Perowne is delighted to announce its partnership with Aldo Melpignano – the visionary force behind Borgo Egnazia and one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Italian hospitality.

Across Italy, a group of independent hotels have been brought together under Aldo’s creative and strategic direction, each carrying a distinct identity shaped by its own culture, traditions and landscape. These are not properties united by brand – they are united by a shared belief that the finest hospitality is rooted in place. In 2023, Aldo formally established Egnazia Ospitalità Italiana to extend his family’s three-decade hospitality legacy and support this growing network of exceptional independent hotels across the country.

With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics drawing global attention and new direct US flight routes launching to Milan, Naples, Bari and – for the first time ever – Sardinia, there has never been a better moment to discover what each of these remarkable places has to offer.

La Tiara di Cervo | Porto Cervo, Sardegna New Opening, May 2026
Opening just above Porto Cervo, La Tiara di Cervo introduces a quieter, more intimate side to the celebrated Costa Smeralda. Set within a protected three-hectare private estate, the property offers 26 impeccably designed one, two and three-bedroom apartments, each with expansive sea views and the support of a dedicated concierge team. It blends the privacy of a standalone residence with the attentiveness of a refined hotel – a genuinely new hospitality concept for this gilded coastal destination.

Santavenere | Maratea, Basilicata Celebrating 70 Years
Marking its 70th anniversary in 2026, Santavenere occupies a rare stretch of the Tyrrhenian coast in Basilicata – one of Italy’s most quietly treasured and largely unspoiled regions. Its 26 rooms carry the charm of decades of coastal heritage, while terraced Mediterranean gardens fall gently toward a fully equipped private beach. A gateway to the soul of Southern Italy.

Castel Badia | San Lorenzo di Sebato, South Tyrol First Full Season, 2026
Unveiled at the end of 2025, Castel Badia reawakens a thousand-year-old former Benedictine convent in the Puster Valley. With 28 rooms and suites plus a private three-floor chalet, the restoration carefully balances preservation and reinvention – honouring original stonework and sacred architectural details while introducing refined modern design. A spa carved into natural rock, seamless access to Plan de Corones and a contemplative atmosphere make it a quietly unconventional gateway to the Dolomites, year-round.

Hotel Ancora | Cortina d’Ampezzo, Veneto Celebrating 200 Years and Thoughtful Design Transformation
Now under the ownership of Renzo Rosso and managed in partnership with Aldo Melpignano, Hotel Ancora has reclaimed its place at the beating heart of Cortina’s social scene. Interiors by Vicky Charles layer contemporary sophistication over Alpine heritage across 38 beautifully curated rooms. With a destination terrace restaurant, spa, gym and an exclusive invite-only club, Ancora is both a landmark and a living hub – celebrating 200 years while breathing new energy into Cortina’s renaissance.

Hotel de Len | Cortina d’Ampezzo, Veneto
A certified 22-room ClimaHotel and one of the region’s most forward-thinking wellbeing destinations, Hotel de Len is architecturally designed to enhance sleep and recovery. Its biocompatible construction, advanced sleep-support technologies and panoramic rooftop spa make it a natural fit for Cortina’s Olympic moment – and a compelling destination long beyond it. Built with local wood and Dolomitic craftsmanship, it sits at the centre of town with the slopes within easy reach.

Borgo Egnazia | Savelletri di Fasano, Puglia
One of Italy’s most influential hospitality benchmarks, Borgo Egnazia is deeply rooted in the architecture, traditions and rural heritage of Puglia. Regeneration sits at the heart of its philosophy: the property maintains fully regenerative gardens, biodiversity corridors and agricultural practices supporting a self-sustaining ecosystem. In 2026, it becomes the first hospitality destination in Italy to host the full seed cycle on site through The Seed House, its pioneering seed-to-soil initiative. At flagship restaurant Due Camini, regional cuisine is not only celebrated but actively safeguarded through a fully vegetarian menu rooted in the land.

