Beautiful, authentic Italian B&B with a school past and excellent service
La Scuola Guesthouse / Lusiana / Veneto / Italy
I am in love! I have just stayed at one of those one-of-a-kind places that is truly unique and so hard to find. The object of my affection is called La Scuola Guesthouse and is located in Lusiana, where the Alps start to change into rolling hills before the plains of the Veneto region takes over.
So what is it with this place that made me fall head over heals? The first thing is the building that the B&B is housed in. This used to be a school from the 1920:s all the way up to the beginning of the 1970:s. In the years that followed it was inhabited by locals before Valeria and Marco stumbled upon it during a drive, bought it and started the conversion, turning it into a small, eclectic boutique B&B and the doors opened in 2013. There are 5 rooms in total, each one with a unique theme. What they all have in common is a connection to school and the heritage of the building.
I also like when you have to make an effort to get there. The drive here is a challenge along winding roads going up, up, up to just below 1000 m above sea level. All this makes arriving at the goal even sweeter and the views spectacular. On a clear day you can see all the way to Venice.
We were lucky to get to stay in the room called ”Maestra”, the teacher’s room. This attic room was where one of the teachers that lived in nearby Vicenza stayed over night when it wasn’t possible to travel back home. It is a room filled with character, old wooden beams and floor, a free standing bath tub and amazing views of the valley. And no TV!
Another thing that makes me love this place is the breakfast. To sit outside, under the linden trees in the courtyard with the breeze in your face, with old Italian evergreens playing on the radio, enjoying great coffee, local delicacies and home baked goods was like the most intense Italian experience ever. .
I can go on and on with a list of things that are so great with this place but I will leave it here and instead just encourage you to come here and experience the magic of La Scuola for yourself.
Welcome to La Scuola!
Welcome to La Scuola!
The courtyard where kids used to play is now a shady terrace where you can, if you are lucky have breakfast under the linden trees.
How beautiful!? Love these old buildings with a colorful past. This one used to be the local community school up until the 1970:s.
M heading to our room.
I love these old stairs leading up to the old attic where our room was located.
Our room was called “Maestra”, the teacher’s room.
Soft linen sheets, a view of the valley and a cool breeze coming through the open windows was a perfect receipt for a good nights sleep. And to wake up to the scent of freshly baked goods…
A bath tub in the middle of the room? Why not!?
This little guide has all the info you might need and then some. And if it isn’t enough, Valeria who runs the place knows the rest.
One of the old classrooms is now the breakfast room/lounge area.
You’ll find small reminders everywhere to the past of the building.
The view from our room of where the Alps end and the flat landscape of the Veneto region begins. On clear days like this you can see Venice in the far distance.
The breakfast is served in the garden, under the trees.
Yum!
M is enjoying a relaxing morning.
We were recommended this pizza place, totally off the beaten track. It is called Pizzeria dal Baffo di dall’olio Otello. A surreal place where it felt like that had stood still for decades.
Me enjoying a beer and the view.
M is ready to dig in on his pizza.
And with all that pizza, it is important to get some exercise in. We drove to nearby Asiago where there were plenty of great running/hiking trails.
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…have ”done” Italy and seen the places that usually end up at the top of peoples lists. If you are curious to continue to explore this magical country and find places beyond the roads less travelled. And if you like to stay at authentic small, historic hotels where you are well looked after, then this is a place for you.
My favorite thing about this place…
…is the feeling of time travel. The hotel is built around the school theme to honor the past of the building. I really appreciate when a theme is done in the right way, without it becoming a gimmick. When it is elevating the stay and making the experience feel even more genuine which was totally the case at La Scuola. Oh, and I just have to mention the breakfast. To die for!
The quality booster…
…is the location. Italy is a country where every single corner (more or less) gets its fair amount of tourists. But there are still corners that are still sort of hidden. And this is one of those which is a real quality booster in my book. To get to experience something that feels unique and exclusive is the true definition of luxury to me.
What not to miss when staying here is…
…to ask Valeria for restaurant recommendations. She knows EVERYTHING there is to know. about the area. We had such great food experiences (Ristorante in Piazzetta, Asiago and Pizzeria dal Baffo, Lusiana) thanks to her recommendations. And we also got to taste the best ice cream ever (Gelateria Casagrande in Asiago).
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