In the heart of the Tuscan hills, where heritage, nature and hospitality converge, Castelfalfi enters a dynamic new phase of development, reinforced through a strategic partnership with Sommet Education Business Solutions, the global hospitality education leader encompassing its renowned institutions Les Roches and Glion Institute of Higher Education. Together, the two organizations will collaborate to elevate leadership capabilities, strengthen service culture and expand talent opportunities.
This partnership reflects Castelfalfi’s long-term vision of investing in people and excellence across the estate. Through this partnership, both parties have committed to developing leadership competencies, creating academic value, and supporting emerging talent within one of Tuscany’s most distinctive hospitality environments. This shared commitment is anchored in the common values embraced by Castelfalfi, Les Roches, and GIHE — prioritizing people’s development, operational and service excellence, and sustainability.
Strategic Partnership Key Pillars
Leadership & Service Excellence Development: Multimodule programs delivered exclusively by Les Roches to reinforce Castelfalfi’s leadership culture, elevate communication and operational behaviors, and strengthen the estate’s commitment to service excellence.
Applied Academic Collaboration: Les Roches will develop a facultyled academic case study based on Castelfalfi’s operational reality, history and evolution, bringing one of Tuscany’s most distinctive hospitality environments directly into the academic curriculum.
Talent Pathways & Industry Exposure: The agreement provides Castelfalfi with structured access to the institutions’ international student community —including internship and graduate recruitment pathways from Les Roches and Glion—to support continuous talent renewal and excellence in workforce development while enhancing recruitment pipelines through internships, graduate roles and career fair participation.
Shared Values & Vision: The prestigious institutions and Castelfalfi share a deep commitment to people-centered leadership, experiential learning, community connection and the preservation of cultural heritage. Both organizations believe in developing talent capable of shaping the future of responsible luxury hospitality, where operational excellence and positive societal impact go hand in hand.
Mounir Husseini, Chief Executive Officer of Castelfalfi, commented, “We are extremely proud of this new project, which represents an important milestone in the evolution of Castelfalfi. This moment speaks to continuity, responsibility and longterm vision — the same values that inspire our decision to partner with Sommet Education Business Solutions. By investing in talent, in our territory and in the future of our community, we ensure that Castelfalfi continues to flourish as a destination of excellence rooted in authenticity and elevated by outstanding hospitality.”
Carlos Díez de la Lastra, Chief Executive Officer of Les Roches, added, “At Les Roches, we believe that partnerships with visionary destinations are essential to shaping the next generation of hospitality leaders. Castelfalfi embodies the essence of contemporary luxury hospitality — authentic, refined and intrinsically connected to its territory. Working alongside their teams, we look forward to developing professionals capable of honoring this heritage while advancing service standards globally.”
Florent Varanne, Global Head of Business Solutions Development at Sommet Education, stated, “This collaboration with Castelfalfi represents exactly the type of forwardlooking partnership our industry needs. Castelfalfi’s extraordinary identity — deeply rooted in its landscape and community — aligns perfectly with our mission to prepare leaders who combine operational excellence with purpose and humanity.”
At the core of the collaboration are Leadership and Supervisory Training Programs designed and delivered exclusively by Les Roches. These multimodule learning journeys, delivered on site over several months, focus on leadership skills, communication, organizational behavior and service excellence — essential pillars for Castelfalfi’s operational and strategic development.
Tracey Battisti, Director of Excellence Academy at Castelfalfi, concluded, “Empowering our people is at the heart of Castelfalfi’s mission. This partnership with Sommet Education Business Solutions allows us to offer our teams transformative learning opportunities that reinforce excellence, strengthen leadership confidence and reflect the values that guide our estate. Together, we are nurturing a workforce capable of delivering authentic and meaningful guest experiences.”
