Lefay posted an excellent 2021 with over €33.5 million in total turnover for a growth of 30% compared to 2020, 100% carbon offsetting and a total of 302 employees, 60% of whom are local. These are some of the most significant numbers of the new Sustainability Report 2021, produced by Lefay Resorts & Residences and certified by third parties.

The spas use only vegan products 

In 2021 all direct CO2 emissions from the Group’s two resorts were in fact fully offset. Both the properties and the parent company have confirmed their management, quality and environmental system certifications. Both spas are also certified for Organic & Ecological Spa-level Excellence and use only vegan products and a cruelty-free cosmetic line. They self-produce 100% of their thermal energy and 51% of their electrical energy, and extensive promotion has been devoted to electric mobility.

A third resort in Tuscany

The group now aims to complete its portfolio of directly owned and managed properties in Italy with a third resort in Montalcino in Tuscany. It is also developing a fee-based model and seeking new opportunities, particularly abroad, with Lefay acting as an operator through management or rental contracts.

“We are ready to face the next challenges”

"I am really proud of the results achieved by our team," commented Alcide Leali, CEO of Lefay Resorts & Residences. "Not only did we brilliantly overcome the difficulties of the pandemic crisis, we also completed the restyling of the Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda. We are ready to face the next challenges.”

Italy’s northern regions have a variety of lake breaks just made for romantic getaways. 

From candlelight dinners with a view to tailor-made private couples’ spas and from panoramic suites to vintage car tours and time to enjoy nature. The lake is the perfect place to fall in love, and the ideal destination for romantic getaways, especially in autumn when nature is cloaked in magical colours. 

Lido Palace in Riva del Garda Credits Francesca Bocchia

Romance and gourmet dining on Lake Garda

If you are looking for an exclusive stay you can surprise your sweetheart at the Lido Palace in Riva del Garda (TN), a refined 5-star adult-friendly hotel. Here history meets contemporary luxury and enchants with a waterfront location on the Trentino side of Lake Garda.  With concierge service, romantic gourmet dinners on the lake-view terrace, and wellness rituals to be experienced together in the private spa, as well as penthouse suites with a 180-degree view over the shimmering lake (www.lido-palace.it).

Nature and Michelin dining

In the Brescia area the Romantik Hotel Relais Mirabella Iseo in Clusane sul Lago (BS), which dominates Lake Iseo from the top of a hill and is surrounded by olive trees, is the ideal destination for a full immersion in nature. Explore caves and take cycle tracks or paths that wind from the mountains to the shores of the lake. And whatever you do, don’t miss the fine dining in the Da Nadia restaurant of Michelin-starred chef Nadia Vincenzi. (www.romantikhotels.com).

Lake Carezza Val d'Ega

A home away from home in the Dolomites

Lake Carezza in the South Tyrol is an unmissable gem, especially if experienced with a stay at the Romantik Hotel Post Cavallino Bianco in Nova Levante (BZ). Nestled in a 45,000-square-metre park in the heart of the Dolomite peaks with spectacular views, guests delight in tailor-made hospitality with a homely touch, the excellent local cuisine, and the 1,500-square-metre wellness centre (www.romantikhotels.com). 

A family-run hotel

The Romantik B&B Art Hotel Jagdhof (BZ has an ancient spirit. Overlooking a Mediterranean garden and Lake Caldaro, the Atz family has been welcoming guests here for three generations. The historic Torgglkeller wine cellar celebrates the local wine culture and mountain bikes, city bikes and e-bikes are available, while the Bellavita SPA has a heated indoor seawater pool and a small sauna area (www.romantikhotels.com). 

  

Starhotels announces three new managers, with Alex Dallocchio taking over as the new chief operating officer. Lorenzo Nencini takes on the position of general manager of the Starhotels Metropole and Michelangelo in Rome and Graziano Luddi is now director of special projects.

Experience in the US 

Dallocchio is a passionate professional who gained valuable experience in the United States as director of operations of the Sheraton Austin at The Capitol in Texas, and as general manager at various hotels including the Hyatt Place in Las Vegas. He was also area vice president at the Beverly Hills Marriott and the Hilton in Las Vegas. Dallocchio is now enthusiastically joining Starhotels in the role of COO.

