Aperture

🛒 Bialetti, an iconic Italian coffee culture brand, opened two new stores on February 27 in Milan at Corso Vittorio Emanuele 15 and in Biella at the corner of Via Italia and Via XX Settembre. The Milan store offers a unique shopping experience with a special showcase for the Exclusive line and Dolce&Gabbana line. Enrico Segner, Bialetti Retail's Chief Commercial Officer, emphasizes the importance of this expansion for growth and commitment to urban vitality, marking the second Bialetti store in Milan after Piazza Duomo 17. This reflects Bialetti's strategy to promote the authentic Italian coffee experience, blending craftsmanship, innovation, and local ties.

🏡 iH Hotels Group acquired iH Hotels Venezia Salute Palace on February 28, expanding their portfolio to 26 properties in Italy. Located in Venice's Dorsoduro district, the hotel features 43 rooms, combining historic elegance with modern amenities, and is close to iconic attractions like Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and Peggy Guggenheim Collection. iH Hotels Group, founded in 1982 by the Iorio family, spans across key Italian cities and tourist destinations including Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna, the Adriatic coast, and Sicily.

🏡 BWH Hotels Italia & Malta expanded its portfolio with the addition of Hotel Principe d’Aragona in Modica to the Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western. Guests have been able to book the 4-star hotel since last December for stays beginning March 18, the expected reopening date. The hotel, owned by the Minardo Group and managed by MH Hospitality, features 35 rooms, 2 meeting rooms, an outdoor pool, restaurant, lounge bar, panoramic terrace, and ample parking. Raimondo Minardo and Fabrizio Doria expressed their commitment to quality and sustainable tourism, marking a significant step in BWH's expansion strategy. Felice Di Donato serves as the General Manager.

🎭 Kagurazaka Saryo Milano, a Teahouse & Bistrot, combines tradition and modernity in Corso Como. Japanese brand Kagurazaka Saryo, with 30 years of experience, brings authentic culinary arts and tea ceremony to Europe. Japanese design studio Takeda Katsuya Design crafted the space with modern interpretations of traditional tea rooms. Key features include a matcha-colored counter, wooden boiserie, an inclined ceiling, and a Koshi-Do lattice. A large round window and soft lighting create harmony and tranquility, while red dry bonsai and Tobhi-Ishi stone-like grès flooring add a touch of Japanese garden aesthetics.

🏨 Radisson Hotel expands its Italian presence with the 13th establishment, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Bergamo ChorusLife, located in Bergamo's ChorusLife Smart District, minutes from the historic city center. It boasts 107 rooms and suites, a Rooftop Restaurant with 360-degree panoramic views, and a Lounge Bar featuring an outdoor terrace. Business guests have access to 373 square meters of state-of-the-art meeting and event space across seven areas, complete with modern audiovisual technology and eco-friendly services. Global President Chema Basterrechea celebrates the milestone, while General Manager Michael Redolfi highlights the blend of modern comfort and personalized service for a memorable guest experience.

🍷 Martini & Rossi, part of Bacardi group, emphasizes MARTINI's 160-year legacy in Pessione, Turin. Martina Canella, Brand Manager for Italy and Spain, reveals a revamped MARTINI with a new bottle, signature drink, comprehensive marketing campaign, and an experiential program, targeting new generations. Master Blender Beppe Musso oversees wine selection for MARTINI vermouths. The Italian aperitif market, worth over $670 million, has grown annually by 11% in the past 5 years. The redesigned 1L bottles are 30 grams lighter, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and pallets can carry 48 more 75cl bottles, improving transport efficiency. The MARTINI Bianco Spritz will be introduced this summer, and Terrazza MARTINI in Milan will extend its experience to major cities. The new bottle and campaign launch in April across Italy.

🏨 Hyatt Centric aims to surpass 100 properties by 2029. In 2024, the brand experienced unprecedented growth with openings in cities like Cairo, Shanghai, and San José, Costa Rica, among others. By 2028, over 35 new hotels are expected worldwide, increasing its Asia Pacific presence by over 75%. In Europe, Hyatt Centric Reims will open this year, followed by Hyatt Centric Altstadt Hamburg in 2026—the brand's first in Germany—featuring a top-floor panoramic restaurant and bar. Hyatt Centric Reykjavik will also debut in Iceland in 2026. The Middle East will see Hyatt Centric Madinah KEC in Saudi Arabia open in 2028 with 130 rooms and suites.

🏡 The Grand Hotel San Pellegrino Terme, closed since 1979, will be revitalized by a $64 million investment from California-based Ekn Development. The 99-year agreement grants Ekn Development rights over the property and park. The project, which includes renovation and potentially adding one or two new pools, is expected to take 3-4 years. Additionally, public funding of €5 million will contribute, with €3 million from the Lombardy Region and €2 million from the municipality of San Pellegrino Terme.

🏠 Sina Hotels won the auction for a public building lease in Galleria Ciro Fontana, Milan, securing a 36-year contract at €1.2 million per year. The announcement, reported by Il Giorno, follows a previously unsuccessful bid for the property which aimed for mixed-use development. Sina Hotel's expansion project includes adding around 30 new rooms and suites, communal spaces, a restaurant, and a wellness area to their nearby Sina The Gray hotel. The city of Milan will receive over €43 million from the agreement. Any modifications to the heritage-protected complex require approval from the Superintendence.

🏨 Radisson Hotel Group made its debut in Bergamo with the opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Bergamo ChorusLife. It is the 13th hotel for the Group in Italy and the first in Bergamo, located in the ChorusLife Smart District, close to the airport and historic Città Alta. The hotel features 107 rooms and suites, a Rooftop Restaurant, a Lounge Bar with terrace, and 373 square meters of event space across seven rooms.