Our history

Located near Ivrea, a short distance from Turin, Viverone, and Biella, Boutique Hotel Villa Soleil is an elegant residence with a history dating back to the first decade of the 18th century.

Its original construction, known as “la cascina” (the farmhouse), is distinguished by its striking porticoed floor and characteristic exposed Piedmontese bricks, dating back to 1702, as confirmed by an engraved stone preserved in the hotel’s modern reception area.

Originally owned by Piero Giacosa (1853-1928), a respected surgeon and fervent patron of the arts, as well as brother of the famous librettist Giuseppe Giacosa, Villa Soleil was originally conceived as a summer residence where he could spend peaceful moments with his wife Laura and daughters.

Piero’s ingenuity led to the expansion of the farmhouse in 1895. Two L-shaped wings were added to the original arched structure at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, characterized by an elegant interpretation of the Art Nouveau style, also visible in the refined decorations of the dining room, where the recurring motif is the letter “L,” in homage to his wife Laura.
The history and cultural heritage of the Villa are also reflected in the rooms, such as the “Una partita a scacchi” (A Game of Chess) room, with its antique fireplace and Savoy coat of arms, as well as the medieval ceiling dating back to 1400. The signatures of illustrious guests such as Arrigo Boito (1842-1918) and Giosuè Carducci (1835-1907) on the fireplace in the living room are just some of the testimonies to the illustrious past of the Giacosa family.

Today, Villa Soleil is a prestigious location for a wide range of events, from weddings and civil ceremonies to baptisms, communions, confirmations, 18th birthday parties, graduation parties, meetings, and business dinners. Immersed in an atmosphere of timeless elegance, with coffered ceilings, centuries-old vaults, and carefully restored rooms, visitors can relive the unique atmosphere left behind by the illustrious poets and artists who have stayed at the Villa over the centuries.