VillaVerde

Freedom, lightness, design and Mother Earth's colour palettes of calming greens are the defining features of the wellness hotel apartments of VillaVerde, an architectural beauty anchored to an Art Nouveau villa with a conscious sense of soul, located in Algund / Lagundo close to the South Tyrolean spa town of Merano in northern Italy.

VillaVerde is a family venture, so expect to be greeted by charismatic Mama Heidi and her daughters Judith, Paula and Lea; arriving to VillaVerde is like being enclosed in a warm hug into their rethought world of comfort and measured style. Breakfast with a view of the mountains, a swim in a natural bathing pond, books to peruse in the lofty library next to the fireplace, a traditional coffee house with homemade cake, a scented herb garden – and did we mention the outdoor pool, three saunas, three relaxation rooms and a large lawn? VillaVerde is a place to come and feel good.

Heidi and her daughters created this idyll in consultation with Merano-based architectural studio Biquadra, with its founder Christina von Berg sprinkling her magical interior expertise on the historic villa. A hundred years old, VillaVerde, once called Villa Lemberg, took inspiration from its past to invoke a modern concept that feels liberated in its contemporary context. The Viennese-style café in the covered veranda feels in particular like a place where minds can meet over streaming sunshine and organic coffee. Channelling an Art Nouveau interior and turn-of-the-century ambience, the luxury of light, space and air remain constant, continuing into a new timbered extension that is perfectly respectful to the original building and houses the spacious apartments. 

Bringing back the villa to life, the main historic house feels deeply imbued with personality. Antique treasures collected from flea markets, designer wallpaper, marble tables, Thonet chairs and thoughtful details from cushions to soap are seen everywhere, meaning a wonderful melange of old and new. It feels fresh, comfortable and designed with flair, wrapped in the verdant greens of the overflowing garden, overlooked by the lofty mountains. Coupled with our hosts’ warm welcome, VillaVerde is quite simply a lovely place to reside: a stylish home with heart - the good life personified. 

VillaVerde’s accommodation comes in the form of spacious and comfortable apartments – each of them slightly different but all sharing the hallmarks of relaxed living: a garden or terrace, well-equipped kitchenettes, oiled oak flooring, roomy bathrooms and ultra-comfy beds. The décor riffs on the colour green, with sage and olive paired with timber creating a soothing palette. Spacious enough for you to feel truly at home, you can feel content here having a morning coffee or rustling up a snack when you feel like it.

Whether you are travelling as a two, three or four, take your pick from VillaVerde’s apartments, which feel as though every aspect has been thought through. Lovely terraces with dining tables or sun loungers lead to private gardens, and bathrooms have free-standing baths or drenching rain showers, and organic products made with locally sourced herbs. Beds are swathed in Tencel duvets which naturally moderate your temperature. 

Naturally, food is an important part of life here at VillaVerde, and great care and consideration has been put into the rituals of repast. Breakfast is a work of art, with muesli, nuts, seeds and other tempting treats placed in wooden bowls to help yourself to; afterwards take advantage of the freshly baked delicacies including waffles, cakes and breads which can be topped with homemade chocolate spread or jams. Sat at marble tables in the airy veranda decorated with colourful tiles, the ambience, created to replicate a Viennese coffee house, is curated for the perfect start to your day.

What’s also lovely is the organic coffee and homemade cake that is on offer all day. With beans roasted in Merano and cakes made freshly to grandma’s recipes, you can take your treat to have in the library by the fire, outside on a sunny day or by a tinkling fountain (the same goes for your aperitivo). As for your other meals – the local supermarket will more than cater for any meals you want to create in your apartment, plus nearby Merano has a host of superb restaurants such as innovative Blue Grape and the more traditional Lackner Stubn.

The tranquil surroundings of Villa Verde have been maximised so you can feel at one with the natural environment. Fancy a dip? Try the natural swimming pond - clear and green and edged by purifying reeds and darting dragon flies. Or else the outdoor pool calls, swim a few laps then take it easy in one of the three designated relaxation rooms or perhaps take a sauna – pick between a bio sauna, a steam bath and a Finnish garden sauna. In the spa salon, indulge in a massage or facial using natural cosmetics from Pharmos Natur.

VillaVerde is located in the small village of Algund near the historic spa town of Meran (Merano), a charming city in South Tyrol which you can get to by bus, bicycle or car. Backed by mountains and encircled by vineyards, Merano is a fine place to while away a day – visit the Meran City Museum to discover the history of Meran from the Stone Age to today. You might also like to pop into the bijou Sovereign Castle, where Emperor Maximilian I resided in the 15th century or stroll in the botanical gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle.

From Algund, it’s 30 kilometres to Bolzano and its international airport, although you may like to spend some time here, admiring the medieval architecture and Gothic duomos alongside architectural gems such as Museion Bolzano - home to contemporary art. Come home to the greenest of welcomes at VillaVerde, take a dip in the pool surrounded by apple trees or simply sit and enjoy the magnificent mountain views.  

Owner Heidi and her daughters Judith, Paula and Lea will be ready to welcome you to this stylish hideaway near Merano, which beautifully fuses the surrounding nature with great hospitality. The set up they’ve created is so conducive to relaxation with everything when and where you want it, it feels like coming home – and this is in no small part to Heidi and her clan. Come meet the family and settle in.