Texas, USA

David and Susan Di Paolo

My wife, Sue and I first learned of Borgo di Vagli in 2009, through an associate of my cousin John, who offered us a stay at the Hamlet for a week. The hamlet was a radical departure and pleasant surprise after spending nights in uninspired rooms of traditional hotel chains. The familial quality of Borgo di Vagli was immediately apparent. I did a discovery visit a few years letter, but finances only permitted us to make the investment in fractional ownership last year. As an offspring of Italian parents (from Abruzzo and Campania) who emigrated to the US before I was born, I experienced a sense of “returning home” — of reclaiming a bit of my Italian heritage — through the decision to become an owner. (Our decision to purchase could much better be categorised as a lifestyle investment than a financial investment — given the opportunity to experience the many benefits of Tuscany and nearby regions. The Borgo’s convenient location as a jumping off point for day trips, its ability to serve as a place to meet like-minded travellers and develop new friendships, and its being a respite from the hectic pace in the States were all plusses. The charm of the hamlet was such that it inspired a village for a young adult fiction novel I authored in 2014, as well as a short poem for an upcoming book.) My family plans to return annually.

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