New roles in strategic positions

Nencini also boasts an important background in the industry. His career began at the Jolly Hotel in London and then continued in luxury hotels in Florence and Naples, before joining the Nh Hotel Group in 2014, where he held the role of general manager of the Grand Hotel Verdi in Milan, the Villa Carpegna in Rome, and the Panorama in Naples. In the role of gm of the Starhotels Metropole and Michelangelo in Rome, Nencini takes up the baton left by Graziano Luddi, taking on the leadership of two luxury properties of great strategic importance in Rome, while Luddi returns to the Florentine headquarters of the group as director of special projects.

Chef Gaetano Trovato’s 2-star Michelin Ristorante Arnolfo has opened in new premises in Tuscany’s Val d’Elsa.

His original Arnolfo, opened together with his brother Giovanni in a palazzo in the historic centre of Colle Val d'Elsa, in the hills of the province of Siena, established Trovato as one of the top creators of Italian cuisine in recent decades. 

A new location close to the town

Arnolfo is now on a hillside opposite the little town in a new location that unites two of the chef's great passions: cooking and architecture. In fact, the restaurant's name is a tribute to Arnolfo Di Cambio, a 13th-century sculptor, town planner and architect who was born in the province of Siena.

The new Arnolfo: sustainability and comfort

Chef Gaetano Trovato defines the new venue as "an innovative place in terms of its technological content, but also in terms of what went into its realization. I wanted to fully represent the inseparable link between haute cuisine, people and the environment."   

Seating for 40 

One thousand square metres of floor space divided into two rooms, with six and eight tables, for a total of forty seats. Aesthetically the restaurant is two frames: one facing nature with a view of the town and the surrounding countryside, and the other facing the kitchens and the staff.  

A wine cellar for 6,000 bottles 

The interiors feature burnished and polished metals, Siena earths combined with travertine and local marble, while the large frame with the view of Colle Val d'Elsa was made by a local craftsman from mirrored steel The wine cellar has a contemporary design, can hold six thousand bottles and has an area dedicated to private events. 

Two new menus

There are two new menus: Eighty-two/twenty-two to celebrate Trovato’s 40 years in the business, and Vegetable Impressionism, the vegetarian path taken by the chef over the last15 years. 

For information and bookings: www.arnolfo.com

Castle Malpaga is organizing tricks or treats interactive Halloween-themed visits designed exclusively for children on 1, 8, 15 and 31 October. 

In this historic castle, in the little town of Cavernago close to Bergamo, young visitors go on a hunt for monstrous elements, discovering magical Halloween-related characters and stories of goblins, witches, wizards, monsters, dragons. And at the end of the treasure hunt there will be an art workshop where they will be able to make scary masks.

What about the parents?

While the children are engaged in the treasure hunt the parents can enjoy a Halloween-themed tour of the castle. With our guide they will explore the more mysterious aspects of the 15th century from witchcraft, torture, poisons and the pagan festival of Samhain from which Halloween originated, to medieval superstitions and legends, the concept of death, alchemy and tarot cards. A true journey into 15th-century darkness, ending on a high note with a parade that will reward the family with the best masks! Suitable for ages 4 to 10 – and with brothers and sisters under 4 free if they stay with the parents’ group. Duration: 2 hours. Information and booking: https://shop.castellomalpaga.it/eventi/

Haunted Nights on 7, 14 and 30 October

An evening at the castle is always magical, and even more so with Mum and Dad! Masked characters will delight children with engaging stories, team games and exciting family skills tests. Participants will discover the most secret and suggestive corners of the castle to uncover the final treasure. With torches and spirit of adventure as some rooms will not be fully lit, making the evening even more exciting! Suitable for 5 to 10 years of age. Information and booking: https://shop.castellomalpaga.it/eventi/

Halloween dinner on Saturday 29 October 

On the darkest night of the year, the castle opens its doors for an evening of history. Visitors will be catapulted into the heart of the Middle Ages and welcomed by knights, ladies and servants for an authentic medieval dinner in the Banquet Hall. At each course the origin and meaning of the food will be explained, delighting diners with the curiosities of ancient customs. This will be followed by a mysterious celebration of Samhain, the ancient pagan festival that gave rise to Halloween. Coeliac and vegetarian menus on request. For information: https://shop.castellomalpaga.it/eventi/

Castle visits on Sundays and public holidays

On Sundays and public holidays using the Malpaga Castle Experience app you can delve into the meanders of the castle and discover fascinating stories linked to this timeless place and the extraordinary deeds of its famous owner Bartolomeo Colleoni, Captain General of the Republic of Venice. These vists are also suitable for children and last one hour. Reservations required. For information and reservations: https://shop.castellomalpaga.it/eventi/

House of Gucci, the new celeb Rome tour from Quiiky comes in the wake of the film's international popularity, with the LGBTQ-friendly tour operator kicking off its second film offering following the success of its Call me by your name tour.

Starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver 

Starting in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan’s Piazza della Scala, the tour moves through the city’s fashion district from the Central Station to Via Vittorio Pisani and to Villa Necchi Campiglio. This is the central location of the film where the two protagonists meet - Adam Driver playing the role of Maurizio Gucci, and Lady Gaga in the role of his wife Patrizia Reggiani. Designed by architect Piero Portaluppi in the early 1930s, the villa is an icon of modernism and luxury.

The church where the couple were married 

The tour continues, following in the footsteps of other scenes shot in the vicinity of Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi, the Il Salumaio Restaurant, and the Church of San Sepolcro, where Maurizio Gucci and Patrizia Reggiani actually got married in 1972. It then moves on to visit Via Palestro 20, the current headquarters of the Gucci fashion house outside of which Maurizio was shot dead on 27t March 1995. In the film, the crime scene was shot not here but in the central Piazza San Babila. 

A visit to Villa Balbiano on Lake Como

This tour is also an opportunity to visit Lake Como, as the fabulous interiors of Villa Balbiano are the setting for some scenes in the film. This villa is the largest private residence on the western shore of the lake and it is here that Maurizio's uncle Aldo, played by Al Pacino, celebrates Maurizio's birthday amidst art collections, sumptuous furnishings, and with stunning lake views.

“Quiicky has always been a trendsetter”

"The great hype surrounding the House of Gucci inspired us to create this unique tour," said Alessio Virgili, CEO of Sonders & Beach, owner of the Quiiky brand. "What distinguishes Quiiky from other tour operators is that we have always been a trendsetter. We anticipate tourist products that become qualitatively inimitable, because they rely on an inclusive and highly professional hospitality network."

Garibaldi Hotels are close to 2021 results, but there are still challenges to overcome. 

With Puglia and Trentino confirmed as the best performing regions for the group, destinations such as Rome and Sardinia are also doing well: "We still have a fluctuating situation but the desire for holidays is very strong, and Italy is the preferred destination for domestic and international tourism – said general manager Fabrizio Prete. - Bookings show a plus sign compared to the same period of 2021, but the goal is to achieve pre-pandemic results."

50% of rooms to foreign operators

One destination that has benefited from the return of foreign tourists is Rome: “Our city hotel, after the difficulties of the previous two years, is working well with unexpected results - continues Prete -. We have decided to focus on foreign groups.  Sardinia’s Santina Resort & Spa is also doing well with good numbers from Eastern Europe and Spain. “We have chosen to dedicate about 50% of the rooms to foreign operators with exclusive contracts - adds Prete -. This is very important for lengthening the season." Since 2021 half of the group’s facilities are open all year round

Buy Now Pay Later is popular

Garibaldi Hotels has entered Scalapay, following the emerging trend of Buy Now Pay Later. "We are convinced that holidays paid in three convenient interest-free instalments is a good way to go both for the customers and the properties.”  

Studies show that the number of women booking solo travel has doubled since the Covid pandemic.

While travelling alone can be a freeing experience for women, it can also be fraught with perils. Here are some tips from TheKnowledgeAcademy on how women can stay safe when travelling single. 

Don’t just rely on your phone to keep your accommodation details.  Phones can die, so write the address down on a card and carry it with you. And always share your movements or, even better, your GPS location, with your loved ones. 

