Luxury Unusual

Ludwig House (VR)

by Lavinia Colonna Preti
Ludwig House (VR) — Veneto Secrets

In San Pietro in Cariano, in the heart of Valpolicella, a new way of living "in a Palladian villa" is born: welcome to Ludwig House whose name, inspired by Ludwig of Bavaria, the revolutionary of aesthetics, keeps the promise of making guests experience always new and unexpected adventures of the soul.

Ludwig House, a 16th-century Palladian villa immersed in the quiet of a centuries-old park, it is the latest adventure of Eugenio Gallina, hospitality entrepreneur and eclectic lover of the arts, who here, after falling in love with the history of this magnificent property, wanted to give a new meaning to staying in a period residence, creating something different from everything that can be found in Verona and beyond.

Referring to the myth of Ludwig of Bavaria, a refined esthete who built fairytale palaces with the set designer Christian Jank, imagining a dream world, he redesigned the villa according to his philosophy of “rebel luxury”, where the word luxury is synonymous with research, that is, time dedicated to knowledge, travel and the unique experiences that can be had.

Ludwig House (VR) — Veneto Secrets
Ludwig House (VR) — Veneto Secrets

I thought of Ludwig House as the home of a collector of objects and adventures that our guests can appropriate to give life to their own.

(Eugenio Gallina, founder)

A concept well exemplified as soon as, after having passed the long tree-lined entrance avenue starting from the consecrated chapel, you reach the threshold of the villa and enter a foyer where the original decorations and majolica floors are “guarded” by a dragon, a tiger and a panther stenciled on the ceiling, chosen by Eugenio as the symbol of the three animals that are the protagonists of all the adventure stories par excellence.

Conceived as the villa of a modern explorer, Ludwig House is, in fact, furnished with fantastic objects and furniture from all over the world: from 18th-century Indochinese paintings to armchairs by Seletti Wears Toiletpaper, from 18th-century chandeliers to Opere Sonore, spruce sculptures that act as acoustic speakers to listen to music as it is born, through the vibration of the wood, without intermediaries in artificial material.

Ludwig House (VR) — Veneto Secrets

The six suites of the villa are conceived as so many chapters of the explorer’s book, always in flux, each furnished in a different way and with a uniqueness that makes it special, such as “The countess hidden jewel case” with a lounge area overlooking the pool or the “Bathtub in the middle of a dream” which opens onto the garden with an original bathroom with a vintage tub and frescoed ceilings. Special mention for the salle de bain, all wonderful, with a courtesy line developed in collaboration with the perfume house MEMO Paris.

Adventures of ladies and knights, loves and treasures that intertwine with the true history of the villa which for hundreds of years has been identified with that of the Counts of San Bonifacio, one of the oldest and most noble Veronese families who inspired characters to authors of the caliber of Dante, Shakespeare and Verdi.

Ludwig House (VR) — Veneto Secrets
Ludwig House (VR) — Veneto Secrets

The management of Ludwig House is entrusted to the multilingual Philippe Nicolas Gonzalez, with hospitality “adventures” all over the world behind him, the latest at The St. Regis Venice, who knows how to pamper his guests with 5-star experiences created tailored.

Like the delicious breakfasts served in the sitting room with fireplace or, in the summer, in the garden in front of the villa, on one-of-a-kind chairs and tables by Lapiega, a Veronese company specializing in wire design, to be enjoyed in the cool of the centuries-old trees and the cherubs who watch over the entrance to the villa.

Ludwig House (VR) — Veneto Secrets

A little further on, the park houses the swimming pool with solarium and a beautiful period orangery, the realm of Chiara Colombi, the internal set designer of Ludwig House who is available to guests to create the event of your dreams…up to Ludwig’s!

The Secret

Under the villa, there is a secret wine cellar, accessible from the garden, which Eugenio dreams of opening to guests soon for “secret” tastings.

Useful Info

Ludwig House
Via Chiesa 10
37029 San Pietro In Cariano, Verona
Tel. +39 333 2032974

Rooms from 200 euro with breakfast included, rate subject to offers and seasonality

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