Latest / Brand Insiders / Stefano Cuoco of Miramis on Blending Italian Soul with Swedish Precision, and Why Hospitality's Future Is Entertainment

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Stefano Cuoco of Miramis on Blending Italian Soul with Swedish Precision, and Why Hospitality's Future Is Entertainment · Brand Insiders

• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to another exciting episode of Brand Insiders.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's a very special day because we're here to talk about a very special hotel company.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: I'm joined by Stefano Guoko.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: He's the CEO of Miramis Hospitality and Entertainment.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Stefano, how are you?
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty good.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty good.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you very much, Adam.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: And thank you for having me here.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's it's great to have you.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, we could record this in Italian or I guess Swedish, but uh English will have to suffice for all the international uh listeners and viewers.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I think so too.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: And my Swedish is not that good.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: So probably it's better we do it in English.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, I mean that's one of the beauties of English, is you don't actually have to be good at it to get the point across.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: It's a very simple, crude, ugly language, unlike Italian, which is way more poetic and uh and beautiful in its in its intonation.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: But um, with that as an intro, why don't you give us an intro for Miramis and the unique connection between uh Italy and Sweden?
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so Miramis is uh uh is a Swedish-born uh hospitality company.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we are um uh part of a big group that is called Carbo.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and our and it comes from the uh passion for from the owners on on Italy, and especially on the Tuscan coast.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: So the connection between uh Swedish and Italy was pretty straightforward to us, uh and it plans a uniqueness of you know the organization and the way of getting things done of the Nordics together with the soul and the creativity of Italian.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: And the that's what you can find in our property in both Italy and Sweden today.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: So uh a great attention to detail, but a real soul and identity rooted in the communities where we worked on.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, yeah, it's uh it's a great combination to put it that way in terms of the art and as well as just the northern flair as well to bring that in to give it that unique soul.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: So you you mentioned the Tuscan coast, and of course, when people think of Tuscany, they think of the rolling hills around Chianti, uh Montipociano, uh, and as well the cities of Florence, Pisa, uh maybe Lucca, other places, but they rarely think about Maremma, Maliano, uh those other places that are there.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so tell us about the Tuscan coast and your portfolio there.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, let's say the Maremma and Argentario, so basically the southern part of Tuscany represents a very different side of Tuscany.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's coastal, it's unspoiled, and obviously less discovered internationally, as you said.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: So there's a kind of a unique combination of Mediterranean landscapes and uh smells with small fishing villages, agricultural, and of course vineyards, uh, some protected nature, so strong authenticity for the guests, um, and and also really a genuine and untouched uh compared to most uh let's say known, well-known and saturated Tascan destination.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so the the the point is that we can really give a different flavor of Task anywhere.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and that different flavor and that untouched element is something that travelers really want these days.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: They want the the untouched coast, the beach that doesn't have a name, all that, all that stuff that uh they're looking for to go off the beaten path, which uh is uh a little bit of a rote term, but it still nevertheless applies.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: So um tell us about your uh the properties you have uh along the Tuscan coast there and what makes them unique.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so first of all, think about Tuscan coast, a small island connected to the land just with two strips of sandy beach.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe you want to go there, right?
