A cultural revolution in Veneto

From 1972 the Maggia family has been at the helm of the Hotel Ermitage Bel Air, one of the first thermal structures of Abano Terme. The latter is an area that is located within the National Park that is Colli Euganei where the reknowned therapeutically properties of the springs have been a destination for tourists from all over the world. The livelihood of this niche market has been put into question by a series of elements that have weakened its appeal leading to the drastic loss of reservations and revenue of many of the structures in Abano Terme, especially for hotels who have been resistant to updating their image and services. The Hotel Ermitage Bel Air dates back to the late 1800‚s, today it has a particularly stunning lobby and restaurant. The services of the hotel are clearly tied to the thermal presence. It boasts three private springs that bring in over 10000 liters a minute, the center also has access to mud that comes from a lake in the Colli Euganei that is aged in thermal water for at least 60 days for a therapeutic result that has both anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. This area of expertise though would not have been enough to guarantee the profitability of the structure so in the course of time the owner, engineer Marco Maggia, decided to take over from his father and set in motion a series of changes that could be presented as a case study for hotelier students. He openly states how the genesis of his concept of Medical Hotel came to be. It isn‚t just an investment of energy and resources. The revolution that has been put in place is principally cultural. Our staff are the first to make an impression and have the ability to make a stay memorable for our guests. We don‚t want to recluse ourselves from the Hotel tradition but the concept of a Medical Hotel such as ours is made up by a series of elements that respond to complex requirements and needs of various degrees of health, it could not be developed without a strong philosophy that really takes into account the inclusion of both healthy and recovering guests in the same environment. The result is guaranteed quality and assistance without making one or the other feel uncomfortable. Some cultural revolutions need time to take hold but will not be slowed down. A tourism that is accessible to all people is a concept that has huge potential, and it is this pioneering example should be an inspiration to many other Italian hotels looking for a change.