guests and learned about their tradition of coming back every year around the same time. We socialized in the drawing room, playing chess or mixing cocktails at the honor bar. The experience was as social as we wanted it to be.

Every dish is delicious at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant. People travel to the hotel just for a meal by the incredible Chef Stefano Baiocco. We popped into the greenhouse where we got a preview of what’s on the menu. Lunch is a-la-carte and dinner is a tasting menu. They were very accommodating of my no-meat agenda. With the villa being on the western shore of Lake Garda, also known as the “Lemon Riviera,” there was a great lemon zest to everything. The chef incorporates fresh flowers and herbs from the garden, and local fish is served daily. The risotto is a must, the cucumber-wrapped fish roe is a stand-out, and the local house wine should not be missed. When we didn’t finish our bottle at lunch, they corked it and served it to us by the pool later in the day.

Rest your head…

The pace was calming after our busy week in Milan at Salone del Mobile. One afternoon John thoughtfully paged through The Stones of Florence by Mary McCarthy, a beautiful first edition photography book of post-war Florence. Another sunny afternoon I took a nap on a chaise by the pool—something my husband has never seen me do. In the evenings, John would sit on the sofa in our suite, enjoying another glass of the house wine that had been waiting in our room, while I dressed for dinner. We were made to feel like we should really take our time and slow down a bit. There was such a sense of leisure.

Strolling around the gorgeous property I saw what is probably the largest magnolia tree I’ve ever seen, hugging the building. There is a perfectly manicured croquet lawn and a terraced lemon grove, and the pool—which is heated—blends in seamlessly with the surrounding garden.

There are 20 total guest rooms on the property, with 12 in the villa and eight in surrounding cottages. My recommendation is to book a room in the main house; we had the pleasure of staying in the villa’s Lake Front Suite. Sleeping there made it feel even more like home—I was greeted as I walked downstairs in the morning and another “American coffee” arrived as I took a seat by the lake. But, as beautiful as the room was, I didn’t spend much time in it. My favorite hotel lobbies feel like living rooms and all the public space at Villa Feltrinelli felt welcoming.

Make yourself at home…

Don’t stick to just one spot. Experience the rooms and landscape of the villa as if you’re at home. Grab a fresh pastry from the butler’s pantry. Read a newspaper on the covered terrace. Sip coffee at a lakeside café table, where more fresh pastries are served. Find a book to read from the well-curated library. Have a glass of wine on a chaise by the pool. Enjoy an aperitif in a lounge chair on the grassy lawn. Relax on the sofa in your suite as your partner dresses for dinner. Use the call box to request music in your bedroom or the drawing room. Have a meal one night in the formal dining room and another night in the piano room, lounging on the corner banquette. Wherever you plant yourself, the team is aware of your whereabouts, not in an intrusive way, but in a helpful way.

If you visit at the beginning of the season, your outfits should be as layered as the interiors. It can be warm in the sunshine and chilly at night. I always had a sweater over my shoulders. We dressed down for the days and up for the evenings. Coming off Salone in Milan certainly helped with my wardrobe for Villa Feltrinelli. I came prepared.

Don’t miss… 

The beautiful wood housekeeping cabinet on the second-floor landing is extraordinary. I joyfully watched a team member climb the ladder to fetch fresh towels from the well-curated cabinet. There’s a wonderful play of back of house as front of house at Villa Feltrinelli. The butler’s pantry of the formal dining room is another great example. There are people preparing pastries in the morning and canapés in the afternoon and guests are invited to help themselves. I loved tasting the little macarons that were out on the counter at night and the beautiful Italian glassware felt very residential.

Take an afternoon to walk into town for lunch. Hugging the lake on a narrow stone-walled street, Village Gargano is a 15-minute stroll from the villa. It’s a charming marina town with a boardwalk and lakeside cafes; it’s not a shopping haven full of tourists—just locals and lots of private summer homes. The day we walked into town we ended up having a salmon salad, prosciutto sandwich, and gelato before another late lunch back at the villa.

Next trip… 

I’m walking down the private, tree-lined dock and taking a ride around the lake on La Contessa, the houseboat, and I’m also making an appointment at the Regeneration Lounge for a Tata Harper spa treatment.