About us

Casa Villatalla is the home of Marina and Roger Hollinshead.

Marina is Ligurian, born in Lavagna on the coast near Chiavari, from where her father originated. Her mother was Swiss French, from Lausanne, and accordingly Marina had the advantage of being brought up bi-lingual Italian/French. She is a trained horticulturalist, and during her 25 years in England spent much of her time teaching the Italian language, culture and cookery at Adult Education institutes.

Roger was born and brought up in Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, and after qualifying as a solicitor in 1972, joined a firm of solicitors in Central London where he remained until his retirement in 2003. He is an occasional golfer, but for relaxation goes walking in the mountains.

We have two daughters, Alexia who last year graduated from Cornwall College, Newquay, in Wildlife, Education and Media studies, and now works as an Information Officer for the RSPB at the stunning Arne Nature Reserve near Poole Harbour, and Celine who works for the NHS Westminster and is currently Project Manager for school-aged immunisations. Roger also has a daughter, Kate, by his previous marriage, who lives in South London and works for a firm of investment managers in the West End whilst studying to qualify as a psychotherapist in her spare time. She was married in December 2008.

By far the most important member of the household, however, is Pickle, our eccentric cat who walks like John Wayne.

Villatalla is a very special place, and we hope you will find it so too, either simply to relax in, or as a temporary home from which to explore this magical part of the world.