by Tony Davis
For a certain type of motor-sport-obsessed tourist, it might
be the ultimate private hotel. It provides a chance not only to stay next to a
famous racetrack, but also in premises once used by Enzo Ferrari – and lived in
by Michael Schumacher. It is very exclusive too: merely having the ability to
raise the substantial tariff (POA) isn't enough. You have to apply to Ferrari
for the right to stay.
The Casa Enzo Ferrari is a three-storey, converted farmhouse
near the main straight of the Fiorano race circuit, a piston-rod's throw from
the Ferrari factory in Maranello, northern Italy.
The ground floor consists, on one side, of Enzo's trackside
office and dining room, where he discussed life, motor sport tactics and art
with a succession of famous drivers including Niki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve
and Mario Andretti.
These rooms are preserved in perfect detail, down to Enzo's
books, furniture, and dial-up telephones. The couches, chairs, tables and lamps
mostly date to the early 1970s and are well worn.
The old man, affectionately known in Italy as "the Pope
of the north", died in 1988, aged 90. A glass-fronted and firmly locked
liquor cabinet is still crammed with Enzo's collection of spirits.
"We have kept everything as he left it, out of
respect," says my guide, Ferrari's Virginia Sciacca. "It is special
for guests to know it was his couch, his TV, and the record player he
used."
A wall of terracotta tiles – installed in Enzo's time –
display the prancing horse logo. The only things that have been added since are
memorabilia, including photos and models of Ferrari cars, old and new.
LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH
The one thing guests can't do in this part of the casa is
touch. There is instead an additional floor-and-a-half filled with luxurious
furniture from famed Italian brand Poltrona Frau for guests to sit on, sleep on
and work in. And the televisions in the casa's accommodation are a lot larger
than Enzo's original.
This modern section was refurbished four years ago by
architect Piero Lissoni. Facilities include a massage room and a sports-style
change room should the guest need to suit up for track activities (wealthy
clients testing their new cars, or practicing for Ferrari's gentlemen's race
series are typical guests – as are celebrities with a Ferrari affliction).
The luxurious double bedroom has track views. For much of
the time during his long stint at Ferrari, Michael Schumacher lived in these
rooms, according to Sciacca, enabling him to test from early in the morning to
late at night.
Guests have access to a wet bar, a humidor, two separate
lounge rooms and two well-equipped offices. A butler is on 24-hour call and
food can be delivered from the nearby Ristorante Cavallino. A complete V8
engine is presented among the various works of art.
The top floor we don't get to see. It is reserved solely for
Ferrari's current Formula One drivers when they are at the factory, the
adjacent race facilities or performing test work on the track.
Ferrari is open about its policy of always building one
fewer car than the market demands, and a similar deliberate scarcity seems to
carry over to accommodation. "Staying here is a unique experience at a
high price," Sciacca says. "For a passionate and crazy Ferrari fan,
this is the best. The possibility of staying here is still elitist. Just owning
a Ferrari is not enough."
She says permission to stay comes down to the quality of the
cars you own, your bank account and your name. "We want to keep it that
way. We have to keep the dream high."
source: http://www.afr.com/brand/luxury/what-you-need-to-stay-at-casa-enzo-ferrari-the-trackside-home-of-the-pope-of-the-north-20150723-giipwq
http://www.fzrestoration.com