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: So this is where Argentario is.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and over there we have two upper-running properties, um, one uh upcoming project and a beach club.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: So first one is La Rocca.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um La Rocca is uh is a is a 50-rooms boutique hotel, um, really uh connected to the design and to um, let's say, a little bit of La Dolce Vita flavor, so contemporary boutique hotel overlooking the Porto Ercoli arbor.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: Porto Ercoli is the name of this fisherman village that it's there.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and we we also have in La Rocca a very nice rooftop restaurant and bar that is called Shirocco, that is the name of the main wind that blows in that area, and uh it has a strong focus on uh food uh experiences in the local village, Italian design and social atmosphere.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: So basically, the guest experience is centered around local culture and relaxed luxury.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um Shirocco, the rooftop restaurant and bar of La Rocca, with of course a very nice panoramic sea and arbor views as a seasonal Tusca cuisine with local ingredients with a flair.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: So our chef is really into um into local ingredients but also with a more modern uh touch on it.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine our wine list is only out of Tuscan wines, so more than a hundred different Tuscan wines, but only Tuscan wines.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: So we really want it to be clear that we are rooted in the land where we we operate, uh and it has become a destination itself.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: So basically, local uh people but also travelers that do not stay a la Rocca uh used to come to Chirocco uh rooftop to to dine and just have you know a little bit of social aperitivo and uh nice atmosphere.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the uh you know, right at you mentioned wines uh and everything there.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh around Grosseto, I imagine the wine lists you'd have a lot of super Tuscans on the menu as well.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, correct, correct.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: And we like to discover uh small producers, so we have connection with uh wineries that are really, of course, the big names, but also the ones they're really it are difficult to find.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: And they're really works with us to give you know the right wine on the table, and it and it's nice when you can propose to the guests something different, uh, you know, also in terms of wines, because very high quality wines from Tuscany, of course, but whenever you can propose something different, they really appreciate it.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so and then walking distance from La Rocca, there's our beach club that is called Isolotto, that it's uh it's a private beach uh with restaurant and lounge area.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: A little bit difficult to get there, it's just five minutes walking, but you have to walk down a little bit of a secluded um walking path uh in the middle of trees, and then you you see the beauty of the of the sea just in front of you.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: So we have uh, of course, broad access and also transportation with uh electrical shuttle from our hotel.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and it's designed as an extension of the hotel experience, so it's a complement uh of the experience of our guests uh of La Rocca.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um on and let's say that at La Rocca you can see you know the sunrise, the sun uh early morning coming from the sea.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: While if if we go to the other side of Argentario, we have Torre di Calapicola, where you can see, I mean, maybe one of the most beautiful sunsets that you can find in Europe, you have the sunset in the middle of the Tuscan archipelago.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: Calapicola is on the cliff, on top of a cliff, overlooking Isola del Giglio, Isola del Bag, Gianutri, and all the small island of the um Tuscan archipelago.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: Again, just 50 rooms and suites.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: And uh yeah, I mean the focus there is really Mediterranean character and tranquility.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: So strong emotional atmosphere uh for the guest.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And it's uh up for renovation now.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: We are working on a project to elevate the concept and respect the heritage of the place in its story because this is an historical hotel.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's there since uh 80 years, and uh there's uh there's a Spanish tower, uh like a fortress tower, built in the structure of the hotel itself.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: So again, a big roof into the tradition and the heritage of the place and the nature that it's uh um surrounds us.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's uh heavy restoration to keep a tower there and to make something functional out of it.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_01: That's an incredible project.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it is, and uh and of course it will be open to to guests.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: So inside the tower, you can still see uh how it was in the past.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: There's a an original armor, there's uh um a boat model, and you know, legend says that there's a nice ghost in the tower, so but but it's a but it's a nice ghost, it helps uh guests, it doesn't scare them.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: So that's what the legend says.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so um you you have you have ghosts, which I guess are guests of the past, and you have present guests.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: So where are your guests coming from typically for uh the properties on the Tuscan coast?
