Villa La Massa

Villa La Massa has no golf course. Players with a bag will find the Circolo Golf Ugolino in the Chianti hills at Impruneta, Florence's historic club.

Its roots go back to 1889, when Florence's British community built an 18-hole course on Princess Demidoff's land; the present course dates from 1934. It was designed by Englishman Cecil Blandford and Irishman Peter Gannon: 18 holes, par 72, among vines, olive trees and maritime pines, with small, well-defended greens and sloping fairways. The par 3s are the 4th, 8th, 10th and 15th; the par 5s the 6th, 9th, 12th and 17th.

In 1983 Ugolino hosted the 40th Italian Open, won by Bernhard Langer in a playoff against Severiano Ballesteros and Ken Brown. A plaque marks the spot on the 18th where Ballesteros holed his chip with a nine iron. The club is independent of the hotel.

The villa's origins probably go back to the late 13th century. In 1525 Santi Landini, a Florentine publisher, made it his summer residence; between 1805 and 1810 Alessandro Rinuccini had the four corner towers built. From 1953, under the Sears family, it became a "hotel de charme", and since 1998 it has belonged to Villa d'Este Hotels. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.

Today the 51 rooms and suites, all different, are spread over five buildings: Villa Nobile, Villino, Mulino, Casa Colonica and Limonaia. Rooms start with the Deluxe of 30 m² (from €710 a night), and suites go up to the 134 m² Presidential Suite. The Arno Suite and Parco Suite each measure 84 m². The grounds cover 10 hectares and include an Iris Garden; the hotel is a member of Grandi Giardini Italiani.

Il Verrocchio, with a terrace over the Arno, serves dinner by chef Stefano Ballarino: an Italian menu with contemporary touches and the organic extra-virgin olive oil from the estate's own trees. At lunch the poolside bistro L'Oliveto serves Tuscan covaccino, salads and pizza; in the evening the Bar Mediceo pours cocktails and in summer moves out onto the square by the river.

The 15th-century cellar keeps the finest labels and hosts tastings of Tuscan wines with cheeses and cured meats.

The Arno SPA occupies the villa's old cellars, with brick vaults and terracotta floors. The circuit has a Turkish bath, sauna, Roman whirlpool and emotional showers, and treatments use products from Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. It is open daily 10 am to 8 pm. Outside there is a heated outdoor pool, a gym, jogging paths, bikes and yoga classes by the pool or in the park.

The villa is in Candeli, at Via della Massa 24. The hotel gives about 20 minutes by car from central Florence and Santa Maria Novella station, leaving the A1 at Firenze Sud. A free electric shuttle links the villa to the centre daily in about 15 minutes, leaving at 8.50 am to 10.30 pm, with return pickups from Piazza Santa Maria Soprarno from 9.15 am to 11 pm (booking requested). Florence Peretola airport is 15 km away, Pisa 94 km. There is also a helipad.

• A rock-star wedding. In 1992 David Bowie and Iman rented the whole villa for their wedding.
• Famous guests. The hotel recalls Gregory Peck, Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton among its guests.
• A 16th-century chapel. At the entrance stands a small consecrated chapel from the 16th century, where weddings with religious validity are held.
• Russian aristocracy. In 1856 the estate was bought by Countess Bierliska of the Brobinskym family, part of the Russian nobility settled in Florence.