The new Hotel Principe in Modena

Hotel Principe has been open for business for decades, and enjoys a strategic location not far from the historic centre of Modena. In recent years in particular, the hotel has established itself as the ideal base for visiting the city. Strategically positioned near the city’s main monuments, the Gardens of the Dukes of Este and the railway station, the area in which the hotel stands is becoming increasingly popular, at least partly for the presence of two major cultural venues: the famous Ex-Cinema Principe, now an exhibition centre and theatre, and the MEF, the excellent Enzo Ferrari Museum dedicated to the life and work of the founder of the Ferrari company, inaugurated in March 2012. In keeping with local developments and the changing face of tourism, the renovated Hotel Principe offers contemporary, four-star comfort, with rooms characterised by bright, minimal design and a colour scale from white to grey. The refurbishment project was completed early in 2017 and included essential conservation work demanded by the building’s location. The historical palazzo that houses the hotel overlooks Corso Vittorio Emanuele, since the 19th century one of the city’s most prestigious thoroughfares, but once a navigable canal. The new reception layout and the décor of the upgraded rooms in no way diminish the historical character of the building, thanks to a thoughtful choice of colour schemes and the preservation of neo-classical decorations and furnishings. The renovated common areas form a harmonious and well-connected space. Their contemporary styling blends well with the historical context: the floor of the hall and important details like the ivory coloured jambs around the doors exemplify the designers‘ sensitive approach. Within a chromatically uniform whole, different floor finishes delicately but decisively express the function of each area. The different floor sections are covered with variants from Ariana’s versatile Concrea collection of through-body, fully vitrified, fine porcelain tiles, creating a range of surface effects: natural, gently brushed with waxy reflections typical of treated surfaces, satin, and extra-gloss with Lux+ technology. The breakfast room floor boasts a refined covering of rectangular and square Concrea Grey tiles punctuated by inserts in Concrea Imagine, a contemporary decorative solution consisting of 60×60 cm square tiles with geometric patterns reflecting the collection’s entire colour range. The optical chic effect in the lounge bar is strikingly original. All six Concrea Imagine versions are present, each with four types of decoration, giving a total of 24 variants, randomly arranged to form a ceramic carpet in varying shades of grey. Reassuring and elegant, the hall floor stands out for the classically inspired white band around the edges and for the dedicated custom design of the central section, a composition of square Concrea Grey tiles alternating with insets of Lux+ finish Concrea White tiles cut to size on site.