Tag: Hotel

The Cristallo Hotel in Cortina turns 120 years old – Italian Cuisine


From the dawn of skiing to Vanzina's "Christmas Holidays", passing through "The Pink Panther", Cortina has already lived at least five lives. Now with the World Ski Championships and the next Olympics the future is planned

2021 is a historic year for Curtain: in February it will host the Alpine Ski World Championships and the foundation of theHotel Cristallo, the symbol of the city, and inextricably linked to the birth of Alpine tourism. 120 years after the birth of the myth of the “pearl of the Dolomites”, a new phase opens up.

The first rich adventurers

The start of Cortina's tourist fortune is due to the spread of mountaineering at the end of the nineteenth century. In fact, towards the middle of the century the railways arrived in the basin of the city, bringing the first European travelers and making them discover its beautiful mountains. First the rich Central European nobility, the French, English and American bourgeoisie then fell in love with the spectacle offered by the massive Dolomites, but not only. The mountains were still only places of adventure: in Cortine, on the other hand, modern tourism and the myth of the white week was born. And this history is inextricably linked to the Hotel Cristallo: the first luxury hotel to be inaugurated at the dawn of the twentieth century and a great promoter of the sports that will make the village a world-famous destination.

The intuition of sport and mass tourism

In 1901 Giuseppe Menardi founded the Hotel Cristallo, an imposing building in art nouveau style on the model of the great Viennese palaces; Cortina at the time was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1903 the first ski club arrives and gradually gets equipped to welcome the first adventurous skiers. Until the outbreak of the First World War, the turmoil continued, but it was after the crisis of 1929 that the small town became a renowned tourist center: between the end of the thirties and the beginning of the forties the first ski lifts were also built. In the Second World War the hotel was almost totally destroyed and finally reopened in 1947: it was the birth of mass tourism, obviously the prerogative of nobles and the upper middle class.
The son of the founder, Leo, knows that breathtaking mountains are not enough and he senses that the sports that were then increasingly popular among the elite of the time could make a difference. Skiing of course, but also hockey, curling, skating, motor racing and tennis in the summer. At the Cristallo one of the first indoor swimming pools was inaugurated in the 1930s; still used.

La Dolce Vita in the snow

In 1956 the Winter Olympics consecrate Cortina as a winter destination and make it known thanks to the first television images all over the world. Actors, artists and celebrities arrive, the historic Monkey disco bar is inaugurated and the Cristallo becomes the place to be of nightlife with the opening of the Monckey disco; in the sixties everyone passed through here, so much so that in 1963 an entire cult film was shot right in the hotel, The Pink Panther by Blake Edwards with David Niven and Peter Sellers. It is only the first in a series that will bring the rooms and the lobby into the scenes of Christmas holidays by Vanzina. It is 1983, Christian De Sica is very young and Cortina becomes popular. Golds, furs, big cars and parvenu become the image of Cortina and in the media supplant that of writers and poets who fell in love with a worldly but elegant Cortina. Ruyard Kipling had already called it "kitch", decades before the players and showgirls of Lele Mora's stable arrived, attraction in the attraction of the almost 50 thousand presences counted in the pre-Covid seasons.

The last three lives of Cortina, beyond the nightlife

Mayor Giampietro Ghedina saw his Cortina change its skin at least three times: "There was that of cinepanettoni, then that of the crisis, and finally today's Cortina", he declared to Corriere della Sera in 2019. "There have been years in which it seemed that to count for something, in Italy, it was mandatory to spend the Christmas holidays in Cortina. And so there were characters who rented the Ferrari just for the ski week, or ladies who walked up and down the street showing off the shopping bags of the boutiques that, in reality, were empty. It was only the appearance that mattered. Today, fortunately, we have returned to the tourist of substance . The Milanese ugly of the song Skiing holiday di Il Pagante has once again given way to mountain lovers, to the "citizens" of second homes and to a new luxury tourism. Discos, night clubs and nightlife are no longer what they used to be, the city center seems to have stopped in an indefinite era of the nineties, but a new process of transformation has begun.

