Marco Gilardi talks about the expansion plans of NH Hotel Group and the arrival of Anantara

Major expansion plans, the arrival in Italy of the extra-luxury brand Anantara, consolidation of the NH Collection brand and opening of NH Collection Milano CityLife, the 12th hotel in Milan. Great results for NH Hotel Group, one of the most dynamic groups in the global hotel industry. HotelmyPassion meets Marco Gilardi, Operations Director Italy and USA of NH Hotel Group

NH Hotel Group recorded the best second quarter in its history. In fact, between January and June, revenues reached 742.4 million euros. That is more than triple compared to the same period of the previous year.

The rapid reactivation of leisure and business travel, the solid pricing strategy and the rigorous cost control made it possible to exceed the results achieved in the second quarter of 2019.

In addition, NH Hotel Group has officially joined the Global Hotel Alliance, the largest worldwide partnership of independent hotel brands.

There are several benefits that the agreement entails. For example, the transformation of “NH Rewards” – NH’s loyalty program – into the award-winning “GHA DISCOVERY”, which will later become “NH DISCOVERY”. The change will allow 21 million people to enjoy a hotel offering with over 800 hotels and resorts from 40 brands in 100 countries.

Another goal is that of Anantara Hotels & Resorts, a brand of the Minor group that won the award as the best luxury hotel brand in the USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Travel Award 2022. The recognition rewards Anantara’s constant commitment to offering a excellent service, making each stay a unique and unforgettable hospitality experience.

And still speaking of awards, the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2022 have awarded the excellence of Minor Hotels facilities and services with 35 awards. Among these, the 5-star luxury hotel NH Collection Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi, which wins the 3rd place in the ranking of the Best 20 Hotels in Italy, and the 5-star NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali which is awarded the sixth place among the Best 10 Hotels in Rome.

NH Collection Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi

The new projects of NH Hotel Group HotelmyPassion met Marco Gilardi, Operations Director Italy and USA of NH Hotel Group, to find out about the new projects and expansion plans.

HMYP: How is the Group positioned in Italy, what is your development vision and what is next?

Marco Gilardi: “The group has always been a reference in the market and we certainly don’t want to lose ground; our expansion plan foresees a great development in the next 5 years, mainly oriented to the Leisure world with resorts (including Urban).

Clearly, the expansion of the business hotel will also continue, an already consolidated target that we want to continue to strengthen. The challenge lies in balancing the two components so that they complement each other and give added value at various times of the year.

In 2022 we have foreseen the opening of 10 new properties and the complete refurbishment of 6 more. The hotels added to the portfolio belong to the Anantara Hotels & Resorts, NH Collection, nhow and NH Hotels brands and will strengthen the Group’s position in strategic destinations in Europe , Asia and Latin America “.

HMYP: What is the focus in a synthetic way?

Marco Gilardi: “We will move along 2 tracks: the rebranding of existing structures, where it is possible and makes sense to do so, and the search for new opportunities for expansion with green fields or extensions to be created by enhancing historic homes or buildings.

HMYP: Regarding new acquisitions, what are the criteria you are looking for?

Marco Gilardi: “Obviously it depends on the brand. Speaking of an extra-luxury brand like Anantara, the location is fundamental. The first acquisition was in Rome with Palazzo Naiadi and Amalfi, with the rebranding of the GH Convento di Amalfi it will be the second Anantara in Italy.

We therefore focus on the cities of art, including Milan where we aim to have the city’s reference luxury hotel. Do not forget the strongly appealing destinations such as Capri, the Costa Smeralda, the Ostuni area, the Tuscan hills, Lake Como and the splendid mountain resorts we have on our beloved Alps.

With the luxury but not so exclusive Tivoli Hotels & Resorts brand, we can take in With the Tivoli Hotels & Resorts brand, where we are located immediately below Anantara, we take into consideration a wider range of destinations always on Italian lakes, other seaside locations in Tuscany, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, and Sardinia.

We also have many hotels of the well-known and widespread NH Collection brand: we have just inaugurated the extraordinary NH Collection Milano CityLife (12th structure in the Milanese capital, born from the redevelopment of the former Chiesa del Cristo Re) which remains the upper upscale option of reference in the panorama Italian and European.

We would also like to further develop the nhow lifestyle brand also on the resort front as we have done in Europe in Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Milan and Marseille where the nhow is located directly on the sea. In 2023, other brands of the parent company Minor will also arrive … but for these we will meet again in 2023″.

HMYP: How do you move in operations?

Marco Gilardi: “The premise is that hotels must be able to offer the highest quality to all guests. And to achieve this we operate through a selective product development strategy and a careful focus on service. For example, thanks to the dialogue with the property owners we often work on existing projects with interventions on rooms and common areas to adapt them to the new needs of guests and new usage trends. There are also important hotel renovations such as the NH Napoli Panorama, the NH Collection Roma Centro and the NH Torino Santo Stefano which, thanks to a skilful soft restyling, has recently become an NH Collection.

We are also very active in the Milan square, where for example NH Milano Touring – once the last works of some common areas, corridors and meeting rooms have been completed – will switch to the NH Collection brand in 2023. We will open the new NH Milano Corso very shortly. Buenos Aires and the works of the NH hotels in La Spezia, Trieste and Palermo have restarted. It should also be emphasized the great attention we devote to catering. For example, with Natale Giunta Executive Chef of Oro Bistrot at NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali we will open a second restaurant in our other hotel in Rome and in Milan in spring we have inaugurated two new restaurants: “Forte”, born from the genius of the young entrepreneur and restaurateur Andrea Reitano at NH Milano Palazzo Moscova and “Timo Bistrot” at NH Collection Milano Porta Nuova ”.