May 22, 2026
Arsenale: €300 million Oaktree funds for new hotel projects and the La Dolce Vita train
April 01, 2022The Arsenale Group has received an injection of up to €300 million from Oaktree Capital Management.
Arsenale's current pipeline projects in the hotel industry include the future Orient Express Hotel de La Minerve in Rome and Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice, as well as in the luxury train sector. Its new Orient Express La Dolce Vita, in collaboration with Accor, Trenitalia-Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato, and Fondazione Fs, includes a fleet of six luxury trains operating on dedicated routes throughout Italy and Europe. The Oaktree investment will directly contribute to the project's development and launch, which is scheduled to start in 2023. Arsenale is the result of a collaboration between Paolo Barletta and Annabel Holding, who retain complete ownership of the company.
Competing with major international players
"We are very happy for the positive conclusion of this agreement, which lays the foundations for the expansion and strengthening of our company, both in terms of financial security and know-how,” underlines the CEO of Arsenale, Paolo Barletta. “The support of an international fund such as Oaktree consolidates our presence in hospitality, with a financial strength that allows us to compete with the major international groups.”
The group is also looking at acquiring new properties in Italy in the destination segment.
Published in Business
A Mira Hotels group is embracing the new micro-weddings trend in exotic locations that is now spreading fast through Italy as a result of the pandemic and the restrictions on the number of guests allowed at an event. Mira Hotels & Resorts supports this new trend, which has been popularized by celebrities and influencers. Getting married in a dream location far away from home for three whole days with fewer guests (maximum 50 or 60) but with great attention to detail, is turning out to be a much more intimate and exclusive way to celebrate the big day.
Mira organizes the wedding celebrations
With Mira planning the event, guests are welcomed with an informal welcome dinner that brings relatives and friends together. The following day there is the wedding and the party, which can be customized as desired, and the celebrations continue with a farewell brunch on the third day, allowing guests to relax before saying their goodbyes. And those who want to stay longer, taking advantage of their stay to explore the area with friends and family, can rely on the assistance of the Mira Experience Advisor, who can recommend and plan activities to explore the destination. Mira also sets up stag and hen party packages that include sports, bicycle rides, and boat rides, and can be enjoyed over several days at the spa, on a farm, in a village or in a natural setting.
There are Mira Resorts in Sicily, Tuscany, Apulia and the Alps
The four Mira resorts are situated in some of Italy's most beautiful regions, from the Acaya Golf Resort & Spa in Apulia’s Salento region, to Baroque Sicily with Borgo di Luce I Monasteri Golf Resort & Spa in Syracuse, and from the Maremma coast with the Mira Riva Toscana Golf Resort & Spa to the Alagna Mountain Resort & Spa in the Alps. Let Mira organize it all, from the party to the ceremony. Each resort is in a stunning natural setting and has a wellness programme as well as a spa.
Published in Experiences & Tips
Best Western expands in the northern Trentino region with the Bw Signature Collection Cima Rosetta
March 30, 2022The Cima Rosetta is the Best Western group’s (Bwh) new entry in Italy’s northern Trentino region. The property, in the winter resort town of San Martino di Castrozza will be branded Bw Signature Collection when it reopens its doors on 20 March 2022. Located at an altitude of 1,487 metres the hotel is in the Paneveggio Nature Park, at the foot of the Pale di San Martino, the largest mountain group in the Dolomites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rooms and suites come in various sizes and types
The property has 50 rooms of different types: economy, comfort (new for summer 2022), deluxe and junior suites; these range from triple to quadruple and from single to double and twin bedded. The restaurants include the Pizzeria San Martino, the Hotel Restaurant and the Taufer Restaurant, with gourmet menus and a wide selection of Italian DOC and local wines.
Two indoor pools and a ten-seater outdoor Jacuzzi
The 2,000-square-metre Dolomiti Spa Wellness Centre has two indoor pools, five different types of saunas, a Turkish bath and a ten-seater outdoor Jacuzzi. The resort also has appealing outdoor areas including a garden and a sun terrace, and there is a free supervised car park with a charging station for electric vehicles.
