Aperture

🏦 Palazzo Talìa, a 5-star hotel, opened in spring 2024 near Piazza di Spagna and Fontana di Trevi. Housed in a 16th-century building, once home to humanist Angelo Maria Colocci, now features 26 luxury rooms and suites designed by Marianna Lubrano Lavadera and Laura Feroldi. The interiors, boasting 60 marble artworks and a Roman Menade statue, were curated by Luca Guadagnino, marking his first hôtellerie project. A standout, the Terrace Suite, offers a 66-square-meter terrace. The hotel also includes Tramae restaurant, Bar della Musa, and a Spa with Roman-inspired marble and majolica.

🌳 Italians showed a strong affinity for Barbados, the youngest republic in the world since 2021, with a remarkable +37% increase in arrivals from Italy in the past year, totaling about 3,700 visitors. In 2024, the island, rich in historical identity and recognized for its UNESCO heritage capital, Bridgetown, attracted diverse tourists, including families and sports enthusiasts. Weekly packages, including flights and resort stays, start at €1,980 per person, with 4 or 5-star accommodations like Sandals Barbados. Barbados boasts one of the best air connections from Italy to the Caribbean, with direct flights via British Airways, Virgin Atlantic through London, or Condor through Frankfurt.

🏨 London, Istanbul, and Dublin lead European cities in new hotel room openings in 2025, with London adding more than 5,600 rooms, Istanbul 3,920, and Dublin just under 3,200. Overall, Europe will see nearly 107,000 new rooms this year, including those opened early in 2025. CoStar reports a total of about 171,000 rooms under construction, 86,000 in final planning, and 163,000 in initial planning stages.

🏨 IHG Hotels & Resorts introduces the mid-scale brand Garner to Rome, renaming The Smooth Rome to Garner Rome Aurelia after partnering with Pacini Group. The rebranding emphasizes IHG's commitment to strengthening its portfolio in Italy's mid-scale segment, adding to over 88 Garner properties in development. Launched in 2023 as IHG's 19th brand, Garner Hotels is recognized for its flexibility and solid returns. Garner Rome Aurelia is located west of Rome on Via Aurelia, providing convenient access to Fiumicino Airport, Vatican City, Trastevere, and central historical attractions. After Pacini Group's total renovation in January 2025, the hotel features 58 modern rooms, a restaurant, bar, open terrace, and meeting area, focusing on essential elements like strategic location, comfort, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour fresh ground coffee, and quality H24 snacks at the Garner Shop. Willemijn Geels, VP of Development Europe at IHG, sees this expansion as a milestone for growth in Italy, while Emidio Pacini, Founder & CEO of Pacini Group S.p.A., expresses pride in the partnership and the ability to meet the increasing demand for quality hospitality in Rome.

🏡 Tridente Collection, under Fabrizio Pacini's guidance, recently opened U-Visionary Venezia in Cannaregio, Venice, joining the brand's Roman hotel. The boutique hotel showcases a blend of Western and Eastern culture through modern design, curated by architect Daniele Chiocchio from Integra Design. U-Visionary Venezia features rooms overlooking the Grand Canal, a 26 sqm family suite with a terrace, and an Oriental-style garden. Artistic elements are incorporated in collaboration with Cinquerosso Arte gallery, harmoniously balancing dark wood with vivid textiles.

🏡 Vista Ostuni, a luxury 5-star hotel by the Passera family, is confirmed to open in summer 2025 after two years of construction. Located 37 km from Brindisi Airport and near the White City, it’s part of The Leading Hotels of the World and housed in the former 14th-century Manifattura Tabacchi. The hotel operates year-round, offering 28 rooms and suites with an average size of 60sqm, two restaurants, three pools, a rooftop bar, a library bar, a Spa, a beauty center, and a gym. Michelin-starred Chef Andrea Berton oversees the food & beverage, with two dining experiences: Bianca Bistrot and Berton al Vista. The hotel features over 16,000 sqm of gardens designed by landscape architect Erik Dhont, private beach club transfers, historical and artistic site visits, and 70 staff members. Architect Roberto Murgia of RMA led the restoration with a vision of discreet luxury.

🏠 Kerzner International is developing the SIRO brand, with SIRO Boka Place in Montenegro opening this year and announcing SIRO Roppongi, Tokyo for 2029. SIRO One Za'abeel in Dubai welcomed its first guests in February 2024. SIRO Roppongi will feature 100 rooms plus advanced fitness and recovery labs, located in Tokyo's Minato-ku district, near art galleries, museums, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Philippe Zuber, CEO of Kerzner International, highlights Japan's strategic significance and Kerzner's commitment to expand within the country.

🎨 Gardaland to unveil 'Animal Treasure Island,' an exclusive Merlin IP, in April 2025. The attraction aims to forge a deep emotional connection with visitors, featuring animal characters embodyed with relatable values and behaviors. Luisa Forestali, head of marketing at Gardaland, emphasizes the creation of a special bond that endures beyond the visit.

🏨 IHG Garner Hotels launched in Italy by rebranding a Pacini Group property into Garner Rome Aurelia. Strategically located west of Rome on Via Aurelia, the hotel offers access to Fiumicino Airport, Vatican City, Trastevere, and downtown attractions. In January 2025, Pacini Group completed a total renovation of the hotel, now featuring 58 rooms, a restaurant, bar, open terrace, and meeting area. This marks IHG's commitment to strengthening its mid-scale segment in Italy and expanding its portfolio with Willemijn Geels, VP Development Europe, and Emidio Pacini, Founder & CEO of Pacini Group, expressing enthusiasm for the partnership and market growth.

🏡 Oliver Winter, CEO of a&o Hostels, opened a&o Firenze Campo di Marte in Florence, featuring 119 rooms with a central location near Campo di Marte station. The hostel is equipped with seven self-check-in terminals in 13 languages, cleaning robots, a mobile key app, electric vehicle charging stations, and 40 parking spaces. The building will be redesigned by BWM Architektur & Design, adding a multifunctional courtyard for sports and recreation. The Florence hostel has 466 beds and is the second a&o in Italy after Venice (2017), contributing to the chain's total of 42 hostels across Europe.