There are now 85 Italia hotels and restaurants in the Les Collectionneurs community thanks to 16 new entries this year.

The group’s Orange Guide 2022 has in total 49 new travel and gastronomic experiences to be experienced in 14 countries including France, Italy, Portugal, Germany and Morocco.

Les Collectionneurs Villa Sassolini Luxury Boutique Hotel Spa

For mountain and wellness lovers 

In Italy the new entries begin in the heart of Selva di Val Gardena in the Alto Adige region with the Granbaita Dolomites Hotel, home of the Perathoner family who for over 50 years have welcomed mountain lovers from all over the world. Recently it underwent a modern renovation, and the excellent restaurant and wellness area are a tribute to the flavours and nature of the Dolomites. In Bardonecchia, which is an hour by train or car from Turin, right on the ski slopes at 2,000 meters, the Savoia Mountain Resort is an oasis of peace and has just been renovated in perfect mountain style. Manager Francesca Barba says guests can choose between the elegant suites and the characteristic chalets and that they love to indulge in pampering both at the wellness center which is in woods and at the restaurant.

From Lake Garda to the Friuli’s historic capital of Udine

In the historic center of Sirmione, which is on Lake Garda, the La Speranzina Restaurant & Relais is an intimate and elegant residence belonging to the Giordani family, that boasts romantic panoramic views and a starred restaurant helmed by chef Fabrizio Molteni. Half an hour from the city of Udine the Nodo Hotel is a brand new address in a setting of centuries-old trees and with many works of art. Guests are welcomed to the modern and comfortable property, which has been beautifully designed by owner Riccardo Facchini to minimize environmental impact. The best way to chill out is to relax in the restaurant or reserve a treatment in the wellness area. 

A castle hotel set in a medieval village

In Umbria, in the heart of the Valnerina valley near the little town of Sellano, which is 50 kilometres from the regional capital Perugia, you'll find the Castello di Postignano. Here general manager Nino Di Bonito introduces travellers to the authentic hospitality of a hotel set in a medieval village, and invites to delight in the fine dining cuisine of chef Vincenzo Guarino.

Italian moviemaker Paolo Sorrentino said it all in his 2013 film The Great Beauty, his breath-taking cinematography showing Rome at its most beautiful, and etching the Eternal City’s timeless loveliness deep in our hearts.  

And now a study ranking world landmarks described as “beautiful” in reviews on Tripadvisor, has confirmed it. Because two out of the top five landmarks people called beautiful are in Rome!     

In the ParkSleepFly study on reviews that used the words beautiful, pretty, picturesque and stunning, the Trevi Fountain is in 3th position with 3,107 “beautiful” mentions. And in 5th place the Coliseum - the largest amphitheater ever built, and the largest still standing despite being nearly 2,000 years old – scores 3,051. 

The Trevi Fountain’s ranking brings back memories of an iconic cult movie: Federico Fellini’s 1960 La Dolce Vita. And the moonlight scene when platinum blonde Anita Ekberg, wearing a low-cut black evening dress, splashes and dances in the water. 

Beauty, as the saying goes, lies in the eyes of the beholder. But anyone who has stopped to toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain, or stood in awe before the Coliseum, will surely agree that Rome is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

At the end of 2021 the Ab-Ar company, part of the Baltour Group, acquired the 62-room 4-star Sporting Hotel in Teramo.

On an auction base of €1.4 million the Teramo-based company offered €3 million, adding the new property to the Gambrinus Residence in Giulianova, which has long been managed by the same company led by entrepreneur Agostino Ballone.

The hotel is undergoing a major renovation

The Baltour Group is now planning an important project to develop and relaunch the hotel. Built in the late '60s and owned for decades by the entrepreneur Elvano Alberico, the Sporting first ended up at auction in 2015, following the bankruptcy of the business of the Roman entrepreneur Alessandro Laganà, who in 2010, had invested €10.7 million to acquire and renovate the hotel.

