A Dual Leadership Role Across the French and Italian Alps
Ainhoa Gorbeña has been appointed General Manager of Grand Hôtel des Alpes and Hôtellerie de Mascognaz.
Effective October 2026, her appointment places her in charge of two properties located on opposite sides of the French–Italian border.
Two Properties Connected to the Vitelli Family, Owners of Azimut-Benetti
Grand Hôtel des Alpes, in Chamonix, and Hôtellerie de Mascognaz, in Champoluc in the Aosta Valley, form part of the business interests of the Vitelli family, which also owns the Italian yacht-building group Azimut-Benetti. Both hotels are managed by VIT Hotels S.r.l., a company chaired by Giovanna Vitelli.
This diversification into hospitality reflects the entrepreneurial legacy of Paolo Vitelli, who founded Azimut in 1969 and acquired the Benetti shipyard in 1985. Under his leadership, Azimut-Benetti became the world’s leading yacht-building group, generating turnover exceeding €1 billion.
Paolo Vitelli died in December 2024 at the age of 77 following an accidental fall at his home in the Aosta Valley.
The family’s succession arrangements were already in place: Giovanna Vitelli had taken over the leadership of Azimut-Benetti in March 2023, before her father’s death.
Ainhoa Gorbeña’s appointment to oversee the two Alpine hotels therefore forms part of a family-owned hospitality portfolio combining heritage, luxury accommodation and diversification within the Vitelli family’s business interests.
More Than Eight Years with Rocco Forte Hotels
Before her appointment, Ainhoa Gorbeña served as Senior Project Manager Operations at Rocco Forte Hotels, a position she had held since June 2023.
She was notably involved in the opening projects for Carlton in Milan, in November 2025, and Rocco Forte House Milan, in August 2024.
Previously, as Project Manager Operations from May 2018, she contributed to several of the group’s developments in Italy, including:
- Villa Igiea, Palermo, June 2021;
- Verdura Private Villas, Sicily, May 2021;
- Rocco Forte House Rome, October 2019;
- Hotel de la Ville, Rome, May 2019;
- Masseria Torre Maizza, Puglia, May 2019.
These assignments enabled her to develop expertise in operational coordination, pre-opening preparations and the implementation of luxury hospitality concepts.
Commercial and Strategic Expertise Gained at Belmond and Orient-Express
Before returning to Rocco Forte Hotels in 2018, Ainhoa Gorbeña held several positions within Belmond.
Between 2013 and 2017, she served as Business Intelligence & CRM Manager Italy & Mallorca, before becoming Regional Special Project Manager Italy & Mallorca, a position she held until May 2018.
Her responsibilities included performance analysis, revenue management, customer relationship management, financial projects and strategic marketing.
Her career with Orient-Express dates back to the early 2000s.
From 2002 to 2008, she served as Regional Marketing Manager in Italy, working with several established luxury properties, including:
- Hotel Splendido and Splendido Mare, Portofino;
- Villa San Michele, near Florence;
- Hotel Caruso, Ravello;
- Hotel Cipriani, Venice.
She had previously worked in internal auditing at Orient-Express and held administrative responsibilities at Costa Cruises.
A Career Spanning Finance, Marketing and Operations
A graduate of Les Roches Management School, where she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration specialising in Hospitality and Hotel Management, Ainhoa Gorbeña has built a career encompassing several dimensions of hotel management.
Her early professional experience included operational roles at Baur au Lac in Zurich and La Réserve in Geneva.
She subsequently joined Costa Cruises, where she held administrative and operational responsibilities, before moving into auditing, marketing, commercial management and project development.
Her international experience, particularly in Italy, together with her command of several European languages, provides skills particularly suited to managing properties catering to an international clientele.
Strategic Analysis | A Cross-Functional Profile for Two Alpine Destinations
The appointment of Ainhoa Gorbeña is particularly noteworthy given the breadth of her professional background.
Unlike executives whose careers have been focused exclusively on hotel operations, she has spent much of her career in cross-functional roles encompassing marketing, revenue management, business intelligence, project management and operational preparations for hotel openings.
This experience could prove valuable for two properties operating in Alpine destinations, where seasonality, distribution strategies, pricing positioning and guest loyalty are significant considerations.
Her knowledge of the Italian market, combined with her experience of international luxury hospitality standards, also represents an asset in supporting the commercial and operational development of both properties.
More broadly, this dual appointment illustrates the value for independent luxury hotels of recruiting executives with an integrated commercial, financial and operational perspective.
At a Glance
Appointment: Ainhoa Gorbeña, General Manager of Grand Hôtel des Alpes and Hôtellerie de Mascognaz.
Effective date: October 2026.
Locations: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France, and Champoluc, Aosta Valley, Italy.
Previous employer: Rocco Forte Hotels, where she held senior operational project management responsibilities.
Career background: Belmond, Orient-Express, Rocco Forte Hotels and Costa Cruises.
Education: Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality and Hotel Management, Les Roches Management School.
