Inteview with Giancarlo Mancino, Consultant for the design of luxury hotel bars. Founder of many successful spirits brands, he shares his vision of the latest cocktail bar trends.
Giancarlo Mancino, from Vermouth to Hotel Consultancy
With an Anglo-Lucanian accent and a flair shaped by decades in luxury hospitality, Giancarlo Mancino has devoted his life to the art of mixing drinks. Born in Pignola, a picturesque village in Basilicata, he is the Founder of Mancino Vermouth, Rinomato Aperitivo, and Sprezza Rtd.
His portfolio also boasts Sei Bellissimi, a collection of luxury sparkling bottled cocktails, and Bocktailed, a bespoke ready-to-drink beverage company. Giancarlo’s career has whisked him away to the world’s most renowned hotel bars, where his creativity and expertise have left an indelible mark.
As a Beverage Consultant, he has worked with illustrious groups such as Rosewood and Sunset Hospitality Group. His crowning glory is the recent debut of Giardino Cordusio, a chic cocktail bar within Palazzo Cordusio at the Gran Meliá Hotel in Milan.
Giardino Cordusio, the Last Project by Giancarlo Mancino
From a quaint village to the zenith of luxury beverages, Giancarlo’s path is a vibrant testament to his unparalleled passion and artistry in crafting unforgettable drinking experiences.
In the Italian capital of mixology, Mancino sought to bring the essence of grand international hotel bars to life, infusing the Italian aperitivo tradition and classic cocktails with a special spotlight on the Dry Martini, which has its own dedicated station.
«For me, the quintessential bar was born in hotels: crisp white jackets, immaculate settings, timeless elegance, and drinks that never go out of style, served by rows of attentive waiters. Nowadays, the trend is to create venues that don’t resemble lobby bars, merging features of stand-alone bars and vice versa. Take Atlas in Singapore, for instance — it’s grand and opulent, fitting seamlessly into any five-star luxury hotel. On the other hand, with Rosewood Amsterdam, we’re developing a concept that merges a jenever distillery with classic cocktail service, spiced up with Indian influences through tandoori techniques», Mancino explains.
Hotel Bar Trends
«This crossover allows to create hybrid venues traveling between classicism and street bars within luxury hotels, developing outstanding concepts». In Mancino’s view, the United Kingdom remains the trailblazer, with London at the forefront and Scotland and Wales holding their own, thanks to their compelling bar programs where «you can always count on enjoying a great Martini. Asia is making significant strides, particularly in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo.
What About Italy?
Sadly, Italy is still missing from the map of grand hotel bars. Here, venues struggle to shine for various reasons. The most glaring issue is the lack of investment — not just in premium products, but also in complementary services like events and entertainment. Add to that the often outdated design of uniforms, and you can see why Italy lags behind», reveals the beverage expert. «There’s still a kind of reverential fear of stepping into a hotel bar where, with few exceptions, 70% of the clientele is either in-house or foreign. To change this, the message needs to be clear and straightforward.
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Immagini credits Alberto Blasetti, location Fuorimano OTBP
