Ottawa, Canada

Melissa Mech & David Cooper

During our latest visit to Borgo di Vagli (BDV) in May, Lee reminded us that we had just marked our fifth anniversary as owners. That news gave us pause to reflect on the past five years and what our purchase of a fractional ownership at BDV has meant in our lives.At the time of our purchase, we knew that we would be availing ourselves of a beautiful property in the heart of one of Italy's most scenic and enchanting regions. But it was the unexpected and unadvertised benefits that most surprised us and gave us the value-added dividend we never expected.First and foremost, we never anticipated the truly wonderful friendships with other owners and the staff that we have made at Borgo di Vagli. Over the five years, we have developed strong relationships with a number of owners, and in fact now make a deliberate and concerted effort to schedule our weeks at BDV at the same time. Together we now enjoy visits to wineries, exploring new towns, and experiencing all the richness of Tuscany and Umbria has to offer.But our single greatest love and source of enjoyment is long drawn out dinners together in the trattoria while eating Dina and Tiziana’s amazing food, drinking great wine, and concluding with one of their homemade digestifs.The second group of friends that we have made at Borgo are with the staff themselves. From the reception staff to the gardeners, and the housekeepers, all of them feel like family. From the moment we arrive, we look forward to seeing the familiar faces and people we have grown close to during our various visits. During our stay last fall that happened to coincide with the olive harvest, we joined Dina and the gardeners in the groves and helped with the picking (very meditative) of the olives. But more importantly, it gave us the opportunity to connect with the regular Tuscans in a way we never would as normal tourists.And who can forget Giuseppe – our “home away from home” Tuscan cat. As we drive in for the first time each trip we anxiously look forward to seeing him, and checking out whether he has grown even fatter from the previous visit. During each of our two week vacations we love playing with him and occasionally allowing him to sleep with us.One of the other things we have remarked about over the five years is how well Borgo is maintained. Each year we return, the Hamlet looks remarkably well cared for, including a number of upgrades such as the owner’s herb garden, pavement on sections of the white road into Borgo, as well as critical additions such as smoke alarms and an emergency defibrillator.Finally, we would say that what has surprised us most is how much we have come to love Borgo and how much value it represents in our lives. Borgo has become more than just a vacation destination for us. It represents friendships, a place to truly relax and unwind, and a place to share experiences. Five years in, we can already say that we have a vault full of wonderful memories. We can now look forward to our next five years and beyond.

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