Meet Mariella & Attilia Avino, the Chic Sisters Behind Palazzo Avino on the Amalfi Coast

Issue #108

Mariella (right) and Attilia (left). Photo courtesy of Palazzo Avino

When it comes to fabulous hotels, Palazzo Avino is in a class of its own. I’ve been lucky enough to stay there twice and I think it’s not only one of the best hotels in Italy but one of the best in the world. That’s thanks to Mariella and Attilia Avino, the sisters at the helm of this family-run member of the Leading Hotels of the World. They’re two of the most stylish women I know, always perfectly dressed and coiffed, but beyond their looks, they’re also two of the kindest, most generous people I know—truly beautiful both inside and out.

I first stayed at Palazzo Avino in 2018 and fell in love with it then, so returning this spring and seeing all the improvements they’ve made to the property was an immense pleasure. It was also a pleasure to interview Mariella and Attilia, who I’d seen in between my visits at various conventions and conferences hosted by the Leading Hotels of the World. I even moderated a panel about design and technology on which Mariella spoke during LHW’s Leading Luxury Summit at the Gstaad Palace last year.

This interview was conducted on assignment for AFAR, but I thought it would be worthwhile to publish the unabridged version here. I’m thrilled to share it as part of my series of interview with entrepreneurs and creatives doing cool things in Italy.

Your father bought this hotel in 1997, right? When did you both start to manage the hotel and what exactly are your roles now?

Mariella Avino: I started to work on the property between 2010 and 2011. When the last GM left, I was in the very difficult position of deciding if I was ready to take the helm of the property or not. But then with the support of the family, I decided to jump into the role. And since then, I've been acting as Managing Director of the property. 

It's been a fantastic journey of learning on the job and six years ago, Attilia joined me as the Director of Sales and Marketing. Of course being a small property, we're very involved in the operational part when the hotel is open, But being seasonal, it’s very nice to have the opportunity during the off season in the closing months to actually travel for sales calls. And we do participate in important shows together so it's really a family affair.

What's it like working together as sisters?

MA: I think it's very nice. And on the contrary of what you would think, it's very seamless, because actually we’re very different in terms of personality. I think we both were able to kind of tailor our roles inside the property. 

And also, I think the very nice thing that we did as a family since the beginning is that we actually have very precise roles, which I think is not always easy to manage when it comes to family businesses. Whereas we tried to use a managerial approach to know what we do within the company. And so we have specific roles for specific tasks and responsibilities.

Would you like to add something, Attilia?

Attilia Avino: It's fun to work together. I always joke with her that we want to stab each other in the back, but after two seconds you forget. She knows what I'm thinking and I know what she's thinking, just looking at each other. So that's the best part of working together. 

What are the challenges of being young female hoteliers, especially here in the south of Italy? And what are the greatest rewards?

MA: I think we are lucky enough to have grown up in a family where being three daughters, our father and mother never saw the fact that we were women or from the south as a minus. On the contrary, they always had a very equal-minded approach and then growing up with these principles, we never had the impression that there was something that we had to fight against to gain our role in society. 

I also have to say that I think the hospitality industry is particularly welcoming for women. And even if there are probably more men in management roles, I do think it's an industry where there is a very strong opportunity for the feminine touch to be successful. So we feel it's not been difficult in this sense, even being in the south of Italy, which you would imagine to be more difficult compared to the north. 

You both grew up in Salerno, which is considered the last town on the Amalfi Coast, right?

MA: Kind of. Salerno is already considered more of a city, but it's still by the water, so it’s super nice. But we took different paths. I started in Rome and then I moved to Milan to work as a credit analyst at HSBC, whereas Attilia studied in Milan. So we spent up to our high school years in Salerno. 

And as kids did you spend a lot of time on the Amalfi Coast?

MA: Since we bought the property in 1995, yes. Before that, my father was always looking for property on the coast. So we do remember sightseeing many places and actually when we were super young, we used to go to Positano for the summer and Amalfi as well.

So how have you seen the Amalfi Coast evolve over the years?

MA: Well, it definitely evolved, I think more slowly than other areas. Definitely after COVID There's been a lot of tourism that does come to the area, but I think that's really affected a bit all over Italy. But we are already seeing that this year is a normalization year and the nice thing about these communities is that the villages are very small. 

So in the end, the soul of the places really remain untouched because everything is family run. There are not big companies taking over real estate. So I think this really preserved the area and this year we're seeing a normalization of the demand for the hotel. I think we're bringing back the quaint experience that you would expect on the Amalfi Coast.

What do you think about overtourism? Do you find that it's getting to be a big problem since you started here?

