Villa Buonanotte Barbanera is an absolutely stunning, unique, luxury Umbria villa with pool in the beautiful town of Spello. Created in part from a 14th century church, the villa is nestled against the town walls and enjoys incredible west-facing views of the valley, farms and hills. Its central location within the town means guests can walk to a number of restaurants and yet its peaceful location and panoramic views means that it has the feel of being in the middle of the countryside.
Inside, this Umbria villa with pool is exceptionally stylish, furnished with pieces from around the world which have been collected by the owner on her extensive travels. Her attention to detail and eclectic mix of styles has imbued the property with a character and warmth that is rarely found in a holiday home.
Guests enter the property into the living and dining area. Simply but stylishly decorated with a large cane sofa and bright Moroccan rug, it is a welcoming and comfortable space. An expanding rosewood dining table with raw silk-covered chairs seats up to 10 people. Behind the table, an old Chinese cupboard houses candles, cards and games, whilst a rustic wall cupboard hides a television with satellite channels. A set of doors opens out on to the terrace.
Adjacent to this room is the kitchen of this Umbria villa with pool, furnished in a contemporary, shabby chic style inspired by the owners travels in France and Sweden. This is an exceptionally well equipped kitchen. Everything is provided from aprons to tablecloths and from Alessi pans to fine cutlery and crockery. There is a mighty La Cornue range cooker and all the utensils any serious cook would need are in ample supply, both for preparation and for serving and dining.
Also on this floor is the master bedroom, an extremely spacious room overlooking the garden. Adjacent to the bedroom is the all-white, marble-lined bathroom as well as a walk-in storage and hanging space. The room boasts a king-size bed, ancient fireplace and a grand library piece from a former family home, full of books and magazines. This is in turn flanked by a pair of antique, tapestry chairs. A traditional fratino table and director's chair provide the ideal place to write one's postcards or send that email back to family and friends.
Stairs lead from the living area of this Umbria villa with pool to a large mezzanine space or 'studio'. This can be used either as an extra bedroom area or additional living area. On one wall is an original fresco whilst on the other there is a feature window looking down onto the room below. The space was conceived as a space to listen to music. However, it does have a full size sofa bed. And with it's own bathroom at the foot of the stairs, it does make a potential 4th sleeping area.
Set above the master bedroom is another double bedroom, this time inspired by the spirit of India and Morrocco. Enjoying the same dazzling views as the master bedroom below it, the room is set on 2 levels. On the lower level is an Indian charpoy daybed whilst on the upper level there is a low double bed, covered with a beautiful Indian marriage quilt. An exotic wall decoration takes the place of a traditional headboard. The cool, limed oak floors and white walls contrast beautifully with the warm colours and rich textiles. An ensuite bathroom boasts a large power shower, whilst the room also has plenty of storage.
The final bedroom of this Umbria villa with pool enjoys its own independent entrance from the garden offering a romantic, secluded retreat. Furnished with a simply metal bed, it is decorated with beautiful reds and greens, complete with original artworks from Marrakesh. There is an ensuite bathroom with shower.
Built from pink-tinted stone work, up to a metre thick in places, the villa stays cool in the Summer and warm in the Winter.
Outside, there is a covered patio area, set beneath the arches of the original church. Equipped with comfortable chairs and table, and enjoying the incredible views, it's the perfect outdoor seating and dining area. A gentle flight of steps leads guests from here to the garden and pool area. Here, lush green lawns are tended daily and provide ample space for sunbathing or entertaining. Planted with roses, olives and cypress, the garden is a quiet oasis.
Spello is a beautiful town situated in the green heart of Umbria. Spello has a peacefulness and elegance about it that you can't fail to fall in love with, whilst the town's restaurants are famed for their superb cuisine and excellent wines.
It also makes an excellent base from which to explore the wider area. Orvieto, Todi, Citta di Castello, Gubbio and Spoleto are all within easy reach along with the highly praised wine producing region of Montefalco. There are numerous activities to enjoy too including horse riding, hiking, cycling, rafting and sailing as well as cross-country skiing in the Winter, making it an ideal holiday destination all year round.
A note from Jo
This Umbria villa with pool is an extraordinarily special place to stay. Few holiday rentals are as luxurious and beautifully presented as this villa in Spello. Offering the best of both worlds - the feeling that you're in the middle of nowhere whilst having so many restaurants and shops on the doorstep - it's a villa that our guests head back to year after year. Ask us to book you a table at our favourite restaurant in Spello - La Cantina - for your first evening and don't miss the chance to enjoy a wine tasting experience at the friendliest wine shop in Italy - Enoteca Properzio!
It’s not easy to find a place to start when talking about Spello or Buonanotte Barbanera. First, the property is absolutely breathtaking. Each space from the master bedroom to the kitchen have each detail finely attended to. It feels more like home than a vacation space. Second, the views and surrounding village make you feel like you’re in a book, nothing compares to the scenery, quaint cobblestone streets and lovely people. Lastly, you will not want to leave. After seven days of staying in Spello and visiting surrounding cities, we set off for Firenze. As we took our last drive (of the trip) down the hillside, I feel like I left a little piece of myself in Spello. As for the technical details – the villa and garden house slept our family of 9 comfortably, we didn’t need to use the yellow room.
We had the most relaxing and enjoyable stay at Buonanotte Barbanera! It was truly magnificent… It’s obvious that every part of the home has been carefully thought of to ensure that guests have the most comfortable and pleasant stay. Andre’s kindness and hospitality was remarkable. I look forward to visiting Spello again, only for the pleasure of staying at such a great house. Spello, of course is beautiful. The shops are quaint and the town so pretty, with friendly locals and delicious food. I look forward to going back, and in the meantime will miss the peace and tranquility of what it had to offer.
The house itself is beautiful and the location is really great. It feels secluded and is quiet but is also very close walking distance to the restaurants and shops of Spello – very convenient! It is extremely clean and tidy and when you rent the house it includes daily professional cleaning (bedrooms made up and bathrooms cleaned), as if you were in a hotel. Andrea, the owner, is great and attentive and really wanted to do everything she could to make sure we had a perfect stay. We were a group of 6 and had more than enough space. I would definitely recommend staying here!