Published in Hospitality
Nature treasure hunts for children, to share on social media, just 15 kilometres from Parma
March 30, 2022The Blowing in the Woods nature treasure hunts for children and families are organized just 15 kilometres from Parma in the Carrega Woods Nature Park. On 1,270 hectares between the Taro river and the Baganza torrent, it is as if the trees in this park speak a language all their own. To understand it all you have to do is read the messages hidden in over 120 glass jars scattered among the beech and chestnuts and through the ferns.
Children take photos to post on social media
Children find it easy to understand the Blowing in the Woods messages project: an unusual treasure hunt in which valuable are not sealed in a chest under the ground, but are hidden around the park, allowing the young participants to experience a sense of discovery, the importance of respect for the environment and eco-sustainability. Those who find the messages can add their signature and then put them back, leaving their name in the woods. And they should not forget to take a photo and share it on social media with the hashtag #blowinginthewoods.
Family walks with donkeys
The Boschi di Carrega woodlands warmly welcome the investigations of these little adventurers and baby explorers – with their parents in tow – and they can also take part in the research outings organized by BenNature Trekking (https://www.bennaturetrek.com/) and family walks in the company of the donkeys of the Asini nel Cuore centre (http://asininelcuore.it/).
Published in Leisure
Blu Hotels acquires the Acquaseria Hotel in Ponte di Legno near the Camonica Valley in Lombardy
March 30, 2022With an operation to the value of some €10 million, including renovations, the Blu Hotels Group has acquired the Acquaseria Hotel in Ponte di Legno, in the Lombardy region. The Salo-based company already managed the property
The Blu Hotel Acquaseria has always been a benchmark
"The purchase of this property, which we have been managing since 2013, marks an important step for us, underscoring the solidity of a group that, despite these two years of pandemic, has continued to plan for the future,” says the president of the company, Nicola Risatti. “The Blu Hotel Acquaseria is one of the most prestigious of the Group’s hotels, and it has always been a benchmark for anyone staying in Ponte di Legno," added Risatti
The spa has Finnish saunas and steam baths
Located just 500 meters from the center of town, the hotel has 95 rooms of different types. There is also a spa with aromatic steam baths, Finnish saunas, emotional showers and a delightful relaxation area with a herbal tea corner.
Published in Hospitality
Genoa is known for its artistic heritage as well as its great natural beauty. Spring is the best time to visit the city and be enchanted by its many treasures. From the historic centre to the maze of alleyways that reveal unexpected beauty around every corner, and from the seaside villages, where time seems to have stood still, to the numerous historical parks that are oases of peace with stunning sea views. The City Pass, which is Genoa's official tourist pass, makes it easy to customize your vacation, allowing you to choose from a variety of themed routes, and to take a bicycle or hop on public transport without having to worry about buying a ticket or waiting in line.
Euroflora is a flowering of colors, events and culture
From 23 April to 8 May Genoa will become a multi-hued garden thanks to Euroflora, one of Europe's most prestigious trade fairs. Walking around Nervi's parks and museums, which cover an area of 86,000 square metres, you can admire stunning natural masterpieces, and 250 landscape architects, horticulturists, florists, and decorators are expected to arrive in the city to turn it into a kaleidoscope of figures and colours. The scent of flowers will pervade the landscape with its centuries-old palms, olive trees, and maritime pines, as well as a magnificent array of Italian and exotic botanical species.
The Monet exhibition in the Palazzo Ducale
The colours of Euroflora are echoed by the works in the Monet exhibition at the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, and a large lush garden awaits us at the Doge's Palace to 22 May, with 50 of Monet’s works recounting the artist’s love for nature, especially in the last phase of his life which he spent in the Giverny countryside. There are numerous iconic paintings of water lilies, weeping willows, and the Japanese bridge which the artist depicted in numerous paintings, all of which are captured through variations of light, time, and season.
