Villa Lena, Tuscany has announced that it will be re-opening to guests from 15 June 2020. The agriturismo hotel, creative residence and countryside getaway will be re-opening with a number of new measures introduced to protect and welcome travellers in the current climate.
Renowned for its international artist residency program and creative community, the opening of Villa Lena signifies a positive step for Italian tourism. In line with Villa Lena’s community ethos, 10% of all proceeds from bookings for 2020 will go towards UNICEF who are supporting vulnerable children affected by coronavirus in Italy.
Lena Evstafieva, Founder of Villa Lena, said, “Being a hotel in Italy, the first Western country to issue a total lockdown, means that there really hasn’t been a playbook for us to follow over the past few months. We are positive, however, that after months in lockdown there will be a hunger for being amongst nature, for open and beautiful spaces and for that joy of life that Italian sunsets and cocktail hour bring. Through making small changes to our service offering, we are excited now to be in a position where we can safely welcome back guests this year.”
Villa Lena’s farm-to-table San Michele restaurant will operate a limited, weekend only service; the usual buffet breakfast will be replaced with an equally delicious a la carte room service offering, takeaway picnic baskets will be available for lunch for guests to enjoy at the many scenic picnic spots within Villa Lena’s 500 hectares of grounds. For dinner, guests can look forward to exciting new farm-to-table dining options including Wild Dining.
In addition, the Villa Lena Foundation will continue to operate its artists residency program for the remainder of the year. For the 2020 re-opening, guests can look forward to ceramics workshops led by Eloise White, outdoor sketching lessons with Charlotte Trounce and collage masterclasses with Katy Kirbach. The timetable will be modified with an emphasis on outdoor experiences, and class sizes will be capped to maintain safe distances between participants.
There will also be changes made to Villa Lena’s many accommodation options from the 15th June 2020 opening date, including the option of long term stays in the estate’s self-catering apartments. A fully flexible cancellation policy has also been introduced to allow guests the freedom to book without worrying about unforeseen circumstances. In addition, Villa Lena will be establishing new practices and processes in line with government guidelines and their own high standards to ensure the safest and most hygienic environment possible for all guests.
Villa Lena will re-open on 15 June 2020 with lead in rates from 80EUROS for long stays. Main image, credit Lottie Hampson.
