We have several trips coming up this year, which includes Southern Italy, one of our favorite places to visit. While flipping through 1stdibs, the online bible for all things vintage and antique last week, I cam across an article with film director, Francis Ford Coppola discussing Palazzo Margherita, his most recently completed hotel venture. Francis Ford Coppola is not only one of the top film makers of our generation, he's also been acquiring over the years his own empire of one-of-a-kind luxury boutique hotels. Who knew...?
Palazzo Margherita is a former 19th-century palace situated in Bernalda, a tiny town in southern Italy where Mr Coppola's paternal grandfather emigrated from to the USA in 1994. He set himself the challenge of renovating the quite dilapidated palace, collaborating with Dean Tavoularis, his production designer and Jacques Grange, the French interior designer who's world famous for his exquisite interiors. Mr Coppola had been a great admirer of Jacques Grange's work, dating back to when he stayed at Yves Saint Laurent's home in Marrakech that he designed. He particularly loved Mr Grange's ability to create surroundings that were both intimate and super luxurious.
There has been meticulous adherence to an authentic restoration, with the beautifully laid out gardens, the main attraction within the hand-painted palace. In all, there are nine individually decorated suites, all with large bathrooms that are modern and fully equipped with marble walk-in showers, claw-foot bathtubs and double sinks.
I'm a huge fan of boutique hotels, and particularly enjoy gems that are off the beaten track as this one clearly is. The unique collaboration of these three visionaries successfully pulled off a renovation that is intimate in scale, sumptuous with an exotic mix of Tunisian and Italian sensibilities. As Mr Coppola states, "his overarching vision for the property's design and his goal of creating a hotel that feels both internationally luxurious and integrated into the local Bernalda community." Full article...
