Award-winning Italian chef Massimo Bottura and his American wife Lara Gilmore are opening a luxury inn set in the countryside of Emilia-Romagna, 20 minutes from the chef’s famed three Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana in Modena.
The resort, named Maria Luigia after Bottura’s mother, is located inside a historic villa that the Botturas bought from the heirs of its last owner, Luigi Magelli. Spread over three floors, the property was renovated under the direction of Gilmore.
Lambrusco wine and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese will await guests in each of the inn’s 12 rooms. The idea is for guests to experience the atmosphere of an Emilian home, leaving no detail to chance. The property also features a swimming pool, a tennis court, a music room, a breakfast kitchen, communal areas with books and vinyl collections made available to guests.
The entire space has been decorated with precious works of art, especially contemporary (a passion of both Bottura and Gilmore) and design objects. The works of art will also be in the rooms because, “when you sleep at Maria Luigia, you’ll sleep among artists as if you were at my home,” says Bottura. “My idea of hospitality will come full circle, making everyone feel at home. It will be fantastic.”
Rates start at around €450 per night and include breakfast and a light lunch; guests of Maria Luigia will also have preferential access to Osteria Francescana, which must normally be booked months in advance.
Maria Luigia is set to open this spring. So far the villa has only welcomed friends of the couple for private events. Information on how to reserve a room is not yet available.
This month Bottura is busy with the recent opening of Torno Subito, a restaurant at Dubai’s W Hotel inspired by the 1950s and ‘60s vibe of ‘la dolce vita’ on the Riviera Romagnola, the Adriatic coast of Emilia-Romagna, around Rimini. He also continues to work on his nonprofit Food for Soul soup kitchen project, which aims to fight food waste by turning surplus food into meals for the needy.
Last year, Bottura opened Gucci Osteria, an all-day restaurant at Gucci Garden inside the Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence.
