Hotel Villa Las Tronas rises at the edge of the sea, on a promontory between Cala Lavatoio in the north and Cala Capone in the south. A centuries old park separates it from Lungomare Valencia. The name Las Tronas (“the pulpits” in algherese) derives from the characteristic shape of some of the rocks, now largely eroded by the sea. The villa’s origins date back to around 1880, when it was built on the ruins of an ancient watch-tower by Alessandro, the third Count of St. Elia (Elijah) and was initially destined to be a hunter’s cabin. In 1910 the piers and town walls were built, aimed at ensuring the necessary privacy for guests, while between 1918 and 1920 Don Luigi Arborio Mella, the fourth Count of St. Elia, did important renovation work, urged on by his English wife Lady Rosamond Marke Wood: the building took on its shape vaguely inspired by the medieval castle, following the fashion of the time and the rank of the family. His brother Alberto had in the meantime become Maestro di Camera (Chamberlain) for Pope Pius XI, and kept this rank with Pius XII, too. The villa thus became a meeting-place for the best society of the epoch; the Romanov princesses and Italian Royalty were habitual guests, in summer to swim in the sea, in winter for hunting.

In 1959 Francesco Arborio Mella, fifth Count of St. Elia, sold the villa to the husband and wife Leonardo Masia and Giuseppina Fonnesu, who turned it into a hotel and donated it to their children, Giuseppe, Teresa, Adriana and Battista.

Among their first clients were the dramatist, Samuel Beckett and the actors, Virna Lisi, Ugo Tognazzi, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. In 1961 another floor was built and the villa restored by Cavaliere (Sir) Andrea Trova, Teresa’s husband, taking on its current form; in the meantime Nino La Spina, Adriana’s lawyer husband, helped to manage the administrative aspects of the hotel. The atmosphere thus featured an unusual “double insularity”: the La Spina family were in fact Sicilian. Many pieces of antique furniture present in the hotel actually came from the Sicilian homes of the La Spina family.

In 2006 the villa obtained the “five star hotel” classification.

HOTEL

During your stay at the Hotel you can enjoy a series of exclusive opportunities to satisfy your every desire. You will find below some information on what Hotel Villa Las Tronas is able to offer to make your visit unforgettable.

ROOMS & SUITES

A total of 24 rooms and suites, some of which have terraces, overlook magnificent views of the park or the sea. All the rooms differ from one another in size, interior decoration and colours – just as each of us has unique tastes and passions. Furniture, structures and pavements are original, thus conserving the distinction and elegance that characterise the Villa, offering a voyage back in time, a unique experience that defies standards and definitions.