By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor

ALLEGHENY WEST — A new hotel aiming to open sometime this spring will bring a slice of Italy to the Northside.

Named “The Villagio,” the planned hotel is owned by Ed Taimuty and will replace The Parador Inn, located at 939 Western Ave. Taimuty closed a deal to purchase the inn in late December with the goal of transforming it into The Villagio.

Taimuty described The Villagio as a “boutique hotel.” It will feature nine rooms, each themed after a different Italian city or area, with artwork and decorations designed to emulate their respective region.

“So, for instance in the Venice room, there may be (a painting of a) large gondola on the canal,” Taimuty said.

Other planned themes include Rome, the Alps, Florence and more.

In addition to the themed rooms, the hotel plans to have a cigar bar and whiskey lounge in the rear of the property, as well as an Italian fine dining restaurant on the first floor. The restaurant, which will be named Mario’s 939 Ristorante, will feature high-end Italian dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as offering locally-sourced wine and spirits.

The property will also be available to be rented out for events like weddings or birthday parties, with event planners able to rent all or parts of The Villagio. For example, the cigar bar and whiskey lounge or the restaurant could be rented out for an event.

Taimuty described The Villagio as a mix of “Airbnb” and corporate hotel chains. Guests will be able to self check-in to their rooms, but cleaning services will be provided to rooms.

Taimuty said he’s aware of the concern some residents have with the abundance of Airbnbs in residential areas. He hopes by setting The Villagio in its own building away from a residential area, it can provide a similar level of convenience to an Airbnb while still feeling like a larger hotel.

Further, he hopes to use the hotel to highlight the Northside and local businesses. He plans to have reference guides available to guests listing local family-owned businesses alongside larger attractions. His goal with these guides is to give guests “a feel for Pittsburgh” and bring attention to some things guests “might miss if they were staying at a large, corporate chain hotel.”

Taimuty is a Pittsburgh resident, having grown up in the South Hills area, but with fond memories of visiting the Northside, such as going to the sports arenas or The National Aviary.

“I think there’s a lot of potential on the Northside,” he said. “I think it’s really starting to come back.”

He said he had a “strong connection” with The Parador Inn as an adult, as he would frequently dine there with friends. When he saw a year ago that it was up for sale, he began forming the idea for The Villagio. He also said the “historic stretch” of Western Avenue that The Parador is located on also served as a draw.

As may be expected, Taimuty comes from an Italian family and wanted to highlight his heritage with The Villagio.

Taimuty’s family works in the real estate business, managing commercial spaces, residential buildings and Airbnbs, also doing “cool projects” like The Villagio once a year. He works with his sisters Jessica and Natalie in managing the spaces.

Further details are expected to be released as The Villagio comes closer to opening. For more, follow the hotel’s Instagram page, @Villagio_pgh