Sometimes, the most successful partnerships begin with serendipity. “In 2002, I was at a meeting in Milan with the Director of the Four Seasons,” remembers Carmen Moretti, Vice President of Holding Terra Moretti, which owns L’Albereta Relais and Châteaux. “He had just met Henri and Dominique Chenot and mentioned they were looking to open a second wellness facility in Italy.”
The Four Seasons space didn’t quite suite Chenot’s needs and the family was looking for a suitable alternative. Moretti suggested her family’s hotel, L’Albereta, which had opened in 1993. An ivy-clad 19th century villa set within the verdant vineyards of the Franciacorta, 75km east of Milan, L’Albereta was devoted to hospitality, gastronomy and culture. When the Chenots visited, they knew they had found the perfect partner.
"L'Albereta was born to make our guests feel at home; we are a family and greet our visitors in a warm and welcoming setting,"
A Blend of Gastronomy and Wellness
After an expansion of the estate to meet the Chenots’ requirements, the partnership began in earnest in 2003. Initially, some assumed that L’Albereta’s gastronomic offering would be in contrast with Chenot’s programmes. But Moretti and the Chenots believed the experiences complemented one another perfectly.
“There has always been a strong connection between the essentiality of Chenot’s cuisine – very clean and organic – and
the concept of eating healthy ingredients developed by Gualtiero Marchesi, one of the most known Italian chefs, who started as one of our partners,” explains Moretti.
Their intuition proved to be correct, and in 2023 L’Albereta and Chenot celebrated the 20th anniversary of their joint venture — and Albereta’s 30th year of existence. The milestone year also saw L’Albereta win the accolade of Italy’s Best Day Spa in the World Spa Awards.
While some might drift into complacency after winning such an award, L’Albereta underwent a substantial renovation to improve their offering further still. “There is a lot of competition in the industry, but we have always been successful because we combined two different offers,” says Moretti. “We provide a medical spa, but our guests do not feel they are inside a clinic.”
Renovating for Excellence: Enhancing the Chenot Espace at L’Albereta
Through the renovation, carried out in part by Chenot Palace Weggis’s architect Davide Macullo, L’Albereta aligned its Chenot Espace design more closely with Chenot’s blueprint, but without compromising its unique qualities.
“The aesthetic of the spa has gained in cleanliness and minimalism, but it is still a warm environment,” explains Moretti. “We moved away from the artificial resin floors and used wood instead, or technical materials for the spa. The colours are also softer, with the selection of green and pink alluding to a sense of wellbeing.” The Chenot Espace at L’Albereta has been reorganised across two floors and now accommodates 14 medical offices, 14 massage rooms, and eight hydrotherapy rooms, attended by a team of 50 professionals.
The spa’s diagnostic capability has also expanded to include Skin Collagen Thickness Assessment, Stress Testing, and an intensive Postural Movement Assessment. The results can then be used to inform treatments with advanced therapies such as the Neurac method, which addresses musculoskeletal pain, posture and mobility. Currently, Chenot Espace at L’Albereta is the only spa in Italy to offer this pioneering treatment.
The redesigned layout offers guests enhanced privacy and a discreet check-in experience, while the upgraded gym, equipped with cutting-edge Technogym equipment, ensures they can maintain their fitness routine throughout their stay.
Meeting the Evolving Needs of Wellness Guests
Moretti is well aware of the importance of being ready to respond to the rapidly evolving landscape of the health wellness sector. “The next 20 years will be very different,” she says. “Our guests have changed: they are more demanding, and younger audiences are more interested in wellbeing, prevention and health promotion – particularly after Covid. Their demands have made us resilient and adaptable to change, and that is an improvement that will certainly bring positive outcomes.”
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