Inside Donatella Versace's New 20-Bedroom Mansion
The iconic designer has snapped up the Italian lakeside villa of the Mondadori publishing dynasty.
It is one of the most renowned and famous properties on Lago Maggiore, located in Meina in northern Italy. The 100-year old villa sold for around 5 million euros, through a privately negotiated sale between Versace and the family.
The villa was bought by the Mondadori family in the 1920s. Since then, many famous names have stayed here, including Walt Disney, George Simenon, Thomas Mann and Ernest Hemingway. During their stay, some of the most acclaimed writers and intellectuals of the 20th century left their signatures on the wall above the fireplace.
The villa is set in grounds spanning 1,400 square metres, directly overlooking the spectacular Lake Maggiore. All four floors of the villa are connected by a modern elevator.
The property has four floors of fifty rooms, including twenty bedrooms and twelve bathrooms. It is surrounded by a beautiful garden full of ancient trees and flowering borders with a greenhouse, a large fountain and a soccer field. Through a private passage, it is possible to access the lake area, where there is a large swimming pool, an equipped dining area and two covered docks.
The villa includes an independent and completely renovated house for the caretakers and a spacious guest house of 200 sqm.
Along with Lake Como and Lake Garda, the Italian lakes have always been an internationally sought-after destination. In 2018, around 75 percent of property buyers came from abroad, the majority from Germany, the UK and Switzerland, according to Engel & Völkers Lago Maggiore, through which the property was initially listed for sale.