The Cristallo celebrates 120 years of Cortina's history

Once again, the Hotel Cristallo marks a piece of the city's history. Celebrating 120 years, it has already gone through two wars, a reconstruction and a renovation for the centenary. It has evolved allowing city tourism to evolve, because to be luxury today you need to have structures, mentality and services up to international standards and guests. The imposing building retains its charm, but rather than basking in a glorious past, it thinks about the future: it has launched the Destination Authority concierge service, a special guide that helps guests find "their" Cortina, away from the beaten path of the mass tourism. In addition to the two restaurants Gazebo and Veranda led by chef Marco Pinalli, it offers hotel guests and external customers the Ampezzo cuisine at LaStube 1872. At the spa you can experience the exclusive Transvital treatments, yoga combined with mountain sports, healthy eating ; and then there is the Thermal Suite Private Experience with which to book an entire area with sauna and wellness program. It reopens on January 15th because for 2021 Cortina and the Cristallo are preparing to welcome the Alpine Ski World Championships.

Via della Spiga, Hotel Cristallo in Cortina: 2 hours, 54 minutes and 27 seconds… Alboreto is nothing !!

Cortina 2021-2026

"We want to communicate to the world that in Cortina we are ready to win the challenge of organizing a major international sporting event in the midst of a pandemic", declared Alessandro Benetton, president of the Cortina 2021 Foundation. "How the Cortina Olympics in 1956 were the showcase of an Italy that had put the turbo of the economic miracle after the Second World War, so the next World Championships in Cortina 2021 are the icon of a country that fights the pandemic and gets up, to return to looking to tomorrow with with the pride of being Italian ". Sportsmen and journalists will arrive in the city but, unfortunately, few fans because the World Cup will have to play behind closed doors. But we are already looking to 2026, when Cortina, together with Milan, will be the site of the XXV Winter Olympic Games. Milan-Cortina? Far away? "Make the eye dance on the tick! Via della Spiga, Hotel Cristallo in Cortina: 2 hours, 54 minutes and 27 seconds… Alboreto is nothing! . Docet Christmas holidays are very close.

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Sustainable tourism: the 10 rules of the ideal hotel – Italian Cuisine


Sustainable tourism: here are the 10 rules that the ideal eco-sustainable hotel should follow. From organic and 0 km cooking, to recycling to energy saving

Thanks to the growing attention in recent years towards ecology and environmental sustainability, tourism is also making great strides in this sense. In fact, it has been recorded that, both in Italy and in the rest of the world, the sustainable tourism sector is gradually growing and more and more hotels are embracing this new trend. There is still a long way to go but, between real renovations, progressive changes and small adjustments regarding consumption and services offered, it is expected that theecotourism become an increasingly consolidated reality in the future. It is also hoped that more and more accommodation facilities will be built following eco-sustainable criteria and measures and that the incentives concerning this sector will also increase, as well as the demand from travelers. But which ones requirements must own a hotel to be considered ecofriendly?

1) Sustainable structure and use of energy from renewable sources

Let's start with some indications regarding the building, which ideally should have been built according to the criteria of the green building and of bioarchitecture. In practice, the structure to be "green" should have been built with non-polluting and easy to dispose of materials. In terms of electricity savings, it should have both integrated natural thermal insulators and 100% renewable sources of energy (such as photovoltaic panels) and thermal energy (such as solar panels). There are also many small additional precautions that the hotelier can put into practice: from the use of lighting systems to low consumption light bulbs to the presence detectors in the rooms to regulate and minimize the consumption of electricity.

2) Water saving

Fighting water waste is one of the key commitments in the management of an eco hotel. For example, customers can be informed and made responsible with notices regarding, for example, the change of linen and sheets; doing so not only significantly reduces water consumption, but also that of detergents and electricity. For the water saving It is also possible to install mixers on taps and showers to reduce the flow of water, as well as purchase models of dishwashers and washing machines capable of regulating the amount of water required.

3) Eco-friendly and low environmental impact furniture

L'eco-furniture consists in the use of furniture and furnishings made with natural materials, such as untreated wood and pressed cardboard, which are not only recycled, but also recyclable. For extra safety, you can buy FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified furniture, furnishings and even floors.

