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Resort-style Senior Living at Volterra (Photo Credit: Volterra)

Upscale Senior Living: A New Trendy Option

Have you ever vacationed or visited a beautiful resort and wished you didn’t have to leave so soon?  Or perhaps, like me, silently thought, “Wow, this is the life.  I think I could live here forever!”  Well, if you’re a senior, age 62 or older, I have fantastic news for you.  Although resort-style independent senior living has existed for decades, there’s a newer, trendy option for those searching for a retirement community. Recently, I attended a presentation for Volterra® Senior Living located at ChampionsGate in Central Florida.

The sales presentation for the unveiling of this new property was expertly demonstrated; not to mention the yummy free lunch at the gorgeous Omni Hotel at ChampionsGate!  It included talks from several different individuals, highly skilled in the arena of senior living.  Their experience in this field, along with a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of senior living, was outstanding.  If you’re considering this type of housing for yourself or a loved one, here’s what I learned…

Volterra®: A Tuscan Isle Community

Volterra is a walled town southwest of Florence, in Italy — a charming medieval town in central Tuscany. That was the inspiration for Volterra® at ChampionsGate.  Granted, it’s not as well-known as Venice, Milan, Naples, or Verona, but the old-world ambiance is just as spectacular.  And, the developer of Volterra® Senior Living just so happens to have strong family ties to that gorgeous mountaintop town.

Although Volterra® at ChampionsGate is modeled after an ancient town, everything here is brand new and modern.  It’s like living in a Tuscan village that has been warmed by the Florida sun.  Everything you love about Italy is here: red tile roof, walls adorned by Tuscan art, lively conversations in the piazza, and the aroma of freshly brewed cappuccino as it wafts throughout the indoor Villaggio.

But even though Volterra® looks and feels like Italy, you will have a ChampionsGate address, with views of the 4-star Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, including the ChampionsGate golf club.

Volterra’s Neighbor: The 4-star Omni Resort (Photo Credit: Omni Hotels)

Volterra® Residences

Volterra® is unlike any other upscale senior living opportunity that I have toured.  Unlike most retirement communities, Volterra® Senior Living residences are all-inclusive apartment homes.  There are no single-family units, and you do not own your home.  You will be renting, on a month-to-month basis.

There are five one and two-bedroom floor plans to choose from.  Volterra® partners with a professional interior design company that specializes in senior living.  The apartments are bright and contemporary and include stainless steel kitchen appliances, washer and dryer, and some offer private balconies, terraces, or breakfast bars.  The apartment homes are unfurnished enabling you to decorate according to your own style preferences.  Obviously, pricing is dependent upon the floor plan chosen.  There is a limited number of extra storage spaces available on premise.

Cozy Common Sitting Areas at Volterra (Photo Credit: Volterra)

Volterra® is All-inclusive Senior Living

I was pretty impressed when I found out Volterra® is all-inclusive senior living.  But, what exactly does all-inclusive include?  Well, here’s a partial listing of the hotel-like amenities:

• Housekeeping (twice monthly)
• Maintenance
• All utilities (except land-line telephone and cellular phones)
• Wifi (entire property including in-residences)
• Scheduled transportation (physicians, retail, etc.)
• Concierge services (5-star, around-the-clock)
• State-of-the-art fitness center
• Head-to-toe wellness programs
• Recreational programs
• Activities and craft room
• Theater for movie screenings
• Pool and cabana

5-star Around-the-clock Concierge Service (Photo Credit: Volterra)

State-of-the-art Fitness Center at Volterra (Photo Credit: Volterra)

Dining Options at Volterra®

Not all meals are included, however, each resident receives a $300 per month dining card.  In other words, if there are two residents in one apartment home (ex: husband and wife), each would receive a dining card, for a total of $600 to spend each month.  It may be used at several on-property dining options.  Ciao is their exclusive Italian fine dining restaurant featuring steak and seafood.  There is also a Sports Bar for casual dining and a Cafe featuring specialty coffee drinks.  The dining card is accepted at all three venues. The money does not carry over from month to month so it’s important to use the available balance in full by the end of the month.

Volterra Fine Dining Options (Photo Credit: Volterra)

Casual Dining Options at Volterra (Photo Credit: Volterra)

Outdoor Patios at Volterra (Photo Credit: Volterra)

Assisted Living and Memory Care Options at Volterra®

Here’s a really practical feature of Volterra®.  If you’ve been living in the independent senior apartment homes, and the time comes when independent living is a challenge, you can move into the assisted living and/or memory care residences right on the same property.  (Obviously, pricing will be higher for the specialized care residences.)  Volterra® uses only extensively trained staff that will prepare a customized service plan on an individual basis.

The seniors in the assisted living and memory care residences can continue to live an active life, including social events and a full roster of programs.  The pet-friendly residences are equipped with an emergency response system for added peace of mind.  There’s a dedicated dining room for memory care residents as well as a separate beauty salon.  Even when you require a little extra care, you’ll continue to enjoy an active life.

More information on assisted living residences at Volterra® can be found here.

More information on memory care residences at Volterra® can be found here.

Volterra: The Good Life!

Volterra® is very different than most other senior living opportunities, in a good way.  It’s the charms of Italy, the comforts of home!  It’s the perfect place for those who feel like you’ve worked hard for decades, and now it’s time to enjoy the good life.

Volterra is not cheap — but neither is single-family residences.  I live in one of the premier active-adult communities in the state of Florida.  Last week my air conditioner broke, in the middle of summer… in Florida!  $1100.00 to fix it, even with a service contract.  And then, in addition to repair bills, there’s property taxes, pest control, monthly utilities, HOA fees, Club fees, homeowners insurance, etc.  It all adds up pretty quickly, and makes the all-inclusive resort-style living at Volterra® an attractive alternative.

The Volterra Collection™

The Volterra Collection™ currently consists of Solivita Marketplace in Kissimmee, and the brand new ChampionsGate, opening summer of 2017.  One more location, in Lake Ashton, is scheduled to be built in order to complete the collection.  Residents of all three southwest Orlando locations will be able to share amenities, programs, and dining venues.

Have you or a loved one toured a Volterra® location?  Please share your thoughts (in the reply box below), our readers would love to know!