Aperture

🏠 Club Carpeneto, an "albergo diffuso" in Alto Monferrato by Essence Interiors and EIDOS Group, will open in January 2026 in Carpeneto, Alessandria. Developed for American entrepreneur James McKinley Thomason, the project features integrated tourism with local partnerships and premium services like a spa and recreational activities. Five locations offer suites to houses, with the Casa dei Leoni luxury Club House as a centerpiece. Future plans include new partnerships and restorations to maintain Carpeneto's character, blending tradition with modern comforts.

🏡 Orient Express La Minerva, the first hotel to bring the famous rail brand to a land-based structure, opens today in the heart of Rome at Piazza della Minerva 69, near the Pantheon. This initiative, a result of a shared vision between the French group Accor and Italian Arsenale Group led by Paolo Barletta, was celebrated with notable attendees like Rome’s Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, Orient Express CEO Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Arsenale Group CEO Paolo Barletta, and Nicola Bulgari of Annabel Holding. The hotel features 93 rooms, including 36 suites ranging from 25 to 235 sqm, is designed by architect and artist Hugo Toro, and pays homage to historical figures like Stendhal and Herman Melville. Orient Express La Minerva boasts three F&B outlets, including La Minerva Bar, Gigi Rigolatto opening in May 2025, and Mimi Kakushi expected by the end of 2025, which has already achieved acclaim in Dubai and the World’s 50 Best Bars 2024. The hotel is set to become a prime destination for private and corporate events with five exclusive spaces.

🏃 Club del Sole confirmed as the Hospitality Partner for the Rimini Marathon 2025, set from April 11-13 at the Rimini Family Resort, featuring the Marathon Village. General Manager Angelo E. Cartelli highlighted the event's alignment with their active & healthy vision and its significant tourism impact. The resort offers nature-immersed lodges, a water park, sports facilities, Dog Friendly services, and a 35,000 sqm private beach with Dolcevita Beach Club. The Central Restaurant's remodel will debut during the marathon, culminating with an award ceremony at Piazzale Adamello, where winners get a stay at one of Club del Sole's 27 villages across eight Italian regions.

🏖️ KAIA, a new luxury tented resort brand, will debut in Koh Phangan, Thailand, by late 2025. Founded by Bound and Beyond and Cloud Collective, the brand aims for global expansion of outdoor hospitality. KAIA Koh Phangan will feature 31 ocean-view tented suites of 77 square meters each and four 248 square meter tented villas with private pools. The resort will center around a clubhouse with dynamic restaurants, lounge areas, an infinity pool, and a beach club. Activities will promote guest engagement with nature and local community, including beach banquets, sunset parties, and foraging.

🍺 Michele Camastra, Beer Lover & Specialist at Perrella Network, during Beer&Food Attraction, showcased a new, innovative pub format designed after analyzing customer habits, attendance days, and age groups. This format aims to cater to all customer types across generations. A prototype was set up at the fair, allowing visitors to preview and provide feedback, suggesting a potential shift in the contemporary pub concept. Perrella Network collaborated with specialized partners to create this global-inspired concept.

🏡 Opening day for the world's first Orient Express hotel, Orient Express La Minerva, takes place in Rome with key figures in attendance, including Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and CEOs Paolo Barletta and Gilda Perez-Alvarado. The hotel, near the Pantheon at Piazza della Minerva 69, boasts 93 rooms ranging from 25 to 235 sqm, including 36 suites. A 17th-century palace, restored by architect Hugo Toro, the hotel merges Roman heritage with a new aesthetic. Orient Express La Minerva will also feature three exceptional gastronomic outlets, including La Minerva Bar in the lobby, Gigi Rigolatto on the terrace opening in May 2025, and Mimi Kakushi, a fusion restaurant coming by the end of the year, with a concept by Rikas Hospitality Group. Additionally, the hotel offers five event spaces with a capacity ranging from 28 to 165 sqm and a marble statue of Minerva sculpted in 1854 by Rinaldo Rinaldi. CEO Gilda Perez-Alvarado and CEO Paolo Barletta express their commitment to blending the iconic brand with the entrepreneurial vision of Arsenale Group, while emphasizing Rome's ideal blend of history, culture, and Italian hospitality.

🌊 Originaltour is offering summer trips to Bali with the option of Gili islands and Singapore, or Malaysia, with fixed departure dates from August 13 to 29. From Rome, travelers can stay in Sanur, known for its 4+ km beach and temple excursions. A second option includes a week in Sanur or Nusa Dua and a second in Gili Trawangan's Villa Ombok, offering "sasak" style lodgings. There are additional excursions, such as cooking classes in Ubud. Alternatively, a trip combining Singapore and Malaysia starts on August 10, departing from Milan and Rome via Emirates, returning on August 25. This journey includes Taman Negara rainforest, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, and ends with beach time in Redang at Laguna Redang Resort.

🍳 Paolo Trippini opened "I profumi del Bosco" on April 7 at Mercato Centrale Milano, showcasing Umbrian culinary traditions and craftsmanship. The menu features truffles from San Pietro a Pettine, salumi from Scianca Salumi, game from Chefincase, and zero-residue flour from Molino Fagioli, emphasizing sustainability and quality. Specialties include wild game charcuterie, forest leaf-aged cheeses, and a variety of artisanal breads and focaccias. The venue aims to become a key culinary and cultural spot for Milan.

🏡 Nuvole Garden Hotel in Brunate, overlooking Lake Como, revives the historical Grand Hotel Milano after 40 years of silence with an 8-year renovation. Accessible by funicular from Como in seven minutes, the hotel offers 80 rooms and suites across five floors, including 29 suites and 37 lake-view rooms. It was originally designed in Art Nouveau style by Italian architect Achille Manfredini in 1910. The hotel showcases noble materials, fine fabrics, rare marbles, and crafted finishes. The Sole Gourmet Restaurant led by Executive Chef Stefano Mattara, honors Italian cooking legend Gualtiero Marchesi. The hotel's spa, THE SPA, features Finnish saunas, infrared sauna, Turkish baths, and sensory paths for wellness. Nuvole Garden Hotel, owned by Emilio Polillo of Italiana Hotels & Resorts, promises exceptional experiences for guests, events, and is the group's first luxury market venture.

🍕 Pizzeria Sorbillo opens a new outlet at Rome Termini station, marking its first entry into the Italian railway circuit. The inauguration is the result of a partnership between SSP Frabeli and Grandi Stazioni Retail. Sorbillo, founded by renowned pizzaiolo and entrepreneur Gino Sorbillo, offers a variety of pizzas inspired by different Italian regions. The quality of ingredients includes organic flours and fresh vegetables. SSP Group plc operates food and beverage outlets at travel locations, employing about 49,000 people across 3,000 units in 37 countries.