Francescana at Maria Luigia In Modena

Back from a stay at Casa Maria Luigia, which, though brief, was no less interesting and enjoyable. Forget about a typical hotel stay or a simple gastronomic 'experience.' This is something else entirely, or at least that's how we experienced it. Accommodation: Excellent, with rooms focused more on aesthetic detail than functionality. The garden/park is an oasis. We only missed a turndown service, usual at this level. The thoughtful breakfast introduces you to regional products, but we did miss a simple croissant. The service is young, attentive without being intrusive. Lara and Massimo want you to feel at home, and they succeed admirably. The primary language is English, more so than Italian. The target clientele is tourists seeking experiences. There's a strong presence of Americans (Lara's excellent work is evident here as well). Dinner: Casa Maria Luigia offers (and more) a tasting menu featuring some of the Chef's iconic dishes. Nothing is cooked there; there are no pans or pots, only plating up and ovens for setting temperatures. In fact, you don't get the impression of being in a restaurant, but rather in an exhibition—an exhibition where the works aren't paintings to admire, but the dishes themselves, and the experience is a tasting preceded by an explanation of the 'work'. It's best to go with a clear idea: it's not a 'dinner,' it's a visit to a "gastronomic exhibition." The result may be more or less to your liking. But this is it. In all, we enjoyed our stay and plan to be back.

We noticed at some point Casa Maria Luigia changed their schedule to be open 7 days a week, so we changed up our travel plans to stay here during our time in Emilia Romagna and the trouble of updating our plans was so worth it. This place is truly incredible and I would recommend it to anyone who comes to visit this area. There is clearly so much thought that goes into making this place feel like home - the staff is extremely friendly and we also had the pleasure of meeting Massimo and Laura here who are so warm and down-to-earth. We also did a tour of the Acetaia (where they produce traditional balsamic vinegar on the property) and we learned so much from the guided tour and are happy to be bringing back some gifts with us to remember this place when we’re back home.

It’s hard to know where to start! We travelled from Australia but still had an understanding of Osteria Francescana in Modena BUT with the bonus of Casa Maria Luigia (via the documentary) this was the ultimate stay and eat weekend. The moment we drove up the beautiful canopied driveway and the gates opened we knew we had arrived. The video promotion online was EXACTLY how the 2 nights played out. Having been away since early April travelling this is home away from home, relaxed, comfortable, warm, welcoming and the best food and people from across the world. We checked in, went to the kitchen, opened the fridge made ourself a drink, had a snack then off for a vinegar tour. Of course we bumped in to Lara. What a beautiful lady and so warm and vibrant. Night one - dinner in the restaurant. Erica was elite. Her passion and explanation of each dish. What a beautiful journey she took us on. The entire team 10/10. Sleep, Wake, walk, smells of the wood fired Oven, coffee, breakfast. Quick trip in to Modena, Ferrari museum, Centro, Cafe, home, lunch in the restaurant then pool time to read my newly signed book “Fast Cars - Slow Food” while Lara doing laps and relaxing like a guest not a not the owner. 7.45pm Grab a taxi to Osteria Francescana in Modena for dinner #2 both incredible. A huge bucket list weekend. Room 10 was ELITE, the staff, the grounds world class. Two nights wasnt enough - next visit - week minimum.

What a magical place. Spent two nights in this beautiful B&B. Every staff member was so attentive, the grounds are beautiful, breakfast was amazing and the restaurant was excellent. Everything is a work of art.

Casa Maria Luigia is a dream you never want to wake up to from. A perfect balance between effort and ease, sophistication and simplicity. The food, people, art, architecture, pace and endless tiramisu are in perfect ratio. Just say ‘Si a tutto’ and experience La Dolce Vita!

A dream stay in a magical place. The Casa Maria Luigia country house is an authentic place of fairytale beauty. Immersed in the natural beauty of the Modena countryside, it perfectly achieves its goal of being a home away from home. The hospitality is exceptional, the spaces meticulously maintained and filled with artistic taste, and the rooms are wonderful and incredibly comfortable. The common areas waiting to be explored enhance a stay that is already rewarding just by strolling through the estate. A visit to their vinegar factory (located on the same estate) is highly recommended; we truly enjoyed it. Finally, breakfast is a delight for the palate and definitely a small experience worth trying.

Perfection. A true Home Away From Home. After Kitchen Quarantine bringing us joy during Covid, we had to visit. Highly recommend the balsamic vinegar tour as well.