Villa La Massa stands on the banks of the river Arno, in the Florentine countryside, next to the Chianti Classico, Gallo Nero and Rufina regions, only 5 miles from the historic centre of Florence, easily reachable by our private daily shuttle going to Ponte Vecchio.
This Medici Villa, built in the 16th century by the Landini Family, has been home to several aristocratic Italian, English and Russian families and it was transformed into a luxury hotel in 1948. Since the Villa d’Este Group purchased the hotel in 1998, the entire property has been restored to add a new lustre to the splendid old mansion. Many famous guests have enjoyed a stay at Villa La Massa, often seeking the tranquility and discretion that are among our most valued traits.
The 37 guest rooms include double rooms, junior suites and suites, with views of the gardens, the countryside or the river. The accommodations are decorated in the Renaissance style and feature antique furniture, four-poster beds and buffed terracotta tiles, typical of the Medici period. All have spacious marble bathrooms, air conditioning, satellite-TV, high-speed internet connection, safe and mini-bar.
In March 2009 a new splendid Presidential Suite with private garden has been open to the public.
Dining at “Il Verrocchio” restaurant is a unique experience; apart from the sumptuous cuisine, it is the only restaurant in Florence with a terrace overlooking the Arno. Executive Chef, Andrea Quagliarella, offers an Italian menu full of traditional Tuscan dishes, while the vast wine list includes over 300 labels. He has cultivated a corner of the gardens where seasonal vegetables and herbs are grown and then used for his menus.
The “Bar Mediceo” serves drinks, cocktails, light meals, salads and snacks until midnight. In the summer the service is also available around the pool at lunch time. The “Cellar” located in the Old Mill is the ideal place for wine and oil tasting or for private lunch and dinner.
Ristorante Sabatini
There are few renowned restaurants in Italy with 80 years of experience, where you are welcomed in a variety of languages: including Japanese. After all, in Florence the name Sabatini is synonymous with fine dining, where tradition and quality go hand in hand. Eating here can be considered a ritual that has maintained an informal yet elegant atmosphere throughout the years. There is a wide array of international dishes to choose from as well as many Tuscan specialties such as the famous “fiorentina” steak that is cooked to order on a charcoal grill.
There are hundreds of select wines to choose from on the wine list. Nothing is impromptu, nor is it meant to amaze you, offering only sound and wholesome tradition of the highest standard.
Comparable only to an epicurean coterie that has played host to Florence’s most reputable families, as well as very demanding foreign patrons, who are acquainted with the name Sabatini long before coming to Italy. It’s a place that every major city would like to have that Florence calls it’s own.