March 14, 2025
The new a&o Florence Campo di Marte has officially opened its doors in the heart of the Tuscan capital.
The new hotel is well located
The new property has 119 rooms and is a 30-minute walk from Florence’s Piazza del Duomo and ten minutes from the stadium. Like many a&o Hostels in Europe, it enjoys a central and well-connected location, a short distance from the Campo di Marte railway station, from which it is easy to reach the main Santa Maria Novella station in 15 minutes.
With 466 beds it is a&o Hostels second Italian property
The building's new design includes a spacious, bright lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows on two floors, a breakfast area with an outdoor terrace, and rooms decorated with graphics inspired by posters for exhibitions and shows created by artificial intelligence from images captured in the city. The hostel offers a total of 466 beds and is the second a&o Hostels property in Italy, after the opening of Venice in 2017. With this new inauguration, the group now has a portfolio of 42 hotels in Europe. 
Self-check.in terminals in 13 languages
The Florence Campo di Marte is also noteworthy for some innovative standards for the a&o group: seven self check-in terminals, available in 13 languages to ensure a quick and easy arrival. There is also 24/7 cleaning of corridors and lobbies with robot vacuum cleaners and industrial floor cleaners as well as charging stations for electric vehicles and 40 parking spaces in the underground car park, and the a&o app which can be used as a digital room key on request.
A multi-functional courtyard
During the course of the year, the lobby will also be redesigned by the Viennese studio Bwm Architektur & Design. The large inner courtyard will be transformed into a multifunctional space, with sports and recreational areas also open to local residents, and special offers will be launched in the low season, aimed mainly at school groups and families.
Published in Hospitality
The Garner brand from IHG makes its Italian debut with the Garner Hotel Rome Aurelia.
Easy access to the airport, the Vatican and downtown Rome
The midscale brand, launched just under two years ago in the USA, makes its Italian debut with the Pacini Group's Garner Home Rome Aurelia. Located to the west of the capital, on the Via Aurelia, it is easily accessible from Fiumicino airport, as well as being well connected to the Vatican, Trastevere and the main tourist attractions in the historic centre. Last January the Pacini Group completed the total renovation of the hotel (formerly known as The Smooth Hotel Rome), giving it a more sophisticated look.
“We are proud of this new partnership with IHG”
The property has 58 rooms, a restaurant, bar, open terrace and meeting area. “After consolidating our presence in the luxury and lifestyle segment in Italy, it's fantastic to see new and long-standing owners also placing their trust in the brands of our Essentials division, to guarantee returns and performance,” says Willemijn Geels, vice president development, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “We are proud of this new partnership with IHG for the first Garner Hotels property in Italy,” adds the founder and CEO of the Rome-based group, Emidio Pacini.
The IHG group has 30 hotels in Italy
The Garner Rome Aurelia joins an expanding portfolio of IHG hotels in Italy, which includes 30 hotels of seven different brands (InterContinental, Six Senses, Indigo, voco, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express), with a further ten properties in the pipeline.
Published in Hospitality
Club del Sole arrives in the Apls in the Trentino-Alto Adige region with three new villages.
The first Club del Sole villages in the Alps
The new villages are the Caldonazzo Family Collection (formerly the San Cristoforo campsite in San Cristoforo al Lago Pergine Valsugana), the Due Laghi Levico Family Collection (formerly the Due Laghi campsite in Levico Terme) and the Val di Fiemme Easy Camping Village (formerly the Fiemme Village in Bellamonte di Predazzo). This is the first time the company has brought its hospitality facilities to the mountains, in the heart of the Alps which are one of the most popular destinations for outdoor tourism, both in summer and in winter.
Planning to consolidate in Abruzzo
“This operation is part of a broader development plan that last year saw us expand our offer with three new facilities, Tenuta Primero Resort in Grado, Mimose Family Camping Village in Porto Sant'Elpidio and Adriatico Family Camping Village in Cervia,,- the company's CEO, Francesco Giondi. -We are also planning to consolidate our presence in Abruzzo, a region that we have held close to our hearts since the group was founded fifty years ago.”
Lake Caldonazzo offers sailing, windsurfing and canoeing
The Club del Sole Caldonazzo Family Collection is a family-oriented resort few minutes’ walk from the quietest and sunniest area of Lake Caldonazzo, and offers numerous opportunities to experience nature and enjoy sports. Guests can relax on the beach with its artificial sand, rent sunbeds and umbrellas, or try their hand at activities such as sailing, SUP, windsurfing and canoeing. Anyone loves cycling can explore the surrounding area, and the village also has a semi-Olympic swimming pool.