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um our main market is US today, followed by UK and uh North Central Europe, and also of course uh Italian guests.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um these are seasonal properties, and uh for let's say an extended summer season.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we are open uh uh from the beginning of April to beginning of November, so it is an extended season, and you know, center center of the season, July, August is more Italy and all the rest, as I said, US, UK, and northern mid-Europe.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, and and really our guests are experience-driven travelers, they really care deeply about food, culture, atmosphere, and discovering places with personality.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: And uh increasingly, I mean, everywhere in the world, you can see the guests are looking for destination where the culture is combined in a more meaningful way, uh, with hospitality and wellness and entertainment.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, well, I want to get back to that entertainment part uh because that's very important as well to the brand differentiation for Miramis.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but first, uh, we've touched on, we've we've laid the groundwork with the Tuscan properties.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, now let's talk about you.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: You um you're the CEO and tell us a little bit about your background and how you came into this role and what your vision is.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, I mean, I was uh born and raised in the hospitality business since I was very young.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: I was lucky enough to start my hospitality career peeling Apple, uh as uh as uh an helper in the pastry of the Hotel Hilton in Rome.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: So and I was uh lucky enough to work for big companies like Hilton, Starwood, um, Roccoforte in the past.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: Then uh I had the opportunity to see a different side of hospitality with uh some property that was more privately owned by some, let's say, big private names and uh private equity funds.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: So when I was presented by um Miramis, the project and the possibility to connect and merge these two countries with uh hospitality together with the entertainment and the wellness and the culture of the places, as was really it was really intriguing to me.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and that's where really I decided to join this project because we are in a moment of the company where we are growing, and what we do today, it's really shaping the way we do hospitality.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: So that that that was really, I mean, what gave me the reason why, let's say, to join this company.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and it's it's a great reason.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, I just want to say that um from an apple peeler to a CEO, that believe it or not, I've I've heard similar stories uh multiple times in the past.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's something beautiful about hospitality that any person who works hard and and is great to their guests and uh is great to their teams can rise and uh and become a uh uh signore coco.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you very much.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I think that hospitality is one of the few industries where if you really work hard and you know what you're doing, and you of course you need to have someone that shows you the way a little bit, but where you genuinely care about the guest and their emotions rather than the simple standards on the books.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: This is where you can really succeed.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: It can take time and a little bit of sacrifice, that's part of the game.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but you can really yeah, it's it's it's so true.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but uh anyway, you you mentioned entertainment as a key part of Miramis.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: Tell us about that whole arm of Miramis and also how you integrate it with the uh core uh hotel and hospitality business.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, but it starts from the fact that in Stockholm, where we also have two hotels, we also um own and manage um one of the older arenas in the city.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's called Circus.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: Circus Arena.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's an iconic live entertainment venue, and it's uh it's dated back uh at the 1800s.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it used to host concerts.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I mean, what artists like Bruce Princeting, Bob Dillon, or the Rolling Stones has performed there.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's composed by two stages, um, 1500 seats in one and another 700 in the other one, in the small one.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: And it's part of the integrated Miramis ecosystem.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: It means that for us, the entertainment and uh a proper level of guest experience in the entertainment can be paired and support the hospitality, the hospitality business, because it's again part of the experience.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: And if you can give your guest, you know, local experiences or experiences and emotions that are connected to hospitality, you are simply adding value to it, you know.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: So that they can they can enjoy, and uh, I mean, Circus is just in front of Hasselbacken, that is our flagship property in in Stockholm, and uh that has a so great historical heritage.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um so the the point is that what we are thinking now about hospitality and entertainment together is that you know they can support each other, um, really giving the possibility to the guests to experience something different and also having a store so strong program and entertainment part, we can really uh raise the bar in terms of the programming that we also have in the hotel outlets that normally are simply you know something that it's there because you need to give some live music in the lobby.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's not our case.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: There's a specific program connected to the big stage where you can have a big name, you know, performing on stage and then having a private unplugged event just for the hotel guests.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: That's the real experience that we can give.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: So that and it's where it comes from.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's it's incredible to remark upon.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, that that uh what you talked about, the the bringing together of entertainment and hospitality into one one seamless experience is it is truly innovative um from the point of view of hospitality, where again, as you said, it's not just a lobby uh music that's playing there, it's something much more purposeful and driven by the by the local the local history, the local talent, everything of that nature.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: So before before going back to the Italian portfolio and picking out some of those unique uh unique brands and and unique uh I guess properties there, uh what other ways would you want to touch on that Vince is really truly innovative?
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh wellness, experiences, anything?
