The story of La Caso d’Elva
Out of a love for Elva came a village hotel that brings together hospitality, architectural restoration and sustainability. A project begun more than thirty years ago to bring a mountain hamlet back to life, restoring it with respect and care for the environment
In the heart of the Cuneo Alps, between Pelvo, Chersogno and Marchisa, Maura and Dario created La Caso d’Elva, surrounded by the greenery of Valle Maira. A village hotel offering guests 3 apartments and 11 rooms in buildings restored with care and attention to detail, with comfort and sustainability in mind.
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Our Story
At 1,703 metres above sea level, Elva is a small mountain community of great charm, made up of 28 hamlets. Its narrow lanes winding quietly through the mountains, the sweeping views over Valle Maira and the sense of a deep connection with nature make it an ideal place today for travellers who are mindful, curious and respectful of the environment. And yet, for all its natural beauty, its artistic treasures and its past at the centre of one of Italy's most thriving trades, the hair trade, until thirty years ago Elva seemed a place forgotten by tourism and abandoned by its own people.
Borgata Isaia in particular, once home to farmers and herders, was completely deserted. Its neglected state, however, did not put off Maura and Dario, who in 1994 chose Borgata Isaia for their holidays.
The charm of the place and their love of the mountains turned that first idea into something far more ambitious, and eventually into a village hotel that has brought life and beauty back to the whole hamlet, restoring its buildings while respecting their original forms and materials.
”For 30 years Elva was the home where we made countless memories with our closest friends. Today, that same home is open to everyone.”
— Maura
The decision to create a village hotel was also driven by the wish to have a positive environmental impact: places like this are unobtrusive and required no new construction, because they make use of existing buildings that had been left empty.
Maura and Dario carried out the slow, painstaking restoration work over more than 30 years. The old stones were carefully washed and reused to rebuild each building, safeguarding the original architecture and preserving the authenticity of the place.
”A village hotel isn't something you spot straight away: it blends perfectly into the local architecture, bringing forgotten hamlets back to life, along with their traditions and the old way of welcoming guests into people's homes.”
— Dario
Throughout the rebuilding of the hamlet, close attention was also paid to environmental sustainability. Every house was built with recyclable materials such as wood and steel, and fitted with the latest generation of solar panels supplying hot water and heating.
Thermal insulation has been taken to the highest standards, giving low energy homes that are easy to run and comfortable for guests in both summer and winter. Alternative energy sources have been used to the full through a bank of photovoltaic panels producing over 20 KW of electricity, paired with storage batteries for periods of peak demand.
Thanks to Maura and Dario's project, Borgata Isaia has been reborn as a village hotel welcoming anyone looking for a restorative holiday in touch with nature.