Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli
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Location
Gargnano, Italy
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Owner
Robert H. Burns Ventures Srl
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Architect
Georgio Rovati
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Photographer
Oberto Gili
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Lighting Consultant
Fisher Marantz Stone
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Team Members
Pamela Babey, Lauren McGuier, Gabriela Clark
Conceived as a “fantasy world” hidden on Lake Garda, Villa Feltrinelli is as much an experience as it is a destination.
The design celebrates theatricality without pretension, weaving together elements of opera-like drama and the intimacy of a family residence. Spaces flow seamlessly from indoors to gardens, where terraces, gravel paths, and lakeside breezes heighten the sensory escape.
Interiors reflect a dialogue between past and present: historic furnishings were restored, while new pieces were designed with the same craftsmanship to maintain continuity. Italian fabrics, Venetian chandeliers, and bespoke millwork root the project locally, while international art and found objects expand its narrative. Dining extends into a pergola draped with Venetian textiles and whimsical wrought-iron lighting, creating moments of enchantment.
The hotel feels curated yet uncontrived, offering guests the rare opportunity to inhabit history while enjoying the highest standard of contemporary luxury.
A Story in the Details
At Villa Feltrinelli, every detail was designed to feel as if it had evolved naturally over time. Rather than adhere to a single period, the interiors suggest generations of refinement, with layers of pattern, texture, and craft accumulating into a lived-in richness.
Carved moldings, painted ceilings, and restored furnishings sit alongside found pieces and custom commissions from Italian artisans. Art was sourced across Europe, curated to appear as though collected over decades. Each guestroom tells its own story, with unique palettes and furnishings that heighten the sense of discovery.
The result is not a museum-like preservation, but a home that feels alive — resonant with memory, character, and the patina of history.
As designers, we oversaw every aspect and spent months on-site, supervising the remodel and selecting all paint colors, fabrics, accessories, art, wood finishes, plaster, and fixtures, down to the last faucet and window latch.” Pamela Babey BAMO, Principal
