Nigerian gemstone trader opens the Italian boutique hotel on a 40 -hectare estate with vineyard and olive forest

From Lagos to London and now Puglia, Italy, former gemstone trader Thelma West has brought her passion for design and restoration to the next level with the launch of her boutique hotel, complete with its own vineyard and Olive Grove.

Casina Cinquepozzi is set to a vast estate of 40 hectares in Puglia and is a true work of love for West, who was co-founder of the boutique hotel with her husband, naples resident and former Apple director, Stefano Liotta. The boutique hotel was launched and gave West the opportunity to channel its passion for jewelry design in a new form of creativity, hospitality and restoration.

“I work a lot with old pieces where I have to take the best pieces and give it new life,” them told ROBB report. “When we discovered this place, the mission was not to change it.”

Casina CinquePozzi combines sustainable tourism, luxury accommodations and the deep appreciation of West for both its Nigerian roots and Puglia’s natural landscape of rolling hills, olive groves and a beautiful coastline. Named after the five historic wells on the site, the boutique hotel is the result From a well-considered restoration of an 18th-century farmhouse, lovingly revived by West and Liotta.

When designing the Wild West building, rich history honor by working with local artisans to restore the original architecture and integrate sustainable functions. The hotel has hand -painted ceilings, traditional ceramic tiles and tailor -made furniture made from locally produced materials that contribute to the luxury sustainability factor.

A stay at the Lush Boutique Hotel offers guests a deep dive in local culture and history, where each room tells its own unique story. With the help of an environmentally friendly model, the property runs on energy -efficient systems and practices regenerative agriculture. Guests can enjoy estate-produced organic olive oil and participate in wine and olive oil tastings that come directly from the vineyard and olive forest on site.

It is an environment that fortunately immersed West every morning.

“I step outside. In Puglia it is simple: I’m just going for a walk through the vineyard or the olive forest,” she shared. “I get lost a bit of that silence. In London we have a room called the nest. It opens in front of the gardens, and I usually get out for a few minutes, and it does well.”

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