Autumn 2026 | 19 Often described as Italy’s best kept secret, Le Marche is a picturesque region blending medieval hilltop towns, pristine beaches, and rich cultural heritage, without the crowds associated with some of Italy’s better-known destinations. For those who want to enjoy a regular taste of what Le Marche has to offer at a fraction of the cost, fractional holiday home ownership is the perfect model. No business knows this better than Appassionata, a familyowned business offering a remarkable portfolio of unique holiday home properties across Le Marche. We heard more from Sales Director India Hobbs-Mauger below. Appassionata: Arrive a Guest, Return a Local “Appassionata’s mission is to help people genuinely belong to Italy, not simply visit it.” The Hobbs family first travelled to Le Marche in 2004, and soon discovered an unrivalled landscape of rolling countryside, snow-capped mountains, and idyllic coastlines, complemented by an incredible quality of life. They immediately knew that this hidden slice of paradise was somewhere they wanted to call home. In 2008, Michael Hobbs established Appassionata as a way to offer this same opportunity to adventure-seekers around the world. The extended Hobbs-Mauger family has dedicated the last 18 years to building an unrivalled portfolio of properties throughout the Le Marche region, each meticulously selected with fractional ownership in mind. Though fractional ownership is an emerging approach to buying overseas property in Europe, it is already a multi-billion dollar sector in the U.S. This innovative method of property purchasing involves several buyers, providing each with an equal part of the title and enabling them to have a stake in the asset without paying for the entire property and its associated maintenance expenses. This model is significantly more advantageous than the traditional timeshare model, which only grants participants the right to use a property for a limited time without ownership or equity. “Our clients purchase a genuine, legally documented share in a specific freehold property,” India explained. “They share its running costs, benefit from exclusive periods of annual residency, and can ultimately resell their ownership share.” Every home within Appassionata’s portfolio has been individually selected for its architecture, setting, character, and potential. The Hobbs-Mauger team restore and furnish each property with great care, combining historic Italian features with contemporary comfort, beautiful interiors, and high-quality craftsmanship. However, the property itself is only one part of the experience; Appassionata’s owners arrive to find their home prepared and ready for them to begin their holiday in Le Marche. All gardens, swimming pools, utilities, maintenance, and administration are professionally managed, allowing owners to enjoy their time in Italy from the moment they arrive. This calibre of personal care is further enhanced by the genuine passion the Hobbs-Mauger family possesses for Le Marche. Part of the extended family is permanently based in Italy, while others split their time between the UK and Italy. This means that the team has lived, daily experience with Le Marche: they live here, restore properties here, and have built strong relationships throughout the region. As a result, property owners integrate seamlessly into the community with the dedicated support of all at Appassionata. “Many companies can provide access to a holiday property. Our difference lies in the sense of belonging we create,” said India. “Our owners are not treated as booking numbers. They become part of the wider Appassionata family, and part of an evolving Italian story. They return to the same home, become familiar with the surrounding villages, discover favourite restaurants and vineyards, make local friends, and gradually feel part of the community.” Now, the Hobbs-Mauger family intends to build upon what has made Appassionata successful while continuing to refine the ownership experience. The family plans to identify and sensitively restore further exceptional properties across Le Marche, particularly homes displaying architectural character, strong village connections, and access to the coast, countryside, and mountains. At the same time, Appassionata will work to make the fractional ownership journey even easier to understand and manage. This will see the team integrating clearer digital information, more intuitive residency planning, enhanced communication with owners, and an even more seamless process for purchasing and reselling shares. In the longer term, Appassionata hopes to increase awareness of fractional ownership as a sophisticated and responsible form of overseas property ownership. As Appassionata is named Italy’s Best Fractional Holiday Home Ownership Company in LUXlife Magazine’s Leaders in Luxury Awards 2026, India shared, “We want Appassionata to remain a benchmark for boutique fractional ownership: personal enough to know every owner, experienced enough to provide complete reassurance, and innovative enough to keep improving the model.” Contact: India Hobbs-Mauger Company: Appassionata Limited Web Address: www.appassionata.com SHARE OUR PROPERTIES
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