Don’t miss Genoa’s magnificent Rolli palaces
The spring edition of the Rolli Days is another must-see event of the season: from May 13 to 15, 2022, the UNESCO-listed Palazzi dei Rolli historic palaces open their doors to visitors, allowing you to walk through magnificent interiors, courtyards and gardens and admire fresco cycles, late Renaissance and Baroque sculptures, and fabulous art collections. The Strada Nuova Museums: Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi, (Palazzo Rosso is currently closed for restoration), Palazzo Tobia Pallavicino, Palazzo di Francesco Grimaldi della Meridiana, and Palazzo di Nicolosio Lomellino, to name just a few, are all well worth visiting.
Published in Cities & Regions
Make these Easter holidays really special with Armani Hotel Milan’s Easter Time offer for a relaxing, sophisticated and elegant weekend break.
Spa, aperitif and an Easter menu
By reserving a room from 15 to 19 April guests will be able to pamper themselves in the panoramic Spa, enjoy an aperitif at sunset and, upon reservation, enjoy the Easter Menu by Executive Chef Francesco Mascheroni in the 7th-floor Armani Bamboo Bar.
A chocolate massage
The Armani Spa experience includes the Dolci Coccole treatment for two. This anti-stress face and body massage with chocolate is an excellent ally for the body and the mind. Fragrant cocoa is a powerful antioxidant, and the perfect way brighten your day. The 80-minute treatment ends in the relaxation area with its whirlpool bath, sauna and icefall.
Cocktail time with splendid Milan views
After the spa, guests are invited to the Bamboo Bar to enjoy a drink from the Signature Skyline Collection, the cocktail list that pays homage to the many symbolic places in Milan that can be seen from the 7th floor bar.
A menu with Easter specialties
And those who book in advance, on Sunday 17 and Monday 18 April, can also enjoy the Easter Menu both for lunch and dinner at the Bamboo Bar. On the menu a selection of Easter-themed dishes such as an Easter egg cooked at a low temperature, San Massimo reserve rice, asparagus, Robiola cheese, liquorice soil, lamb, potatoes, artichokes and a chocolate egg. This traditional menu with a new twist on the Easter theme for cosmopolitan dishes is a memorable way to celebrate this spring holiday.
The offer of the Armani Hotel Milan is available from €1,450 for two people in a Deluxe Room and also includes:
- Breakfast served at the Armani restaurant, or in the privacy of your room
- Welcome Armani Dolci Easter amenities by Guido Gobino
- Minibar
- Complimentary upgrade to a higher room category subject to availability
For information and reservations: +39 02 8883 8381 - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in Hospitality
If you are looking for a original, avant-garde and unique exhibition in Rome, this is for you. Open until 8 January 2023 in the Chiostro del Bramante Crazy – La Follia dell’Arte Contemporanea (Crazy - The Folly of Contemporary Art) is a collection of 21 hitherto unseen works by internationally renowned artists, and more than 11 site-specific installations. There is no prescribed route, and each room and each work will totally overwhelm the visitor, completely immersing them in this "crazy" atmosphere.
Contemporary art with a twist
Among the artists participating in this “madness” are names of the calibre of Alfredo Jaar, Chilean artist, architect, photographer and director whose videos, photos and installations all come together in perfect harmony and Lucio Fontana, one of the most important contemporary artists on the international stage. Carlos Amorales, Gianni Politi, a Roman artist who creates abstract works with traditional materials and Anne Hardy, a British artist who creates art by using recycled materials will also feature.
International artists using interesting mediums
Also on display are the abstract works of Ian Davenport, the habitable and practicable environments of Gianni Colombo and two contemporary Californian artists, David Allen Burns and Austin Young who use fruit as an artistic medium. The rooms will also be invaded by the works of Massimo Bartolini, Alfredo Pirri, Petah Coyne, Janet Echelman, Thomas Hirschhorn, Tobias Rehberger, Anri Sala, Yinka Shonibare, Sissi, Max Streicher, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu.
