Villa Grazioli, Frascati (Lazio), Italy

Time and human neglect plunged the sixteenth-century Villa in solemn decadence.
With competence and authentic passion, the historical building is finally restored and can be admired by visitors. Expert gardeners have skilfully redesigned the Italian Garden and the 15.000 sq. Woody park to match the patterns, followed centuries ago by the original architect. From windows, lounges and terraces, the Villa offers spectacular views. At sunset, on the horizon, the sea sparkles with the shimmering reflection of the dying sun, and on the other side, Rome becomes alive with twinkling lights.

Today, Villa Grazioli is an Italian National monument an enchanting hotel with 58 rooms. Impressive halls, frescoed by seventeenth-century artists, are available for meetings and receptions. The colours of frescoes, created by G.P.Pannini in the eighteenth century, appear so lively to the admirer that one would think they were freshly painted.

The Villa has been equipped with the most advanced utilities so that the guests can enjoy the comforts of a modern and functional hotel.
The bedrooms have been furnished and decorated in line with the character of the building: wood, pottery and precious fabrics enrich the furniture, which has been chosen for its prestige, as well as for its elegant lines.

Hospitality professionals offer an impeccable service, in line with the tradition of the “Relais & Châteaux ” group, of which Park Hotel Villa Grazioli is a part.
Ample choice of typical Roman and Mediterranean dishes are offered in Acquaviva Restaurant, situated on the ground floor of the Villa.

Park Hotel Villa Grazioli is easily reached from Rome by taking Via Tuscolana or Via Appia Antica, southbound to Frascati. When in Frascati, follow the signs to Villa Grazioli. Ample and secure car parking is provided.

Villa Grazioli rises on top of a hill, in a nearly hidden environment, the land sloping down to the Tyrrenian Sea, whose shiny surface can be seen in the distance.
The identity of the founder seems very obscure. Early engravings mention a Cardinal Acquaviva of Peretti Montalto and set the foundation of the building at the end of the 16th Century. From a memorial stone, on which is engraved a “brief” by Pope Gregorius XIII, we understand that Cardinal Carafa commissioned the construction of the Villa and that it was completed by 1580. At the death of Cardinal Carafa in 1582, the property of the Villa goes jointly, perhaps by inheritance or purchases, to Cardinal Ottavio Acquaviva of Aragon, of the House of Atri, and his brother.

The early comments on the Villa built at the foot of the Tusculum Hill go back to the beginning of the 17th Century. It was considered one of the most prestigious of the whole area. In one of the rooms, Ciampelli pictured the Villa itself framed in a rustic scene. The choice of a side prospect enhances the elegance of the form with the two side towers projecting forward from the central body: this picture did certainly strengthen a positive opinion on the architecture of the Villa.

Apart from the character of the land that ascends towards the top of the Tusculum Hill, the atmosphere is mainly rural, inspiring a spiritual and meditative life in line with the spirit of the Founder. The gardens originally consisted of 18,480 sq., which were dedicated to orchards, olive groves and a small vineyard. The produce of the land was used to satisfy the demands put on the Villa by numerous guests.
Today, after almost 50 years of neglect, the Park has been restored to take into account what has been left of the Italian Garden, the surviving secular trees and the long imposing driveway that leads to the Villa. A team direct by Architect Romano Greco has meticulously carried out this challenging task

Note: complimentary shuttle service to the center of Rome is available daily except Mondays, departing at 10am and returning at 6:30pm. Space is available on first come first serve basis.