Villa Petriolo, green philosophy in the combination of resort and farm

A story that began with the sale at auction of an abandoned and disused 16th century farmhouse and came to success in just a few years, converted into a luxury agritourism with an adjoining farm. The idea was conceived by Daniele Nannetti, the son of hoteliers in the Empoli area, and put into practice thanks to a meeting with the Mexican Cuadra family who, having always been in love with Italy and Tuscany, chose to invest in the area. Villa Petriolo is now a 42-room resort, focused on sustainability, with an adjoining farm that produces raw materials to sustain the entire structure.

"The project was born in 2018 out of a love for this land," says Daniele Nannetti. "I wanted to recreate a diffuse structure that looks back to the past, i.e. the farm where the owner's villa used to be. The property includes the old villa, restored to its former glory, and 170 hectares of land. The total investment was 25 million euro. I am a minority shareholder and the Cuadra family, who in Mexico and the United States first worked in leather processing and then in clothing, is the majority shareholder'. A contemporary Renaissance that helps restore the synergic relationship between man and nature.

The company has 75 direct employees, from the local area, putting the S of the acronym Esg, the focus on the local workforce, as well as seasonal employees. "Ours is a sustainable luxury because it is ethical," says Nannetti. "We have an in-house Esg consultant who monitors operations. Our impact is studied over the long term. Every action we take has a sustainable basis. For example, the water in our five swimming pools is recycled and reused for gardens and vegetable gardens'. A photovoltaic field has been installed in the car park.

The waste from the restaurants, the Michelin-starred restaurant led by chef Stefano Pinciaroli and the osteria Golpaja, is used to feed the animals, the Cinta Senese pigs (about 110), which are raised free in the forest, sheep (about a hundred), donkeys and so on.

Several certifications have been obtained. Villa Petriolo is the first farm certified in several areas, from the water footprint to the Carbon Footprint.