The 2025 season of the Splendido in Portofino, a Belmond Hotel, opens with a makeover and the new Villa Beatrice. 

New suites and the Dior Spa

In June next year the hotel, symbol of the Dolce Vita of the 1950s, will conclude an important stage of the multi-year renovation project led by the Martin Brudnizki design studio, the aim being to enhance the link with the territory, with art and with the tradition of Ligurian craftsmanship. Highlights will include new suites, common areas like the bar and coffee lounge, and the Dior Spa. The opening of Villa Beatrice, perched on the Punta Caiega promontory, is scheduled for July.

Art will feature throughout the rooms and suites

The spa will include four treatment cabins, as well as a dedicated relaxation area on an exclusive panoramic terrace. In the hotel the rooms and suites will feature a selection of contemporary artworks and local botanical prints, while the corridors will display sketches of Portofino and vintage photos of the hotel and its guests.

Villa Beatrice will accommodate up to ten people

A short distance from the Splendido, on a hillside in the regional nature park, stands Villa Beatrice, which will open in July 2025. Once known as Odero Castle, it is on a panoramic viewpoint and will enjoy private access to the sea, while benefiting from all the services of the Splendido. On three main floors, with an additional penthouse floor with a panoramic terrace renamed La Torretta, the villa will be able to accommodate up to ten people, with four suites in the main building and an additional suite in the Casetta: an independent cottage nestled in a citrus grove.

A subtropical garden with access to the sea

Beatrice was designed in 1913 by the Tuscan architect Gino Coppedè, who fused neo-Gothic elements with Art Nouveau innovations. Belmond acquired the villa in 2021 and started its restoration, entrusting the interior design to Martin Brudnizki and the landscaping to Marco Bay. Highlights of the project include the restoration of the original Coppedè exterior frescoes and interior ceilings, marble bathrooms and a collection of regional antiques and contemporary artworks. Guests will also enjoy the intimate subtropical garden with access to the sea, the swimming pool with solarium, butler service, a fully equipped kitchen with a personal chef on request, a gym, a yoga or treatment area and a large terrace for al fresco dining.

An era will come to an end for Milanese hospitality when the Sheraton Diana Majestic closes its doors next September.

A new hotel or a fashion brand location?

The owners of the Sheraton Diana Majestic, a Milanese real estate company, have decided not to renew the rental contract that has linked the hotel's management to the Marriott brand for 40 years.

According to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, the intentions are now to completely renovate the building and either launch a new hotel, or convert the asset into a fashion brand location. 

The property was built in the mid-19th century 

The Sheraton Diana Majestic was inaugurated in 1908 in the premises of what was formerly known as the Kuursal Diana Baths, created by the Austrians in the mid-19th century in an area that was then a countryside retreat close to Porta Venezia. The facility soon became a landmark for distinguished guests, including Milanese socialites, artists, literati and clergymen.

Linked to a sad event and to Fascism

However, the hotel is also sadly known for having been the scene, on 23 March 1923, of a massacre in which 21 people died. An episode that for many historians represented the beginning of the strategy of tension that would bring Fascism to power little more than a year later.

New entry in Basilicata for the BWH group, which has signed a franchising contract with Garibaldi Hotels for the affiliation of the newly opened Dimora del Monaco in Matera. 

“Raising our standards of hospitality”

The newly built building has 23 rooms on three floors, with ample space and modern design furnishings. “This partnership represents an important step for our group, as it will allow us to further raise the standards of service and hospitality we offer our customers, and open up to a new international distribution network,” said Garibaldi Hotels CEO Fabrizio Prete.

Growing numbers of white label groups

Enthusiasm and satisfaction are also expressed by Fabrizio Doria, chief development officer of BWH Hotels Italia & Malta: “The affiliation of Dimora del Monaco to our network of properties represents an extraordinary opportunity not only for us. While acquiring a new destination this is also positive for the white label groups, which are increasingly numerous in our network.”

Uvet Hotels is moving ahead fast and has no fewer than eight new management properties in the pipeline.

A total of eleven hotels in the portfolio

The new managements will bring to eleven the number in its portfolio starting, in March with the Piccolo, a 23-room boutique hotel in Portofino, and the Royal in Positano, with its 77 suites and 160-seat restaurant both of which will reopen their doors.  The following month it will be the turn of the Sardinian Palumbalza in Porto Rotondo, which has 92 rooms, a swimming pool, lounge bar, wellness centre, gym, private beach and a small jetty for yachts of up to 15 metres. 