Masseria San Domenico | Savelletri di Fasano, Puglia Celebrating 30 Years
Where the story began. Transformed in 1996 from a fortified masseria, distinguished by its 15th-century Knights of Malta watchtower, Masseria San Domenico is one of the pioneers of luxury hospitality in Puglia. Set within 40 hectares of ancient olive groves, it offers a secluded retreat defined by its renowned thalassotherapy spa, longstanding coastal traditions and cuisine rooted in genuine regional flavours. Thirty years on, it remains as essential as ever.

Set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, just over an hour from Dublin, this is a family-owned masterpiece that feels less like a commercial enterprise and more like a private invitation. After eighty years as a boys’ school, Ballyfin was acquired in the late 1990s by the Krehbiel family. Their goal was simple but ambitious: to restore the house as a living home to a standard Ireland had not yet seen.

It took ten years. Supported by historians and master craftsmen, the project was an act of preservation. Today, the house is filled with museum-quality Irish and European art, Chippendale antiques, and the iconic Richard Turner conservatory — a glass-and-iron anchor that connects the interior to the 614-acre estate.

With just 21 rooms and suites, the house remains intimate. Each room tells a different chapter of the estate’s history:
The Sir Christopher Coote Suite: Features 18th-century Chinese panels once owned by the Prince of Hanover.
The Sir Charles Coote Room: Conceals a Roman marble sarcophagus bath beneath a cantilevered staircase.
The Tapestry Room: Hung with 17th-century Flemish tapestries overlooking the lake.

Ballyfin’s character is shaped by its people. Many of the team, from butlers to landscapers, first knew these halls as students during the school years. They have returned not as staff, but as custodians. This continuity lends a rare authenticity to the house – a sense of stewardship that guests often cite as its most defining quality.

At the center of daily life is the eight-acre walled garden. In early 2025, the kitchen’s commitment to this land was recognised with a Michelin star. Executive Chef Richard Picard-Edwards works with the seasons, serving dinner in the candlelit State Dining Room and lunch in the Turner Conservatory.

The house sits within 614 acres of parkland and woodland, arranged around Ireland’s largest man-made pleasure lake. Guests move through the grounds on foot, by horse-drawn carriage, or by boat.The pursuits here – falconry, clay pigeon shooting, archery – are intrinsic to the estate. For those seeking the theatrical, an extensive collection of period costumes from the Lyric Opera of Chicago is available for exclusive-use guests to host dress-up evenings, nodding to the house-party spirit of the 19th century.

Explora Journeys is the privately owned luxury ocean travel brand of the MSC Group, defined by space and privacy. At the heart of the brand is the Ocean State of Mind – a philosophy shaped by time at sea, thoughtful design, and the freedom to choose how each day unfolds. Immersive itineraries pair celebrated destinations with lesser-travelled ports, allowing for deeper exploration and a more fluid style of travel.
Across the fleet, Explora Journeys delivers an all-oceanfront experience, with spacious suites, penthouses and residences conceived as refined homes at sea. Floor-to-ceiling windows, private terraces, and residential-style interiors create a strong sense of openness, while an abundance of space and privacy is a defining hallmark of the Explora Journeys experience, with more open-air deck space per guest. The ships also offer an industry-leading host-to-guest ratio, with almost one host per guest, supporting an unhurried onboard rhythm.

Culinary experiences span multiple dining environments, from elegant restaurants to relaxed all-day venues, complemented by a collection of bars and lounges designed for different moments throughout the day. Wellness is fully integrated into life on board through dedicated spa and fitness facilities, outdoor decks and a holistic programme that reflects the brand’s deep connection to the ocean. Service is intuitive and discreet, informed by Mediterranean sensibilities and Swiss hospitality standards.

The fleet currently comprises EXPLORA I, launched in July 2023, and EXPLORA II, launched in September 2024. Expansion continues with EXPLORA III launching in summer 2026, followed by EXPLORA IV and EXPLORA V in 2027 and EXPLORA VI in 2028.

