A third joint signing in Italy
Meliá Hotels International and Gruppo Stay are extending their Italian partnership with an urban project in Rome. The Meliá Collection Rome will open in 2027 and mark the brand’s debut in the Italian capital.
This is the third collaboration between the two companies. The first two involve properties in the Dolomites operated under the Affiliated by Meliá banner: the Auronzo Dolomites and the Pozza di Fassa Dolomiti. Having started in the mountains, the partnership is now expanding into urban hospitality.
The hotel will operate under a franchise agreement. According to the Italian trade press, Gruppo Stay, the group founded by Andrea Franceschi, will operate the property, which is being created through the conversion of an existing building.
An address close to Via Veneto
The hotel will be located on Via XX Settembre, one of the main thoroughfares in central Rome. The street is home to several government ministries and lies just a short walk from Via Veneto. The location allows the hotel to target business and institutional guests as well as leisure travellers.
The hotel will feature 67 rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a rooftop bar and a wellness area. According to Meliá, the offer is aimed at international travellers and local guests alike.
The Meliá Collection brings together hotels with a strong identity, closely tied to the culture of their destination. The brand, currently expanding from Argentine Patagonia with Terrazas del Gutiérrez in Bariloche to Andalusia, finds in Rome a destination with an exceptional historical heritage.
The signatories’ view
Gabriel Escarrer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Meliá Hotels International, described Rome as a natural addition to The Meliá Collection and a key destination in the group’s growth strategy in the luxury segment. He said the group was particularly pleased to enter the city alongside Gruppo Stay, a partner with which it already shares two projects in Italy and whose trust it greatly values, as the two companies continue to expand their presence in the country together.
Andrea Franceschi, founder and owner of Gruppo Stay, called the project a major milestone for the company. He noted that Rome is one of the most important destinations for the tourism industry and, at the same time, a highly attractive strategic market. In his view, the new address will strengthen Gruppo Stay’s position in the Italian hotel sector and enable it to further develop its presence in urban hospitality with an exceptional property in the heart of the capital.
Gruppo Stay promotes a flexible operator model, able to work across a wide range of destinations and tourism contexts. The group focuses on high-value projects in internationally renowned destinations.
Italy, a priority market for Meliá
Meliá now has 19 hotels in operation or under development in Italy, including another address in Rome. The Italian portfolio has grown significantly: at the time of the opening of Corte Rosada in Sardinia, the group was still targeting 15 hotels in the country by 2027.
In urban luxury, Meliá already relies on the Gran Meliá Palazzo Cordusio in Milan. The arrival of The Meliá Collection in Rome completes this presence in the country’s two major cities.
Analysis • Viewpoint – This signing confirms Meliá’s asset-light strategy in Europe, built on proven local partners. For Gruppo Stay, moving from the Dolomites to one of Europe’s most competitive urban markets represents a change of scale. Operating a 67-room property under an international brand will be its first test.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Meliá and Gruppo Stay bring The Meliá Collection to Rome
Opening scheduled for 2027 on Via XX Settembre, near Via Veneto
67 rooms, restaurant, bar, rooftop bar and wellness area
Franchise agreement, third project between the two companies after two Dolomites hotels
Brand debut in the Italian capital
Meliá now counts 19 hotels open or under development in Italy
