Elizabeth Country House: Where a Familial History Finds a New Lineage

Elizabeth Country House — Photo by Marriott

Hand-painted frescoed walls. A treasure trove of 18th- and 19th-century French and Thai furniture. An Olympic-size swimming pool surrounded by centuries-old trees, shaded winding paths, and an organic vegetable garden. Plus, an indoor and outdoor sauna, yoga classes, and breakfast served until 2 pm. At the newly opened Elizabeth Country House, situated within a historic villa with a notable history, rest and relaxation take center stage.

More than 20 years ago, Italian fashion designer Mario Bandiera, founder of the iconic knitwear brand Les Copains, bought a villa in Minerbio, a village in the Italian countryside near Bologna. A former peasant house with three buildings and sprawling grounds, he spent countless days there basking in the Emilian sun, swimming in a 50-meter-long pool, and spending time with his wife and daughter. In his spare time and for work, Bandiera traveled the world—and he developed a passion for collecting vintage furniture, especially turn-of-the-century pieces from Thailand and France. When he found new pieces on his travels, he brought them back to furnish his home. During one trip, he fell so in love with Provençal-style frescoed walls that he brought three French painters to the villa, where they lived with Bandiera and his family for 10 months, painting the walls for 10 to 12 hours a day. In recent years, his widow, Stefania Bandiera, partnered with the Elizabeth group to reimagine the villa and keep its spirit alive as an intimate hotel. Following restorations, a few modern additions, and the implementation of a carefully considered interior design concept, this summer marked the opening of Elizabeth Country House—a getaway ideal for digital detoxing, unwinding, and exploring the surrounding region's bounty of nature and food.

Elizabeth Country House was conceived as a precious buen retiro from the tumult and cares of the world, a place for visitors who want to treat themselves to an inner journey and realign with nature and its rhythms. The three buildings, dating back to the early 1900s, were carefully restored, with an interior design concept overseen by Fabrizio Cocchi. Cocchi worked closely with Ms. Bandiera to hand-select pieces from the family's extensive collection of historic furniture and décor, and as a result the entire hotel—from the welcome area and living room to the guestrooms—retains the cozy and intimate charm of a family residence. Warm colors meet original wood-beamed and vaulted-brick ceilings, surrounded by a large farm and ringed by centuries-old trees. In the living room, a massive Thai sculpture of a horse stands regally near a fireplace, plush couches, a billiard table, and shelves lined with an ever-growing collection of books.

Each of the 11 rooms, spread across the three buildings, has a unique layout and design, but all offer large, bright spaces for rest and relaxation as well as the property's most defining feature: the hand-painted walls, originally commissioned by Mr. Bandiera, which decorator Carmen Avilia restored to their original glory. Understated and elegant new beds and couches are paired with stunning arrays of vintage pieces, including standing porcelain wash basins, carved wooden trunks, and ornate chandeliers. One room even boasts an antique soaking tub, and bath amenities are supplied by Cosmetica Bolognese, a local family-run company specializing in the production of natural-origin cosmetics from high-quality local ingredients.

The heart of the property is its outdoor space, with the original Olympic-scale pool, a life-size chess board, organic vegetable garden, sauna, and yoga area. Guests can enjoy a lingering, à la carte breakfast with local products from 8 am - 2 pm, as well as light lunch items from 12:30-3 pm, in the garden or living room and continue to spend their days lounging poolside or unwinding in the newly added relaxation area, featuring a Jacuzzi, indoor sauna, and small room for massages. Yoga classes take place outside three times a week, and a complementary personal trainer is also available every morning.

Encouraging guests to slow down and turn off screens, other onsite activities include ceramic workshops hosted by Ceramiche Magnolia, a small artisanal workshop in Bologna who also handcrafted the hotel's tableware, and cooking classes to learn the region's specialties. Guests are also invited to work in the vegetable garden, and bicycles are available to explore Minerbio and the surrounding countryside. Additionally, when booking a room, guests are asked what book they would like to read; upon arrival, the book is waiting for them—and in-room TVs are only provided upon request. Be it getting one's hands dirty in clay or soil, spending days reading under the Emilian sun, or exploring the nearby food histories and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, an experience at Elizabeth Country House reflects the ancient Roman concept of otium: a contemplative rest that regenerates the mind and enriches the soul.

Location

Elizabeth Country House is located in Minerbio, about 15 kilometers northeast of Bologna and in the center of the region of Emilia-Romagna, famously known as Italy's "food valley." Walking through the small streets of Minerbio, visitors will discover remains of its Roman origins and further development during the medieval era, including Rocca Isolani, a historic residence from the 1300s with frescoes and other decorations by the sixteenth-century painter Amico Aspertini. Countless food tours and notable restaurants dot the surrounding region, which is home to classic Italian specialties, including Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Parma ham, traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena and Reggio Emilia, Culatello salami, and tagliatelle and tortellini. The hotel is a 20-minute drive from Bologna and a 30-minute drive from Ferarra, the center of which dates to the Renaissance and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Po Delta Regional Park, including the freshwater marshes of Argenta.

Sustainability

Elizabeth Country House is dedicated to sustainable practices, including producing green electricity with onsite solar panels and serving locally sourced products and dishes cooked with produce from the onsite garden for breakfast and lunch. Tableware and bath amenities are sourced from local small businesses, and guests are encouraged to walk or use the available bicycles for nearby outings.

Hotel website