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Posts tagged ‘Harriet Walter’

Jun 28

10 Succession locations you can stay at – including the Barbados house from the last ever episode

[UPDATE: Gleneagles features on the inaugural Worlds’ 50 Best Hotels list at number 32.]

Over four seasons of hit HBO television series Succession the power struggles of the billionaire media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his offspring has played out against a backdrop of beautiful locations.

The Roys, along with their business associates and love interests, have private jetted their way around some of the most luxurious and intriguing hotels and holiday rentals in the US and Europe. 

As Succession fans go into mourning following the grand finale last week (and most likely rewatch the entire series from the beginning) here’s a look at the venues featured in the show you can stay at.

Maddox House

In the finale, With Open Eyes, the siblings Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook) all end up at their mother, Lady Caroline’s (Harriet Walter), house on Barbados. The idyllic estate with green shutters, lush terraces and large swimming pool is Maddox House in jet set magnet St James on the west coast of the island.

Renowned British theatre set designer Oliver Messel transformed the coastal house for himself in the 1960s and entertained his friends there including Hollywood stars and British royalty. The property was scouted for Succession by Emily FitzRoy owner of Bellini Travel who previously organised locations in Italy for season three (more of which later). For the first time Maddox House will be available for rental, price is on application. Contact Bellini Travel for more details.

Juvet Landscape Hotel

Kill List in season four saw Kendall, Roman and Shiv join tech tycoon Lukas Matsson’s (Alexander Skarsgård) company retreat ostensibly to finalise the sale of their father company, Waystar Royco to him.

The retreat took place at the real life Juvet Landscape Hotel on the northwest coast of Norway, an architecturally impressive resort set in a birch forest between a river and mountains. The Landscape Rooms which Kendall and Roman were shown staying in are wood and glass structures on stilts designed to maximise the views. Even the sauna, based beside a river, has a glass frontage to take in the scenery.

Gleneagles

In the season two episode Dundee, Logan returned to his home town in Scotland and stayed at Gleneagles in the Perthshire countryside about an hour’s drive from the city.

The lavish hotel is surrounded by mountains and all the rooms and suites are stylishly decorated with sumptuous fabrics.

Much of the filming took place in the light filled Glendevon room which is usually the venue for afternoon tea with views of the gardens.

Rancho Alegre

The Roy family gathered at eldest son/half-brother Connor’s (Alan Ruck) house for group therapy in season one. Austerlitz is both the name of the episode and the name of Napoleon obsessed Connor’s ranch in New Mexico. The real life location is the “nouveau Western chic” Rancho Alegre in Santa Fe. 

The striking terracotta coloured compound is decorated with Native American and Hispanic influences, includes a recording studio, chapel and the infamous infinity pool. It’s bookable through Casas de Santa Fe, price available on request.

Oheka Castle

Standing in for a Hungarian castle in the Hunting episode in season two is Oheka Castle, which in reality is on Long Island in New York State.

The romantic looking mansion with turrets, sweeping staircases and ornamental gardens, was built for an American financier in 1919 and is now a hotel. All the guest rooms and suites are decorated in the style of the Gilded Age with mahogany beds and swagged curtains.

Whiteface Lodge

Also in season two the Argestes episode named after a fictitious tech and media retreat was filmed at Whiteface Lodge in Upstate New York. The luxuriously rustic (all dark wood, stone fireplaces and antlers) resort is in the Adirondack mountains on the shore of Lake Placid.

You could also visit nearby High Falls Gorge where Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) took the “culture hike” along the bridges and walkways, pursued by Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun).

Rooms range from one bedroom suites to the four bedroom Presidential Suite which Logan stayed in, all cosily decorated with handcrafted Adirondack furnishings.

The Plaza New York

The Roys headed to Virginia for a political conference in Going For What It Takes in season three where Logan plotted over who he wanted to back as president of the United States. While the exterior shots are of The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, the interiors were filmed at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. 

Several scenes were shot in the public rooms and private event spaces at the Fifth Avenue hotel which overlooks the southside of Central Park. 

Of course Logan held court in the Royal Suite which includes a dining room, library and massive master bedroom.

La Foce

For last two episodes of season three the Roys travelled to Italy. Firstly to Tuscany, or Chiantishire as the episode is called, where Logan’s ex-wife Lady Caroline got married again. The pre wedding drinks party was filmed at La Foce estate between Florence and Rome in Val d’Orcia which includes several properties for rental. The main house, Villa La Foce where most of the Roy family stayed, has 12 bedrooms and a swimming pool as well as magnificent gardens. 

Villa Cetinale

The wedding in the All The Bells Say season three finale took place at the grand 17th century Villa Cetinale near Siena in the Tuscan countryside. The 13 bedroomed baroque style villa has its own chapel where the ceremony was filmed and beautiful gardens in which the eventful wedding reception was set.

Villa La Cassinella

In a storyline interwoven with Lady Caroline’s destination wedding Lukas Matsson is holed up at Villa La Cassinella on the western shore of Lake Como. The exclusive villa – only reachable by boat as Logan and Roman did – can accommodate up to 17 guests and includes a swimming pool, tennis court and gym. 

The three Italian properties can be booked through Bellini Travel, prices on application.

