And then there were six. Building on the success of its hotels in Florence and Rome, the Ferragamo family-owned Lungarno Collection—the first fashion-branded hotel company—has announced the opening of Portrait Milano in fall 2020.
Founded in 1995, the group is currently comprised of Portrait Roma in the Eternal City, and Hotel Lungarno, Gallery Hotel Art, Portrait Florence and Hotel Continentale in Florence. The Portrait brand focuses on a high level of personalized service delivered by the dedicated Lifestyle team, meaning guests are immersed in the authentic local lifestyle and culture. Valeriano Antonioli, a veteran of the hospitality industry with nearly 30 years’ experience, serves as CEO of the Lungarno Collection.
Portrait Milano will occupy a rare piece of real estate: The historic Archiepiscopal Seminary is Europe’s oldest seminary, and the second oldest in the world. Built in 1564, the building has a strategic location (the entrance is at 11, Corso Venezia, with additional access from 10, Via Sant’Andrea) and impressive architectural details such as the baroque entrance by Francesco Maria Richini and sprawling piazza bordered by a double colonnaded loggia.
Despite its historic value, the building is an unsung landmark, unknown even to most residents. Lungarno Collection aims not only to welcome hotel guests, but also to improve the city of Milan for its residents—restoring a monumental Renaissance building that’s an important part of Italian heritage, and improving pedestrian access through the fashion district by joining Corso Venezia to Via Sant’Andrea. The restoration project is being overseen by architect Michele De Lucchi’s Studio MDL practice.
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