On 14th and 15th April 2024, the new edition of the 196+ forum Milan, the prestigious two-day event organised by PKF hospitality group, took place. It brought together over 150 professionals from various disciplines, including designers, architects, hoteliers, suppliers, investors and planners.
The conference, held at the nhow hotel in Milan, saw leading investors, developers and industry players discuss architecture, asset management and in particular the role of design in hospitality.
David Kepron, VP brand experience & design strategy at Aedifica, explained that “to create a strong experience, you have to take risks with innovation and value the method as well as the product. Architecture is not only about offering spaces, buildings, but it implies art, a trained staff, a storytelling that is a vehicle to convey emotions“.
At the end of the conference, the Hotel Design Award ceremony was held, the prestigious prize that saw an Italian structure excel: The Rome EDITION.
Michael Widmann, President of the Jury and Global CEO of PKF hospitality group, explained: “The post-Covid travel renaissance has benefited the entire hospitality and tourism industry, but probably the luxury and high-end hotels in the most attractive tourist destinations and cities have benefited the most. It is therefore fitting that all finalists of this year’s Hotel Design Awards belong to this segment (Maison ELLE, Paris and Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Zurich). The finalists are extraordinarily well-crafted examples of a new type of luxury hotel in the city: traditional in the sense of the comfort they offer, but eccentric and sexy in their interpretation of modern luxury”.
For Widmann, moreover, The Rome EDITION sets a new standard in the Italian capital. Sophistication, attention to detail and high design aesthetics make it a meeting place for Romans and travellers alike.
Luca Cerretani, Head of Italy at PKF hospitality group says: “The Hotel Design Award 2024 was a record-breaking award with 39 outstanding nominees from 13 European countries. Each property is characterised by unique and fascinating elements of design and architecture, from restored and renovated historic palaces and villas to modern, state-of-the-art hotels. For this reason, the choice was very difficult for the jury. In the end, we all agreed with the well-deserved victory of The Rome EDITION. The Hotel Design Award was the best way to conclude the 196+ forum Milan, two days of sharing and discussing design and investment in the hotel industry”.
This year’s event was also marked by a series of highlights, including the ‘Walk & Talk Tours’, two tours that allowed guests to explore unique and iconic accommodations in Milan’s Navigli and Brera areas.
Both tours ended with an aperitif at the rooftop ‘I Mirador’ of 21 House of Stories Navigli, offering a 360-degree view of Milan and an ideal atmosphere for networking, accompanied by the awarding of the ‘Special Award for Innovation in memoriam to Antonio Nitto’, which saw 21 House of Stories as the winner.
Already on the calendar are the next dates of the international forums organised by PKF hospitality group: on 9 and 10 October the event makes a stop in Munich; in November in Vienna, before returning to Milan on 13th and 14th April 2025, again to kick off Milan Design Week.
For more information visit www.196plus.com.
PHOTO CREDITS
Photos 1-3: The Rome Edition by Nikolas Koenig
Photos 4-5: Maison ELLE Paris by Christophe Bielsa
Photos 6-7: Mandarin Oriental by T. Hartinger
Photos 8-9: 21 House of Stories Navigli
