Happiness is Sleeping in the Middle of the Vineyards of Valpolicella

Watching the video of how to get to Dimora del Bugiardo in the Valpolicella wine region of Italy is a lot of fun. I’m not sure who made the video, but I love it. I did have my doubts I would actually be able to find this agrirelais (a cross between an agriturismo and a relais which is another word for a type of hotel). However, I watched the video a few times, made some notes and put my trust in my good sense of direction. No gps for me!

So as I made my way down the gravel road in my just picked up and clean Renault Twingo (very small car), I was pleasantly surprised to find it well-signposted and looking much like the video. Of course, it had rained a lot over the summer so as a result the road was quite wet with abundant potholes. By the time I pulled into the Dimora del Bugiardo the car was a mess, but I was glowing. There sat a beautiful house to stay in right dab-smack in the middle of the vineyards of the Valpolicella wine region just outside of Verona. What more could a girl ask for?

 

 

How about stellar service from Silvia and Melissa and the rest of the staff? And a breakfast buffet with abundant fruit, meat, cheese, breads, sweet cakes/breads, coffee, tea, juice, eggs…well, you get the picture. Plus you can’t beat the location. While in the middle of the vineyards of Buglioni, it is still within reach of the town of San Pietro in Cariano (you can walk here) and the other small towns that dot this gorgeous landscape – Fumane, Garganago, Sant’ Ambrogio d’Valpolicella – all small villages surrounded by grapevines. This is where the world class Amarone is made and it is a wine-lover’s (me!) paradise.

 

 

The rooms at Dimora del Bugiardo are good-sized rooms, clean and simply decorated. Exposed stone walls are one feature that I particularly like. And, you will have a window with a view over vineyards no matter which room you get. I was lucky to have room 18 the first time there, a corner room, so I had views in 2 different directions. Loved it!

 

 

The common room of the house and the patio out front are bonuses. The common room has a few tables, couches and chairs to sit in and chat with other guests. There is an honor bar here as well where you can choose a bottle of the Buglioni wine and mark the sheet. Or if you’d rather have a beer or a soda, there are some in the fridge. But, I love that they have an electric tea kettle to make afternoon tea and eat a few of the cookies in the tins. It was a nice way to relax after a few vineyard visits. In good weather, sitting out front on the patio is also a wonderful way to enjoy the vineyards and getting to know other guests. When I was there, a group from Germany was staying at the Dimora. They certainly took advantage of the patio as the weather was quite nice in early September.

 

 

For me it was the service and the warmth of that service that made Dimora del Bugiardo so special. Silvia and Melissa both speak very good English. They were so helpful, so kind – always asking if I needed anything. Silvia actually called 2 wineries to set up visits and printed off a map for me. Definitely a high level of service. I truly felt as though I made new friends in them. I loved it here so much that I stayed here a second time for one night as I drove from the north of Italy down into Tuscany. It was a great decision as they met me with open arms and Italian kisses. I left, sadly, the first time, and even more sadly that second time. In fact, Silvia and Melissa joked that I could come back again before I left for the States. I was tempted…