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that let's say that uh uh the PowerPoint, it's really not about, as we are saying, pillows and plates and beds.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: It is really about owning the guest experience, it's really about you know giving that next step to the experience and the emotions of the guests.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we always say that in hospitality, you know, uh we are in the service industry.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: That's yeah, just partially true.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's not performing the task of service where it that is where we make the difference, it's more on how much we care while we do it.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: So basically, what we are trying to push with all our storytellers as we call them, not really our stuff.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they are our storytellers.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's about owning the experience of the guests, caring about their emotions, and every day do this kind of small next step that can make the difference.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: And then, of course, you need to deliver and you need to give the proper level of service and where we uh really blend you know entertainment, hospitality, wellness, uh, where we really care, um, sustainability and the local culture.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: This is really where we think we can make the difference in the in the future.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: And it's uh and it's not about the the service standards.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: It it is really about the the emotions that we can uh have our guest experience in our locations.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, in a lot of ways, the whole idea of a standard is anti-emotion, which is anti-story.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_01: And what you're talking about, just the reframing of every single member of the team as a storyteller helps to put them in the right mindset to deliver that true experience.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_00: And it's uh, I mean, it's really guest really wants experiences that feel more personal and culturally connected to the place and genuine.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: And the only way is to have uh our talents, our people telling a story to them, experience the the the location in the hotels together with them, creating a real sense of place.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, I mean, we believe that technology is an amplifier of all of this.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say it's a tool that we need to use to enhance the experience while preserving the human side of hospitality at its core.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_01: I've I've felt the same way about technology.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_01: It's not something that's guest centric, it's there to automate all the back end as much as possible, the back of house.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: And then it allows your storytellers to be even more personal uh to make each day unique.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_01: So um to circle back to the Italian Properties, the Italian portfolio.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_01: We touched on La Rocca and Sirocco.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I guess uh as a point of reference, um she Sirocco is the name of the wind that comes off of North Africa, right?
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_01: Correct, correct.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: And it's the main wind in that area.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I guess uh, you know, to look at it from that lens, you also have this whole idea of the Italian agriturismo and how important it is to have the local foods and just the flavors you get from that microclimate around uh the Tuscan coast.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_01: Could you to could you talk about how you've really reflected and brought the best cuisine forward for uh for your Italian properties?
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so basically for us, the uh let's say that uh using local product is not just a kind of marketing tool, it's a state of mind.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: So imagine that just to give you a strong example, how we are so much community-driven, we uh take all our vegetables from um uh an association of disabled people that farming the land to try to get into their working life, and our chef sits with them, talking with them about seasonality, the kind of seeds that we want, the kind of tomatoes that we want, and they farm it for us.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_00: And we also gave them uh part of the land in our La Capitana, that is our country state, where we produce our own vegetables.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and imagine that just a simple one, a typical spaghetti al pomodoro, so tomato spaghetti.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's our China tradition Shirocco, but it's made from eight different kinds of tomatoes, homegrown, with eight different cooking techniques, and then they are blended in the plate.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So that's taking a simple local dish to a next level, and this is what we try to give to our guests.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that reminds me of uh Massimo Batura uh when he took the you know six flavors of parmesan uh in uh Bologna, uh or Modena, I believe.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: Modena, but yeah, it's the same, yeah, the same thing uh of really you know um semplicita fa perfetta is uh simplicity makes perfect, correct and correct.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so so on that note you mentioned La Capitana.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh tell us about this property.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, La Capitana is a 22 hectares country state where we own a villa dated back 1797 that we are refurbishing, I mean, literally today, so we are in the process of refurbishing it with only 12 sweets into the main villa, and where we produce extra virgin olive oil, we produce and we are in the way of uh producing our own wine.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: We also we are also building a winery over there.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: We grow our own uh vegetables, we have fruit trees from Hunch and Tuscan seeds, we have bees, and this is where we're trying to take also, you know, kind of a farming culture and slower way of living to our guests, and it complements the seaside property that we have in Tuscany.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh La Capitana is like less than 30 minutes driving from Argentario in the countryside on top of a hill where you can see all wine yards around you, but also on the back you see the sea and the coast and the island of Argentario where we have the other properties.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_01: And La Capitana is 12 suites.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_01: Why why that number and not something larger so that way you can get what uh investors call scalability?