MA: I think the last few years were probably affected by this problem as a consequence of post-COVID excitement, but not really now. Going forward, I think, now that the whole world is open, things will calm down. I think we have a very nice position to make the best experience in Campania with the gastronomic heritage. So I'm not scared of overtourism because I really believe there's going to be a normalization in the next few years.

What do you think are the advantages of coming here in the off season versus the high season in July and August? Is there a very big difference? 

MA: Well, in terms of moving around, and also the temperature, the off season could be super nice. Of course, the off-season could bring a bit of variable weather, which normally you don't get in high season. So I think it's a bit of a trade off, depending on the type of experience guests are looking for. If they’re interested in hiking, the off season is the best. If they want to sunbathe, I would still suggest the high season.

On this coast, there are so many top luxury hotels. What makes Palazzo Avino stand out from all the competition?

MA: Well, I I think that we're very fortunate to have a property that has a very strong identity. And we are very close friends with all the other hotels on the coast. The majority of the special hotels are family run and actually as families we are ambassadors for the Amalfi Coast. And I think each of us has a unique perspective. 

For us, being in Ravello and for the position of the hotel, for the historic part of the building, which goes back to the 12th century, coming here is like coming to an old villa, but with some twists. We try to incorporate some design, so I think we show a bit about our roots and where we come from, where we are on the Amalfi Coast.

And the view is definitely one of our selling points. I always say when you come to Ravello, you get a bird's eye view of the coast. Of course, Amalfi and Positano can give you other beautiful things, but you miss that part. We also have the beach club, which I think is a great addition to have. In Ravello you get the best of both worlds and you can access the water, which will be a bit of a chaotic experience for the hotels that don't have private access to the water for guests. 

And then I really strongly believe that when guests come to us and they combine our property with Santa Caterina in Amalfi or Le Sirenuse in Positano, it's really a combination of experiences. They complement each other. They don't exclude each other, and I think this is also very unique in terms of touristic places in Italy as well. You will choose one or the other mainly for the stay, but we are lucky to have guests that do three nights here, three nights in Positano, three nights in Capri. I think that's the best way to do it.

Do you have a lot of guests who do that?

MA: Oh yes, a lot, a lot. The majority do us and Capri or us and Positano, but the ones that actually have nine nights do all three and I think this is the best.

I love this aspect, I have to say. I was recently working on another article about the Amalfi Coast for Travel + Leisure and I was getting some tips from Francesco Sersale and he mentioned that this is one of his favorite hotels on the coast. 

MA: He's a good guy. Yeah, I also think it's very special. I always say when I started I was very young. I didn’t know if I had the right skills for the role, but Crescenzo from Santa Caterina and Antonio from Le Sirenuse were great supporters, and helped me to navigate some decisions. I always refer to them. And I'm always grateful for them. This is also very special to me. Looking from outside, people think we are competitors, but we don't feel that way. And we never felt that way. This is special. 

Do you think that is because you're all members of Leading Hotels of the World?

MA: Oh definitely. Our relationship came years before, but actually they were ambassadors to make us get into Leading because of course when you make the request, the other Leading hotels in the same area have to give their approval. And they were actually the ones that brought the management team of Leading here to make sure that we would get in, so it was a substantial support. 

Why is it so important for Palazzo Avino to be part of Leading Hotels of the World? 

MA: Well, as independent hotels, Leading is a guarantee for the guests, for the third parties about the quality of what we offer. And in terms of the consortiums, Leading is the one that we felt was closer to our vision, our philosophy. And we're very close to the team of Leading, we feel they're really an extension of the property and we feel very proud to be part of the family. We actually became shareholders last year, so we are happy. 

And how do you maintain the standards that they require for their member hotels?

MA: We try to constantly train the team and the department heads. They are ambassadors of Leading standards as well. So they make sure that the standards are maintained and well known throughout the seasons.

How do you keep the hotel relevant for the next generation of travelers? 

MA: We look to the future but we try to be very strong in our roots. I think this is key for every decision we make. So whatever we do, we always keep in mind where we come from, where we are. It’s important to be true to our history.

And so every decision we make for the hotel, also when it comes to decorations or something we do on the F&B side, we always try to keep in mind: when a guest comes from the U.S., what is he looking for when he comes to Ravello? Does he want to find a club sandwich on the menu? Or does he want to find a panino alla caprese? We have a very strong vision of where we want to go and this is our philosophy.

And what's new this season?

MA: This season, we redid one of our deluxe sea view rooms with the architect Giuliano dell’Uva and also the Infinito Suite. We're trying to come up with some ceramic accents. So for the tiles, for example, we are working with a local artisan. They still do the old technique with the sponges. We try to incorporate some design of the fifties, but still retaining the classic feel that you would expect in a 12th century palace. 

And then Rossellini’s as well, we completely redid the outside space. The idea was to make this patio that we’ve had since 2015 more like an open air garden and so far we are receiving very nice feedback from the guests that are experiencing this area. 

