The Romeo Hotel, the 5-star hotel in Naples with 79 rooms and suites, becomes a Collection and a sister property is to open in Rome.

The Naples hotel is in the old Lauro fleet building

The Naples hotel, in the historic headquarters of the Lauro fleet, was designed by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. And the company behind the Neapolitan property will open another Collection in the second half of this year: the Romeo Roma.

The Romeo Roma will have 74 rooms and suites

In a late 16th-century building belonging to the noble Serroberti-Capponi family, the new Roman hotel will be designed by the Zaha Hadid studio and will have 74 rooms and suites. Located a few steps from the downtown Campo Marzio neighbourhood, Romeo Roma will have both a gourmet and a traditional restaurant, as well as an outdoor courtyard with an indoor and outdoor pool, a lounge and rooftop bar, and Romeo the SPA by Sisley Paris.

Work has begun on The Langham Venice, which is scheduled to open on the island of Murano in 2026, from the conversion of the former Mocenigo casino and a glass factory. 

Original frescoes and a 20-metre swimming pool

The Langham Venice will feature 133 guest rooms, including 30 suites, as well as a restaurant with outdoor seating and an exclusive rooftop bar. There will also be a central courtyard-garden, with meeting spaces both inside and outside, and a 20-metre swimming pool. The operation is being supervised by the Matteo Thun & Partners studio, which is restoring the original frescoes of the casino in The Langham Venice and redeveloping the buildings in the old glass factory, both of which date back to the 16th century.

The Langham in London was the first grand hotel in Europe

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Eagle Holdings, Langham Hospitality Group comprises a collection of hotels under the Langham brand, as well as the Cordis Hotels and Ying'nFlo brands. Currently, there are over 30 projects already confirmed or under negotiation in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. The company is named after the legendary Langham in London, which opened in 1865 and is recognized as the first grand hotel in Europe.

The new gm of the Ludwig House Valpolicella, in the province of Verona, is Philippe Nicolas Gonzalez. 

The launch property of entrepreneur Eugenio Gallina

The Palladian villa in San Pietro in Cariano is the first property of the new brand launched last year by Eugenio Gallina, a hospitality entrepreneur from Brescia. Born in the province of Bologna in 1985 into a family of international origins, Gonzalez spent his childhood in France and then moved to Lake Garda. With his great love for travel, and curiosity for the world, he graduated in East Asian languages and cultures with a specialisation in Japanese, at the Cà Foscari University of Venice. 

From the Hilton Bankside in London to the St. Regis in Venice

His academic path led him to a career in luxury hospitality. First in London, where, among other activities, he dealt with the opening of the Hilton Bankside. He has been in Venice since 2017. Prior to his career in management, he was in the St. Regis Venice where he headed operations during the delicate rebranding stage.

After Fabio Datteroni’s departure Imelda Shllaku will take over at Hotel La Palma on Capri for its reopening. With an almost thirty-year career behind her, the future general manager boasts extensive experience in the luxury hospitality sector. 

Management roles in Europe and the Middle East

After her first role as hotel manager at Sina The Gray in Milan, Shllaku worked for The Ritz Carlton group first in Dublin, then on the Thai island of Krabi. Subsequently, she managed the London and Milan properties of Bulgari Hotel & Resorts for seven years, holding various positions, and eventually becoming director of rooms at the Armani Hotel in Dubai and the One & Only in the Maldives. After a year off, in which she dealt with consultancy for 15 important luxury hotels, she then took over as general manager of the Baglioni Hotel London. Her last role before Capri saw her become global director of rooms & guest experiences for the Kerzner International group.

“We will guarantee guests an impeccable experience” 

“I am enthusiastic about my new role as general manager of La Palma on Capri,- says Shllaku. - I believe that my experience will allow me to lead the team in the best possible way, guaranteeing guests an impeccable experience. We can't wait to open the doors of this special property and welcome both locals and guests from all over the world." 

Right beside Capri’s Piazzetta square

La Palma on the island of Capri, built in 1822 and completely refurbished, is the first hotel project to bear the signature of Francis Sultana. The interior designer collaborated with the best local craftsmen to pay homage to tradition. Just a short walk from the legendary little Piazzetta square, the hotel has a restaurant and a terrace bar, beach club, swimming pool, spa,  gym and three boutiques. The catering will be managed by chef Gennaro Esposito.

The southern Basilicata region has been crowned by Forbes as an ideal destination for all seasons, with two locations among the top five to visit in Italy: Maratea and Metaponto. 

Two charming towns untouched by mass tourism

After presenting itself to the world with the splendid Matera, European Capital of Culture in 2019, Basilicata continues to be at the centre of international interest. Now it is the prestigious US magazine Forbes that has recommended not one but two locations in southern Basilicata to visit: Maratea and Metaponto. The interest in charming Italian towns untouched by the crowds of mass tourism, demonstrates how there is a new focus on authentic places and experiences. And even the international fashion bible Vogue has included Basilicata among the 12 best destinations in the world to visit in 2023. 

Idyllic inlets and swith pale to deep turquoise waters

Maratea and Metaponto, are on different shores of southern Basilicata, which although small has two seas, not to mention the splendid Lucanian Dolomites mountains. Maratea is described as a “splendid seascape bordered by Campania to the north and Calabria to the south. Dotted with idyllic inlets and splashed with pale to deep turquoise waters, this coastline offers numerous beach and club options. A few hours’ drive eastwards, you will arrive at the Ionian coast of Basilicata, with gentler terrain and wide, pale sandy beaches. The town of Metaponto is well located, close to Greek ruins and water. 