From the Dolomites to Venice

Next December operations will resume at three mountain properties: the Alaska in Cortina d'Ampezzo with 92 rooms on seven floors, Les Jumeaux in Courmayeur with 85 rooms in two different buildings, and the South Tyrolean Miramonti near Corvara which has 91 rooms and a restaurant. Two properties in Venice are due to reopen next January: the 22-room Ca' Zusto on the Grand Canal on the Giudecca with 30 rooms. 

“We are focusing on exclusive locations”

“Thes are all tangible signs of a strategy aimed at seizing the opportunities dictated by the growing interest in our country from both foreign and Italian tourists,- said Uvet group chairman Luca Patanè. -We are focusing on exclusive locations that offer an authentic experience and personalized service with the aim of  optimally meeting the expectations of a demanding international clientele. We firmly believe that Italy, with its cultural heritage, scenic beauty and excellence in the hospitality sector, is a destination of great appeal for this market segment. Our goal is to continue to expand, and we are constantly looking for properties in line with our standards, allowing us to offer a wide range of choices to our guests.”

The Hilton group announces two new entries in Rome and Naples, thanks to two franchising agreements.

A Hampton by Hilton close to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome

In partnership with Italyhotelmanagement, the Hampton by Hilton Rome St Peter's will open next March with 124 rooms, a gym and two meeting rooms. Just a short walk from Via Gregorio VII and close to the Vatican City, the hotel is in a convenient location for both business travellers and tourists wishing to explore Rome.

Hilton Rome and Napoli DoubleTree by Hilton Naples Oriente rendering

The new Hilton Naples Orient is near Naples’ Royal Palace

The DoubleTree by Hilton Naples Orient is in collaboration with FGN Horn and will open next spring. Centrally located, within walking distance of major tourist attractions, such as the Royal Palace and the Sansevero Chapel Museum, the property will have 112 rooms, a gym, an all-day dining restaurant, a rooftop bar overlooking the city, and several meeting rooms.

Hilton Rome and Napoli HAMPTON ST PETER RENDER

“In Italy we have more than 2,000 rooms in our pipeline”

“We continue to record significant growth in Italy, with more than 2,000 rooms in our pipeline,-  says vice president development Southern Europe, Alan Mantin. -We are therefore delighted to announce two further acquisitions among our full and focused service brands.”

The seventh Bwh Group hotel in Turin is called Turin City Centre, and is branded Sure Hotel by Best Western. 

Very close to Porta Nuova railway station

Located in a historic building dating back to the 1800s, the property has 56 rooms, a meeting room that can accommodate up to 40 people, covered parking and functional workspaces in the public areas. It is strategically located in the heart of the Piedmontese capital, just a few steps from Porta Nuova station. The location is ideal for those wishing to explore the city on foot, allowing easy access to the main cultural and historical attractions, such as the Mole Antonelliana, the Egyptian Museum and the Royal Palace.

“A consolidated relationship with Bwh”

“The entry of our hotel into Bwh is a natural step,” explains Fabio Borio, owner of the hotel, and former owner of the Best Western Plus Hotel Genova, as well as a member of the group's board of directors. These words are echoed by Gabriela Cristiani, co-owner of the hotel and former owner of the Best Western Hotel Luxor and the Best Western Crystal Palace Hotel Turin: “Consolidating our relationship with Bwh is a sign of mutual trust.” 

Seven Bwh hotels in the centre of Turin

“With the entry of the Turin City Centre we strengthen our presence in a strategic city like Turin, and now we have seven hotels right in the centre,” concludes the chief development officer of Bwh Hotels Italia & Malta, Fabrizio Doria.

EasyJet will add a new Italian airport with the debut of flights from London Gatwick, and also Basel in Switzerland, to Rimini from 16 April 2025. 

easyJet operates on 19 Italian airports

These new routes further expand the company's network, which counts more than 220  routes to and from 19 Italian airports. The new collaboration is an opportunity to develop local tourism and enhance the beauty of the Romagna region and its hinterland, which is famous for its beaches, rich culinary traditions – it is home to Italy’s much sought-after Food Valley, and close to the home of the iconic Ferrari cars  -  lively nightlife and the beauty of its hilly landscapes. 

Access to the Romagna region

Rimini officially joins our network, adding to easyJet's more than 150 destinations in Europe, - comments Lorenzo Lagorio, easyJet Italy country manager. - On 19 November two new international routes went on sale, connecting London Gatwick and Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airports to Rimini. These connections will allow our customers living in the catchment areas of these important airports to have access to the beauties of the Romagna region, as early as next spring. 

