Aperture

🏡 Sorrento confirmed as a top tourist destination by a recent Mastercard survey. The Ara Maris, a new luxury five-star hotel in the heart of Sorrento, joins the exclusive Virtuoso network, encompassing over 2,300 partners across 100 countries. Hotel Ara Maris offers refined rooms and suites, a rooftop with views of the Gulf of Naples, a garden, local cuisine experiences, and attentive service. Virtuoso clients receive upgrades upon availability, welcome gifts, daily breakfast, a $100 credit, early check-in, and late check-out.

🛫 Matteo Salvini inaugurated the new Terminal 3 at Fiumicino Airport, renovated with a €250 million investment by Adr as part of a self-financed €3 billion plan over 10 years. The four-year project upgraded 41,000 square meters with 150 check-in desks and 14 baggage belts. Passenger capacity increased by 30%. In 2024, Fiumicino surpassed 50 million passengers, entering the Top 10 Skytrax ranking of the world's best airports.

🏨 NH Collection Hotels & Resorts marks its 10th anniversary by expanding to 100 locations worldwide, introducing NH Collection Ibiza and NH Collection Marbella. NH Collection Ibiza, with 38 rooms designed by Baranowitz & Kronenberg, offers three restaurants. The NH Collection Marbella features 163 rooms, gardens, a pool, and a Mediterranean restaurant. Both new locations showcase contemporary design—NH Collection debut in the Balearic Islands and Costa del Sol.

☀️ Royal Caribbean's 80-hectare Perfect Day Mexico is set to open in fall 2027 near Costa Maya, with an investment of $292 million. It will feature the world's longest lazy river and tallest waterslide tower in the Americas, Jaguar's Peak, with over 30 slides. The resort includes 24 bars, 12 restaurants, and various themed areas, with amenities for relaxation and entertainment. Reservations start this autumn for Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, New Orleans, and Florida.

🏨 Hotel Castello in Forte Village underwent a luxurious restyling. The redesign involved rooms and the Lounge Bar, incorporating organic materials and marine tones. The fourth and fifth Executive floors ensure privacy with private elevators and sea views. The Suite Perla, inspired by Sardinia, features light-filled spaces and chic decor. Forte Village, in Santa Margherita di Pula, Sardinia, boasts eight hotels, 40 suites, and 13 villas.

🌴 Aman unveils its first Bahamian property, Amancaya, on two private Exuma cays. The ultra-luxurious resort features 36 pavilion rooms and branded residences, developed with Swiss investor Dona Bertarelli. Facilities include a marina, beach club, Aman Spa, and restaurants. CEO Vlad Doronin highlights this as a milestone for Aman in the Caribbean, joining Amanera in the Dominican Republic and Amanyara in Turks and Caicos.

🚢 Waldorf Astoria Nile cruises launch in 2026, offering 4- and 6-night itineraries from Luxor to Aswan and vice versa. Stops include Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan. The ship, with five decks and 29 suites, features a fitness center and spa, and dining options like Peacock Alley. Cuisine includes Egyptian, Mediterranean, and international dishes. Dino Michael, Hilton's senior VP for luxury brands, highlights the unique travel experience.

📅 The luxury sector has shifted significantly over the past two years. Travelers now value transformative experiences over mere destinations, redefining luxury as unique and emotional rather than extravagant. The Longevity Suite philosophy emphasizes long-term life quality, with plans to open resorts focused on immersive wellness experiences. This approach reflects a broader trend in Italian resorts, highlighting a gentler, well-being-centered imprint. Read more in the Spring edition of TTG Luxury magazine.

🍕 Luigi Seccia, a Neapolitan entrepreneur born in 1998, launched PIANETA PIZZA - Al Ruotino in 2023, transforming the traditional "pizza nel ruoto" into a scalable business model. The first location opened in Naples on September 5, 2024, occupying 200 sqm with 80 seats. Following positive feedback, a second 700 sqm venue with professional Sud Forni ovens was opened in Rome at Mercato Plebiscito on May 2, 2025. Both locations employ 14 staff with an initial investment of 300,000 euros. The architectural project was designed by Costa Group to optimize operational efficiency. The menu features a distinctive 30 cm pizza with 80% hydration dough and over 28 hours of fermentation. The expansion plan considers direct or franchise development after testing the format in strategic markets.

🏦 Hotel Gabrielli in Venice reopens on July 9, 2025, as a 5-star establishment under Starhotels, featuring a restoration designed by Andrea Auletta. The hotel, owned by the Perkhofer family since 1856, joined The Leading Hotels of the World and reduced its rooms from 105 to 66. Over 700 chandeliers and sconces by Murano glass masters were restored. The hotel offers a 600 square meter winter garden, a 150 square meter panoramic terrace, a K Lounge Bar, a Ballroom, and an exclusive SPA with hammam and treatment rooms.