Grand Hotel Savoia offers a wide choice of superbly appointed rooms and suites exquisitely decorated contemporary furniture. All with a stunning view of the Dolomites . ...
The Savoia Grand Hotel - the fruit of a long tradition of hospitality stretching back to the early 20th century - is an expression of class, refinement and quality of service.
The hotel, which has always been frequented by a refined clientele, retains in its archives the guest books that feature the signatures of those who would habitually take their summer and winter holidays here. The illustrious names in the guest book include Sofia Loren, Charlton Heston, Winston Churchill, King Umberto II of Savoy, Princess Mafalda d’Assia of Savoy, Italo Balbo and Franklin D. Roosvelt.
Mythos Hotels is a jewel in the crown of the Italian hotel industry. It is the fruit of the experience of Commendator Santino Galbiati, a hotelier with an enviable pedigree who was been a leading innovator in the industry since the early 1970s.
The result is there for all to see. Having served, in his youth, as an interior designer for hotels, Commendator Galbiati now oversees Mythos Hotels, a major chain of hotels and restaurants that encompasses the Dolomites and the Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Umbria regions. His first love blossomed in Cortina d’Ampezzo: in 1972, he visited the resort on holiday and decided - for fun, more than anything else - to purchase the Hotel Marcora in San Vito di Cadore. From that moment, his passion has continued unabated.
It was certainly not an easy leap to make, but the satisfaction that has come from it has always outweighed the problems. Born in Milano, but resident in Garbagnate, Commendator Galbiati showed great determination in rising to the top of the ladder, making a name for himself not only as a hotelier in the Dolomites but also in the political, cultural and diplomatic spheres. As a young man, he played saxophone in the Banda d’Affori, of which he also went on to become President.
Not only has he served as a local councillor in Cortina d’Ampezzo, he has also been a candidate for mayor of Paderno Dugnano andPresident of the Lions Club. Moreover, having become a Commander of the Italian Republic, he also served as an honorary consul for the Republic of Georgia and President of the Tourist Board of the Venetian Dolomites. During his time at the Tourist Board, he introduced an innovation that attracted worldwide attention: the guaranteed holiday - if it rains, you pay nothing, and you will be offered free accommodation the following year to cover the number of days on which it rained.
THIS INITIATIVE WAS AN INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS and, to this day, certain tour operators are still using the formula. Galbiati’s friends say that he has the Midas touch. He started out in 1967 by opening the Bobo Club disco in Nova Milanese, before going on to purchase the Grand Hotel Bellevue, the Splendid Hotel Venezia and Chalet del Lago in Cortina, followed by the Concordia Parc Hotel. Subsequently, he acquired Villa Magnolie in Garbagnate and created Il Cavaliere and Villa Galbiati in Palazzolo Milanese. In the 1990s, piurchase the Hotel President in Mestre, leading up to the opening of Hotel Mythos in Milan in 2000.
His passion extends all the way to Rocca di Civitella di Panicale in Umbria, where he cultivates vines and olive trees on his estate. Three years ago, he opened the Hotel Savona, this time in the Piedmontese town of Alba, land of the truffle. In recent years.
The new challenge was the re-opening of the Grand Hotel Savoia in Cortina, which Commander Galbiati had previously managed from 1995 to 2003.
This historic hotel, the destination of choice for many a VIP over the years, was closed for 5 years. Now fully refurbished, has reopened and celebrated by a large party on 19 December 2009. The hotel has 135 rooms and a 160-space underground car park, is located in the heart of the town of Cortina, in an enchanting position overlooking the Dolomites. The rooms of the hotel have seen a great deal of history come and go.