The next chapter for the brand arrives with EXPLORA III, launching in July 2026. An ultra-elegant expression of ocean travel, that benefits from LNG-powered technology, EXPLORA III will introduce a standout Owner’s Residence designed by internationally acclaimed architect Patricia Urquiola, as well as new culinary concepts, enlarged spa and fitness facilities designed for a more immersive wellbeing experience, and elevated onboard retail, including Chopard’s first boutique at sea. EXPLORA III will sail an exclusive Mediterranean Prelude before heading to Northern Europe, Iceland, and Greenland later in 2026.

Perowne International has officially expanded its global footprint into Latin America, marking the milestone with a series of launch events in Mexico City. The move follows a period of significant growth for the consultancy, strategically linking its flourishing Milan and Madrid operations with the rising influence of the Spanish-speaking luxury market.

Sibbjäns began quietly, the combined dream of Jonas Nordlander and Sanna Rönn, who with close friends and many meaningful couples Pontus and Kina Zeidler share a life between Stockholm and Gotland. Over the past four years, they have steadily transformed this former horse farm into a regenerative stay that feels singular to anywhere else in Scandinavia.

After a soft opening in 2025 for friends and family, the farm stay now enters 2026 as its first full season, opening more intentionally to a like-minded global community drawn to nature, food, and thoughtful design.

A PLACE TO REST

22 individually designed rooms sit across the Hotel and ‘The Bunkhouse,’ each named after important women in the family and among their friends. Adorned with classic Scandi touches of sheepskin throws, limewashed walls, soft palettes, and contemporary art, the spaces are designed for comfort.

Buildings are framed by wildflowers and constructed using traditional methods, much of the work completed by hand, with local craftsmanship central to the process. Architect Maja Berg has been a key contributor, working alongside Erik Larsson, a Master of Gotlandic Craft Heritage, who built some of the original buildings himself and continues to pass on traditional building knowledge to the next generation.

THE KITCHEN FOLLOWS THE FARM

At the heart of Sibbjäns is a working farm home to hens, Mangalitza pigs, horses, and sheep, with agriculture guiding both the kitchen and the guest experience.

In the gardens, lead gardener and local Karin Winarve brings a quiet hand to what thrives here across meadows, vegetable beds, and fruit-growing plots. Produce is grown on-site and harvested seasonally, forming the backbone of a true farm-to-table approach—one that pauses entirely during the winter months when the land rests.

EXPERIENCES & ‘VIKING WELLNESS’

New for the 2026 season, wellbeing at Sibbjäns is restorative rather than prescriptive. Inspired by Nordic traditions and the physicality of outdoor life, the evolving wellness offering includes:

• A hand-built yoga barn

• A wood-fired sauna

• An outdoor gym

• Recreational spaces

• The beginnings of what will become one of the world’s most beautiful tennis courts.

The surrounding landscape invites guests to engage with nature on its own terms, from cycling or horse riding across open farmland to kitesurfing along Gotland’s windswept coastline (widely regarded as one of the finest spots in Europe for the sport). This is ‘Viking wellness’ in spirit—elemental, grounding, and quietly transformative.

SWEDEN’S ‘SUNSHINE ISLAND’

Gotland is Sweden’s sunniest destination, known for its distinctive light, limestone landscapes, and strong ‘right to roam’ ethos. Open from Easter through to Christmas and closed entirely during the dark winter months, Sibbjäns follows the natural calendar rather than resisting it.

Reaching it is part of the journey:

• A short flight from Stockholm to the island’s capital of Visby, followed by a drive across the island.

• A ferry crossing that reinforces the sense of arrival somewhere distinct and deliberately unhurried.

• For those preferring a more direct approach, arrival by helicopter is also possible.

At its core, Sibbjäns remains a place for friends old and new built slowly, grounded in nature, and designed to endure.