Aperture

🏡 Orient Express La Minerva, a luxury five-star hotel, will open in spring 2025 in Rome. The hotel is in the historic Palazzo Fonseca, dating back to 1620, with 93 luxury rooms and suites, renovated by architect Hugo Toro. The property was acquired in 2021 by Arsenale. Gilda Perez-Alvarado, CEO of Orient Express, announced the opening, part of a collection including hotels, trains, and sailing yachts. The hotel aims to blend Art Deco style with contemporary elegance and serve as an exclusive travel and cultural destination.

🏨 Hilton Group expands to Moldova, investing in the capital's historic Dacia Hotel for transformation into Hilton Garden Inn. The project in Chișinău aims to elevate hospitality standards and boost tourism and economic performance, with an expected completion in 2026. Natalia Bejan of Invest Moldova Agency highlights the significance of this move for the emerging destination.

🏨 Meliá Hotels plans to open 15 new luxury properties in 2025 under the brands ME by Meliá, ZEL Hotels, The Meliá Collection, and Paradisus by Melia, expanding in Europe, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. ME by Meliá openings include Lisbon, Malaga, Marbella, Greece, Albania, China, and Mexico. Paradisus by Melia will open in Fuerteventura and later in Pattaya, Thailand. ZEL Hotels, co-founded with tennis player Rafa Nadal, will launch ZEL Sayulita in Mexico and expand to Madrid.

🏡 Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel in Florence, will undergo a restyling starting at the end of 2024, with completion expected in 2026. Creative direction by Luigi Fragola Architects, the 15th-century ex-monastery will reduce rooms from 42 to 38, including 3 signature suites and 28 suites/junior suites. The 9,700 sqm gardens, reimagined by Luca Ghezzi Garden Design, will reopen in spring 2026 with new outdoor experiences in the Renaissance style gardens.

✈️ In Nuuk, Greenland, the first of three airports opened, with two more expected in Ilulissat and Qaqortoq by 2026. Managed by Air Greenland and Icelandair, the new airports will reduce travel time across Greenland to approximately 90 minutes. Nuuk's new international airport introduces five weekly direct flights to Copenhagen, increasing to six during Christmas and eight in summer. Additionally, a weekly summer flight from Nuuk to Aalborg and a seasonal Nuuk-Billund flight from April to October are offered.

🏖️ In 1975, Attilio Neyroz and Silvia “Cicci” Feroli established the internationally renowned luxury Hermitage Relais & Châteaux in Breuil-Cervinia. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, a book titled "I miei primi cinquant’anni" by Guido Andruetto honors the hotel intertwined with the iconic Cervino mountain. CEO Corrado Neyroz emphasizes the heritage of hospitality, the future's unique experiences, and tackling climate change's threat to their beloved mountains.

🏡 Located in Venice's tranquil Sant'Elena district, Hotel Indigo Venice Sant’Elena is a boutique hotel managed by HNH Hospitality and part of IHG Intercontinental Hotels Group. It resides in a 1930s former convent, redesigned by THDP and architect Manuela Mannino, inspired by the Venice-Byzantine culture connection. The hotel features blown glass chandeliers, 75 rooms and suites including a duplex suite with terrace, and the Savor Restaurant Bar & Garden. Hotel manager Carmela Pino has been leading since July.

🏨 Qarlbo AB launches new hotel brand Miramis, with initial portfolio from Erqole. In 2023, Hotel La Roqqa and Isolotto Beach Club in Porto Ercole, and Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola in Porto Santo Stefano, along with Fattoria La Capitana in Magliano in Toscana, are set for major renovations. Urban regeneration includes a new hotel in the ex Cirio factory area in Porto Ercole. Flavio Bucciarelli, CEO of Qarlbo Hospitality, and Stefano Cuoco, CEO of Erqole, lead over 200 employees in providing unique experiences and community growth.

🎂 Palazzo Planeta in Palermo unveils 4 new suites, strategically located for easy access to historic sites, embodying a deep connection with the city's history. Francesca Planeta, awarded the Compasso d'oro, curated the interior design which features a blend of liberty charm and contemporary touches, including English-inspired curtains and hexagonal cementine floors from Comiso. The suites are named after the allegories of the seasons found at the Quattro Canti. A new communal kitchen allows guests to enjoy Sicilian wine-tasting experiences, guided by a wine expert, showcasing Planeta's production across five territories: Menfi, Vittoria, Noto, Etna, and Capo Milazzo.

📍 Paola Coccarelli, Chief Product Officer at Gruppo Nicolaus, announced new summer programming in Sardinia, including new entries in Budoni and Castiadas. The company has developed a strategic transportation plan, offering flights to Cagliari and Olbia from main Italian airports and ferries from Civitavecchia, Genova, and Livorno. The addition includes Nicolaus Club Li Cucutti in North Sardinia and Nicolaus Prime Villas Resort in the South.