A new look for the rooms and restaurants

The current restyling is expected to take about a year and a half and will give a new look to the  60 rooms on six floors, three conference rooms (300 seats in total), two restaurants with a total of 200 covers and a wellness area with gym.

Teramo is close to ski resorts and Adriatic beaches  

Teramo (which is some 150 kilometres from Rome) is a lively town in the mountainous heart of the Abruzzo region and an ideal destination for nature lovers, given its location between the Gran Sasso range (the highest in the central Apennines) with its renowned ski resorts, and the sunny beaches of the Adriatic Sea. Visitors to this former ancient Roman city – archaeological remains like the old amphitheatre and the public baths can be visited – can delight in its quaint streets, monuments and museums as well as its museums, shops and restaurants.  It is less than an hour by car from Pescara International Airport. 

Word has leaked that the Six Senses Roma will open at the end of 2022, and that the Anantara group has two more hotels in the pipeline for Italy.    

With 95 rooms and a spa it will also have a panoramic rooftop terrace 

The Six Senses will take over a restored building in the city's historic center, in Piazza di San Marcello which is just off the central Via del Corso one of the city’s main shopping streets, and beside the church of the same name. The complex was purchased in 2018 by Orion European Real Estate Fund V (Orion Capital Managers) for €95 million.  It will have 95 rooms, a spa and thermal baths, and the large rooftop terrace with 360-degree panoramic views promises to be a new Roman show-stopping attraction.

Two more Italian hotels for the Anantara group? 

Over at Minor (the Thai group that also owns the Nh brand) there is talk of possible new Italian developments for the Anantara brand, following the recent acquisition of the Palazzo Naiadi, which is close to Via Nazionale, another Roman landmark shopping street. General Manager Francesco Mennella has in fact revealed that his company is planning the opening of two more Anantaras in Italy. One of these, if we are to believe the rumours, could be in Milan, but Palazzo Naiadi’s GM is playing his cards close to his chest and prefers not to confirm this.  

The Ca'di Dio in Venice is among the seven new entries to the Considerate Collection by Small Luxury Hotels of the World: the new brand of luxury hotels launched a few months ago by Slh, with the aim of bringing together properties with a strong vocation for sustainability and social impact.

This Italian lifestyle hotel is located a few steps from the lagoon city’s iconic St Mark’s Square: a place perennially packed with Venetian charm, history and great beauty.

A focus on sustainability 

The new Venetian lagoon address of the Alpitour group's VRetreats brand, whose interior design was curated by Patricia Urquiola, is perfectly in sync with the Considerate Collection's strict selection criteria in terms of community involvement, ability to preserve local culture, and environmental awareness all backed by a strong sustainability management system. Ca 'di Dio passed an ad hoc assessment by the Slh Sustainability Advisory Panel, which was reviewed by the UN, UNP, WTO and UNWO-approved Global Sustainability Management System.   

The intimate essence and charm of Venice

“I am very proud of this significant recognition which acknowledges our collective commitment, as well as the daily efforts of our team. Ca'di Dio embodies the charm, atmosphere, and most intimate essence of Venice, with a strong focus on sustainability - says Christophe Mercier, the hotel's general manager - and guests feel comfortable knowing that they are making a responsible choice for the environment and for our future.” With Ca'di Dio the total number of hotels in the Considerate Collection now stands at  33, spread across 25 countries.

Neither a wine shop nor a traditional art gallery, Podere Casanova Wine Art Shop is a pleasant and informal meeting place dedicated to wine and art in the heart of the little medieval Tuscan town of Montepulciano. Full of charm, it is an ideal place to stop for a tasty break, to purchase wine or to visit the art gallery where works by contemporary painters and sculptors are exhibited.

A secret room for aging fine wines

The bar was created from the entrance hall of a Renaissance house. Nothing has been added in the renovation work, but the long and narrow structure of the premises has been enhanced. The ancient bricks and barrel vaults have been brought into view and cleaned, and at the end a passage highlighted by a small arch leads, step by step, into a secret room completely dug into the rock which is ideal for aging fine wines.

