Aperture

🍗 Popeyes® opened a new restaurant in Rome on September 30 at Via Tiburtina 436, just two weeks after launching another location in Via Nomentana. The new 492-square-meter restaurant offers 40 indoor and 48 outdoor seats, with 25 staff members. It expands the company's presence in Rome to three locations, creating over 80 jobs. Globally, Popeyes® has over 4,900 outlets and is part of Restaurant Brands International Inc., with more than $45 billion annual revenue.

🏖 Ralph A. Riffeser will open the first Luxury Family Beach Resort, Cavallino Bianco Caorle, in Caorle, Venice on May 1, 2026. The resort will feature 101 suites (46-118m²) with private terraces and 5 hectares of beach with cabanas. It includes a 4,000m² wellness center, three themed restaurants, and creates 180 jobs. The design blends Venetian and contemporary styles. It aims for a 10-month operation and eco-friendly initiatives.

🏨 WorldHotel Casati 18 in Milan's Porta Venezia neighborhood underwent a complete renovation by architect Max Minoja, transitioning to BWH Hotels’ Elite Collection. The project revamped all 80 rooms with Italian brands like Molteni&C, Flos, and Roda, emphasizing timeless elegance and functionality. Strategically located near Corso Buenos Aires, it features the 18 Contemporary restaurant and a lounge bar with a terrace, offering Mediterranean cuisine and bespoke cocktails, enhancing guests' exploration of vibrant Milan.

🏖️ Le Terme di Agnano, con 72 sorgenti naturali su 46 ettari, riaprono le Stufe di San Germano dopo un restauro. Cinque ambienti termali vanno da 40° a 75°C, sfruttando il calore vulcanico dei Campi Flegrei. La tradizione termale, iniziata con Greci e Romani, è arricchita da piscine e cromoterapia. Presenti a una conferenza stampa Federica Vanacore, Gennaro Rispoli, Giovanni Bartolo e Mariolina Riccitiello.

🍺 From October 2-4, 2023, at Allianz MiCo, Milan, Doppio Malto showcases at the 38th Salone Franchising Milano. New outlets are planned in Pescara, Alessandria, Novara, Cusago, Catania, and France's Montpellier, Laval, and Champs sur Marne. The brand sponsors Cagliari Calcio for the 2025-2026 season and manages food services at Unipol Domus and San Siro. The loyalty program, SMAIL, offers €3 beers and rewards. Doppio Malto has 50+ European locations.

📈 Iberostar will expand with new openings in Mexico and Zanzibar. By November, the five-star Iberostar Selection Riviera Cancún, with over 440 rooms, will open 12 km from Puerto Morelos, Mexico, marking Iberostar's 12th hotel in the country. In 2026, the company will debut in East Africa by opening a five-star hotel in Zanzibar, featuring over 360 rooms, located at Muyuni Beach. Iberostar's sales grew by 10% with an 8% increase in ADR in the first nine months of the year.

📍 Milano, 2025: Il Casati 18 hotel, part of WorldHotels' Elite Collection, relaunched after a €6M renovation, targets a 4-star boutique niche. With a 30% business and 70% leisure clientele from France, Germany, UK, and Switzerland, it boasts a Booking score increase from 8.4 to 9.1 in six months. Occupancy averages 82%, peaking at 89% in September, with plans to boost ADR by 25% in 2025. Room count reduced to 80, with 9 executive rooms.

🚢 Tui River Cruises will expand its fleet in summer 2027 with the launch of Tui Luzia, sailing on the Duero River in Portugal. Accommodating up to 111 passengers, the ship will offer seven-night itineraries from Porto, exploring UNESCO-listed Douro Valley destinations like Entre-os-Rios, Peso de Régua, Vega de Terrón, and Barca d’Alva. The 2027 summer program includes 35 cruises across Europe from March to October.

🏠 A&o Hostels acquired the former DoubleTree by Hilton Docklands Riverside, opening in November 2025 as a&o London Docklands Riverside. Located in Southwark, London, it offers 500 rooms and 2,100 beds. A £21 million renovation begins January 2026. Guests enjoy a free electric boat service to Canary Wharf. With 44 hostels in 30 cities across 11 countries, a&o hosted 2.8 million guests in 2024 and plans six more European openings, including Milan, with a €500 million expansion budget.

🏖 A&O Hostels is expanding to London, reopening the former DoubleTree by Hilton Docklands Riverside as a&o London Docklands Riverside in November. Located in Southwark, the hostel features 500 rooms and 2,100 beds, offering free electric boat access to Canary Wharf. Renovations, starting January 2026, are budgeted at £21 million (approximately €25 million). Founder and CEO Oliver Winter highlights this launch as a milestone in providing affordable accommodation in one of the world's most expensive cities.