History
Built between 1906 and 1910, the Grand Hotel in Ala di Stura was a great piece of architecture for the time: 5-stars hotel, with 200 rooms, apartments with en-suite, running water in every room, lift, big parking garage, telegraph, telephone, large yards and tennis pitches. It was certainly one of the biggest hotels in the Lanzo Valleys. Among its most eminent guests, we recall Guglielmo Marconi, Luigi Einaudi, the Agnelli family, the Royal Family and Mussolini.
With a certain amount of pride, it has been acknowledged that very few hotels in Switzerland and Italy used to be compared with the Grand Hotel in Ala di Stura, for service and structure, but also for beauty, charm of the valley, kindness of the owners, and delightful cuisine! Duchesses, Counts visited the hotel in the summer of 1923… In July 1923, Isabella of Baviera, the duchess of Genoa, visited Ala di Stura with her husband Tommaso of Savoia, queen Margherita’s brother, along with their three kids: Bona, Filiberto Duke of Pistoia and Adalberto, Duke of Bergamo. On the 21st of August 1931, the ‘Progresso of Canavese’ newspaper stated: “His Eminence, Senator Marconi graced with his presence the enchanting Ala di Stura, where the glorious scientist and president of the Italian Academy was treating himself and his family with a well-deserved holiday. Saturday the 15th of the current month, he received the Federal Secretary Andrea Gastaldi, who sent his greetings and best regards on behalf of all the fascists in Turin”.
Luigi Amedeo, duke of the Abruzzi, the Duke of Aosta’s third son, visited Ala di Stura in August 1932, few days before his death. In the summer 1956, Luigi Einaudi’s signature officialised the re-opening of the Hotel, and marked the very last presence of distinguished people in Ala di Stura.
The photographs are taken from the Golden Book, which is carefully preserved by the owners and open to consultation upon request.