Linda Fossi, a native of California, moved to Ajijic 17 years ago on a short vacation and decided almost immediately that ‘this was it!’ She had found HOME! Without any exaggeration, she really never left, except to close up her life stateside. Within four days of discovering Ajijic, she had purchased her first home. The rest is history. In fact, for more photos and information about Linda, this hotel’s multitalented owner, see Bellissimo’s History.
Stateside Background and Accomplishments
Her previous life “North of the Border” included 11 years as a professor of fine arts in Southern California. She was also the founder, designer, and artistic director of two professional repertory theater companies also in Southern California. Additionally, she was an award winning wood art designer, a natural/gourmet food shop owner, and a restaurateur in both Idaho and Washington State. She thought nothing of leaving it all behind to move to a foreign country where she knew no one and spoke little to no Spanish! That’s just how Ajijic hits so many people!
Linda and Her 12-Year Project
Bellissimo’s started as Linda’s second home in Ajijic back in 2004. She purchased the house (you will hopefully soon be standing in) as a 1400 square-foot, single level home with seven foot ceilings! Obviously, it has had many renovations over these last 12 years to get to its present now three-story, 8000 square-foot Boutique Hotel!
But that was the excitement for Linda. Her background is also in architecture, interior design, a stylist, and an artist in many mediums. So she was in heaven…and a little bit of hell at the same time. (Read more about Bellissimo’s transformation in the History section.) It seems she has been renovating from 2004 until 2016. There was a year or two in there whem she actually did not change anything in her home, now known as Bellissimo’s.
An elegant boutique hotel was not Linda’s original plan or even her idea. But it now seems that this magnificent villa is exactly what it was always meant to be … Bellissimo’s!
Linda and her cats, Maurice and Jack, welcome you to not only her home, but also to her life.
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