Pellicano Hotels, the family-run Italian hotel group overseen by Marie-Louise Sciò and known for its impeccable style, personal service and fashionable clientele, has sold an undisclosed stake to Aermont Capital in a bid to become Italy’s leading hospitality brand.

As part of the deal, Aermont has committed €200 million to acquire new properties across Italy to add to Pellicano’s portfolio. Currently, Pellicano operates three locations: Il Pellicano on the Tuscan coast, Posta Vecchia outside Rome and Mezzatorre on the island of Ischia. The group aims to add another five to seven hotels over the next few years.

“The ambition is to grow, but it has to be manageable,” said Sciò, the group’s chief executive and creative director. “The personal part is really important … I never want to lose magic. I say we’re in the business of giving emotions … What you can’t buy is what you feel. What I want to do is a kind of hospitality that is timeless, that is very specific to where it is.”

Sciò, who became chief executive and creative director in 2012 and will remain in the dual role following the Aermont deal, has brought a unique point of view to top-end hospitality, melding old-school charm with modern fashionability, and turned a business that began with a single hotel owned by her father into a global lifestyle brand with multiple revenue streams.

While hotels frequented by the likes of Margherita Missoni, Giovanna Battaglia Engelbert and Jean Touitou remain Pellicano’s bread-and-butter, the group sells its own merch, has collaborated with the likes of Birkenstock and Matchesfashion, and operates an e-commerce venture, Issimo.

Selling a mix of Italian food, design and fashion, Issimo was launched during the height of the pandemic and currently accounts for only about 3 percent of revenues, but helps to drive brand positioning and awareness, said Sciò.

“It’s a great brand extension and it’s fun. It’s a place where people who maybe can’t come to the hotels can still get a piece of it,” explained Sciò.

The Aermont deal comes as high-end tourism is booming and Pellicano, though still a relatively small business, is gaining momentum. Last year, revenues grew 36 percent to €30 million; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation hit €7.5 million.

“I think the possibilities are quite vast,” said Sciò.