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because it's not about you know how how much money you do out of it.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's really a completely different level of personalization and tranquility.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: It creates intimacy, privacy, you know, flexibility of what you want to do in the house, in the villa, uh that larger luxury resort struggle to achieve.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: And also, I mean, guests, as we said, increasingly value uh exclusivity through space, calmness, and tailored experiences rather than scale.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: And and it can complement their ex their seaside experience.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: Well, uh, that's interesting.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_01: Do you do you anticipate getting guests that will want to experience two different properties, uh, you know, La Capitana and La Roca in the same overall stay?
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, exactly, exactly.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_00: So we can give them, you know, uh they can remember it by memory.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_00: They're not they will not remember only the places and the beautiful Tuscany countryside or coast.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: They will really leave something that can add memories to their families or to their travel plans, and you know, having fishermen uh village village uh vibes together with some farm hospitality and good wine and countryside experience together in the same journey is not the common.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_01: No, it isn't, but it's so beautiful to get that contrast between the the coastal with the beach and then the true farm hospitality or uh agri luxury, as it's often called as well, to get those two different flavors of Italy.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes, absolutely.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_00: And and really we believe that this kind of uh farm hospitality will continue to grow strongly wherever the destination allows you to do it, because it's not that easy to find a place like Tuscany where you can do it.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_01: No, uh, you know, Tuscany is uh is fairly well developed uh in most places, and really the I guess the last frontier is is Marema and and the and the coast around Argentario.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, true, yeah.
• 28:39
  unknown: Yes.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_01: So uh so we talked about uh Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola and what you're restoring there, but uh one of the projects is exchirio.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_01: Could you uh describe that one?
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I don't know how much people can know about the word Cirio.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_00: Cirio is uh a very historical company in Italy that in that factory used to produce uh Canadan Chovis and Canetuna.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: Okay uh back in the past.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: This is uh um a place that is closed since uh since the 40s, and it used to be a real um place where the local economy was growing in the past, and then it's closed since many, many years, and uh really for us, I mean, sustainability is also the responsibility, a long-term responsibility toward the places and the communities.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: So when we saw this place abandoned there since decades, I mean we saw something there for the for the local community, and we thought it was the right choice to buy it and to build the project that can bring it back to help local local uh the local community.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_00: And the project of X Chiro is another very small hotel with only 20 rooms, but needs to complement the other properties with the wellness and longevity uh part of the experience.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_00: So the long-term vision on it represents more the uh the wellness addition to the portfolio that we have in uh in Tuscany.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_01: So uh are you able to unpack that without um getting too far into intellectual property, what you mean by the wellness and longevity um uh experiences you're putting in place there?
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's not about the uh I cannot really unveil all the details, but it's uh it's not about going to a spa where you relax and get a massage.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_00: Of course you can do it, but it's more about biohacking, it's more about thinking about uh a 360 degrees on longevity where you can blend nutrition, recovery, movement, uh, a kind of an integrated uh natural lifestyle into the guest experience.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so rather than an isolated uh uh treatment inside the traditional spa concept.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a full blend of everything that can add value uh with the long-term vision of your life.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and you know, you talk long-term vision of life, you're talking about transformation, giving guests something that they can take home with them to live better at home.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_01: So they really learn from that experience.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly, exactly.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: And it can complement the other properties.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_00: So it's uh uh, you know, and having a property like La Capitana, as we said earlier, I mean, we of course are thinking about producing our own product from the aromatic herbs that we have in Capitana, for example, or from the extra virgin olive oil that we produce in La Capitana.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_00: So it's an entire ecosystem connected to nature and the destination where we operate in.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's beautiful.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so the last point I want to touch on for the Italian portfolio before moving on to the Swedish one is this whole idea of sustainability.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_01: And Miramis is is a leader in this.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I guess my first question is could you describe these through the lens of how they create a sense of community?