4) Reduction of waste and pollutants

To be 100% eco-sustainable, a hotel must first of all be plastic-free; this means, for example, replacing single-dose containers of soaps with dispensers or using food dispensers for juices and breakfast cereals. It is also important to buy only ecological cleaning products and use recycled paper (from toilet paper to informative paper material).

5) Separate collection

There waste separation it must not only be present in areas of the hotel reserved for staff or common areas such as halls and gardens, but also inside the rooms, with special bins. In addition to separate collection, the environmental impact can be reduced by choosing non-polluting and "disposable" materials.

6) Fight against food waste

Even the catering within the hotel must comply with rules for the protection of the environment. For example, it is important that the portions are not too large, so da do not produce too many food scraps. You can also consider collaborating with associations and initiatives that deal with food donations. Finally, you can select vegetarian or vegan ingredients that have a lower environmental impact than others.

7) Organic menu and possibly zero km

The choice of fresh, natural, seasonal, organic and zero km food is critical. Preferring this type of food is an ecological choice, but also a way to enhance and make the territory known and to promote the well-being of customers.

8) Presence of plants and gardens

There presence of trees and plants inside not only the hotel purifies the air and absorbs CO2, but transmits ecological values ​​to guests and makes them feel in close contact with nature. Whenever possible, it is also possible to make available to customers external usable spaces such as thematic or tropical gardens, nature trails, natural relaxation areas with swings and hammocks or even tree houses.

9) Promote and favor sustainable mobility

THE means of transport to reach the hotel can have a significant impact on the environmental impact. It is therefore the responsibility of the hotel to indicate to visitors which public transport is available, any taxi and car sharing services in the area and, if necessary, offer a free transfer service. Once at their destination, guests can make their stay as pleasant and ecological as possible by offering a bicycle rental service.

10) Excursions and ecological recreational activities

The latter, more than a rule, is a recommendation. Being a sustainable hotel also means having theopportunity to raise awareness and entertain guests at the same time with activities that have to do with nature and the environment. Local ecotourism excursions could therefore be organized or advertised, but also courses, initiatives and events that have to do with the environment, such as creative recycling or natural cuisine, could be proposed.

Let us remember that, in addition to the eco-friendly offer of hotels, travelers must also have an active role of participation and responsibility, thus making a significant contribution to the sustainable tourism sector.

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Hotella Nutella, opens the first hotel dedicated to Ferrero cream – Italian Cuisine

Hotella Nutella, opens the first hotel dedicated to Ferrero cream


It is a pop up hotel that will work for just one weekend, from 10 to 12 January. To stay there, you need to win a contest. Here is which one

Every detail, from the chandeliers to the wallpaper, from the cushions to the doors, from the carpets to the floors, is dedicated to Nutella: the prints of the jars decorate the walls, the black and red colors of the label characterize each piece of the furniture. From 10 to 12 January opens the Hotella Nutella, a pop-up hotel (the world's first Nutella-themed hotel) that will run for just one weekend in the Napa Valley, California county.

The American "nutellari"

He wanted it Ferrero Usa to give an unforgettable and delicious experience to Americans who have a real passion for spreadable hazelnut cream born in Alba. Yes, because to stay at the Hotella Nutella it is not necessary to book or even pay: you have to win a special contest (open only to US citizens: here is the complete regulation) which will decide the three lucky winners of a weekend for two.

The contest

To participate you need to realize a video that, in 60 seconds, you tell why the breakfast with Nutella is the best of all. The authors of the most entertaining and effective films will be able to stay two nights and three days in the hotel and will be able to participate in the initiatives planned with special guests selected by Ferrero: breakfast with Geoffrey Zakarian, celebrity chef of Food Network, brunch with Tanya Holland, restaurant chef Brown Sugar Kitchen, and a pancakes preparation workshop with the Dancakes group of artists. Thanks to them, Nutella will become the protagonist of many special dishes, which will be served in a cheerful theme room.

"Hotella Nutella is the joy of staying in a hotel with an exceptional breakfast and allows fans to enjoy the product in new ways," explains Todd Midura, vice president of marketing at Nutella North America. "We hope our guests learn to recreate the magic of the hotel at home by offering to friends and family a special breakfast. The competition, which started this month, will end at midnight on December 8th.

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