Marriott International and the founders of Lefay have confirmed plans for a joint venture to bring the Italian luxury wellness brand into the Marriott portfolio. Announced on 31 March 2026, the deal establishes Lefay as the first brand in the Marriott collection to focus entirely on luxury wellness. The partnership combines the holistic methods developed by the Leali family with the global distribution power of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty platform.
Lefay was established in Italy in 2006 by Domenico Alcide and Liliana Leali. The brand currently operates two luxury resorts in Lago di Garda and the Dolomites. Its development pipeline includes three further properties located in Tuscany, Southern Italy and the Swiss Alps. Under the new agreement, these existing and future resorts will be managed by the joint venture through long-term hotel management contracts. The founding family will retain ownership of the Italian real estate assets while contributing the brand and intellectual property to the venture.
“Marriott is thrilled to collaborate with the Leali family as we grow our luxury wellness portfolio,” said Anthony Capuano, President and CEO, Marriott International. “Luxury is increasingly defined by wellbeing, purpose and meaningful experiences. We are excited to introduce Lefay to our customers around the world and thoughtfully expand Marriott’s presence in the luxury wellness space.”
Each property operates as an eco-resort with an emphasis on sustainable materials and preventative health programmes. The brand uses its proprietary Lefay SPA Method to integrate scientific research with traditional wellness. Founders Domenico Alcide and Liliana Leali stated, “Our family founded Lefay nearly twenty years ago with a clear vision: to create destinations where wellbeing, nature and health come together authentically. We are deeply honored to begin this collaboration with Marriott and to further advance our vision of bringing the Lefay brand to the world.”
Lefay joins other prestigious names in the Marriott Luxury Group such as The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis. Tina Edmundson, President of Luxury at Marriott International, noted that the collaboration allows the company to extend into a space where wellbeing is the heart of the travel experience. CEO of Lefay, Alcide Leali, added, “Together, we are poised to accelerate the global expansion of the Lefay brand and further reinforce Lefay’s position as a leading name in luxury wellness hospitality.”
