For Marie-Louise Sciò, travel has been part of life for as long as she can remember. The daughter of the founder of Pellicano Hotels – the glamorous Italian group behind Hotel Il Pellicano, La Posta Vecchia Hotel, and Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa – she grew up immersed in the world of hospitality, spending time in some of its most notable addresses.
Those early experiences would later shape her own approach within the family business. Today, as CEO and creative director, Sciò has carved out a distinctive role — guiding the evolution of the group for a new generation while carefully preserving the character that made the properties so beloved in the first place.
In our new Firsts & Lasts series – where tastemakers reflect on the travel moments that shaped them – Sciò shares memories of her earliest hotel stays, the destination that first expanded her sense of the world, and the moment she realized hospitality could be a creative pursuit.
I traveled a lot with my dad [growing up], so from a young age I was always staying in luxury hotels. The Connaught was the first that I remember. It was all very grandiose with a million butlers and lots of beautiful outfits. My family would never vacation to [coastal] hotels as we would spend time in our own – so city hotels were a luxury for me.
The first place that challenged my thinking was Palm Beach, when I was eight. America is very different now, but it was also very different a long time ago. I realized that there was a [whole world out there] and it was diverse. I was curious about everything around me – the architecture, the people, it was very formative. I also remember thinking that the Hempel Hotel, designed by Anouska Hempel, was super modern and minimalist, which made me understand that there's a freedom in doing things – there's no right way, there are many ways.
When my family would visit America, my dad would travel on a different plane with my brother in business class. My mum and I would fly economy. So, [my first experience] in first class was at 25 or 26 years old. I remember being very excited, staying up the whole flight to watch films and Friends – I was laughing at it like it was the funniest thing I'd ever seen.
I never knew what I wanted to study growing up, but I didn’t think I was going get into hospitality. I wanted to do something creative, so I told my father that I was thinking of studying film or painting. He said, “You'll never make any money.” I took that as “it's not a good idea”. My roommate was going into architecture, so I did the same. [After graduating] I worked for an interior designer in Rome, but my dad wanted to see a return on his investment on my university degree. He asked, “Will you redo a bathroom at the Pellicano?”. I had a vision about how it should look, and I knew exactly how I wanted people to feel – [like they] were in a time capsule, an old world that at the same time was contemporary, a balance between the past and the future.
When I first check-in to a hotel, I take a bubble bath and unpack while watching CNN; it relaxes me. The Posta Vecchia has unreal baths – The Medici Suite has my favorite one. I chose different bubble bath scents for each hotel based on where they are: Hotel Il Pellicano's is rosemary, Mezzatore Hotel & Thermal Spa's is thyme. I’d choose Hotel Il Pellicano [for my last ever trip], spend the whole day at the beach and then see Sandra at the spa. I’d eat pasta in the morning, which I normally do after big parties. If you ask an Italian chef for pasta [for breakast], and they say no, it's an insult.
Before checking out of any hotel, I pull up the sheets and pick up towels. I always want to be respectful, I go crazy when people leave stuff on the floor.
My most recent trip was Paris – always a good idea. If you want a weekend immersed in beauty, food, and culture, Paris is the perfect place. I stayed at a friend's house this time, but the time before I was at Le Bristol. I always use different hotels [when I travel], except when I visit London – then it's Claridge’s.
I was also in Montalcino a couple of months ago and went to a restaurant called Alle Logge di Piazza. A friend of mine who's a walking guide in Italy proposed it. I'm not a big meat eater, but if it's good meat, I'll eat a lot of it. I had a mind-blowing, super simple meal: all politically incorrect foods like foie gras, but the meat and tartar were so good.
One place I’d like to experience again for the first time is Lapland. Seeing the Northern Lights is one of the most mystical experiences ever. I went 10 years ago with my son and it was incredible. You’re standing there in the middle of the forest – they give you whisky because it's minus 68°F – and before this little green flame the size of a match [appears] and becomes this extraordinary curtain of color.
