My expectations while staying at virtually any given bed-and-breakfast facility are relatively simple. When I opt for that type of experience, I’m generally looking for a quaint establishment that will provide me with a comfortably clean place to sleep and a moderately-satisfying breakfast.

That’s what makes The Villa in Indianapolis so unique. Yes, it’s quaint. Yes, its guestrooms are clean and comfortable and yes, a satisfying breakfast accompanies an overnight. But there's more to the experience.

As the story goes, the unique structure, built in 1906, was modeled after a Florentine castle that its original owners discovered while they were honeymooning in Italy. The building has changed hands many times over the years but was most recently purchased by Ben and Elaine Life, their daughter, Jeneane, and her husband, Jordan Rifkin, in 2001. Some of the amenities include private two-person Jacuzzi tubs, king or queen-size beds, cable television along with DVD players and access to a DVD library, wireless high-speed Internet, a private roof-top terrace, complimentary snacks and beverages and an on-site workout facility. However, here’s where it really gets interesting.
 
The Spa at the Villa offers just about everything from massages to facials to body treatments and pedicures as well as hair styling and even wellness programs. Personal training, yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, healthy cooking classes, stress and weight management classes and even relationship enhancement are just a few of the various types of programming offered there.

I can personally vouch for the Restaurant at the Villa, with its Tuscan ambiance and Mediterranean Spa-style cooking. During a recent visit, my lunchtime Tuscan Bruschetta appetizer was magnificent and the reasonably-priced Chicken Marsala I selected as a main entrée was deliciously satisfying as well.
 
There’s even a small bar area in which an increasingly-popular weekly wine tasting event attracts locals, even if they’re not planning an overnight stay.

The Villa is truly unique in many ways and its close proximity to downtown Indianapolis—less than a five-minute drive from major shopping, dining and entertainment options—helps make it highly desirable and a “must experience” for locals and visitors alike.