Just five kilometres from Lucca, in the beautiful, sun-
drenched Tuscan countryside, an elegant, cream-coloured
nineteenth-century villa comes into view as you enter the
gate. It stands fairly high on a hill, surrounded by a large
garden in the typical Lucca Renaissance style, with two
flights of steps leading up to the entrance, from either side.
A peaceful atmosphere reigns everywhere, a balm for the
soul of any traveller.

The interior and the garden
As you enter you find yourself in a large, welcoming room
overlooking the Italian-style garden, which is not at all like
the usual hotel foyer, starting from the reception area with a
single antique desk and a smiling young lady in attendance
who can't do enough for you.
The ceiling has exposed beams, and the original Tuscan
Tessiere flooring gleams. The cream and grey walls are
decorated with two large, subtle trompes l'oeils with trailing
plants. The area is furnished with soft, comfortable sofas
upholstered in cream chenille velvet, arranged around a low
Indonesian teak bed that serves as a table on which there is
a tray filled with white candles. These are offset by
understated antiques, including a charming painted
eighteenth-century gueridon, which complete the furnishings.
Light pours in through the large French doors with a single
flowing tie-back curtain. After sundown, the room is lit by
fine table lamps with crystal bases.

The pleasant, relaxing atmosphere that guests at Villa Marta
so love, is created mainly by the cordial and attentive
hospitality offered by Andrea Martellini and his wife Alessia,
who run the hotel. They personally welcome the guests and
see to their every need with friendly efficiency, making them
feel as if they are staying in a private home rather than a
hotel.

A short flight of steps in pietra serena leads to a pleasant
breakfast room/restaurant with terracotta flooring, and rustic
wooden tables on a cast-iron base reminiscent of the Art
Nouveau style. The walls are painted in cream and yellow
vertical stripes. A low antique cabinet in beige lacquer
contains bottles of the excellent local wines (Montecarlo and
other labels) and doubles as a table for the tempting buffet
breakfast. The Menu del Buon Risveglio offers genuine
products that are really good for you: a variety of yoghurts,
jams, biscuits, cakes and fresh fruits, cold cuts for those who
like savouries, and bread and brioches straight from the
oven. For lunch and dinner, the chef presents a selection of
traditional dishes.

The breakfast room/restaurant leads into the lounge
decorated in a warm orangey-pink, where the rustic, slightly
Òoldy-worldyÓ atmosphere created by the wood-beamed
ceiling, terracotta flooring, fireplace and antique furniture, is
set off by the plasma TV. Here you can flop on the
comfortable sofas and armchairs, and relax with a book or
drink, bathed in the gentle light from the English-style
windows overlooking the garden.

In summer, guests practically live on the terrace with its
tables and umbrellas, surrounded by camellias and azaleas,
and magnolia, pine, linden, box, bay and cherry trees, as
well as the olive, cypress and holm oak trees that are part of
the Tuscan landscapes featured in the paintings of the great
Renaissance masters. Jasmine, with its heady perfume,
covers the surrounding walls.
There is also a small ÒhouseÓ open on all four sides, with a
lounge area furnished with a wicker table and chairs. Here
you can enjoy the shade and unwind with a drink or
something to eat, with the blue water of the swimming pool
glittering invitingly nearby.
Where the rooms are concerned, if you're looking for the
utmost privacy 111 is perfect, and opens onto the garden.
The hotel boasts a fully-equipped industrial kitchen, where
cookery courses are also held. These are one of the best
ways to appreciate the simplicity and distinct flavours of the
Lucca cuisine.
There is also an Internet point at clients' disposal.
Hair appointments and beauty treatments can be arranged
on request.
Guests may leave the cars in the large parking area.
The hotel also offers its guests bicycles to fully appreciate
the beautiful scenery of the surrounding countryside.
Individual guided tours are also available to discover the
area's cultural heritage, as well as painting courses taught
by professional artists.

Inside the exclusive nineteenth-century complex there is a
small Neo-Classical chapel, the ideal place for a romantic
wedding. And, of course, the reception can be held in the
main hall or the garden of the hotel.
The tranquil yet imposing Monastery of San Cerbone, still
active today, stands on a hillside close by.

The rooms
There are 11 rooms, all extremely comfortable, and four
more will be added soon. Two are deluxe, where guests are
pampered just that little bit more, with a towelling bathrobe
and double washbasin.
Great attention is given to detail: fine, unusual bed linen,
with coverlets that are all different; radiators and air-
conditioners painted the same colour as the walls; minibar
and mineral water in a glass bottle in every room; hand-
made chocolates in the finest Lucca tradition to wish you
sweet dreams.
The fabrics used either have a flower motif combined with
small squares or with stripes: red and beige are featured in
some rooms, and lilac and pale green or aquamarine in
others. Some beds have elegant canopy drapes. Most of the
ceilings have exposed beams, and the terracotta floors cool
rush mats. Each mirror is a different design. The decorative
elements and the frames of the prints change according to
the key colour of the dŽcor. The doors are white. Extra
comforts are provided for guests in each room, in the form
of a desk and two armchairs, and a minibar. All the rooms
have air-conditioning, direct dial phone, satellite TV,
hairdryer, as well as the minibar.
All the bathrooms have windows, some have a tub, others a
shower. They are tiled in cream and grey Tessiere majolica
ware, the basins have either a marble or pietra serena and
tile surround. There is a Pija courtesy kit and also a mini kit
with fruit-scented shampoo and conditioner.
Deluxe room 103 is the ultimate, with its original patterned
Tessiere floor and a fresco on the ceiling featuring birds and
masks. Linen fabrics in cream and grey create a soft, refined
atmosphere. There is an antique wardrobe in treated wood.