Consolidate traditional excellences or reinvent yourself as a laboratory of contemporary hospitality? This is the great dilemma that is currently affecting the world of tourism andhôtellerie. To answer the question, we met two leading figures from Hilton, one of the most important US multinationals in the hotel sector in the world. Between boutique hotels in the heart of Milan, iconic renovations and reopenings in view of the Olympics and the arrival of new brands designed to intercept increasingly demanding and aware travellers, the American group is redesigning its presence in Italy with a vision that goes well beyond the large metropolises.
Local identity, work culture, food & beverage and expansion towards secondary destinations are today at the center of a broader reflection on the future of luxury and lifestyle hospitality in our country. We talk about it with David Kelly, Senior Vice President for Continental Europe at Hilton, and Alan Mantin, Vice President for Development in Southern Europe.
Hilton’s 63 years in Italy, between history and innovation
Hilton boasts a 63-year history in Italy and has extremely solid foundations nationally. Over time, the group has introduced 11 different brands onto the Italian market, building a presence that today ranges from the famous Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel – a historical symbol of the group’s presence in Italy – up to more contemporary structures such as the Aleph Rome Hotel, of the Curio Collection brand characterized by a strong local identity.
In Milan, the Senior Vice President’s tour itinerary for Continental Europe included a hotel recently opened ahead of the Olympics, the Tapestry Collection by Hilton brand’s Puccini Hotel Milan — a boutique hotel in the city center — and the upcoming Canopy by Hilton Milan Duomo, which will open later this year, just steps from the Duomo.
As David Kelly underlines, the central point of Hilton’s strategy is the balance between heritage and innovation: on the one hand iconic hotels that represent the historical foundations of the brand, on the other new formats capable of satisfying increasingly diversified travel needs.
How to bring large scale and local identity together
Underlying this expansion is the unshakable belief that, when travelers seek authentic and identifying places, large scale and uniqueness are not at all contradictory. In both lifestyle brands and more traditional brands, it’s all about experience and human connection. Guests are looking for authentic, local and personalized experiences: they want to know which neighborhoods to visit, which restaurants to choose and how to experience the city through the eyes of those who actually live there. And it is the Hilton team that makes all this possible. It is no coincidence that Hilton was named «Great Place to Work» in Italy for four consecutive years and is now the first hotel group in the world in the ranking dedicated to work environments. On the other hand, says Kelly, “a team that is happy to work automatically offers a better service to guests”.
What makes a lifestyle hotel truly unique
A lifestyle hotel is not simply a well-designed designer property. Design is important, of course, but it’s not enough. What really matters are the atmosphere, the connection with the territory and the team’s ability to create authentic connections with guests. Brands like Curio Collection by Hilton are particularly suitable for the Italian market, precisely because each hotel is different and tells a unique story. Hilton’s goal, however, is not to standardize properties or erase local identity, but rather to amplify it. Italy today represents one of the most dynamic markets in Europe for luxury and lifestyle tourism, thanks to its ability to combine culture, design, gastronomy and authenticity.
Enhance your identity, don’t lose it
This approach is also the answer to the question that many Italian owners ask themselves: becoming part of Hilton means strengthening the soul of a property, not weakening it. Italy has a strong tradition of independent, family-run hotels, and many of the group’s Italian partners came from this model before joining Hilton.
In addition to the standards, services and strength of the brand, Kelly recalls how the group brings with it over 250 million Hilton Honors members, a community that represents a fundamental part of the occupancy of the structures, especially in Rome and Milan. A significant portion of these guests come from the United States and are loyal thanks to the strength of the group’s loyalty program. The goal is not to replace the identity of properties, on the contrary. It means helping them grow, enhancing their history and accompanying them towards a new phase of their life cycle.
The new map of Hilton’s Italian extension
Growth also looks beyond established destinations. In addition to large cities, Hilton now sees important opportunities in markets that until a few years ago were mainly considered business destinations, which are instead experiencing strong growth in tourism leisure and international. This year, the group has opened new properties in Genoa, Turin, Perugia, Padua and Brescia, as well as the third hotel in Naples.
Verona is in the sights for 2028, while attention also extends to regional and provincial capitals, and destinations such as Sardinia and Sicily. «Wherever there is demand from guests, we want to be present with the right brand», explains Alan Mantin. Among the most significant news, there is also the announcement of the entry of Hilton’s new premium economy brand in Italy, Spark by Hilton, already experiencing strong growth globally, which will open the Spark by Hilton Milan Linate Airport by the end of the year.
Hilton’s food & beverage strategy in Italy
In Italy, food is never just a service: it represents a real “cultural contract with the guest”. For this reason, food & beverage occupies a central role in the Hilton strategy. During his stay in Milan, Kelly noticed how the restaurant of one of the group’s historic hotels in Italy, the Hilton Milan, was frequented not only by the hotel’s guests, but also by local customers: the clearest sign of a hotel truly integrated into the urban fabric of the city. And not just in the Lombardy capital: «From pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven to fresh pasta, from local cocktails to Michelin restaurants like La Pergola at Rome Cavalieri, every gastronomic experience is functional in telling the story of the area», explains Kelly.
Hilton also launched Taste of Hiltona platform dedicated to the group’s best food & beverage experiences in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. But what makes the offer truly special is above all the passion of the people: when a team member talks about a local cocktail or a local dish with authentic enthusiasm, the guest’s experience becomes truly memorable.
Hilton’s food & beverage strategy in Italy
Closing the circle, the human dimension. During the visit to Milan, Kelly was keen to recount a particularly significant episode: an employee hired only six months earlier shared his personal experience with the management, explaining that he had worked in many multinationals around the world without ever finding an environment as familiar as the one experienced in Hilton. “He felt welcomed from day one, even in difficult times,” says Kelly. And this is precisely the real point of Hilton: if every day you manage to build a work environment based on a sense of belonging, then the guest experience also becomes more extraordinary and unforgettable. “Renovations, design and new hotels are important, sure, but ultimately it’s the people who bring the unique Hilton experience to life.”