Club del Sole Due Laghi Levico Family Collection
Club del Sole Due Laghi Levico Family Collection welcomes pets
The Club del Sole Due Laghi Levico Family Collection overlooks the waters of the lake of the same name, and is ideal for a family holidays to enjoy sport, nature, food and wine. The village has a splendid private beach, a natural area on the shores of the lake, and a water park with three swimming pools, including one for adults and one for children. The experience is completed by services dedicated to four-legged friends and a rich entertainment programme. The surrounding area also offers interesting experiences:,from exploring Levico Terme and the landscapes of the Valsugana, to renting a bicycle directly at the facility, to the cultural attractions of Trento and Bolzano and the art of Verona and Venice.
Club del Sole Val di Fiemme Easy Camping Village
Club del Sole Val di Fiemme Easy Camping Village is open summer and winter
The Club del Sole Val di Fiemme Easy Camping Village is surrounded by landscapes of pine forests, ancient larch trees and the majesty of the Dolomites. The facility offers various amenities including a heated swimming pool in a forest, a solarium, as well as a dog walking area and the possibility to rent bicycles. Open both in summer and winter, it offers accommodation and pitches for a holiday full of sport and excursions to discover the local area. During the winter season, the property is the ideal starting point for reaching nearby ski resorts such as the Latemar Dolomites ski centre. Thanks to these acquisitions, the Club del Sole portfolio has become more diverse in terms of products and now includes 27 facilities in eight Italian regions, for a total of more than 9.000 accommodations.
Published in Leisure
2024 is a year to remember for Venice Marco Polo Airport, which with 11.6 million passengers set a New record.
In 2024 the airport exceeded pre-pandemic levels
In fact for the first time the airport exceeded the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, when 11.56 million passengers transited. However, the growth, equal to +2.7% compared to 2023, remains more contained than the national average of Italian airports, which are experiencing a more rapid expansion, reflecting Venice Airport’s sustainable development strategy.
Optimizing passenger flows
The aim is to attain a measured development that guarantees a positive experience for passengers, and infrastructures that are able to meet demand. “We are not interested in growth on a drug-fuelled basis,- said Enrico Marchi, president od rhe Save Grouo that manages the airport,- ‘but in long-term sustainable expansion that focuses on the quality of services.” This philosophy is also reflected in the recent infrastructure development aimed at optimizing passenger flows without compromising operational efficiency.
North American traffic is 21% of the total
The strength of Marco Polo is its intercontinental vocation, which represents 21% of total traffic. In 2024, the airport saw a significant increase in traffic to North America, with over one million passengers and a growth of +9% compared to 2023. Transatlantic routes are covered by Delta Air Lines, to New York JFK and Atlanta, United Airlines to New York Newark, which this year is joined by a new route to Washington D.C, while American Airlines with a flight to Chicago will add the first direct connection to Dallas-Fort Worth this summer.
More far Eastern flights are also being added
Traffic to the Far East is also growing, with an increase of 36% and over 300,000 passengers in the first ten months of 2024. This result is driven by the Venice-Shanghai Pudong connection operated by China Eastern and Asiana Airlines' summer service to Seoul Incheon. There's also good news for connections to the Middle East: Qatar Airways has resumed flights to Venice with a daily connection to Doha, alongside Emirates' daily flight to Dubai.
Published in Transportation
The third hotel for the Vista brand of the Lario Hotels group owned by the Passera family is in Ostuni in Apulia.
Close to Brindisi airport and a short walk to Ostuni
After Lake Como and Verona, and two years after the start of construction, the 5-star Vista Ostuni has confirmed that it will open for summer. A The Leading Hotels of the World, the property which is 37 kilometres from Brindisi airport and a short walk to Ostuni, is immersed in an ancient olive grove. This former Tobacco Factory, a historic building dating back to the fourteenth century, has a long history linked to the local community and has been restored in full respect of the original architecture.
“We have used local materials and artisans”
“We have worked tirelessly to honour the tradition of the place in the best possible way, using Italian materials and environmentally sustainable resources, in line with our way of working and collaborating with local artisans,” says the group's president, Bianca Passera.
