Villa Treville in Positano adds six new suites and the La Traviata spa for summer 2022 in the former residence of Franco Zeffirelli which has been transformed into a luxury hotel. 

A spa in an Art Nouveau greenhouse  

The main novelty of the season is the restyling of the property's elegant Art Nouveau wrought iron greenhouse which has been redeveloped and now houses the La Traviata Wellness & Spa. The spa menu includes face and body treatments based on the luxury products of beauty-guru Barbara Sturm. There is also a gym equipped with the latest generation Technogym equipment. Great attention is also paid to outdoor fitness activities, with the Outrace Outdoor Cube Calisthenics machine and walking and trekking  on mountain trails, as well as yoga and pilates sessions.

Martino Acampora is the new general manager 

The Friedland family, the current owners of Villa Treville, have appointed Martino Acampora as general manager. "I am happy and proud to put myself to the test with this new challenge, and to have the opportunity to do it in Italy with a project that has no equal globally. The important history and indisputable charm of Villa Treville make it unique in the world of hospitality, and the estate is a must-see for international luxury travellers. My commitment is to make every stay unique and unforgettable, ensuring that guests feel quite at home through our excellent service combined with the unparalleled experiences to be enjoyed here.”  

 

Oasi Hotel, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western in Levanto is just a few steps from the historic centre and 350 metres from the beach. With 14 rooms, each in a different colour and design, those on the ground floor have direct access to the garden.

Cooking classes, yoga and wine tastings 

Oasi Sure Hotel Collection guests also have access to a smartphone with free and unlimited local and international calls, smart TV with apps including Netflix and Spotify, concierge service, bike rentals, beach equipment and guided tours. The personalized experiences that allow them to experience the destination include cooking classes, yoga in the garden, wine tastings in the vineyard and many other activities.

Fish specialties in the Oasis restaurant

Oasi Sure’s strong point is its food & beverage: breakfast with organic and local products and à la carte lunch and dinner in the restaurant of the same name, which is just 200 metres from the hotel and specializes in fish cuisine.

“Our hotel has a strong personality”

“Being part of a network such as Bwh Hotel Group Italia is an excellent way to reach new markets throughout the year - says the hotel's manager, Silvia Moggia – our hotel has a strong personality and we are in a well-known and very attractive location.”

Otranto is a window on the East on the Adriatic seaboard of the Salento peninsula, and is the easternmost town in Italy. In half a day you can visit what is one of the most fascinating towns in Italy. In fact in 2010 it was recognized as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site and a Messenger of Peace and is in the club of Italy’s Most Beautiful Towns, i Borghi più belli d'Italia.

The Otranto Channel separates Italy from Albania

Founded as a Greek-Messapic and then Roman, Byzantine and later Aragonese town, it developed around the imposing castle and the Norman cathedral. An archiepiscopal see and a major tourist centre, it gave its name to the Otranto Channel that separates Italy from Albania, and to the Terra d'Otranto, an ancient district of the Kingdom of Naples.

Cobbled streets and stately homes

The first things that catches the traveller's eye are the white houses dominated by the grandeur of the castle, which now houses the old town, and the turquoise sea, which is one of the most transparent in Italy. Through the Porta Terra gate you enter the citadel where a small triangular square precedes the Porta Alfonsina gate leading into the centre's narrow streets. These are cobbled and dotted with workshops and boutiques selling local crafts and other products. There are a number of stately homes such as the Lope Palace, which is the Diocesan Museum, and the Moors' Palace on the ramparts of the Ferdinandea Fortress.

The cathedral has  largest floor mosaic 

Climbing up the town you come to the castle where contemporary art exhibitions are held, and then the cathedral which has Europe's largest floor mosaic. This extraordinary Romanesque work is almost 900 years old and has the famous tree of life in the centre, its branches filled with biblical, angelic, demonic and monstrous figures.

The Salento’s unspoiled coast

In recent years Otranto has become one of the most sought-after destinations in Apulia, thanks to the beauty of its coastline and the clarity of its waters, making it a popular choice for holidays in contact with nature. The Baia dei Turchi is one of the best beaches, and as it is one of the last unspoiled corners of the Salento Adriatic coast, it is most certainly worth a visit.

The Hotel San Gallo Palace is the Allegroitalia group's new entry in Florence. Located just two kilometres from the central Piazza della Signoria square and the world-famous Galleria degli Uffici art gallery, the hotel is housed in a historic palazzo.

With 56 rooms and suites with balconies, it also has two meeting rooms for up to 50 people, a lounge bar and a fitness area.

Food and wine tastings and fun events

The B is an urban bistro and a well-known Florentine haunt in the garden of the historic building. It is open every day from morning for breakfast until late at night for fun events, exhibitions and wine and food tastings. Among the experiences are those linked to gin and juniper berries (of which Tuscany is a quality producer), as well as to events inspired by other emotions and flavours of Tuscany. The Allegroitalia group reconfirms and gladly entrusts the management of the property to the young Apulian manager Stefania Puliafito.

Another 5-star hotel for Rome, with the 78-room Palazzo Ripetta which is slated to open in September.

So yet another luxury property is preparing to make its debut in the Eternal City after moves from Rosewood, Six Senses, Mandarin Oriental, as well as Edition and Bulgari of the Marriott group, to name but a few.