Close to Francis Ford Coppola's Palazzo Margherita in Bernalda 

Francis Ford Coppola's beautifully restored Palazzo Margherita in Bernalda, Borgo San Gaetano, is a splendid boutique hotel created in the spaces of an old oil mill using green building techniques and recovering the original materials. It has just seven delightful accommodations, including two-storey suites and one-level cottages, all equipped with every comfort, and an atmosphere of relaxed luxury. Borgo San Gaetano staff are available to organize tours and guided visits with qualified guides. The price for a stay at Borgo San Gaetano ranges from €90-150 for two people per night, with a hearty breakfast included.

A ghost town and the city of the Sassi

The elegant town of Bernalda can be the ideal base from which to explore southern Basilicata, with Metaponto only a 15-minute drive away with its magnificent sea, park and archaeological museum. About forty minutes' drive away is the enchanting Matera, the city of the Sassi that has conquered the world with its uniqueness. Then there is the ghost town of Craco, the villages of San Costantino Albanese and Tricarico, and pushing further north, the province of Potenza with its mountains, the Lucanian Dolomites. Maratea is a little further away, but you must make room for it on a visit to southern Basilicata. 

Air Baltic will add Milan Malpensa and Nice to its network of destinations from its Tampere base from May with two Airbus A220-300s flights per week. 

“We are delighted to add Milan and Nice to our routes”

“We will celebrate the first anniversary of our Tampere base in a few months, and so far, demand from Finnish passengers has exceeded our expectations, - says Martin Gauss, president and CEO of the Latvian airline. - Following this success, we are delighted to add Milan and Nice to our routes, as both are popular tourist destinations. We anticipate that demand will increase further this year, allowing us to launch additional routes to various commercial hubs and leisure destinations in the future.”

More than 70 destinations 

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The Galles in Milan is to join Unahotels on 1 March. The former Best Western Plus Hotel Galles, owned by Filippo Seccamani, will in fact be managed directly by the Una Group’s brand. 

200 rooms and suites and a panoramic restaurant

The Unahotels Galles Milano is a historic 4-star hotel overlooking central Corso Buenos Aires. It has over 200 rooms and suites, the panoramic La Terrazza restaurant on the sixth floor, a wellness centre and a conference centre with six meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 100 people.

The Una Group’s portfolio stands at over 50 hotels

With this new entry in Milan, the number of hotels, luxury apartments and residences of the Una Group in the Lombardy capital area will stand at 12. Following this new acquisition, the company's portfolio will also symbolically surpass the threshold of 50 hotels, thanks to 34 directly managed facilities and 17 in franchising, under the brands Una Esperienze, Unahotels and Unaway.

More news about Unahotels

So it's official, in just three years two of Smeralda Holding's four iconic properties on the Costa Smeralda will no longer bear the Luxury Collection brand name, becoming Belmond and Cheval Blanc. 

A rebranding announced in June last year

The company that owns the hotels, which belongs to the Qatar Investment Authority, has in fact signed an agreement with the LVMH group to bring the Belmond and Cheval Blanc brands to the Romazzino and the  Pitrizza. The rebranding is part of a broader strategy for the Costa Smeralda as announced by the CEO of the holding company, Mario Ferraro, in June last year. 

Romazzino Costa Smeralda

The new-look Costa Smeralda will have luxury eateries

Under the terms of the new agreement, the Romazzino will reopen for the 2024 season under the name Romazzino, Belmond Hotel, Costa Smeralda. The Pitrizza, on the other hand, will continue to be operated under the Luxury Collection banner until 2026 when, after a restyling, it will be renamed Cheval Blanc Pitrizza, Costa Smeralda. The new-look Costa Smeralda, a journey that began in 2017, will also see the arrival of major catering operators such as the Nikki Beach, Zuma, Novikov, Beefbar and Matsuhisa.

Ita Airways is to boost its flights on the Rome-New Delhi route to meet the expected increase in demand in the first two weeks of March and from April to May 2023.

Direct Rome-New Delhi ITA Airways flights

From 1 to 12 March and from 27 March to 31 May 2023, the direct flight from Rome Fiumicino will be operated four times a week, departing every Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 14:10 and arriving in New Delhi the following day at 2:00/1:15 local time. From 13 to15 March ITA Airways will operate three weekly flights departing every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 14:10 and arriving at New Delhi International Airport at 2:00, local time.

From 1 to 13 March and from 3 April to 30 May 2023, return flights from New Delhi will be operated four times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, departing at 3:50/3:15 and arriving at Rome’s Fiumicino airport at 8:10/8:15. From 14 to 23 March and from 26 March to 2 April the flight will operate three days weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, with the same departure and arrival times.

Ita Airways operating on 9 intercontinental destinations

Ita Airways thus boosts the possibility of attracting connecting passengers between India, North and South America, Germany, Spain and France. The company is also expanding its intercontinental network and will operate on a total of 51 destinations in the winter season. Of these 9 will be intercontinental destinations, including Tokyo-Haneda and Malè, plus flights to New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.

The hospitality division of Dils is to be led by Roberto Galano and Leonardo Gloor. The real estate consultancy company has decided to open an ad hoc section specialized in the hospitality sector. 

The groups has expansion plans for Europe

The hospitality and international growth division of Dils, now under the leadership of Roberto Galano and Leonardo Gloor, will be involved in operations in Italy and Europe, as the group plans its expansion into Holland, Germany and Portugal, and then into Poland, Spain and France.

Hospitality investment was stable in 2022

Already active in the office, retail, logistics, living and residential sectors, Dils assist clients through the entire life cycle of the hotel: from the concept and design to the selection of operators and disposal of the asset. According to the Dils research team, in 2022 hospitality in Italy maintained stable investment levels compared to 2021, for a total of €1.5 billion. Some 43% of transactions in 2022 were represented by just four single asset deals: two prime resorts and two operations in central locations in Italy’s main cities.