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Bellaugello gay estate offers luxurious accommodation and facilities in which to relax and unwind on holiday in a comfortable, informal yet elegant environment in the heart of Umbria, near Perugia, central Italy.
Situated on an elevated south-facing slope overlooking the valley of the river Chiascio, the house and gardens at Bellaugello enjoy far reaching views along the Apennines, the Monte Cucco national park, and south toward Assisi. Immersed in countryside yet close to the cities of Perugia and Gubbio.
Our vision is focused on the gay community. Our home is a free and tolerant environment, where diversity and respect are valued.
Our requirements included:
- Privacy but not isolation
- Big southerly views
- A character house
- Space for a dining room and dining terrace
- An horizon swimming pool
- Sauna complex
- Fragrant gardens
- Hidden chill out corners
Bellaugello provides all that and more besides; there's an old pizza oven, an organic vegetable garden, and olive trees, woodland walks and the house and garden are encircled by their own south facing land, private yet convenient for touring this beautiful part of Italy.
Our philosophy is to offer flexibility and choices. On the food front, Breakfasts are served daily, and dinner three evenings a week, all around one large table, a chance to mix with fellow guests. Each suite has a cooking corner for the preparation of simple meals with fresh produce so delightfully found at the local markets. Our location is also convenient for several good restaurants.
Chill and relax; At the house on your private terrace, by the chlorine free horizon swimming pool, or in a hammock under the shade of a tree. The garden, swimming pool area and sauna are clothing optional.
Or explore a little; The estate and river Chiascio valley offer many quiet tracks all waiting to be discovered on foot or by bicycle. We provide mountain bikes for your use. Close at hand are the historic cities of Assisi, with the basilica of St Francis; Perugia, with its Etruscan underground city, National Museum of Art and Umbria Jazz Festival; Urbino, with the splendid renaissance Montefeltro palace; Citta di Castello, home to the Burri Collection; and Gubbio, one of the finest preserved medieval cities in Europe. Each hosting religious and musical festivals and fairs.
Glorious Umbrian hill top towns with a diversity of interest abound. Each has streets lined with artisan shops, enoteca and restaurants are all waiting to be explored; Spello, almost melting off the hill, has late Roman gateways; Montone, a traditional autumn food fair; Todi, a large antiques fair; Montefalco, produces fabulous sagrantino di Montefalco wine; and Monte Castello di Vibio, has a tiny theatre,. A little further away lie the Tuscan treasure cities of Siena, Montepulciano, San Gimignano and Florence.
Bellaugello is a comfortable gay guest house, offering five individual suites, each designed to take account of the requirements of today's traveller, yet paying homage to the time aged structure with its old stone walls mellowed by the passage of time. Some are very traditional, with chestnut beams and exposed stone walls; others are modern and cutting edge; all are well furnished and offer sumptuously indulgent bathrooms, a small kitchen corner, flat screen television and dvd, ipod dock and wireless internet connection. Two suites have separate sitting rooms with high quality sofa beds and be able to sleep four guests. One suite at the south end of the house is a duplex with upper bedroom with stairs leading down to dining area and bathroom on the lower level, both opening onto a large panoramic terrace with outdoor shower area.
Much of the old garden has already been reclaimed and landscaped, lawned and planted with semi-mature specimen trees and hedging, roses, lavender, paeonias, wisteria, rosemary and other flowers and shrubs.
A 15 x 5m infinity swimming pool, cleaned by salt treatment.
Long term sustainability is very important to us; Our 53 hectare estate provides sustainable timber to fuel our wood burning boiler, underfloor heating and fireplaces. Solar panels provide our hot water, and solar panels provide our hot water and heat our swimming pool. Our olive grove provides our own olive oil, the vegetable garden, our salad leaves, tomatoes and vegetables in season, and the garden heady with the scents of lavender, rosemary and herbs, is abundant with fruit trees. A Finnish log cabin sauna heated by a wood stove operates in autumn, winter and spring. Situated in the garden, the sauna has a panoramic chill-out terrace and of course an icy shower fed by our spring.
Since first coming on holiday to Umbria nearly twenty years ago I have returned countless times and now chosen to make Umbria my home, and to share my home with others.
The draw of the region has been strong, I was, and remain captivated by the beautiful verdant scenery, hill top towns full of character and charm, that cling tightly to wooded hillsides, the warmth of the residents, quality of the food and wine and of course the stupendous art and festivals. To have all that yet to be close to the cities of Rome, Florence and Siena made this a must be place to live.
Home was formerly the UK primarily in Scotland where I first studied, then practiced hotel management owning and running two country house hotels, and, before it became fashionable, restored houses. Umbria always tugged at the back of my mind, I wanted to open a gay guest house where like minded men can relax and enjoy a holiday without prejudice to offer the kind of holiday I myself enjoy.
First and foremost I wanted a house with big south facing views with space enough to create separate guest suites, and because of my love of cooking, a dining room, and dining terrace, space for a dreamy horizon swimming pool, and terraced land on which to create a garden. The house had to be romantic, old and not restored, but, at the same time not ruinious, and, because I wanted to grow crops, harvest my own olives, and practice sustainable living had to sit in its own land . A tall order!
After innumerable viewings a local friend told me of a house for sale in a place called Valdichiascio, I could not even pronounce the name, but went off to inspect. Within one hundred metres from the main road, without even having seen the house I knew I was home, and indeed as we neared the house it just continued to get better, it suited my purpose exactly. A lengthy process of negotiation resulted in my purchasing Bellaugello (pronounced bell - ow - jello) and together with my three dogs; Milo, Edo and Jenny, and furniture, relocated over here early in 2007. Since then I have been busy creating what is on offer today, ready for you to enjoy.