The seasons of our Case and of our Life

The seasons. Our Case in the mountains are seasonal hotels and, as such, subject to the whims of the passing seasons. Just like us. At the Posta, in Tuscany, we adopt the farming tradition of fallowing – we rest in winter, after the holidays, to then sow new seeds.

Opening our doors after the seasonal break means a lot more than just getting back to work. It is a process of renewal and reflection on what hospitality truly means, on what we want to keep and what the true meaning of “uselessness” is. Here, uselessness – whatever does not add any use to something on the surface – makes sense.

True usefulness can be found in what we do not need. Uselessness gives us beauty, time, and space to face the unforeseen, for those useless gestures which, however, make sense to us. Are petals in a toilet useful? Gazing at the snow falling as I drink a comforting cup of hot tea – is that necessary? Admiring the Rocca d’Orcia, rising in the distance – will that make me a better person? Transforming a mountain hut from the 19th century into a safe and unique haven – our Ladinia – was that really worth it? Choosing orange as the main colour for our Grand Fodà on Passo Furcia might seem out of place and, therefore, useless. Are trips useful or are they something we could give up on? If I were to hug a larch, what am I doing? Have I lost all my marbles? While it may be true that we can give up on travelling and many other things – admiring a work of art, for example – that “useless” time is never really that. For everything we do adds value to our lives.

The ancient Romans spoke of “otium”, a time where people were free from public engagements and their profession, a time carved for reflections, studying, and contemplation. It was a considered a privilege, as opposed to the concept of “negotium” which describes public engagement and work. Travelling, interpreted as a moment for ourselves, is one of the most valuable and useful moments in life.

Uselessness is not just the absence of utility – but the pursuit of “superfluity” which frees us from the haunting obsession of obtaining an immediate result. It frees up our time to meet, and this rarefied sense of lightness gives our trips a deeper meaning, where plans do not have to take place and bow to the chaos and demands of our life. We are forgiven for the “fault of our ways”.

And the act of forgiving is quite interesting – for-give, where we freely give something to someone else. And so we share our time and gifts with whoever crosses the thresholds of our four Case – or rather, five, i.e. Haus Valentin, where our staff reside. The quintessence of hospitality is not the act of welcoming someone with open arms – or not only – it is more about making the act of hospitality a gift, unshackling it from the slavish concept that hospitality equals service. Rather, it is a free act of service we give of our own volition. For-giving. If we do not do that, we will be lost in the valley of commercial tourism. By opening our huts, thermal pools, our hotels, after these seasonal breaks means opening ourselves to other people, no holds barred, knowing that every genuine gift of our time and attention enriches everyone’s life – including our own. And this allows us to welcome our staff, our guests – new and old – back with open arms.

Holiday and relaxation destination are places of transit – for guests who spend a few days with us, and for our staff who spend a few months there. However, they also are a place of intimacy, a weightless refuge. Reopening is therefore a rite of passage and knowledge, inviting us to retain only the essential and to give away whatever is superfluous in an act capable of elevating us from the frenzy of everyday life.

In this vein, hospitality’s quintessence lies in the pursuit of uselessness, understood as that free time we have to contemplate beauty, and (for)giving said time and attention of our own volition to each guest. Pushing those ajar doors wide open means breathing life into this essence, welcoming the new season, and ensuring we are all enriched by the beauty of uselessness.

Wishing you all delightful season of contemplation and (for)giving,

.m