An historic castle hotel in rural Tuscany has been acquired by luxury travel company Belmond for an undisclosed sum.
A $9 million refurbishment of Castello di Casole, which dates back to the 10th century, is planned over four years including the addition of two villas.
The re-named Belmond Castello di Casole is located within easy access of Florence and Siena. With 39 rooms, the property is set within 1,500 acres of farmland, vineyards and olive groves and is one of the largest private estates in Italy.
Acclaimed Italian cinematographer Luchino Visconti is a previous owner of the castle where he hosted parties attended by Hollywood glitterati.
The Castello joins Belmond’s Italian portfolio which includes Belmond Villa San Michele in Florence, Belmond Hotel Cipriani in Venice and Belmond Hotel Splendido in Portofino.
Features include a heated outdoor infinity pool and spa. Activities such as truffle hunting, cookery, hiking and cycling are available.
Company president and CEO Roeland Vos said: “The Belmond brand continues to gain momentum and this acquisition marks the latest step in our journey towards realising our strategic growth plan.
“We believe this stunning castle, steeped in Etruscan history, builds on our past experience of acquiring distinctive, timeless properties and restoring them to their iconic status through strategic investment.”
He added: “When you enter any one of our hotels, or step on board a Belmond train or cruise, you know it belongs to our family because it has a soul. Without doubt, Castello di Casole has that individual essence.”