Heads of state, high finance managers, celebrities looking for a discreet holiday were able to enjoy this iconic corner on Lake Como. On Tuesday evening the fireworks show on the shores of Cernobbio will not celebrate yet another marriage of foreigners, but will celebrate the 150 seasons of the historic Villa d’Este. The structure was in the crosshairs of foreign suitors, among others the Sultan of Brunei, who insisted rumors about fifteen years ago to put almost 300 million euros on the plate to buy the hotel and add it to the chain it owns. Dorchester collection, but also the Emir of Qatar who boasts a series of luxury hotels in Italy and around the world, such as the hotels on the Costa Smeralda.
The Fontana family, leader in the production of high-strength fasteners, is the majority shareholder, not willing to sell the structure. On Tuesday evening, the celebrations will also inaugurate a new course for the hotel group, led by CEO Davide Bertilaccio from April 2022, who arrived to accelerate the growth strategy.
«First of all we are aiming for an important expansion thanks to the purchase of the adjacent Villa Bellinzaghi – the CEO tells Sole24 Ore -. The value of the investment for the renovation exceeds 20 million euros and the works will start within 12-18 months to create suites and spaces for events. The Villa is spread over 2,500 square meters with 8 thousand meters of garden ». Not only. “Our goal is also to grow through acquisitions – says Bertilaccio – and for this reason we are looking for structures in Venice, Rome and on the Amalfi Coast”. In addition to Villa d’Este, the group currently includes Villa La Massa in Tuscany and the two four-star Palace Hotel and Hotel Barchetta Excelsior in the center of Como.
“The expected turnover for 2022 is around 70-75 million euros, + 35% on 2019,” he says. “My idea is to maintain the hotel’s DNA, creating a diversification of the food and wine, wellness and entertainment offer such as to invite the customer to extend their stay on Lake Como” concludes the CEO, with the aim of capturing and to satisfy the new requests of a clientele that from Covid has learned to enjoy longer and more experiential holidays.
Lake Como is perhaps the destination in Italy that is currently experiencing the most lively phase, so much so that hotels are unable to meet the incoming demand. Therefore, for the first time, it was decided to open also during the Christmas period.