This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport

Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 5000, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using the information in the booking confirmation

Bernard Anson Silj, (a.k.a. DADO), born in Rome (Italy) 1948, of British father and Italian mother, educated at Harrow and Trinity. His formative years between Britain and Italy and subsequent time as a young man, in India and Tibet, fuelled his lifelong fascination in reality, imagination and Zen and the workings of the mind. Between 1980-1990 successfully runs and manages his own multi-national aircraft interior design company (Nortech Ltd. London, Rome, Oslo, Seattle). In 1989, founds Laboratorio dell’Umanesimo in Rome, running residential workshops on humanistic, scientific and transpersonal subjects, with eminent thinkers. 1998 founds Belvedere Italia internet based cultural tourism in Italy. 2007 founds the European Storygardenz project, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Culture. 2012 initiates European Community storytelling project 'Seeing Stories', funded by the EU, with Scottish Storytelling Center and 4 European countries. From the beginning RVS property in Rome is developed as pilot storygardenz. In 2012 is cultural director and content curator/creator for multinational company marketing Italian luxury in the world. Here, begins to realize importance of storytelling for marketing. In the same year begins experimenting with map making and application to Google Maps (Mapzofimagination). Storyteller, lecturer and speaker in Europe and USA, author of several works including “Pedagogia e Carisma nella globalizzazione” for Sapienza University and “Carmen Via, A journey in the songlines of Italy” (Semar Press, the Hague). His latest work “The Garden of Crossed Destinies” written specifically for RVS is about to be published. In 2011 participates, as artist, in exhibition at MLAC museum Sapienza University. In 2010 interprets himself in US film directed by David Rich “Going DADO”. Is presently active in researching and writing many geo-located tales for the expanding Storygardenz project in Italy and in Europe.

This property was part of a huge estate - 14,000 hectares purchased by Bernard's grandfather in 1885. including some extraordinary archaeologiical remains: the villa of Augustus Caesar, the triumphal arch of Emperor Constantine. The estate is smaller now and many of these features are now concentrated here at Villa Silj, which in the early 20th century became a meeting place for eminent artists. The present owner, Bernard, as a storyteller and artist has continued the tradition, with contemporary artists.

This property, offers the combination of the city and country living: a fairy tale garden suited for reunions, retreats, meetings, weddings and family groups. A project in search of lost time (quality time) to encourage conversation, listening and “doing nothing” profitably: an innovative mix of stories, art, combined playfully as a riddle and quest as evinced in the book written for this garden "The Garden of Lemniscati" a book cultivated like a garden, a garden written like a book" (stoires illustrated in the garden include Fall of the House of Hypnos (prehistory and myth), Etruscan Song of Circular Time (legend and history), the Egg of Imperial Succession, the burial of Tacitus (history), The Donation of Constantine (history), Roland, Charlemagne, 1001 Nights, the Great Lost Treasure of Jerusalem and Treasure Island, Three Languages Grimm (fairy tale), DA DA-NEO-DA-DA (contemporary art).