Robert Burns’ Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli to Re-Open April 8, 2005

Regent International Hotels founder Robert H. Burns dreamed of creating one of the world’s finest and most revered ultra-luxury hotels with the restoration of a 19th century mansion on Italy’s Lake Garda described by the writer D.H. Lawrence as “one of the most beautiful places on earth”

Opened in July 2001 the exclusive Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli re-opens for this year’s Spring Summer Season on April 8th.

On its own private secluded shore of Lake Garda, close to the small lakeside town of Gargnano, Villa Feltrinelli is half way between Milan and Venice, both just a two hour drive. 

Among other famous attractions in the area is the ancient Roman city of Verona, immortalised in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which is just an hour away. Verona’s annual Opera and Shakespeare festivals are popular attractions during the summer months.

Visible only from Lake Garda, Villa Feltrinelli includes four separate guesthouses and “raises the bar of what luxury travellers seek in the 21st century, redefining travellers’ expectations of luxury hotels,” said Burns, a famously bold innovator in the hospitality industry.

“I thought it would be nice to create something remembered as the best hotel in the world -- and believe small, highly distinctive hotels will become the preference of experienced travellers in the years to come.”

After five years of restoration at a cost of US$35 million, the property is exquisitely luxurious with fine dining, priceless frescoes, historic artefacts, an imposing staircase flanked by huge 18th century gilded mirrors and stunning stained-glass windows, heated outdoor lap pool, manicured gardens, croquet green and private excursion boat.

Each of the 13 guestrooms in the main house is uniquely distinct and sprinkled with antiques from the original family home of the famous Feltrinelli family. Bathrooms all have heated marble floors, gigantic deluge showers and top-class designer features.

Four guesthouses with 8 guestrooms in total have a delightful Italian country charm and outdoor patios ideal for relaxing, dining and entertaining al fresco.

State-of-the-art sound systems in each room reflect the new owner’s passion for music with eight stations of uninterrupted music, while LCD televisions in each room offer more than 100 stations with DVDF/VCD players are available on request.