Three swimming pools and fine dining
The hotel, open all year round, will have 28 rooms and suites on an average 60 sqm, two restaurants, three swimming pools, two of which are outdoor (including an infinity pool on the terrace), a rooftop bar with a view of Ostuni, known as the White City, and the sea. There is also a library bar, a spa, beauty centre and fitness gym with state-of-the-art equipment. The food & beverage offer of the new Vista Ostuni will be curated by starred chef Andrea Berton and will include the all-day Bianca Bistrot in the garden and the Berton al Vista.
The Lario Hotels group is owned by the Passera family
“Our third Vista hotel is the result of the combined efforts of hundreds of workers who have toiled tirelessly on the construction site over the last 24 months to convert and restore the building, under the guidance of architect Roberto Murgia,- adds CEO Luigi Passera. -Our top management is already working on hiring the 70 or so staff we will have working in the property.”
Published in Hospitality
Valtur Cervinia Cristallo Ski Rerost has completed its 5-star repositioning.
Investing in services and staff
The new 5-star status is the result of a constant improvement process over three seasons. To achieve this the brand developed an investment plan on various fronts, starting with the restyling of various areas of the resort. Another significant part of the economic and planning resources has also been allocated to services and staff. Keeping the focus on investment, there has also been careful strategic repositioning of the destination.
Redevelopment led to the 5-star rating
“It is with great satisfaction that we announce the 5-star rating obtained by our resort,- says the president of the Nicolaus group, Roberto Pagliara. -When we started the redevelopment, the property was a 4-star, and in preparation for the reopening we upgraded the central block. The aim was to standardize the hotel, in line with our format and the way we provide our services. We are very happy to have completed this process within the set time frame. We want to emphasise this because it is important, and the numbers we are recording are the best proof of this constant progression.”
Guests from 89 nationalities in 23/24
Starting with the number of guests, which, in the same period, marks a +26% increase on a winter that was already as good as 2023/2024. Even more significant is the 60% increase in total revenue, which shows how the increase in quality leads to increased profitability and encourages guests to make more use of services. An insight into foreign markets is also very interesting, as the closing of the winter 2023/24 season saw as many as 89 nationalities present in the resort, while the 2024/25 season already counts 70 nationalities, with Israel (+1,100%), Holland (+300%), USA (+112%) and France (+56%) in particularly interesting positions.
The Valtur brand as quality lifestyle hospitality
“We're closing this first part of the season with results that are better than expected and with excellent feedback from the distribution sector, confirming that the move upmarket and the standardization of the product are effective sales levers- says Pagliara. -Our Valtur Cervinia continues to be the best presentation of an ambitious project, which sees the Valtur brand become a reference point for quality lifestyle hospitality.”
Published in Hospitality
The 4-star Enterprise Hotel is on central Corso Sempione in Milan and is part of the Planetaria Hotels Group.
For business and leisure guests
The hotel has 124 rooms with custom-made designer furniture, the Kyoto Spa, Sophia's Restaurant, which offers delicious chef-crafted dishes and the Garden Bar. For business or special occasions, the hotel provides versatile and modular event and conference spaces tailored to any gathering.
A unique Immersive Room
The Enterprise Hotel's Immersive Room is a true digital innovation. Using special technology this room offers a 360-degree experience through the continuous projections of videos and images on the walls, thus transforming every event into a unique and engaging experience. The room is equipped with 16 full-HD projectors that work simultaneously, transforming simple content into experiences to stimulate guests’ imagination and creativity. The uniqueness of this technology has allowed the hotel to add an important element to its evolutionary journey, making it the only hotel in Italy that is equipped with an immersive room. 
New suites with kitchenettes
In recent years the Enterprise Hotel has undergone a major revolution with the addition of the Nesting Rooms. These are eight new suites that, just as the word suggests, offer guests a cozy nest where they can take refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city. They come with a kitchenette area which is perfect for anyone who wants to prepare a quick meal, while the relaxation area is perfect for working or simply chilling out with a book. The Nesting Rooms respond to an epochal change in the use of accommodation facilities and are designed to cater to the rising interest in staycations, as well as to those travelling for pleasure, prioritizing as they do, comfort, safety and privacy.
The Planetaria Group has 12 hotels in Italy
The Planetaria Hotels Group has a total of twelve 4-star and 5-star hotels in Italy. In Milan, in addition to the Enterprise, there is the Château Monfort (5 stars), Hotel Indigo Milan (4 stars), Milan Suite Hotel (4 stars) and the Residenza delle Città (4 stars). Villa Appiani (4 stars) is in Trezzo sull'Adda, the Grand Hotel Savoia (5 stars) and the Hotel Continental (4 stars) are in Genoa, Ville sull'Arno (5 stars) is in Florence (5 stars), and Leon's Place and the Hotel Pulitzer are in Rome (4 stars). The latest addition to the Planetaria family is the Cà Pisani Deco Design Hotel in Venice (4 stars).
