Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo: The first Hilton opens in Palermo - Italy
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Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo: The first Hilton opens in Palermo - Italy
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Category: Europe
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2006-10-10
After its rebranding on 25 August Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo is now "reborn" under the Hilton brand of quality and prestige as announced at the turn of the year following the franchise agreement signed between Hilton Hotels Corporation and Acqua Pia Antica Marcia of the Caltagirone Group.
Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo is the first of the three hotels in Palermo to have been completely remodelled and brought into line with the standards of the world's leading hospitality brand. Today, the hotel once again provides an exclusive destination for luxury stopovers, following renovations that have interested all rooms and public areas.
Facing onto the splendid Gulf of Palermo, located at the foot of Mount Pellegrino and only 1.5 km from Santa Lucia marina and the city harbour, the Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo recalls the history of the Florio family, entrepreneurs in the pharmaceutical industry who originally built it in the early nineteenth century as a sanatorium for tuberculosis sufferers. In fact, its name derives from Igiea (Hygieia), the goddess of health in Greek mythology.
In 1900, the building was transformed into a hotel and completely renovated to incorporate neo-gothic and fifteenth-century motifs and floral frescoes by Ettore de Maria Von Bergler, one of the century's greatest southern Italian painters. In 1929, Villa Igiea passed into the ownership of IRI (the Italian Institute for Industrial Development) and to this day remains a cornerstone in the Palermo tourist industry, regarded as one of the ten most beautiful hotels in the world. The English Royal Family and international movie stars, including Greta Garbo and Sophia Loren, have all chosen it as their favourite destination.
Ideal for either business or leisure stays, the 'Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo' is now fully restyled and offers a total of 109 rooms including 41 standard, 55 deluxe and 13 suites, distributed over 3 floors and all equipped with the most modern comforts. In fact, accurate renovations have successfully combined the splendour of the original Art Nouveau décor with cutting-edge technological facilities, including Wi-Fi Internet and satellite TV.
The 'Donna Franca Florio' restaurant takes its name from the portrait by master Giovanni Boldini, which is on show to guests. The restaurant is now open for business and ready to tantalise the palates of guests , whilst providing a feast for the eyes of connoisseurs with artistic taste. In fact, the restorations have successfully preserved the restaurant's original Art Nouveau style and enhanced the spectacular panoramic vistas over the surrounding landscape. Traditional Mediterranean specialties made from carefully selected local produceas well as typical Sicilian recipes are always available. The 'Donna Franca Florio' restaurant can seat up to 150 guests. Furthermore during the summer months, the open sea-view terrace makes lunch and dinner a truly unforgettable experience.
The 'Des Arcades' bar and 'Le Jardin', the open-air American bar, are ideal locations to spend the summer sipping a cocktail or experiencing tasty specialities typical of the Sicilian cuisine, all accompanied by a great selection of exquisite wines.
Equally impressive are the convention areas, which can seat up to 1000 delegates. They notably include: the 400 m2 Congress Centre, located on the ground floor, with a total capacity for 500 delegates, with natural daylight and wireless Internet technology in every venue, enough to satisfy any need; the Ballroom, perfect for large-scale events; 4 smaller rooms, ideal for meetings of 15-40 delegates; the exhibition area, is perfect to host product launches; and finally the picturesque veranda with sea view, an elegant venue for memorable coffee breaks, receptions and banquets. The meeting facilities are complemented by another 6 rooms distributed around the ground and first floors of the hotel, providing the perfect setting for banquets and gala events. The grandest of these is the Belle Epoque hall, which can seat up to 300 delegates.
At the Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo, guests can easily combine work and pleasure, transforming any stay into an exclusive experience. By way of relaxation, guests may enjoy the freshwater swimming pool with sheer drop to the sea, or make use of the fitness room and floodlit tennis court.
Furthermore, the hotel can easily arrange trips and guided tours to the numerous historical and archaeological attractions, which abound throughout the region. Palermo itself is a treasure trove awaiting discovery and a living testimony of the various civilisations which have settled here, from the Romans and Greeks right through to the Normans, who later added their own unique imprint to Sicily's cultural heritage. Worth a visit are the magnificent Cathedral, the Ethnographic Museum, Massimo's Theatre and the Palatine Chapel, along with the numerous churches and grandiose palaces . The hotel's proximity to the marina, from where ferries make daily shuttle runs to the islands, also make the Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo an ideal starting point for enchanting island outings.
Marking the hotel's opening, General Manager declared: "I am proud to be continuing in this important role at the head of a prestigious setup boasting two centuries of tradition in the hospitality industry. My main objective will be to strengthen its position by prioritising quality and customer satisfaction, which have always distinguished the Hilton brand worldwide.
The high standards to which we must conform, represent a challenge for me and the entire team of the Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo, whilst at the same time representing a unique opportunity for the city, both in terms of the employment market and future business prospects."
Pierre Dorrell, Regional Director of Marketing Benelux & Mediterranean for Hilton, commented: "The re-launch of this prestigious hotel, which is steeped in history and anchored in the finest traditions of civic hospitality, reiterates our objective to further expand and reinforce our presence in the Italian market. We are delighted to associate our brand name with that of the Acqua Pia Antica Marcia Group, in this project and the 2007 launch of the Molino Stucky Hilton Venice, as well as in the future launches, also scheduled for 2007, of the Excelsior Hilton Palermo and the Des Palmes Hilton Palermo, currently under refurbishment and re-construction."
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