Byblos Art Hotel

Verona

The Verona region, southwest of Venice, is famous for its beautiful landscapes. Small villages with colorfully painted houses, medieval towers, hermitages and Romanesque parishes are spread across the hills surrounding the capital city. To the north, near Baldo, olive and beech tree forests, prairies and orchards dominate the land, justifying the region’s nickname of “the garden of Europe”. It is also a land of art and history with sumptuous old villas and magnificent castles. The medieval silhouette of the Villa Albertini, surrounded by a vast park, rises above the banks of Lake Garda. On the Verona plain, the Bevilacqua, Villafranca and Azzano palaces date back to the Scaligeri family, the lords of Verona, and in the Valpolicella region, there are Renaissance villas built by Palladio for wealthy Venetian families, invoking the grandeur of the Republic of Venice, the Serenissima.

Arty Italy

In the heart of Verona’s wine growing region, the Valpolicella, the Byblos Art Hotel is truly unique. Built in a 16^th century Venetian villa, the Villa Amista, the Byblos is a veritable gallery of contemporary art. Entirely created by the celebrated designer, Alessandro Mendini, there is absolutely nothing classical about it. It contains the works of renowned modern artists including Damien Hirst, Marc Quinn, Peter Halley, Sol LeWitt, Vanessa Beecroft, Beatriz Millar and Anish Kapoor.

The Villa Amista’s exterior is classical and faces a sumptuous garden with centuries old trees, stone fountains and antique statues. The interior, with its 16^th century mosaics however, is in total contrast to the vivid pop art colors and ultra modern design. From the Gio Ponti tableware to the Frank Lloyd and Aldo Rossi chairs and tables, to the flashy, psychedelic motifs, everything has been designed to give this historical building a totally off the wall atmosphere.

Inside the rooms, we find the talented work of Alessandro Mendini, with an explosion of shapes and colors, a chic variation of stylized furniture and gleaming walls, all of which create a harmonious combination of elements that on the surface seem incompatible, and a series of unique works of art. From Peter’s Bar to the Atelier Restaurant, the atmosphere remains colorful, original and totally contemporary in the framework of a classical décor, as exemplified by the 15^th century wine cellar which possesses 400 varieties of carefully selected wines.

The spa and its indoor basin is a dream come true. Totally covered with small blue and gold mosaic squares, it’s the ideal spot to relax while contemplating the ornate dome with its Baroque frescoes, before heading in for a well-deserved massage.

Mount Baldo is accessible thanks to an ultramodern funicular, which is unique in the world as it’s equipped with a revolving cabin, enabling passengers to enjoy a 360 degree view of the scenery.