Rimini Airport is developing fast

The new flights are the start of a collaboration that we hope will grow further over the next few years,- said Leonardo Corbucci, CEO of Rimini Airport. -Thanks to what we have achieved in this first phase of the airport's Development Plan, we are proud to confirm that the results so far give us reason to believe that we have taken the right road and should continue to follow it. Jamil Sadegholvaad, the mayor of Rimini said, “In a still complex stage for the domestic market, it is increasingly important to invest in international markets to boost our competitiveness and the local economy. The Fellini Airport is a cornerstone of these ambitions and can lead to concrete results thanks to strong teamwork. 

The (adults only)  Cape of Senses spa hideaway has exclusive offers for New Year's Eve on Lake Garda.

Measured luxury with sunny lake-view suites

The property, which opened just over a year ago in Albisano, above Torri del Benaco, stands on a hillside overlooking the lake, in a dominant position with a unique panoramic view from the southern to the northern shores of Lake Garda. This hideaway is the epitome of measured luxury, with all the sunny and comfortable suites facing the lake. As suggested by the hotel's name, the services offered are designed to satisfy all the senses and achieve holistic wellness for the mind and the body, in two words: recovery and regeneration.

The New Year’s Eve Golden Night celebrations

New Year's Eve at the Cape of Senses will be a Golden Night, starting with an aperitif with live piano musical accompaniment followed by dinner and a party with music and fireworks. For a minimum 3-night stay in a suite for two adults, access to the Senses Spa, New Year's Eve, brunch on New Year's Eve and the Wine & Tales experience, the cost is from €2,550.

ph credits: Florian Andergassen

A spa with seven treatment cabins and a health food corner

Also available to all guests is the Senses Spa on over 2,000 sqm, with a large Spa Library where guests can relax.  There are seven treatment cabins, a private spa, a wide selection of facial and body treatments, and a HealthFood corner, curated directly by the Chef of the Cape of Senses. The Senses SPA is right in front of a 10,000 sqm sensory park, overlooking Lake Garda.

Outdoor pools and a Technogym fitness centre

The garden has infinity pools overlooking the lake: the Infinity Pool surrounded by greenery and the sports pool, for swimming in the open air. There is also a 130 sqm gym with panoramic views, personal trainers and the latest Technogym equipment.
For information: www.capeofsenses.com

The Peloritani Museum of Popular Music in Gesso, displays musical instruments and tells the story of the little town’s link to chalk.

The history of chalk and of agricultural instruments.

Gesso’s Popular Music Museum, in the little town of Gesso just nine miles from Messina in Sicily, is named for the nearby Peloritani mountain range. Divided into four rooms, in addition to displaying a varied collection of musical and sound instruments, the museum highlights the characteristics of each instrument, the occasions of its use and the ceremonial functions it fulfilled. The itinerary begins with a section devoted to the history of the little town of Gesso (chalk in Italian), its architectural and artistic heritage and the production of chalk, on which the town’s economy was based and which also gave it its name. In addition to different types of sound and popular musical instruments, the museum also has agricultural and pastoral artefacts linked to the cycles of wine, oil, wheat, cheese and snow. This active and interdisciplinary museum also serves as a meeting and exhibition space for events. 

Flutes, bagpipes and shell trumpets

The more than 450 instruments on display highlight the central role they played in agricultural and pastoral society, from reed flutes to bagpipes. Of particular interest are the shell trumpets archaic instruments best known for their signal function in fishing and farming activities. Other special objects are the scacciapensieri and triangles while a conspicuous collection of drums, guitars, mandolins, violins, diatonic accordions testifies to the great vitality of Sicily’s traditional musical culture.

Agricultural, pastoral, ceremonial and festive objects

In addition to sound and musical instruments, ample exhibition space is dedicated to the objects used by the Peloritani, from working tools and costumes to ceremonial and carnivalesque objects. Visitors can admire the costumes of the Shrove Tuesday carnival parade in Saponara, as well as work and everyday objects. A musical entertainment room displays, among other things, some curious pyrotechnic masks, and a collection of Sicilian puppets. 

A multimedia room and an outdoor wind harp

The Museum has a multimedia room with the history of sound reproduction, from the cylinder piano to Edison's phonograph, to gramophones and the record player, a bookshop and a computer station, and in the officinal garden visitors can also admire a rarity: the wind harp played by the wind. Opening hours: Sundays from 10.30 to 12.30 or on reservation For information: https://visitme.comune.messina.it/it/luoghi/museo-cultura-e-musica-popolare-dei-peloritani-villaggio-gesso