This time the newcomer, Palazzo Ripetta is an independent property and it is due to be opened next September by the Ginobbi group. It will also be the first in a rash of new hotel openings, the true scope of which is, however, still unknown.

The 17th-century palace has undergone two makeovers 

Located between Piazza del Popolo and Piazza di Spagna, in the street that gives the Palazzo its name, the hotel is the result of the conversion of a 17th-century palace which underwent a makeover in 1968 by the architect Luigi Moretti and was renovated again in 2020 by the interior design studios Fausta Gaetani Design and Moi Architetti. When it opens, it will have 78 rooms and suites and a restaurant.

“The focus will be on Italy’s art, history and culture”

"The intent is not only to give the city a new landmark with a building of great value, but also to present a new style of hotellerie focusing on Italy’s art, history and culture - explains Palazzo Ripetta’s CEO, Giacomo Crisci.- We want our guests to experience a unique and exclusive stay. That is why we have selected only the highest quality Italian materials and products; but even more so it will be our staff that will make the difference.”

The Ficcanterri Group's hotel brand Icon Collection adds the Botticelli hotel in Florence to its properties. In the coming months the hotel will be the protagonist of a thorough renovation for an investment of a some €10 million.

The aim is to reposition it in the segment of prestigious boutique hotels, as well as opening its starred restaurant. The property, which is near the historic centre, is currently a 3-star hotel with 34 rooms, a panoramic terrace and a lounge-bar.

Aiming for the luxury tourism segment

In recent months Icon Collection has continued to invest in its four Tuscan properties under management which are located between the Maremma and the Etruscan coast. Over €30 million has been put into The Sense Experience Resort, Park Hotel Marinetta, Antico Podere San Francesco and Borgo Verde. Established in 2019 by Federico and Riccardo Ficcanterri, Icon Collection is rapidly developing from a family business into a managerial enterprise and aiming for a prominent foothold in the luxury tourism segment.

Marriott’s W Hotels is growing in Italy with Naples and Milan next in line, following rumours that the Britannia Excelsior on Lake Como could reposition from 3 to 5 stars to become an Edition.

This news on the W Hotels front comes just a few months after the luxury lifestyle brand's Italian debut in Rome, and the announcement of a further opening in Florence. And right now other openings planned for Italy are the talk of the town.   

The W Milan Duomo was the Boscolo Palazzo Matteotti

So the W Hotels brand is confirming its intention to open in Milan and with plans for a further forthcoming development in Naples. The W Milan Duomo is owned by the Marseglia group and was the Boscolo Palazzo Matteotti which had a restyling of its 166 rooms, including 36 suites. The property also has a rooftop bar, a restaurant, a fitness area and a spa. In Naples, the planned hotel will be the brainchild of real estate developer Achille D'Avanzo, Solido Holding’s CEO. The new Neapolitan property will have 78 rooms, including 17 suites, a restaurant and a fitness area.

Italy stars in upcoming Garden Inn and Hampton openings in Europe, with two Italian properties among the upcoming openings: in all six European new entries announced for the near future by the Hilton group brands. The Hilton Garden Inn Bologna North will be the company's first property in the city of Bologna.

With 130 rooms, four conference rooms, a gym and 80 outdoor parking spaces it is in the Quarto Inferiore industrial area which is home to several multinational companies and just a few minutes' drive from the city centre. Due to open in spring 2023, the hotel will be operated through a franchising agreement with Italian white label company Piazza Hotels & Residences.

Hampton debuts with Venice Tronchetto

The Hampton by Hilton brand will make its debut in the lagoon city with the Venice Tronchetto, through a franchising agreement with Apex Alliance. The property on the island of the same name is a short distance from the centre of Venice and will open in spring 2024. The 324-room property will be one of the largest in the city and will also feature a breakfast and bar area, two conference rooms, a fitness centre and a dedicated work zone.

New openings for the UK, Germany and Poland

The other four openings include the British Hilton Garden Inn Plymouth (end of 2023, 150 rooms), the German Hampton by Hilton Berlin Airport West (November 2024, 196 rooms) and Postdam (June 2024, 163 rooms), as well as the Polish Hampton by Hilton Szczecin East (January 2024, 103 rooms).

The Sikania Resort in Marina di Butera has reopened for the summer season following an investment of over €500,000 which led, among other things, to the construction of a latest-generation photovoltaic system for the self-production of electricity.

Located in the province of Caltanissetta, on the southern coast of Sicily, the resort is immersed in the natural oasis of Tenutella and has SIC (site of community interest) certification and 218 rooms overlooking the sea in lush Mediterranean vegetation. The property organizes manual workshops for children, creatively familiarizing them with the natural materials and their intrinsic properties, for example working on eggshells, and with pigments taken from fruit or vegetable peels.

A vocation for natural holidays and authentic experiences

The €500,000 came from Lindbergh Hotels&Resorts which manages the complex, and was invested in photovoltaic panels placed non-invasively on the roof and on the car park canopies. The hotel’s vocation is increasingly oriented towards natural holidays and authentic experiences. Beginning with the opening of the Grill Restaurant on the beach where fresh fish is grilled to the selection of labels from local wineries, to the addition of a new pizzeria for a tasty alternative to the main restaurant, and the creation of a new pool bar by the pool for delicious and refreshing breaks.