If you have been on my website www.toscanamia.biz in the Italy villa rental section, you may have seen the ultra-luxury villas of the Coselli collection. These are very impressive Tuscan villa rentals situated on two hillsides near Lucca. They have been restored with the utmost care: each bedroom is painted in a different color, the walls are hand-decorated, the latest high-tech equipment is available, there is a chef available for each property and many 5 star services are offered for guests.
These villa rentals in Tuscany are truly luxurious and range in price from €11,000 to €45,000 per week (depending on the time of year). All of this was made possible because Mr. Fanucchi (the owner) who made his fortune with mozzarella had the vision and means to convert some crumbling estates into luxury resorts.
Needless to say, many of the rich and famous have crossed these thresholds.
With this in mind, you may imagine how curious I was to see the new villa being added to their collection that will rent for €50,000 per week, for a minimum of 4 weeks!
I spent about half a day with Nicola Fanucchi (one of the owner’s sons now CEO of the Coselli business) going through all the villas again to see the latest upgrades for myself. I must say the villas and grounds are truly beautiful and the maintenance is top-of-the-line.
The last villa we viewed on our tour was Villa Lenka (named after Mrs. Fanucchi, Nicola’s mother) which is the actual family home in the winter. The family has decided to offer this property for rent during the summer.
So what does €50,000/week for four weeks get you? The grounds are amazing. The park spreads over 13 Hectares (around 32 acres) of manicured grounds, beautiful trees, two large ponds (they call them lakes) and a pool. The outdoors could not be more breathtaking.
The villa itself is beautifully restored and is a classic Lucca “Villa Padronale.” (Villas occupied by rich landowners of the past centuries). There is antique furniture, signature paintings, beautiful ceilings and floors, custom draperies and high-end finishings. I noticed both a Maserati and another car with the “Diplomatic Corps” emblem on the back parked under the car port. This is not a place for the faint of wallet!
Now for my honest opinion: While the villa is incredibly beautiful and the surrounding area unparalleled among any properties in Italian Villa rental portfolios, I am hesitant to say it is the best of the best. If I had my choice of high-level villas in the Coselli Group, I would be looking at Villa Controni or Borgo Bernardini. Why?
While this is a very subjective opinion, the main villa felt “lived in.” I did not feel like I was stepping into a space that was prepared specifically to welcome me. All through the villas were signs of the family that occupies it – pictures, closed-off armoires, and, to be honest, a bit of clutter. This is very different from the other properties Coselli offers.
This takes away nothing from the fact that Villa Lenka is an amazing property and is my own personal reaction. If you like the idea of stepping into the home of a very wealthy family for a few weeks, then this may could be the property for you.