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, let's say that uh sustainability is not only about the environment, of course.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's more about how we feel it like a long-term responsibility toward the places and the communities where we operate in.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_00: It means that it includes everything from preserving the local culture and helping it, uh, stimulate the local economy, uh, try to make the right choices on a kind of an eco-friendly practices, such as, I don't know, food waste or water waste.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine that in La Rocca, we decided not to put water bottles in the rooms.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: We have certified filtered tap water in each room, and we only give uh you know empty uh aluminium bottles that guests can take home, but during their experience, during their stay, they can have free water in the rooms.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_00: Because, you know, imagine that thinking about how many thousand bottles an hotel consumed over a year or over a season in a summer place like ours.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_00: Only last year we uh saved like uh 15,000 plastic bottles just giving free water to them.
• 33:57
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a matter of culture, it's a matter of responsibility, it's not about you know uh the the simply saying that we want to save water.
• 34:08
  SPEAKER_00: We actively do it.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_00: We believe that the guests increasingly appreciate experiences that feel responsible.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_00: So that that's what take on it.
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, I've I've found um that guests they want it, but it also they're starting to demand it in ways where if your property doesn't have a strong sustainability footprint, they they'll go somewhere else.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 34:36
  unknown: Yeah.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_01: That is true.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_00: That is true.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_00: And uh and and and really, you know, uh working with the local community, imagine that talking about sustainability, uh, aside being a seasonal property, almost 75% of our staff is local hired.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: So we work very hard with local uh schools, with local families to have the right um training also of our storytellers, local storytellers, because this is responsibility and sustainability also.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_00: So out of almost 230 employees that we have during the season, 75% are locals.
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and you know, as background, uh, I'm just wondering, have you have you noticed that um, you know, the the next generation Gen Z in a lot of these traditional communities, they are moving to the big cities more, uh, they're moving to Milan, London, everywhere else.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_01: And it's very hard to keep that that cultural roots in place uh for across the generations.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_01: Are you finding that?
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and honestly, we are very proud of having some of the local people that have moved to Milan, to Rome, or to Florence coming back, yeah, working for us.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_00: Because now finally they have a project that they can belong while they are working in their local towns, in their local places.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_00: So they really feel that uh, and you are right.
• 36:12
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, people are moving to big cities because it's let's say, I don't want to say it's easier to find you know your life there, but if you give them the right reason why to come back, they will.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a beautiful way to dovetail into the Swedish portfolio here.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, where um there's much to talk about, and I'd love to hear you say a few words on each hotel in the portfolio.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_01: But start by telling us the Italian-Swedish connection.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: How did that emerge and uh and how do you create that synergy across both countries?
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, as we said initially it was much more from the ones that really cares about both destinations, the two destinations, yeah, but now it's developing very naturally through shared values around you know, culture, creativity, genuine hospitality design.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: So the Sweden uh brings this strong sense of innovation and precision, while Italy contributes with warmth, lifestyle, emotional richness, richness.
• 37:23
  SPEAKER_00: So together it creates a very distinctive identity for all our properties.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_01: Now, for my own uh, I guess records here to get things straight, Hasselbaken Hotel is where Hasselbach potatoes were invented, correct?
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_00: Correct.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly that place.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_00: So the heritage uh the culinary heritage that is behind this property.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it serves a larger point, which is uh, you know, when we think of innovation, we think now of AI, uh mobile apps, all this stuff, but food is also innovative, and hotels have had a centuries-long role uh in leading in leading culinary efforts forward and experimenting, like you said, with spigattial palmodoro and uh other dishes.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, uh, how are you championing this heritage uh while also creating that modern sense of luxury within the Swedish portfolio?
• 38:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, a place like Hasselbaken uh gives you a big responsibility.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's uh it's uh it was the place to be 260 years ago already.
