Today is the ceremony to reopen the historic spaces on the main floor of the hotel after their restoration
DoubleTree by Hilton Trieste, hotel in the HNH Hospitality Group, located in the heart of the Julian capital, announces the reopening of its Foyer and 3 meeting rooms in the area affected by a fire on 5 February, 2021. On Wednesday, 21 February at 2:30 p.m., the official ceremony for the reopening of the spaces was held at the hotel with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the presence of the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza, representatives of the property’s owner, Allianz and its asset manager PIMCO Prime Real Estate, and Luca Boccato, CEO of HNH Hospitality, the hotel’s manager. This is a momentous occasion for the city of Trieste, which is ready to reopen one of the hotel’s most striking spaces, used for meetings and events, along with the iconic Berlam Coffee Tea & Cocktail and Novecento Restaurant, which await guests for an aperitif or dinner immersed in the hotel’s 20th-century atmosphere.
The intervention involved an area of about 90 square meters, including the Foyer with a historical elevator, the Director’s Room, Seating Room and Director’s Waiting Room, spaces finely decorated and furnished with elements of great historical value and restored today to their former splendor. The main floor area, i.e. the area affected by the fire and renovation, is of historical significance under the protection of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and includes spaces that were formerly the executive offices of RAS Assicurazioni, owned by the Allianz Group and managed by its appointed real estate asset manager PIMCO Prime Real Estate. In fact, in 2018-2019 the property oversaw the conversion of the building, conceived between 1911 and 1913, into a hotel by the architects Ruggero and Arduino Berlam.
Reconstruction and Renovation
The reconstruction works of the Foyer were supervised by the architect Aulo Guagnini, with the aim of restoring the spaces to their original splendor. Restoration of the woodwork, reconstruction of the historic plaster ceilings, and recovery of the tiles and historic parquet flooring are just some of the steps in the process. Glass replacement and attention to detail maintained the integrity of the original design, which is protected as a cultural asset. The restoration process was carried out in collaboration with officials from the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage, ensuring compliance with historical and architectural standards through an ongoing dialogue that helped preserve the authenticity of the spaces and their original charm.
General Contractor and Fundamental Contributions
Innocente & Stipanovich, a construction company with more than a century of experience in the restoration of buildings of high historical-architectural value, with offices in Trieste and Venice, to which countless prestigious interventions refer, was awarded the contract as general contractor. A key contribution was provided by Opera Est, which specializes in historic restorations.
Construction Site Duration and Responsibility
The construction site had a duration of 10 months, from April 2023 to January 2024. Nicola Donadello, Health & Safety Manager of HNH Hospitality, supervised the work, under the direction of the architect Fabrizio Furlan.
Donato Saponara, Head of South & West Europe, Co-Head of Investment Europe at PIMCO Prime Real Estate said, “Today we are delighted to celebrate with our partner HNH Hospitality the reopening of the Foyer of the DoubleTree by Hilton Trieste, bringing the prestigious historic halls of Palazzo Berlam back to life. We thank all those who helped make this project and the reopening of the historic Foyer possible for the city of Trieste.
The Allianz Group, through its appointed real estate asset manager PIMCO Prime Real Estate, continues to invest in enhancing the value of its real estate assets, as evidenced by other significant interventions such as the completion of the new Radisson Collection Hotel Santa Sofia in Milan opened last year and the ongoing redevelopment of the Group’s historic Milan headquarters in Corso Italia 23”.
Luca Boccato, CEO of HNH Hospitality, said, “The reopening of the Foyer of the DoubleTree by Hilton Trieste represents an extraordinary moment for our hotel. We are excited to share this important chapter with the Trieste community, celebrating the rediscovery and respect for the history of this magnificent building. We are committed to providing a renovated, high-quality environment for our guests and for the city’s events. We thank all those who helped make this project possible, and we are pleased to celebrate this new addition today with citizens and guests,” he concludes.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Trieste is not only a building of rare beauty and great historical value, but it is also strategically located, a short distance from Trieste’s Central Station and a short walk from the renowned Piazza Unità d’Italia, Trieste’s “living room” overlooking the sea, with its historic cafes, which have always been considered places of cultural entertainment and exchange of ideas.
