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History

1880

1882

The origins: the Gotthard railway

Inauguration of the Gotthard railway tunnel, which enabled the beginning of tourism development in Ticino. Edouard Manet goes through the perspective painting the famous "Bar delle Folies Bergère", his artistic and spiritual testament.

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1887

From Villa Merlina to Grand Hotel

In May, Albino Guidi and Tranquillo Clerici rent the Villa Merlina, built around 1870 by Avv. Viglezio, and inaugurate the Splendide Hotel. In December of the same year the Splendide Hotel was acquired by Riccardo Fedele Gianella, flanked by his cousin Vincenzo Fedele. The "sunflowers" by Vincent Van Gogh are flourishing, while at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan there is the first show of Otello, a grandiose work by Verdiana.

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1888

The era of the Fedele Gianella family

Riccardo Fedele Gianella begins the expansion works by adding two floors and doubling the building in a northerly direction, thus transforming it into a real Palace. Subsequently the garden in front of the "Grand Hotel Splendide" is i

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1900

1903

Transformation and love for details

Riccardo Fedele Gianella commissions the first renovation works by Paolito Somazzi. Giacomo Puccini ends the "Madame Butterfly" score, while in the United States the Wright brothers make the first motorized flight in history.

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1920

1924

An important inauguration

Riccardo Fedele, the nephew of Riccardo Fedele Gianella, takes over the hotel and inaugurates the Villa Maria annex, which stands next to the Splendide, bringing the capacity to 125 beds. Rapsodia in Blu, by George Gershwin, is performed for the first time in the Aeolian Hall in New York, while Man Ray compares photography with painting, painting what he could not photograph and photographing what he could not paint with his Le Violon D 'Ingres.

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1950

1956

A royal name

Over the years, the Grand Hotel Splendide has become a favorite destination for prominent figures of the world stage, including numerous members of royal families. To pay tribute to them, Riccardo Fedele adds "Royal" to the hotel's name. Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainieri of Monaco, while Elvis Presley records Love Me Tender, a song that will contribute to his worldwide artistic ascent.

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1959

The new management

Fedele Genazzini takes over the management of the Splendide Royal together with his cousin Riccardo Moranzoni. The famous Barbie doll enters the market. It is immediately a huge sales success.

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1960

1962

The prestigious quality brand

Splendide Royal becomes part of the prestigious The Leading Hotels of the World brand, guaranteeing its guests the highest international quality standards. The single Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You is for sale: it is the debut album of the Beatles.

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1970

1977

The management of the Hotel by the Naldi Family

The heirs of Genazzini and Fedele give the hotel to the Naldi family, who nominate Aniello Lauro as the fourth director of the Splendide. Apple II is born and gives birth to the first personal computer, while in the world of cinema the first episode of the Star Wars saga is broadcasted.

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1980

1980

An important rise and new awards

The Naldi Family undertakes a series of improvements, respecting the tradition of the Splendide led by Aniello Lauro and bringing it to become part of the Swiss Deluxe Hotels, a brand that includes the most prestigious luxury hotels in Switzerland. Umberto Eco publishes "Il nome della Rosa" a historical novel that will become a worldwide best seller and the subject of a film with Sean Connery. The San Gottardo road tunnel, the longest motorway tunnel in the world, with a length of 16.9 Km, is also inaugurated.

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1983

The new wing  

Inauguration of the Executive wing which is where Villa Maria was. Change of the protocol at the time known as ARPANET, thus starting a computer network that will be transformed into the Internet.

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1990

1990

The foresight of Dr. Roberto Naldi

Dr. Roberto Naldi becomes president of the Hotel Splendide Royal and starts a global restructuring program that includes both the accommodation and the common areas. About a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the two Germanies return to being a united nation and win the Football World Cup disputed in Italy. Meanwhile in the cinemas the movie "Dances with Wolves" is launched, directed and interpreted by Kevin Kostner.

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1991

Elected among the Historic Places of Italy

The Splendide becomes part of the Historic Places of Italy. First call with a GSM mobile phone from the Finnish Radiolinja network and in July the first commercial network is inaugurated. It is the year of the birth of the World Wide Web by the British Tim Berners-Lee who publishes the first website online.

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2000

2008

Appointment of the fifth director: Giuseppe Rossi

Giuseppe Rossi, successor of Aniello Lauro, takes over the management of the Splendide and implements a quality certification system that brings the hotel to quickly obtain the ISO 9001 certification and the "QQQ" brand of Switzerland Tourism, the highest Swiss certification of quality. It is the international year of planet Earth, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.

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2010

2014

A new achievement: 5 star Superior

Splendide receives the highest hotel classification in Switzerland from Hotellerie Suisse, becoming 5 Star Superior.

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2015

The "Splendide Shamba" arrives

The Splendide launches a program of sustainability and social responsibility that leads to the creation of a farm in Kenya, entitled "Splendide Shamba".

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2016

Important acknowledgments and inaugurations

The Leading Hotels of the World awards the Splendide Royal the "Happy Guest Award", the most recognized award from the world luxury hotel industry. The same year, the wine cellar “Il Forziere del Vino”, an intimate and exclusive area dedicated to the exhibition and tasting of the most important world labels with great attention to the Ticino wine making, is inaugurated.

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2017

GaultMillau Rising Chef

The chef of the restaurant "I Due Sud" of the Splendide, Domenico Ruberto, is awarded the title "Chef Revelation of the Year of the Canton Ticino" by the renowned gastronomic guide GaultMillau.

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2018

A new gourmet restaurant: I Due Sud

I Due Sud, the Splendide's gourmet restaurant, is established. Executive chef Domenico Ruberto offers the public his sought-after concept which pairs the excellent dishes of southern Italy with those of southern Switzerland under the banner of haute cuisine.

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2019

Panorama Room

The new Panorama Room is opened, a restful space with an elegant, minimalist design which can accommodate up to 300 people. A new treasure, the space extends outside with a terrace overlooking Monte Brè and the lake.

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2019

Splendide Lifestyle Spa

With the creation of the Splendide Lifestyle Spa, the hotel offers its guests a new oasis of well-being, transforming itself into an “Urban Resort”. The Spa's architectural design successfully integrates a contemporary wing into the historic Palace while harmoniously merging with a more classical background.

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2019

Became a member of Fine Hotels and Resorts

Fine Hotels and Resorts, the travel programme which American Express offers its most important members, invites the hotel to be one of its very limited list of selected hotels worldwide.

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2019

La Piazzetta Lounge

Opened during the summer, La Piazzetta is the new panoramic lounge terrace created during the renovation. It gives the Splendide a new classical contemporary touch. A rooftop bar with the view of your dreams, it’s the ideal place for summer evenings.

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2019

I Due Sud: 16 points Gault&Millau

I Due Sud, the hotel's gourmet restaurant, is awarded 16 points in the prestigious Gault&Millau guide: an increased score which marks continuous progression from the moment of the restaurant's foundation.

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2020 ...

2021

I Due Sud: its first Michelin Star

Michelin, the authoritative international gastronomic guide, assigns its first star to the Ristorante I Due Sud, rewarding the Executive Chef Domenico Ruberto and recognising his unique gastronomic philosophy.

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2021

"Swisstainable" Certification

Another milestone for the Splendide sustainability programme: "Swisstainable", the certification system created by Switzerland Tourism, awards the hotel its "Committed" certification. This is reserved for companies actively committed to sustainable development at an economic, environmental and social level.

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