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_00: And it's a place where, you know, as you said, uh dishes like the Hasselbaken potato was created.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_00: So our goal is to really respect that history while introducing a kind of a more contemporary experience that really connects the food with the design, the cultural programming and the service, let's say it's a kind of making the property relevant again for a new era without losing its soul and his identity.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 39:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, so for the other hotels um that are in Stockholm, in the greater Stockholm area, yes, similar to the Argentadio Coast, you talked about this word complementary, how they complement each other.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_01: They're different, but they are part of this greater whole and they add to one another.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_01: How are you creating that same sense of complementary hotels within the uh the Stockholm portfolio?
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that let's say that as you exactly say, this is our approach.
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_00: We are not creating a collection of places that you can uh you know copy and paste one to each other.
• 39:52
  SPEAKER_00: We try to respect their identity so they become complementary because the kind of experience and service that you give in one property differs from the other one.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_00: And in Stockholm, uh, as we said, we have Asselbaken, we have Circus, that is the arena just in front of it, and then we have hotel backstage and the gastrometer project that is another arena that are more into um more immersive and modern hospitality and entertainment with uh uh a really different level of um of guest experience where yeah, technology can be part of it, the music is part of it, a different language, it's part of the communication that you have uh with the with the guest.
• 40:44
  SPEAKER_00: So the ambition is to create a more dynamic hospitality and entertainment destination in Stockholm, where you have a traditional place, a very high-quality uh arena, then uh you know a place where you can uh perform entertainment with a more immersive technology uh with uh with a different scale of dining experience uh in an industrial building.
• 41:12
  SPEAKER_00: It was a gasometer, a real gasometer for the city of Stockholm.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_00: So it gives a kind of uh a different feel about all the uh the the properties that we have that we have in Stockholm.
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine the gasometer today, it's like probably one of the most advanced construction sites in the northern Europe.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_01: So again, uh Miramis is hospitality, it's also entertainment.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_01: So tell us about the entertainment side for Circus Arena, Gasol meter.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_01: What unique experiences can you give to your hotel guests by having this such this the strong entertainment footprint within uh the Stockholm area?
• 42:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, let's say that of course we are positioning circus and gasometer in a different way.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_00: So circus it's more an historical arena where you can have the big concept of mu or musicals or comedy, or also a more intimate stage with our little stage, where you can really get closer to the performer and to stay close to who is on stage, and this creates the possibility to the little unique entertainment also to hustle back and that it's right in front of it.
• 42:41
  SPEAKER_00: So our guests will have a kind of a preferred access to both uh experiences in in two traditional, very traditional places rooted into the uh story of Stockholm, while Gasometer it's uh uh let's say it's uh it's uh a place more designed to accommodate immersive production, concerts, digital art experiences, hybrid performance formats that combine technology with live culture.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_00: And at the Gazometer, we had the opportunity to partner with the Swedish Royal Opera uh because they are refurbishing their place.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_00: So we had the opportunity to host them for a few years from when we will open Gasometer, and it adds a tremendous artistic credibility and will help us position the venue international from the very beginning.
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_00: And honestly, you know, having a place that needs to host a full philharmonic orchestra as well as simulate the sound and resonance of a traditional opera house, imagine the level of technology.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: That we had to put in place.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_00: And our guests will benefit from it.
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine that, just to give you an idea, Gasometer has more than 250 speakers.
• 44:14
  SPEAKER_00: That it means a kind of a gigantic surrounding system.
• 44:18
  SPEAKER_00: You can really feel the music in a different at a different level.
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I don't think there's any other hotel that has something quite like that in the world.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think we think it's pretty unique.
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_00: And that's also our responsibility.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: We need to value both worlds, hospitality and entertainment at the same level, but we have the opportunity to give our guest experiences like no others.
• 44:47
  SPEAKER_01: So uh it's incredible to hear about the Italian portfolio and the hotels and entertainment venues you have in Stockholm.
