Check Into Al Pacino’s ‘House of Gucci’ Villa For a Night

The court proceedings that followed were as ostentatious as Patrizia (pictured above) herself. As described by The Daily Beast, “The trial was a showy affair. Gucci stores displayed silver handcuffs emblazoned with the double G in their store windows in Florence and Milan. Reggiani, dubbed ‘The Black Widow’ by the Italian press, was deemed a flight risk because of her substantial bank account and remanded in custody for the duration of the trial and appeal. But she somehow convinced the judge to allow her hairdresser and manicurist to have what amounted to esthetic-based conjugal-style visits before each hearing, which she attended kitted out in fur coats and stiletto heels, often with a Gucci scarf tied around her neck.”

Despite the histrionics, the former Lady Gucci was found guilty and sentenced to 29 years in prison (a term that was later reduced to 26 years). She ultimately served 16 before being released for good behavior in 2016. Though Patrizia could have been discharged even earlier as part of a work-release program, she refused. The Daily Beast details, “Over the course of her 16 years in prison, during which she kept a ferret and a parakeet as pets in her cell, she twice refused work release because, she said, ‘I’ve never worked a day in my life; I’m certainly not going to start now.’” Post-prison, she has changed her tune considerably and is now employed by costume jewelry company Bozart and can often be seen tooling around the streets of Milan with a macaw perched upon her shoulder.

Though the whole ordeal certainly sounds like a circus, Tom Ford takes issue with how the events unfold onscreen, writing, “It was hard for me to see the humor and camp in something that was so bloody. In real life, none of it was camp. It was at times absurd, but ultimately it was tragic.” Regardless, the film certainly has people talking!

And now the stunning Italian villa that serves as the home of Maurizio’s uncle, longtime Gucci chairman Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino), in the movie is being offered through Airbnb for a special one-night promotional stay on March 30, 2022. Located about forty minutes from Milan on the Western shore of tony Lake Como in Ossuccio, Lombardy, the three-story estate is a thing of beauty! But living like a Gucci doesn’t come cheap! The one-night booking (reservations for which open on December 6 at 12 p.m. EST) will set the lucky winner back a cool $1,125.

Though capacity is limited to two guests, the estate features an impressive six suites, each custom-decorated by French interior designer Jacques Garcia, and seven baths spread throughout an incredible 12,916 square feet.

Known as Villa Balbiano in real life, the historic property dates back to the 16th Century when it was built by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio in 1596. The dwelling was later acquired by papal nuncio Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini, who enlarged it, outfitted the interior with countless works of art and hosted numerous soirees and literary discussions on the premises.

One of the largest residences on Lake Como, today the villa operates as a private home, special events venue and luxury vacation rental operated by My Private Villas and Edge Retreats with weekly rates starting at €175,000 (that’s almost $200,000 stateside!). Kinda makes Airbnb’s promotional $1,125 price seem like a drop in the bucket, huh?

According to the listing, the estate’s sumptuous interiors “have been filled with finest objets d’art and furniture of past centuries, sourced from Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Spectacular 17th Century frescoes painted by the Recchi brothers and Agostino Silva still decorate the walls, untouched by time. With its illustrious past, an unparalleled mix of man-made and natural beauty, Villa Balbiano is one of the most glamorous locations on Lake Como.”

Opulent living spaces include a formal dining room, a library, four salons, a studio, an indoor pool, an elevator and an entrance lobby with original frescoes and a marble staircase. 

The surrounding three-acre lot features multiple gardens, a second pool, a covered terrace with a fireplace, a boathouse, a private pier and a guest residence as well as a “villino” (or detached house) offering a total of eight additional bedrooms and nine additional baths.

Per Airbnb, the promotional rental does not include the use of any of the property’s televisions, washing machines or the kitchen, oddly enough. So while you can live like a Gucci for a night, you certainly can’t cook like one! But rest assured, standard Villa Balbiano bookings include access to the kitchen as well as an onsite villa manager, chef, butler/waiter, two housekeepers, two gardeners and security staff. 

The sprawling residence certainly makes for the quintessential Italian getaway, one that Airbnb assures will grant guests “an unparalleled height of style and elegant luxury,” much like the Gucci name itself!

Villa Balbiano is featured front and center in “House of Gucci.” Both the interior and exterior appear onscreen – and to spectacular effect. The estate’s opulence truly showcases the immense wealth of the Gucci family – a wealth that Patrizia wasn’t too keen on letting go of following her divorce from Maurizio.

Alas, the property is not to be confused with the similarly-named Villa del Balbianello (pictured above), an oft-filmed estate also on the shores of Lake Como that was famously featured in such productions as “A Month by the Lake,” “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” and “Casino Royale.”