Independent Minds: Tany Nardi, Hotel de la Ville

When it comes to keeping things in the family, the Nardis know best. Third generation hotelier brothers, Tany and Luigi Nardi, are paving the way for their sons, Francesco, Bartolomeo, and Tommaso, for when the long line of succession heralds the fourth generation.

With ties back to the Italian aristocracy, Hotel de la Ville‘s location in Monza opposite the Royal House of Savoy is enviable to say the least. Far from abdicating his throne, Tany continues the long-standing work of his forefathers in the meticulous renovations to the late 19th-century building, filling it with a fascinating collection of antiques, silver, crystal and porcelain. The result? Regal yet refined, with all the personal touches of a family home.

What does being ‘Independently Minded’ as a hotel owner mean to you?

A fundamental characteristic of an entrepreneur, especially in the tourism sector, is to be aware of their own market. Having accepted this principle, it is then within the entrepreneur’s ability to combine a personalised offer whilst respecting local history and culture and in keeping with the expectations and international standards of a discerning clientele. We interpret the concept of “independently minded” as the will and ability to maintain one’s identity as a hotelier.

Our hotel, managed with passion by the fourth generation of hoteliers of renowned professionalism, researches and expresses an atmosphere of style without being tied to particular clichés. Every detail, original and sometimes even eccentric, contributes to convey a perception of an out-of-the-ordinary ‘home’ in a context of friendly and competent staff.

What was the inspiration behind the hotel, and where do you continue to find sources of inspiration?

We believe that in the tourism industry it is essential to be curious, to keep an open mind, and a predisposition to innovation. Every occasion can be useful and constructive to pick up on market trends or original proposals for furnishings or unusual services. For this reason, for over 35 years my brother Luigi and I, along with our department managers on occasion, have been going every year to the most important international trade fairs in the sector – first and foremost in Paris and New York, taking advantage during those appointments to also visit dozens of exclusive hotels and restaurants to discuss proposals and trends of new openings or renovations. These moments of concrete contribution to our professionalism have always allowed us to question ourselves, finding sources of inspiration every time and promptly implementing this within our hotel, often anticipating new particular market needs.

Today’s Hotel de la Ville is a ‘little big’ family hotel, the result of continuous and important renovations of a late 19th-century building which is rich in history and linked to the Italian Royal Family.

If you only had 24 hours to get a taste for your hotel experience, what would you recommend a guest must do?

Keeping in mind the fact that each of the 70 rooms in our hotel is individually furnished with refined elegance, a stay in any of our rooms is guaranteed to be a unique experience. The rooms I personally prefer are 114 or 214 because they overlook the Rose Garden of the Royal Palace and the beautiful park behind. A wonderful experience is taking breakfast in the hotel’s Veranda, which is also the ideal location for a candlelit fine-dining dinner. An unmissable experience, besides visiting the Royal Palace or the Museum of the Cathedral of Monza with its famous ‘Iron Crown’, is a visit to the international racetrack of Monza – home of the Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix. Their driving experiences are an unforgettable adrenalin-rush.

How would you describe your own perfect luxury experience?

I believe that we cannot generalise the concept of perfection in objective terms, since the perception of luxury is linked to many different  subjective needs and expectations. In my opinion, perfection in a luxury experience lies in the added value of human contact and in the authenticity of an experience which enriches a guest’s cultural background. This concept, which has manifested itself in a preponderant way in recent years (and unfortunately frozen since the beginning of the year with the advent of the Covid-19), makes it possible to experience exclusive luxury by living unforgettable experiences in remote destinations, even in humble homes instead of staying in suites of large hotels in renowned international destinations.