Villa Platamone is 19th century villa steeped in Como’s aristocratic history once holiday lodge to Platamone family has now been converted to a newest luxury boutique hotel with a vintage twist.
“The personal focus and individual attention to detail we provide is at the heart of our offering as we want our guests to feel like they are our personal guests, and not guests at a hotel. “
The historic Villa, located in the heart of old town Como provides you with the comforts of home and all the luxuries necessary for a relaxing retreat. Villa Platamone comprises six suites all of which showcase the unique history of the Villa. All of the suites have been carefully restored and feature rich textiles, antiques and paintings original to the Villa. Each of the suites are individually furnished with luxurious queen-sized beds, and feature views of the park from your window or private terrace. Added XXI century comforts include modern marble bathrooms, rain showers, a swimming pool, billiards table, gym and sauna.
The history of the building has been sympathetically preserved during the renovations with the highest attention to historic details, such as restored unique frescos, sculptures, paintings and its own beautiful park.
Purchased a few years back by the connoisseurs of luxury travels and the Lake Como itself Katy and Alex, and following a fundamental makeover Villa Platamone now plays host to demanding wealthy travellers who have seen everything and want to experience something unique and personalized.
We came to the hidden gem of Como’s town to experience the elegant hotel ourselves and to meet the owners Katy and Alex in order to find out what stands behind a big opening of the Villa Platamone, it’s rich history and customized service.
How did you come up with the idea to open a luxury boutique hotel?
Opening a hospitality business has always been somewhat of a dream we had, and were never able to pursue due to our respective careers, family, and so on. When we first laid eyes on Villa Platamone, we realised this is a property we had to acquire. Not only that, it was also clear that we cannot simply use it as a family residence; we should share its beauty and rich history with others. Our life-long dream along with this incredible location led to one clear result – a luxury boutique hotel.
Why did you choose Como?
Aristocratic heritage, magnificent nature and landscape, wonderful climate, delicious cuisine, proximity to several trade, finance and fashion centres. All these factors, as well as easy connectivity for international and domestic visitors, have led to Como being a mecca for tourists and celebrities throughout history.
We have been coming to the area for years, and like many others became enchanted with it. We decided visiting was no longer enough, and chose Como as the place to establish our home, and our business.
What’s the history of the Villa Platamone?
The Villa was commissioned in the 1820’s for the Platamone family as a holiday lodge by Michele Platamone Duke of Cannizzaro Prince of Larderia and built by architect Luigi Clerichetti. The Platamone family used the Villa as their Northern residence for 20 years.
Following the Duke’s passing, the Villa was inherited by his daughter Maria, and her husband Count De Visart of France. The Villa carried the Count’s name and was portrayed in the 1860 painting by Bossoli titled “Villa De Visart”.
The Villa remained in the hands of the De Visart/Platamone family until the early 20’s century, when it was acquired by the Albertini family, known local industrialists. In 1969 the Villa was sold to the Zarfati family, from whom we acquired the property in 2017.
It looks completely restored and fresh! Was it a big journey for you?
Yes, it was not simple, but a thoroughly enjoyable process. We partnered with a local architect and developer with whom we have worked before on other projects, and they have exceeded our expectations. It might be hard to believe, but the entire project did not take much longer than a year.
Tell us a bit about the design and furnishing. Everything looks vintage and lavish!
That is certainly the feeling we want our guests to feel through every experience and interaction during their stay! A large amount of decorative elements and furniture have been acquired along with the Villa, and have been restored to their current state by professionals. Other elements are carefully selected and procured from various antique dealers in the region. The only exceptions naturally are the bedrooms and bathrooms, where we wanted to ensure guests have the highest levels of modern comfort.
What kind of unique experience your guests can receive in Villa Platamone?
We are not a standard hotel. We do not want for our customers to experience a similar stay to chain hotels such as Radisson, Hilton, and so on. The personal focus and individual attention to detail we provide is at the heart of our offering as we want our guests to feel like they are our personal guests, and not guests at a hotel.
We really enjoyed the homemade breakfast offered in the Villa. Who’s in charge and what do you usually serve?
Thank you! We buy, cook and serve everything ourselves. All products are purchased from local vendors and are of the highest quality. This ties to the experience we want to create – the finest food and drink, created to the guest’s specification and liking, by the owners of the house.
What are your plans for the near future?
We have had a wonderful first season, and are excited for more seasons to come. We already have a roster of return customers, and our mission is to grow that list further to provide unique and enjoyable stays to our guests, making sure they want to return!
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