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_01: Looking ahead, what does the future look like for Miramis?
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_01: What's next?
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say that we aim to be recognized as you know one of the leading creators of culturally relevant hospitality and entertainment destinations.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um let's say that growth for us, we remain selective and quality-driven.
• 45:20
  SPEAKER_00: We have no plan of saying, like, you know, we will have 20 hotels by 2030.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_00: We don't really care and think that way.
• 45:28
  SPEAKER_00: Our focus is on destination that can combine hospitality, wellness, local culture, gastronomy, and entertainment in places with rich history and probably a kind of an untapped potential.
• 45:44
  SPEAKER_00: Very selective.
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 45:48
  SPEAKER_01: Another trend to get your opinion on branded residences.
• 45:53
  SPEAKER_01: What do you think?
• 45:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well, let's say that we see strong long-term potential there, uh, particularly as people are increasingly seeking for lifestyle-oriented living connected to hospitality services.
• 46:08
  SPEAKER_00: But authenticity is crucial.
• 46:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you decide to go into a residential property that it's not authentic or connected to the place where this is built, it's again just a real estate product.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_00: And it and people are more and more looking for successful concepts that feel also emotionally connected to the place and the and the community itself.
• 46:34
  SPEAKER_00: And it works also for branded residences, right?
• 46:40
  SPEAKER_01: So, this whole idea of feeling emotionally connected to a place and finding these unique places, it really touches on um, I guess, the technology innovation with regards to AI travel search.
• 46:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 46:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, do you see AI travel search helping small, really specific, very emotionally storytelling-driven brands like Miramis to connect you directly with guests as opposed to going through some sort of third party?
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, for sure it is, uh, but it must be used as a tool to improve the personalization and to remove frictions, you know, from the guest journey.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, all the systems from the CRM to the AI uh searching tool, they need to help us uh to remain fundamentally human.
• 47:38
  SPEAKER_00: So technology is a support, and we need to be able to use it to you know uh be on top of the market, but as we say, technology should support us, not replace the emotional guest connection.
• 47:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, very well said.
• 47:58
  SPEAKER_01: So, um, to close out here, what other hotel or even entertainment trends uh get you really excited about uh seeing how they might apply to Minamis?
• 48:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, let's say the merging hospitality, entertainment, wellness, local culture, it's incredibly exciting.
• 48:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we really see a major shift towards, as we said, more experience-driven luxury.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_00: Uh people prioritize emotion and atmosphere and connection to the local community over traditional status symbols.
• 48:31
  SPEAKER_00: So the trends of sustainable stays and uncover new destinations uh founded with these experiences are the real uh future trend.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_00: So, really, if we can help the seek of people, uh yeah, the help people that are seeking memories and experiences, they will for sure get at over, I mean, more than over-established destinations.
• 49:02
  SPEAKER_00: So we really see a trend shifting to to the more experience-driven hospitality.
• 49:10
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_01: That's a perfect way to finish off, and that's a huge mega trend over the next 10 years to experiential uh driven luxury.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_01: Is there anything else, Stefano, that we haven't touched on that you'd like to finish by remarking on?
• 49:29
  SPEAKER_00: We've talked a lot, but I think that at the core, uh, Miramis is really about creating destination with a soul, uh, long-term cultural relevance more than the product itself.
• 49:42
  SPEAKER_00: We want to build places that people remember emotionally, not just visually, because you have a nice hotel.
• 49:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, this is where our vision is and our uh core values are.
• 49:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and that's a perfect way to finish off because from that, those core values, that soul is where the storytelling comes from, it's where the the expression of local food comes from, it's where the art and the entertainment and even this the Swedish Royal Opera partnership come from.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_01: It all stems from that soul.
• 50:24
  SPEAKER_01: Stefano, thank you so much for coming on the show.
• 50:26
  SPEAKER_01: It's been a delight speaking to you.
• 50:28
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you very much, Alan.
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me here.
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks.