Sicilian Railway Experience is a new Rocco Forte rail product: a 1920s train from central Palermo to Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, running from Villa Igiea to the Verdura Resort on the historic rolling stock managed by the Ferrovie dello Stato Foundation.

The Sicilian Railway Experience from Rocco Forte Hotels, a collaboration with the State Railways Foundation, has been designed for corporate events, presentations, and team building days.

Coastal itineraries

The coast-to-coast itinerary which takes about two hours, covers a route to discover western Sicily travelling through the most authentic and intimate parts of the hinterland and coming to UNESCO heritage gems like the Scala dei Turchi and the Valley of the Temples.

A fully customisable service 

The new service is fully customisable, including the option of having a local guide on board to provide a guided journey or the services of a bartender to combine the panoramic views with a mixology experience featuring Sicilian flavours. There are also several customisation options for the train, which can be modulated with up to four standard cars with wooden seats as well as a carriage with leather seats, and a luggage area. 

Prelios starts work on a new resort in Jesolo.

The new Jl Blue Resort on the Adriatic Riviera is a mixed residential and hospitality project from the Prelios Group.

Construction has started on the first part of the complex, which includes three residential buildings with 114 flats and should be completed by autumn 2023. This will be followed by the construction of a further three buildings for mainly residential and accommodation use on an overall area covering over 25,000 square metres.

Focusing on real estate assets

Prelios’ Jl Blue Resort project, carried out by the asset value enhancement business unit of the Prelios Group, is part of the management of Utp (Unlikely to Pay) credits relating to the real estate sector. The objective is the acquisition and management of real estate assets pledged as collateral for substandard loans, through the use of a specialized vehicle company. This belongs to the Reoco real estate company and the aim is to enhance the value of assets, finance their development and manage aspects such as urban development, construction and sales. 

The second 25hours lifestyle brand, owned by Ennismore - Accor, will open a new property in Trieste. Currently in the negotiation stage with future managing company Knsa Hospitality and estate agents Jp Immobilien, the project should be completed by 2025. Once opened the hotel will have 160 rooms, a restaurant, a rooftop bar with a swimming pool, a café with an ice cream parlour, meeting and event rooms and an old-fashioned cinema as well as a private beach club. The hotel will also have elegant residences and there will be small local shops on the ground floor.

A historic hotel with a unique identity 

Originally built in 1895 by Raimondo Sagors, the building has since housed the consulates of Argentina, Norway and Portugal, as well as the emergency room of the Red Cross. The hotel - like all 25hours Hotels - will have a unique identity, "which will be inspired by the city’s history as a gateway to the world," explains Ennismore brand COO, Cédric Gobiliard.

25hours in Florence has a heaven and hell theme 

25hours is already present in Italy with a hotel in the Santa Maria Novella district in the heart of Florence. The design of the hotel, conceived by interior designer Paola Navone and her team, is inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy and is full of allusions to this great work with scenes from heaven and hell playfully alternating and guiding you through the virtues and vices of Dante's world. San Paolino restaurant is the lively centre of the historic palazzo and there is also a lush courtyard garden, a traditional Negroni bar and an outlet for groceries, snacks or an Aperitivo. Ennismore is a joint venture that was founded in 2021 by the company of the same name started ten years earlier by entrepreneur Sharan Pasricha and the Accor Group. 

Lake Fedèra, at over 2,000 asl is an enchanting Dolomite attraction close to Cortina d’Ampezzo. Legend has it that the constant level of the lake is due to the presence of an evil dragon who took refuge in its waters after destroying the city of Miliera.

The truth, however, lies in the presence of underground springs that constantly feed the body of water, thus maintaining the level unchanged.

Mythical creatures and underground springs

Both for those who still believe in the story of the dragon and the more sceptical who choose the explanation of the underground springs, the fact is that Lake Fedèra is an enchanting place immersed in the Natural Park of the Dolomites. The lake can be reached on foot or wearing snowshoes from nearby Cortina d'Ampezzo or from the various paths that start from Ru Curto, Campo, Passo Giau and Peziè de Parù. 

Palmieri Refuge Lake Fedèra

Beautiful natural surroundings and a mountain refuge

Sledding enthusiasts can descend to the valley along a 7-kilometre snow-covered trail, which is especially popular in winter. The beauty of the surrounding environment, as well as the relative ease of access through it, makes the lake very popular with tourists, and it is frequently depicted as a symbol of the Dolomites on postcards. The Cai Croda da Lago refuge is located on the Lake Fedèra's southern shore, and is a good choice to stay, eat, or just relax in the sauna. 

B&B Hotel Pomezia Roma is the seventh of the group's branded properties in Latium thanks to the opening of this new property 1.5 kilometres from the city centre of Pomezia.

It is also just a few minutes from points of interest in the area such as the Cinecittà World and Zoomarine theme parks. The B&B Hotel Pomezia Roma has 75 rooms freshly renovated in three types: single, double, triple and there is an apartment for long stays.

A hotel with a green footprint 

The B&B Hotel Pomezia Roma is located in a strategic position both for anyone on a business trip (just 30 minutes from Rome’s main Fiumicino airport, and in the area of ​​one of Italy’s main pharmaceutical hubs) and for those who want to explore the Latium coast and the Roman Hills area. After a thorough renovation the building now can boast a greener footprint, also thanks to the installation of solar panels, LED lighting and low-consumption taps.

“Our group is offering smart and accessible hospitality” 

Valerio Duchini, CEO and President of B&B Hotels Italia recently said:

“We are proud to announce this second new opening in 2022, following the B&B Hotel Arezzo. Opening a new hotel early on in the year represents a really important milestone for us because it moves us on to a series of new and exciting challenges for 2022. This hotel is proof of how the group is working to make its presence in Italy more consistent by offering smart and accessible hospitality.”

 

Seaside towns with great beaches,  art and history

The lovely city of Pomezia has a population of just over 60,000 and, despite its small size, is a very popular summer resort town. On the ancient site of Aeneas’ legendary landing, Pomezia is close to the seaside town of Torvaianica, which is also very busy in summer and indeed all year round thanks to its proximity to Rome and to its sandy beach. For art and history lovers the Lavinium Archaeological Museum, which opened in 2005 and is near the village of Pratica di Mare, is an absolute must.

There is great excitement on Lake Como. Following the news of the acquisition of the Britannia Excelsior hotel by Bain Capital, which will transform it into a luxury lifestyle property, and the forthcoming opening of Villa Passalacqua in late spring, there are now two more important developments in the upscale segment.

The new 5-star Musa Hotel Lago di Como which is scheduled to open on 15 May next year, and the Villa d'Este  which has reacquired the adjacent Villa Bellinzaghi.   

Villa Bellinzaghi will undergo a total renovation

Transformed into a luxury hotel in 1873, Villa Bellinzaghi was for many years part of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este, as a private residence. The property, which will undergo a total renovation, is currently spread over three floors on a total area of 2,500 square metres, and also includes a greenhouse, a dock and a pier for mooring boats.

A large apartment with lake views

The hotel will have 12 rooms and suites, a restaurant, cocktail bar, and a large apartment with lake views and an equipped kitchen, while Villa Musa, the private residence in Mezzegra, consists of six bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a Jacuzzi, a swimming pool with lake views, and a gym.