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.

Magdalene. The Mystery and the Image the new exhibition dedicated to Mary Magdalene at the Musei San Domenico in Forlì focuses on this great female myth, a mysterious and misrepresented figure, and will run to 10 July 2022 in the Musei San Domenico in Forli, half an hour’s drive from Rimini. The exhibition, conceived and realized by the Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi di Forlì in collaboration with the Municipality of Forlì and the Musei San Domenico, features some 200 works by great artists from the 3rd century B.C. to the 20th century depicting the unresolved mystery of a woman who still disquiets and fascinates.  

Depicted as a sinner and a saint, a penitent and an intellectual

From the Middle Ages onwards Mary Magdalene has been depicted as a sinner, a saint, a courtesan and a penitent, an intellectual and an apostle. At the side of Saint Francis in the mendicant reform of the 13th and 14th centuries, a courtly lady in the 15th century, and a Christian Venus from the 16th century and throughout the following centuries, then symbolizing the feminine revolution in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Works lent by major international museums

The exhibition is divided into 12 sections and include extraordinary examples of painting, sculpture, miniatures, tapestries, silverware and graphic works, like those from the Archaeological Museum in Naples to Marc Chagall's The Deposition from the Cross (1968-1976) from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, to Veronese's Noli me Tangere from the Musée de Grenoble, and also includes Bill Viola's Acceptance as well as masterpieces by Antonio Canova and Francesco Hayez. 

Ph credits: Emanuele Rambaldi

Tenuta Duca Marigliano is an independent boutique hotel of charm in a former 19th-century hunting lodge beside the Greek walls of Paestum’s archaeological site in the province of Salerno. It is an oasis of beauty and tranquility surrounded by lawns and gardens, citrus trees and centuries-old oaks. 

Pergolas and gardens and a wellness area

This small hotel has 19 rooms, a gourmet restaurant, pergolas and gardens, and an intimate and reserved wellness area, with a sauna, a Turkish bath and a mini pool Jacuzzi. Owners Rosario and Loredana Paolillo and their young and attentive staff manage the house with grace and total dedication.

Just five minutes from the sea

Tenuta Duca Marigliano is a great starting point for exploring the region and the archaeological area, with the majestic temples of Hera, Neptune and Athena, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Just five minutes from the sea, the long coastline has wonderful beaches with fine sand dunes and crystal-clear waters.

The gourmet Casa Coloni restaurant

The renovations on the property have preserved and enhanced the historic architecture of the manor house. Contemporary materials and design elements enhance the interiors with their high ceilings and barrel vaults and fragments of stone and of the old walls have been deliberately left bare. The 19 rooms are all different, divided between the main house and a second unit which also houses Casa Coloni, the restaurant helmed by chef Luigi Coppola which is also open to the public.

There are a la carte and tasting menus 

Originally from Capaccio Paestum Chef Coppola researches the raw materials and the cuisine of the Cilento tradition for his dishes which are highly creative and celebrate the culture and the region which is rich in history and biodiversity. In addition to the a la carte menu, there are two tasting choices: the meat-based Cis Alentum and the fish-based Da Paestum a… Paestum and the maitre d’ Michele Mascolo with the sommelier Danilo Manzo make sure that guests wine and dine like kings. Double rooms from €80-300  Extra services: exclusive use of the Spa.  Bicycles for hire.

For open-air tourism this year the Human Company, in collaboration with Thrends, forecasts 45.4 to 48 million overnights, of which approximately 54% percent Italians, and an 8%-2% growth rate compared to 2021.

These are the encouraging signs from  the new edition of the Human Company’s Observatory for Outdoor Tourism in collaboration with the consulting firm Thrends. "The Observatory aims at painting an in-depth picture of the world of outdoor tourism in general and of outdoor travel in particular,” explains general manager Domenico Montano.

“Spending seems much higher than in the past” 

"Our estimate for the summer of 2022 - adds the director of Thrends, Giorgio Ribaudo  - is based on the model of the forecasts made in 2021 which, compared to the final balance, proved to be well founded. If there is no escalation of the ongoing conflict, it will be a very positive outdoor summer, with an almost total recovery of pre-pandemic volumes in terms of attendance. In this two-year period 2021-2022, spending seems much higher than in the past, opening the door to greater expectations and the search for more authentic experiences."

Two possible scenarios

Starting from the current macroeconomic framework, which is primarily influenced by the war in Ukraine and complicated by the uncertain pandemic situation, and using Istat and Eurostat sources, the 2022 Observatory points to two possible scenarios for open-air tourism. The first is a resolution of the conflict by 15 May, with a significant increase in the arrival of visitors from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as well as from central and northern European countries. The second is a continuation of the war with a consequent increase in instability and insecurity.

The best outlook is for 48 million overnights

The best outlook is for 48 million overnights, an increase of 8% over last year and a close match to the pre-Covid results of 2019 (-14%), for a total expenditure of €2.55 billion, and a daily expenditure of €53 per guest. In this scenario the Italian market has 26 million overnights in campsites and villages, a 5.2% drop from the pre-pandemic results of 2019. In the report's worst-case scenario, attendance is estimated to be 45.4 million, a significant stalemate compared to last summer (+ 2 percent) and a more marked decline compared to 2019 (-18 percent), with an economic impact of €2.41 billion. In this case, foreign markets are slowing down whereas the Italian market remains relatively stable at 25 million (+8% compared to 2021 and the same percentage but down on 2019).

Inbound arrivals are essential to save the season

In short, the inbound market will be critical. Foreign arrivals are expected to grow by nearly 8% in the summer of 2022 to 22 million. In the worst case scenario 20 million visitors are estimated to be in line with what was recorded in 2021 (-0.4 percent). The best hypothesis predicts a general increase by the top five foreign markets: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and France and an increase of more than 9%, for a total of 19.5 million arrivals. The worst-case scenario would reflect how last season ended with approximately 18 million arrivals.