The Villa Getaway: Club Xata Rome 2025

Twice a year, the whole Xata team gathers for what has become our most anticipated tradition and the company’s heartbeat. The offsites are our moments of reunion and reset, and an opportunity to see the side of our colleagues that is not always visible on Zoom. They are more of a hangout than a business meeting, where a home tracksuit is more appropriate attire than a suit and tie, and family members are welcome guests. This post reflects on our most recent offsite in Rome, with its highlights and everything that made it feel like Xata.

La Dolce Vita, Xata Style

The choice of location is guided by what the team needs and what we hope to achieve during the week. Feedback from our previous offsites was clear: we needed a place where connecting comes effortless, where hangouts happen spontaneously, and where spending time together feels natural and easy. Châteauform’ La Borghesiana Romana was the perfect match for that vision. Their “make yourself at home” approach set the tone for the week, with relaxed atmosphere, stocked fridges, and plenty of space to roam. The team could help themselves to drinks or snacks, join a game, or bump into others in one of the many corners of the villa. It felt easy to connect, exactly as we hoped.

A Week at the Chateau

The offsite is a five-day affair, with Monday for arrivals and Friday for departures, so travel doesn’t eat into anyone’s weekend. The week started with a cocktail hour and a small swag reveal: a 90s-rap-bootleg-inspired T-shirt, an Egyptian-cotton bathrobe worthy of the Château, and a custom sticker sheet with our favorite team memes and jokes.

One evening was all about sports, with a tournament and prizes that revealed the team’s competitive streak. The next night we turned the venue into our own arcade, with karaoke, poker, Jenga, and PlayStation all running at once. A spontaneous stretching session and a small postcard station added calmer moments in between, giving everyone a chance to unwind or send a note home. The evenings unfolded easily, whether through games or quiet moments in the courtyard with an Aperol in hand. Some teammates had their partners with them, which added to the warmth and made the villa feel even more like a shared home.

Our Working Rhythm

But it wasn’t all Aperols and antipasti. Our teams gathered in inspiring meeting rooms and quiet corners to share updates, plan next steps, and align on upcoming priorities. It was a great chance to gather side by side to shape what comes next together. Those sessions grounded the offsite as productive, open, and full of momentum.

Under the Roman Sun

Thursday took us into the city. The day in Rome was packed: a scavenger hunt through the historic center, a coffee and gelato tour, and a drawing class in the park with a local artist. Those who needed a breather could peel off for a quiet afternoon before rejoining for a pasta-making class and a surprise rooftop reservation to close the day.

In Their Words

As one teammate put it, “It felt like being at a warm family gathering in a beautiful Italian villa.” That sentiment ran through most of the feedback that followed. The words that came up most often were warmth, connection, and fun. The space to connect naturally throughout the week was very appreciated, and there were nods to the thoughtful planning, the venue’s relaxed atmosphere, and the small details that made the experience feel personal. Above all, what stood out was how at home everyone felt, not just in the villa, but with each other.

The Story Continues

By the end of the week, the whiteboard of ideas for “where next” was already filling up. Each suggestion is a reminder that these gatherings are something we build together. Rome set the bar high, but that’s exactly how we like it.

See you at the next one!

If you’d like to be part of the next story, we’re looking for new teammates in platform, backend, frontend, sales engineering, growth, and product. Join us.