Denver, Colorado-based private-equity firm KSL Capital Partners via an affiliate has acquired the majority interest in Lake Como, Italy-based Sereno Hotels, which was founded more than 20 years ago by the Contreras family.
Owner-operator Sereno has two luxury hotels: the seasonal Il Sereno on Lake Como, Italy, with 40 suites, and Le Sereno on the beach of Anse de Grand Cul de Sac on the Caribbean island of St. Barthélemy, or St. Barts, with 39 rooms and suites.
No financial information was disclosed, but a statement said the Contreras family will remain “significant investors.”
Luis Contreras, Sereno Hotel’s founder and CEO, will continue to lead the company.
“Sereno Hotels is at heart a family company. Collaborating with KSL empowers us to accelerate our scale. … Our joint vision is to create a select few new small and supremely luxurious hotels in unique locations, featuring remarkable design, meticulous detail and casual yet professional, bespoke service,” he said.
The hotel firm also has private villas nearby both of its hotels, three in St. Barts and a Palladian-style one in Lake Como with 19 guestrooms.
Sereno bought the 500-year-old villa on Lake Como in February 2016, while the hotel there opened in August of that year.
The firm bought the St. Barts hotel in 2002.