The counter and tables are the work of local craftsmen 

With this renovation owners Susanna and Isodoro Rebatto carefully selected the materials, colours and graphics in order to recreate an atmosphere typical of the little hamlet of Tre Berte, which is just 15 minutes by car from Montepulciano. The large counter, the tall tables and the supports for the paintings and sculptures, all in black iron, have been made by local craftspeople.

An exhibition of paintings by Eros Rizzo

At Podere Casanova Wine Art Shop, you can relax and sample the nine wines in the company’s collection while admiring the paintings on display  - this spring and summer you will find works of the Venetian painter Eros Rizzo. You can also enjoy the platters of local cured meats and cheeses paired with a glass of wine. 

Wines in elegant gift boxes

The flagship of the winery is the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, noble and ancient, documented since 789 and the first wine in Italy to be able to boast the DOCG label. You can also enjoy Magnum and Golia, as well as the Rosso di Montepulciano, the fragrant white Euforia, the elegant Bulles Brut and Caterina Rosé, all displayed with their artistic labels and in elegant gift boxes. 

Independent apartments for holidaymakers

The charming Podere Casanova farmhouse next to the winery has three independent apartments with private green areas that make a very comfortable home away from home for holidaymakers.

San Galgano, about 40 km from Siena in Tuscany, is an ancient and grandiose Cistercian abbey.  It is now deconsecrated and partly ruined, and not far away, on the Montesiepi Hill, a small circular chapel houses one of the most fascinating and mysterious relics of the whole region: the Sword in the Stone of San Galgano. Right in the centre of the circular chapel, a rock spur protrudes from the terracotta floor, inside of which a cruciform sword is set, which according to scientific analysis was forged around 1170.

The hermitage is on a circular plan 

Galgano was a young knight, born a few kilometres from Siena in 1147. Legend has it that one night the Archangel Michael appeared to him and guided him to the hill of Montesiepi, where he was welcomed by the twelve Apostles in front of a round chapel. There he abandoned his knight's dress and stuck his sword in a rock to make a cross, and it is still there today as a symbol of an incorruptible conversion. 

The hermitage is in white stone and brick

The hermitage has a circular plan reminiscent of a Roman mausoleum with alternating bands of white stone and brick on the external walls. The interior of the dome is also built with the same alternating materials, and, in addition to the stone with the sword of San Galgano, there are frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.

The Sword in the Stone could be a Tuscan legend

In addition to the amazement and mystery it instils, it is therefore possible that the myth of the Sword in the Stone, famous for being linked to the Breton saga of King Arthur, actually originated in Tuscany and was exported to France where it bled into Arthurian legend. With its legends, architecture and beautiful landscapes, a visit to San Galgano alone is worth a trip to Tuscany just for the magic and wonder that the place can arouse.

Welcome To Italy is a digital platform for sellers of tailor-made travel to Italy. Featuring hundreds of destinations, products and services, it is developed by the Welcome Travel Group, in partnership with Portale Sardegna Spa, and with the Italian airline Neos. An ENIT sponsorship, it aggregates the country in a single brand, governance and technology and is an invaluable tool for industry professionals selling travel to Italy.     

Massimiliano CossuLaunched online to 13,000 US travel agencies and tour operators

The new portal was launched on the US market via a webinar beamed at 13,000 travel agencies and tour operators.  “Ours is an innovative concept, a flexible tourism system that allows professionals to customize travel services and experiences from the over 500 packages that have so far been created by our Italy Local Experts,” explained Massimiliano Cossu, main partner Welcome to Italy, and Founder and Ceo of Portale Sardegna SPA. 

