LUX Spring 2018

LUXLIFE MAGAZINE | 109 Spring 2018 Managing everything from scratch, Marion was always on site, overseeing every financial negation, leading to her being truly excited and fascinated by the developing venue. Whilst employing an architect, Marion took on the interior design herself, as she got closer to realising her dream. “Developing the site, I worked with a wonderful architect who took care of all the permits and applications with respect to the historic site preservation regulations, which are very strict here in the Chianti region. Also, she planned and commissioned all the major restoration work.” Telling us a little about the staff who contribute to making the resort a must- visit destination, Marion describes how she ensures that everyone works towards achieving the aims of the resort, as well as delivering the best possible service to visitors. “As we are such a small hotel, we have a one employee/guest relation with nearly 10 employees. Most of them have been with us since we opened, and some even during our restoration and construction phase. Amongst our staff, the team is diverse in nature with staff coming from Italy, German and Sweden. “The team is full of passion, doing all that is possible for the guest, as if it were their own hotel. We are not only the owner and founder of Vitigliano, but we also live with the family on-site, ensuring that we are always here for the team with an open culture. For this reason, it is easy for our staff to be aware of our firm’s mission and corporate identity, but also, we try to be role models for them. I am leading the hotel; my eldest children work during their holidays (they study abroad). During the weekends, both my husband and my younger children eat together with all the guests.” Making the establishment unique, Marion is keen to comment on the scenery around the venue and the architecture of the place. She talks about where her inspiration came from when designing the resort, and which aspects really help it to stand out. “The idea of a private hotel was born out of a personal dream of sharing our property with special people, and out of the belief that there is a need for a new generation of hotels in which guests can immerse themselves in an ambience of absolute privacy. “In our opinion, a private hotel is a hotel for all those who do not like hotels any more. Here in Vitigliano, the seven spacious suites take up only one quarter of the entire space. We purposely refrained from calculating on a return per unit area basis, ensuring that the spaciousness and vastness of the natural surroundings are also reflected in the interior of the property. “Furthermore, the other three-quarters of the space comprise rooms for communal use, normally only available in larger hotels, a spa, a bath house with Hammam, a conference house and a chapel. Lastly, the five hectares of land belonging to the estate, which include the olive groves and holm oak forests, have been landscaped in such a way as to create seven tranquil individual open-air retreats (chapel forecourt, patio, terrace with sunrise views, terrace with sunset views, yoga plateau, pool with daybeds, spa terrace), perfect for secluded privacy or convivial get-togethers.” In her concluding comments, Marion signs off by commenting on the trends within the hospitality sector which are becoming more common, and mentions whether or not her own resort adapts to these trends and follows suit. Overall, it is the unique nature and dedication of the firm to provide only the best service, which is a major reason why clients are (re-) attracted to the resort. “Ultimately, there are many trends popping up in the hotel and spa sector which I have noticed. There has been an influx of international visitors, which is good for the industry as a whole, as well as being good for us personally. Also, we have placed an increased emphasis on the health and wellbeing of our staff and guests, making sure that they are happy and healthy, leaving us being satisfied that we have done everything to ensure that they have enjoyed their stay. Finally, there has been a lot more of a focus placed on sustainability, and we work hard to guarantee that our services respond to this.” Company: Vitigliano Tuscan Relais & Spa Contact: Marion Hattemer Address: Loc. Vitigliano di Sotto,Via Case Sparse 64, Greve in Chianti, I-50022, Italy Phone: 00 39 333 77 41 692 Website: www.vitigliano.com