The nearby 4-star Eitch Borromini is a great place to stay
This Crazy art collective is a unique event in Rome, and a few steps from the cultural site hosting the exhibition, the Eitch Borromini is a 4-star hotel. In addition to offering a magical stay thanks to its panoramic views and elegant and luxurious rooms, it allows you to easily reach the Chiostro del Bramante and the main attractions and monuments of the Eternal City.
Published in MICE & Events
Want to get married in the Eternal City or in a medieval castle or on a golden beach? Authorities in Lazio are giving €2,000 to couples getting married in the region, as they seek to salvage the wedding sector from the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The scheme, called In Lazio with love, is open to Italians and foreigners who have a religious or civil marriage in the region between 1 January and 31 December 2022.
The refund even includes the cost of the wedding rings
Couples can already make their requests for the funding. All they have to do is provide a maximum of five receipts. If accepted they will receive a €2,000 refund on money they have spent on Lazio-based wedding services. These include wedding planners, attire, venues, catering, flowers, car hire, photographers - and even the wedding rings.
Only 9,000 weddings in Lazio during the pandemic
The region has set aside a total €10m for the initiative, and applications for the refund can be made up until 31 January 2023 (or until the fund runs out). It is hoped this will boost weddings in the region which fell to 9,000 during the pandemic, compared to the over 15,000 held in the region in 2019.
“Lazio has many magical locations”
“The scheme is needed to support a sector that has suffered badly from the economic crisis,” said Nicola Zingaretti, the president of Lazio. “We have put the significant investment in place also with an eye on the tourism sector. We are aware and proud of being able to boast that in every part of our region there are many of the most magical and fascinating locations in the world thanks to our unparalleled artistic and cultural heritage. They are ideal places to celebrate a special day such as a wedding”
Wedding pictures at the Trevi Fountain or on the Appian Way
Indeed the Lazio region has no shortage of locations to choose from including a host of mediaeval hilltop towns and sand dune beaches like those that line the Circeo National Park. Then of course there is the capital city with show-stoppers for wedding pictures like the Trevi Fountan, the old Appian Way, the Coliseum and St. Peter’s Square.
“It’s time to relaunch the sector”
Valentina Corrado, Lazio’s tourism councillor added that it is time to “relaunch a sector that has been on hold for a long time. The wedding business has suffered economically during the last two years.”
Published in MICE & Events
The rebirth of Castelfalfi in Tuscany with a new 5-star hotel at the centre of the redevelopment
March 23, 2022A 5-star luxury hotel will be the protagonist of the rebirth of Castelfalfi in Tuscany, which also includes a series of fully restored villas and traditional farmhouses, available for rent and for sale. With the end of the Tui era, the 1,100-hectare estate nestled between Florence, San Gimignano and the Tyrrhenian coast, now owned by Sri Prakash Lohia, is preparing to embark on a new course.
A challenging 27-hole golf course
Far from wanting to transform the destination only into an exclusive residence for investors, the new property wants to encourage free access to Castelfalfi so that both travellers and locals can live an immersive experience in the medieval village which is over 1000 years old. Thanks also to a series of new activities including the 27-hole Castelfalfi Golf Club: the largest in the region and one of the most challenging courses in Italy.
Surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and woodlands
This little village in the Florentine countryside has an intriguing history. It would seem that its name is a contraction of Castrum Faolfi, a Lombard settlement mentioned for the first time in 754. In the 1960s it experienced a decline leading to a progressive depopulation until 2007, the year in which it was purchased by Tui AG. The German giant reinvigorated an area of 1,100 square metres to include vineyards, olive groves, woods and ponds, and a castle that was reopened after restoration works in 2014.
An enchanting region with great wines and EVOO
What makes Castelfalfi special in addition to the charm of the castle and the excellence of the buildings? The beautiful landscape that surrounds it! Like the protected area of the Carfalo stream and the hills bordered by olive trees, cypresses and rows of vines around the municipality of Montaione. This area produces excellent EVOO, Chianti DOCG wine, Poggionero IGT and Rosso Toscano IGT. And to add to all this, it is also a region of enchanting beauty!
Published in Hospitality
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