“We don’t sell hotel rooms, we sell destinations”

“It is an ambitious project and one of our strengths is that we reach markets where it is not possible to arrive individually, creating synergies and energies of scale to promote the flow of visitors into Italy. We don’t sell hotel rooms, we sell destinations. The smart trips in our catalogue include flights and accommodation, assistance and services. They are categorized by type, season and interests, revolve around themes, and contain an endless variety of locations, products, services and experiences chosen by our experts. Each trip is customizable, in that the travel specialists can select what they find online or ask for something additional. We are extremely flexible.”   

Smart solutions for authentic and original travel experiences in Italy

Welcome to Italy is a work in progress, continues Cossu, who adds that it is a publically traded company, and that the platform will continue to grow in volume and interest with the constant addition of new locations, products and services. Aimed initially at the North American market, with bona fide agencies having direct access, the packages are priced in dollars and are to be proposed to customers with the desired mark-up. The ultimate aim is that of providing US travel specialists with smart solutions, and the best of the pick of authentic and original travel experiences in Italy.

Fabio Datteroni is the new general manager of Hotel La Palma on Capri, the first Oetker Collection hotel on Italian soil.

Tuscan by origin, Datteroni boasts long years of experience in hospitality at the Terme di Saturnia where he held the same position of general manager, and at the Castello del Nero Totel & Spa where, during his time as managing director and general manager, he was named Top General Manager Worldwide at the Luxury Travel Advisor's Awards of Excellence. During his six years as general manager and director of hospitality at the Castello Banfi il Borgo in Montalcino Datteroni also supervised consulting projects at numerous Italian properties.

“This property is a true masterpiece” 

“I am happy and extremely honoured to take on the role of general manager of the La Palma Hotel. The transformation of this property is nothing short of incredible. It is a true masterpiece, ready to once again take over as Capri’s social hub. I can't wait to open the doors of this special place and welcome our guests."

A restaurant helmed by Chef Gennaro Esposito

The Hotel La Palma, built in 1822, has been transformed by the Oetker Collection and its owners, the Reuben Brothers, and it is the first hôtellerie project from Francis Sultana, a visionary interior designer. Just a few steps from the legendary Piazzetta square the property will have a restaurant – helmed by Chef Gennaro Esposito -  and a bar on the terrace, a beach club, a new swimming pool, a spa, a fitness center and three boutiques.  

Many movie directors have chosen Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como as a movie set. In the little town of Lenno, in the province of Como, the villa is located at the tip of the Lavedo peninsula, a promontory that extends into Lake Como and which took the name Balbianello from the building itself.

Down the years the villa fell into disuse

Built in 1787, on a pre-existing Franciscan monastery, by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini, in 1796 it was inherited by his nephew Luigi Porro Lambertenghi. Later the property was bought by Giuseppe Arconati Visconti who hosted great intellectuals such as Giovanni Berchet, Giuseppe Giusti and Alessandro Manzoni in his elegant home. Giuseppe's son, Gianmartino Arconati Visconti, made improvements to the garden and the loggia, but the gradual decline of the family was accompanied by the gradual abandonment of the villa.

Star Wars and Casino Royale were both shot in the villa

Thanks to its charm, Villa del Balbianello has been used as a setting in numerous films: many international blockbusters have been shot in its rooms and gardens including A month at the lake by John Irvin (1995), Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the clones by George Lucas (2002) and Casino Royale by Martin Campbell (2006).

In 1988 the villa was left to the Italian Environmental Fund

Villa del Balbianello then fell into a state of neglect until an American officer, Butler Ames, bought it and renovated it. In 1974 it was acquired by the explorer Guido Monzino who furnished it with relics from his expeditions. Monzino died without heirs in 1988, and the villa was left to the Italian Environmental Fund, FAI.

The lake views from the loggia are stunning

The real wonder of Balbianello is Cardinal Durini’s loggia which has been offering visitors an extraordinary view of the lake for over two centuries, with Tremezzina, towards the north, and the Isola Comacina on the opposite side. The compass rose inlaid on the floor was installed by Guido Monzino, and commemorates his expeditions around the world.