THE GRAND HOUSE, a hybrid between a luxury hotel and a home rental service that exemplifies the glamour and ebullience of Italian style, debuted in March 2019 with a portfolio of maisons particulières situated in central Rome. Additional properties in Florence and Milan are scheduled to open by 2020. THE GRAND HOUSE is the brainchild of brothers Massimo and Maurizio Micangeli, whose father, Lamberto, was the president of CIGA (Compagnia Italiana Grandi Alberghi), the world’s first group of luxury hotels and resorts founded in 1906. CIGA was eventually acquired by Starwood in 1998 and folded into The Luxury Collection brand.
Each property in THE GRAND HOUSE portfolio has a distinctive identity and layered history. Together, they represent a diverse and unparalleled expression of Italian art, design, and architecture. With a portfolio of 7 maisons particulières (with 40 houses scheduled to launch by December 2019), The Grand House offers its guests the opportunity to wake up to Renaissance frescos painted by the Zucconi brothers and Cavalier d’Arpino, Caravaggio’s master (The Grand Palace), the chance to sojourn in the same residence where Emperor Napoleon III lived in 1830 (The Grand Emperor Suite) or in a bright and modern penthouse with unobstructed views of Piazza Venezia (The Grand Penthouse).
The added layer of specialty about The Grand House resides in the fact that TGH marries the flexibility of a home rental operator with the high-touch services of a five-star hotel. These services include:
- The Grand Club: A central building that functions as a proper hotel lobby known as the Grand Club will provide a dedicated space for guests to relax, work, enjoy a drink or afternoon tea and meet with a travel advisor. The space—curated by modern art collector Ines Musumeci Greco—will also function as a luggage deposit, where guests who have a late flight can leave their bags after they’ve checked out. The Grand Club is slated to be unveiled at the end of May 2019.
- Ask Alfred: Named after the legendary fictional butler, Ask Alfred is THE GRAND HOUSE’s proprietary 24/7 concierge service. Providing constant-yet-discrete support, Ask Alfred marries the access of a luxury hotel concierge with the reliability and confidentiality of a private butler. Just like its namesake, Ask Alfred will afford guests entrance to hard-to-book restaurants, private tours, events, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
- Exceptional Cicerones for Exceptional Tours: Traveling with THE GRAND HOUSE offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of Rome like a native, thanks to a team of hand-selected private guides, or “Cicerones”. These expert guides have the inside connections to craft bespoke, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like a day at the Testaccio market with chef Cristina Bowerman, or a helicopter visit to the Bolgheri wineries with renowned oenologist Gelasio Gaetani d’Aragona.
- Travelers not Tourists: In addition to the private guides, guests of THE GRAND HOUSE are invited to explore the city in the company of the brand’s network of affiliated artists, designers, and entrepreneurs. These “a la carte” offerings are diverse and discerning, and may include a visit to the Park of the Caffarella, made famous by Pasolini; a walking tour of the street art in Garbatella and Tor Marancia; sightseeing in the ‘Fairytale District’ of Quartiere Coppedé; a guided hike to Villa Ada; or a night out at Italy’s oldest erotic club. Though varied, every experience is designed to offer an “emotional journey” through Rome.