Published in MICE & Events
CDSHotels' turnover grew by 7%, closing 2024 with almost €60 million, and the group opens the Le Castella in Calabria.
A new hotel in Calabira this June
This positive result is accompanied by an important piece of news: the opening of CDSHotels Le Castella – Ninfe Saracene in Calabria in June 2025. With this new property the company strengthens its presence on the Italian market, extending beyond Puglia and Sicily. The 4-star superior hotel will have 85 rooms, a swimming pool, a restaurant with a terrace and a beach club (a conference room and a wellness centre are planned for 2026). The resort will reflect the chain's philosophy, employing local staff and promoting the use of farm-to-fork products.
“We have chosen Calabria for its tourist potential”
“Our arrival in Calabria is a fundamentally strategic step for us,- explains commercial director, Ada Miraglia. – Having consolidated our presence in Puglia and Sicily, we have chosen this region for its extraordinary beauty and its tourist potential.’”
Foreign markets were up 37% over 2023
2024 confirmed the stabilization of the Italian market after the exploit of 2023. The flow of national tourists was more evenly distributed in the four central months of summer, in line with a progressive process of deseasonalization. On the international front, foreign markets recorded an increase of 37% over 2023, with French tourists exceeding Germans thanks chiefly to new agreements with French tour operators. There has also been an increase in customers from Canada, the United States and Australia. “The outlook for 2025 is excellent,- concludes Ada Miraglia, -with forecasts showing a 36% increase over the same period in 2024. The goal remains to expand our offer and consolidate our presence on the Italian and international markets.”
Published in Hospitality
Twin Jet is expanding its Italian network with the addition of a new Nice-Venice flight, which will take off on 31 March.
Two direct weekly Nice-Venice flights
The airline is already operating routes to Bologna and Milan Malpensa, and the new Nice-Venice route will be served by two direct return flights a week, on Mondays and Fridays with Beechcraft 1900D aircraft. “This new route is part of Twin Jet's strategy to offer greater connectivity between the main regional capitals, facilitating travel for passengers,- explains a note from the carrier. -By connecting Nice, gateway to the French Riviera, to Venice, queen of the Adriatic, Twin Jet responds to the growing demand for direct connections between France and Italy.”
Twin Jet is a partner of Air France’s Flying Blu programme
Particular attention, the note underlines, is paid to schedules, with the aim of “offering the best flight options to passengers, whether travelling for business or pleasure.” A partner of Air France's Flying Blue frequent flyer programme, Twin Jet operates a fleet of 13 Beechcraft 1900Ds and operates around 200 regional weekly flights to 13 destinations in France and Italy: Le Puy-en-Velay, Lyon, Marseille, Mende, Nice, Paris-Orly, Pau, Rennes, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Bologna, Milan Malpensa and, soon, Venice.
Published in Transportation
The Blu Hotels group will continue to manage the Grand Hotel Forte dei Marmi and Misurina for another 20 years.
The Misurina is on Forte dei Marmi’s seafront
The extension of the contract with The Misurina is particularly strategic, thanks to its location a few kilometres from Cortina d'Ampezzo, which will allow the Salò-based company to prepare for the next Winter Olympics from 6 to 22 February 2026. The restyling of the Forte dei Marmi property, costing over 3 million, aims to maintain the characteristic style of the Versilia region, but adding a touch of freshness and modernity. The hotel, which has been managed by Blu Hotels since 1993, enjoys a privileged position on Forte dei Marmi’s seafront.
“We will continue to invest and are aiming ever higher”
“These two renovations are a source of great satisfaction for us and confirm the strong links and winning synergies we enjoy with the territory,- says the president of Blu Hotels, Nicola Risatti. -Both properties, thanks also to their locations, have always given us great results. The major restyling work we are carrying out in collaboration with the owners demonstrates our determination to continue investing and aiming ever higher.”
Published in Hospitality
Latest articles
Latest Video
Brescia, your next destination
Brescia, located between Milan and Venice, is easily accessi…
273Brescia, your next destination
Brescia, located between Milan and Venice, is easily accessi…
273- Our Partners -
Welcome to Italy
Italian Blue Route
Italian Blue Route
- Under the patronage of the Italian Tourist Board -
