Casa Maria Luigia
Modena, Italy
Chef Massimo Bottura and restaurateur Lara Gilmores influences draw deeply from Modena, home to their much-lauded Osteria Francescana, which has twice topped The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. In 2019, they ventured into rural Emilia-Romagna, transforming an 18th-century farmhouse into Casa Maria Luigia, a boutique hotel with a personal touch. Each of the 12 rooms is unique, and guests are invited to feel at home, with free access to a kitchen stocked with snacks. But this isn’t your typical countryside retreat: it's an homage to creative greats of the last century, featuring artworks by Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, a vinyl collection, and even Italian cars – fitting for the birthplace of Ferrari and Lamborghini. True to its culinary pedigree, Casa Maria Luigia’s centerpiece is Francescana, which serves nine-course tasting menus at communal tables from a dramatic open kitchen. The property also has a vegetable garden, a wood-fired pizza oven, and, since 2022, a neighbouring balsamic vinegar cellar with more than 1,200 barrels of Modena’s famed export.
Key Information
- Rooms: 13
- Starting Rate: $450
- High Season: May-September
- Dining: Francescana at Maria Luigia, Al Gatto Verde
- At the Hotel: Swimming pool(s), tennis court, gym
- 39 059 469054
- Visit Casa Maria Luigia's Website
Location
Stradello Bonaghino 56, Modena, Emilia-Romagna, 41126
