Elena Pavin

🏡 Starhotels secured a 10-year €350 million funding from a banking syndicate (BNL BNP, BPER, BPM, Crédit Agricole, MPS, Unicredit) in addition to a €460 million agreement from 2022, expiring in 2027. These funds are aimed at acquiring new properties and consolidating the current organization. In October 2024, at the Italian Hospitality Investment Conference, co-CEO Fabrizio Gaggio outlined Starhotels' 2025 strategy focusing on management contracts and luxury collection expansion in strategic locations like Milan's Rosa Grand with 370 rooms, the Amalfi Coast, and Puglia. Rothschild & Co advised financially, while Legance Avvocati Associati and McDermott Will & Emery Studio Legale Associato provided legal counsel.

🏠 The Palace Company acquired Baglioni Hotels in 2022 and announced a new direct management strategy in late 2024. The Mexican group plans to invest 1 billion euros in acquisitions to expand its high-end portfolio. Baglioni will open new locations in Italy and Greece in the coming months. Currently, Baglioni has 5 hotels in Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, and London, and 3 resorts in Sardinia, Puglia, and the Maldives. The company targets trophy assets in triple A locations and expects an 8% gross return on investments. The Palace Company also owns Palace, Moon Palace, LeBlanc, and runs the Vacation Club The Palace, with 76% of its revenue coming from direct sales.

🛒 Hilton expands in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region with new brands including Tempo by Hilton and Spark by Hilton. They aim to reach 1,000 hotels by spring, with 1,000 hotels now open in 77 EMEA countries. Hilton Honors members can stay across 19 of 24 Hilton brands, with over 210 million members benefiting. Tempo by Hilton Belfast City Centre will offer 144 rooms, and Tempo by Hilton Reykjavik is set to open in 2027. Tempo by Hilton Lisbon Parque das Nações will have 142 rooms. Spark by Hilton Madrid Alcalá with 95 rooms opens in summer 2025, marking the brand’s debut in Spain, while Spark by Hilton Van City Centre will introduce the brand to Turkey with 60 rooms, opening in September 2025.