Don’t tell strangers you are travelling alone. Don’t be over-friendly and do try to blend in with locals. Standing out makes you a target and can attract undesirable attention.  Be willing to spend a little more to keep safe, it will be money well spent. Like taking a taxi directly to your accommodation rather than public transport that drops you somewhere in a city you don’t know.  

Simple advice. But it could make the difference between a holiday you want to forget, and one you will treasure forever. https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

Eco-sustainable  holidays in the Dolomites using soft mobility are a perfect choice for anyone looking to holiday in the Val d'Ega.

Not only are doing themselves a favour, they are also helping the planet by choosing a destination that has long embraced tourism and an eco-sustainable lifestyle. This destination is green from every angle, and you can practically forget that you have a car thanks to the Mobile and Guest Pass that allow you to use 18 ski lifts and public transportation, all of which goes towards minimizing the environmental impact and promoting a stay in total harmony with nature.

Photovoltaic systems to reduce C02 emissions

With five hydroelectric plants providing electricity to over 5,000 households and businesses without emitting CO2, and two district heating plants fueled by local biomass, there are annual fuel oil savings of approximately 1.2 million litres. Some 36 holiday accommodations use solar panels or systems powered by wood chips or pellets to heat the water and rooms, and 27 generate their own electricity, heating the water and their premises by using photovoltaic systems.

Geothermal energy heats a mountain refuge

At present this green corner of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site can boast four hotels that have signed up to the 2025 Climate Neutrality Pact. These properties are measuring their CO2 footprint annually in order to reduce or compensate for it as much as possible. Carezza Dolomites, the first privately managed ski area to sign the Agreement, is following suit. And this green chapter would not be complete without mentioning the Oberholz refuge at 2096 metres asl, a true marvel of eco-sustainable design that towers over the slopes from which it takes its name and is heated entirely by geothermal energy.

Unlimited rides

The Living the Dolomites with Soft Mobility programme, which is valid up to 1 November 2022, is aimed at anyone who wants to delight in the mountains of the Val d'Ega without driving, but by taking advantage of the free public transportation in the Alto Adige region, including unlimited rides on the Catinaccio, Latemar, and Sciliar ski lifts.

The package
The package includes 7 overnight stays, 7 days of Guest Pass Val d'Ega unlimited use of public transportation throughout South Tyrol, the 5-day Mountain Pass with unlimited use of 18 lifts, the Tappeiner hiking map & MTB map. And there is also a bonus for those arriving in the Val d'Ega with low-emission vehicles such as trains and buses.
Prices start from €232,50 per person in apartments.

Casa di Langa is Preferred's second Italian property under the Beyond Green brand. After Borgo Pignano, which was the launch of the eco brand in April 2021, the American Krause group, under president and CEO Kyle Krause who is well known in Italy as the owner of Parma Calcio 1913, has now brought the Piedmont hotel into the collection.

Properties that make a difference

Beyond Green are properties with a proven positive impact that produces concrete results on the three pillars of sustainable tourism: environmentally friendly practices that go beyond basic concepts, special attention and protection of historical and natural heritage, and a major contribution to the socio-economic wellbeing of local communities. The notion is based on the United Nations' 54 indicators that include global tourism standards and sustainable development goals.

Environmentally friendly energy sources

Casa di Langa, nestled in the lush hills of Piedmont, delivers zero-kilometre catering and unique cultural experiences. The property is committed to employing only environmentally friendly energy sources. Furthermore it has a rainwater recovery system, and single-use plastic is banned. Among the projects supported by the property are native tree replanting and the management of a huge vegetable garden which provides fresh, farm-to-fork food for the Fàula hotel restaurant.

An estate on 42 hectares

The 39 rooms have views over hills and valleys, the snow-capped Alps, and the towering Serralunga d'Alba Castle with its antique medieval tower. Casa di Langa has been restored along the lines of a pre-existing building and was inspired by the adjacent Unesco site. It stands on a large estate of approximately 42 hectares comprised of vineyards, woodlands, orchards and a hazelnut grove. Guests at the hotel can enjoy wine tastings, cooking classes, hunting for black and white truffles, tours to local villages, hiking and biking.