Jan 8

All eyes on Italy: Filming locations of Succession, The Morning Show and House of Gucci

La Foce, Tuscany HBO Go Succession

Italy must have been crawling with famous actors and film crews this year. From television series Succession and The Morning Show to the House of Gucci movie, Italy was the setting for several scenes on the small and big screens. While you may have vicariously been under the Tuscan sun and on a Roman holiday by watching this winter, here are the locations you can visit when restrictions are finally lifted.

Tuscany

The penultimate episode of HBO’s Succession season three sees the super rich Roy family on who the show centres, travel from New York to Italy. The aptly named Emily FitzRoy founder of exclusive travel company Bellini was enlisted to find locations. 

Firstly in Tuscany, or Chiantishire as the episode is called – the region’s portmanteau nickname in the 1990s referencing the red wine and the English home county “shires”. Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) ex-wife and Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman’s (Kieran Culkin) mother, Caroline Collingwood (Harriet Walter), gets re married and the setting is two private estates that are available to rent in real life. 

La Foce between Florence and Rome and overlooking the bucolic Val d’Orcia is where Caroline’s al fresco drinks party takes place. These terraced, formal gardens are open to visitors on certain days from May to November. 

And the yellow hued Villa La Foce is where most of the Roy family stay (and is available to rent from 35,000 euros a week FitzRoy tells me). The estranged Kendall and his children stay at one of the estate’s other properties, Belvedere Piccolo, which includes *that* swimming pool which can be rented at around 1,650 euros a week.

HBO GO -SUCCESSION S3 – Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Mcfayden) at Villa Cetinale, Tuscany

The wedding takes place at 17th century, Villa Cetinale near Siena. The 13 bedroom Baroque style villa is available to rent also from 35,000 euros a week FitzRoy says. The spectacular gardens, where the reception takes place, are also open to visitors by appointment only when the villa is not let.

Caroline’s “bachelorette party” takes place in the pretty hilltop, walled town of Cortona. About an hour’s drive away in Pienza, the Roy siblings are filmed meeting at La Terrazza del Chiostro restaurant where the panoramic views from the terrace are main draw.

HBO GO – Succession S3 – Caroline (Harriet Walter) and Shiv (Sarah Snook) in Cortona, Tuscany

Lake Como

Tech tycoon Lukas Matsson’s (Alexander Skarsgard) luxurious lair is Villa La Cassinella on the western shore of Lake Como. Logan and Roman arrive by helicopter at the villa’s private landing pad and then take a boat across the lake to Cassinella. “They arrived as any guest would, you cannot arrive by car – the only other alternative is by sea plane,” FitzRoy tells me. Although it costs upwards of 130,000 euros a week to rent, Fitzroy says the property gets booked up years in advance.

Villa La Cassinella, Lake Como HBO GO Succession S3 Lukas Mattson (Alexander Skarsgard) and Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin)

Filming also took place along this stretch of Lake Como for Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci movie. Villa Balbiano built in the 16th century stands in for Aldo Gucci’s (Al Pacino) house. Fast forward to the 21st century and the waterside villa is available for private rental at 175,000 Euros per week. Inside are original frescoes, museum worthy antiques and six suites designed by fashionable hotel designer Jacques Garcia.

Don’t look for the villa from Apple TV+’s The Morning Show here though. In the second season shamed anchorman Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) is seen hiding out in a grand villa that appears to be on the shores of Lake Como where Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) tracks him down. Filming actually took place at a private school in California however with drone shots of Lake Como added in.

Milan

In the House of Gucci, Rodolfo’s (Jeremy Irons) imagined home is the striking 1930s Villa Necchi Campiglio. Set in private gardens in the centre of Milan it is now a museum. 

On an early date in the film, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) and Patrizia Reggiana (Lady Gaga) visit the gloriously ornate Galleria Vittorio Emanuele 11 shopping arcade between the Duomo and Teatro alla Scala. The restaurant they pass there, Savini, which Reggiana says is “too expensive” has been a Milanese stalwart for composers and opera singers since 1867. When I visited a few years ago there was a quaintly named “Lunch for Ladies in Shopping” set menu and Savini’s website currently states, “an elegant dress code is appreciated”.

Rome

Both Pacino and Gaga’s characters visit the real life Gucci store on Via Condotti, near the Spanish Steps, which is packed with designer boutiques. The Guccis opened their first shop outside their native Florence in Rome although the current day boutique is a few doors down from the original.

Also in Rome, the picturesque Church of Santa Maria in Portico in Campitelli is where the Maurizio and Patrizia wedding was filmed although in reality the couple were married in Milan.

Gressoney

Adam Driver and Lady Gaga as Maurizio and Patrizia Gucci in House of Gucci. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.

In the film Maurizio evades the police on his motorbike and crosses over the snowy Swiss border to St Moritz. Filming actually took place in the Italian Alps, at the Gressoney-Saint-Jean and Gressoney-La-Trinite in the Aosta Valley. Although scenic, the resorts are far less glitzy than St Moritz and the runs are for advanced skiers only being mainly red and black as well as off-piste.

Incidentally, founder of the fashion house, Guccio Gucci, was once a bell boy at The Savoy in London. Author of the book House of Gucci Sara Gay Forden says Guccio’s experience of handling The Savoy guests’ expensive luggage inspired him to create the Gucci fashion brand. The Savoy has temporarily restyled its Royal Suite in homage to the Gucci house.