The big project we're working on is going to happen next season in our next door garden, la Cascinetta, where we're going to do the cooking school and it's where we make our own wine. We're very excited about that project. I'm already working on the type of dishes we are going to offer as well, which are from Salerno, where our grandmother was from, where you find even simpler dishes than the ones on the coast. There are a lot of fresh pasta traditions. And so we are very excited about that.

When will the cooking school be ready?

We are planning to open it next season, so 2025. Actually we are about to start the work because we were waiting for some permits.

I know that design and fashion are very important for you. Who are some of your favorite local designers and do you have some of their products in the pink closet? 

MA: Yes, actually, we incorporated more design pieces, especially for the tableware. Attilia teases me that we only talk via WhatsApp so there is this parallel world going on now. They send pictures and I’m smiling on the phone...

AA: Which pieces are coming your way? 

MA: Because I buy vintage ceramic pieces, but also when we work with different local artists that do different things in terms of ceramics, some of them are incorporated in Rossellini’s. There’s the amuse-bouche part that has been done by two people.

So we started with a Pierre Cardin vintage tower, which was my initial idea for different layers where we put the different pieces of the amuse-bouche and then we try to bring that concept to the Amalfi Coast and we came up with these little towers that resemble the churches. Then the donkeys that are symbols of the Amalfi Coast as well are incorporated on the side. 

AA: She has an obsession with donkeys.

MA: Yes, I do collect them. I have them in different pieces and different sizes. A lot of them. So they are also part of the project. For example, another one is the horns, the red horns are where we place our taralli and some types of crackers that the chef makes. And this is another artist as well.

Then for example, we have a beautiful dessert cart that was really a labor of love. Last year, I envisioned the cart and then I presented it to the chef and I told him, “You have to decide what to put on it.” And this cart was made by a local artisan that works on iron things, so he did it with marble. It’s super, super nice. 

AA: In terms of fashion, we like Mua Mua.

MA: Then there are fashion brands that are not local, but they're more niche brands that we incorporated. The small boutique inside is more about these tableware lines, whereas at the boutique, you have accessories, clothing. In terms of clothing, we have House of Mua Mua.

This year I was able to find, after a lot of research, a very small artisan that makes bags in rattan so they’re hand-made and we're already seeing guests visiting the Pink Closet really love them. And so more and more, we try to incorporate unique pieces. Sometimes it's not easy to work within the timeframe we have.

If a guest sees something by a local designer and they want to visit the atelier, is that something that you can organize? 

MA: Oh, yes, yes. It doesn't happen that much because in such a short time they normally stay three days so they already try to fit in so many things. It usually happens a lot for ceramics, which is easier because they might be in Vietri or Salerno, so it's on the way.

What are some of your favorite things to do on the Amalfi Coast?

AA: Of course eating! Besides the restaurants on property, we like Da Lorenzo in Scala, five minutes away from here. It’s one of my favorites. It’s still very local. You find Luca, the son, in the restaurant, the other brother in the kitchen. So we feel very close to each other. It's my go-to place whenever I want to relax for a night and just have something super simple and super good. It's one of the restaurants we always suggest to guests if they're able to move a little bit.

What do you order? Do you have a go-to dish?

AA: No, I always trust Luca. And the place I really like to go for drinks is Franco’s at Le Sirenuse. The drinks over there are so wonderful and the thing I like the most is the popcorn that comes with the drinks. 

What about you, Mariella? Do you have some favorite things to do on the coast?

MA: Definitely Da Lorenzo. If I can, I always go there for a relaxing night. I used to move around more in the past. Now it's very complicated because it's really a 24/7 job. But in the past when I had time, I always loved going to Positano, even just strolling around. I really love the little streets and little shops. 

Also I love spending one night in Capri. Actually it’s a tradition that I used to do with my husband, many moons ago, but then we kind of lost it because it's complicated to leave during the season. One night in Capri is really worth it. During the season it’s a way to experience the island, which I find very fascinating. 

I also love simple things, like the lemon granita that you find in Tramonti on the way to the airport. There’s this little cart that I always have to stop for. He makes this granita with big lemon pieces. It's super nice. I think it’s the nicest on the coast.

Further Reading

• You can read my aforementioned article for AFAR about how the Avino sisters turned their family’s hotel into a design haven here. 

• The Amalfi Coast guide I updated for Travel + Leisure, which is mentioned in the interview, is here.

• For more about Palazzo Avino, check out my review for Italy Magazine’s Inspired Stays series.

• Palazzo Avino is also featured in my guide to 72 Hours on the Amalfi Coast.

• I also interviewed Antonio Sersale, owner of Le Sirenuse, who’s mentioned in this interview.

• You can see all the interviews in this series here.