Spring tango holidays: 13-19/4/2025 with teachers Marisa & Oliver (B) and Daniela & Dalmazio (I) and Michela & Manuel (I).
In 2025 we will organize again a tango vacation during the Easter holidays in the sunny, green, beautiful region of Pallanza/Verbania. We will return to our beloved luxurious and stylish Grand Hotel Majestic, where we spent many unforgettable summer holidays and Spring holidays since 2013.
We are very happy to welcome you there again there in the spring, for the less hot and not too crowded Easter period… While the entire lake coast is in bloom, the surrounding mountains are still covered with fresh white snow. April at the Lago Maggiore is really enchanting, and with a smaller group of participants, we will create an intimate and friendly atmosphere in the Grand Hotel Majestic, where luxury, friendliness and traditional italian cuisine go hand in hand with and panoramic grandeur. From every angle of the hotel you can admire the breathtaking beauty of the Lake Maggiore or the Monte Rosa.
Like last year, in 2025 we will again be 3 teaching couples. In addition to the 4 classes with main teachers and organisers Marisa & Oliver, the participants can take advantage of the didactics of 2 italian couples: Daniela & Dalmazio and Michela & Manuel, who will each teach 2 classes to each group.
Accommodation
After the successful experiences of the previous years, we will again be staying in the magnificent historic Grand Hotel Majestic**** in Pallanza/Verbania (Piedmont).
Located on the lakeside promenade of the picturesque town of Pallanza, the hotel is surrounded by beautiful, huge flourishing gardens. From its privileged position, you have breathtaking views from almost every angle: the surrounding mountains and the Monte Rosa, the splendid Borromeo Islands in front, and the Lake itself all around.
All rooms have a private bathroom with shower, air conditioning, satellite TV, WiFi, a mini bar. About half of the rooms have a stunning lake or mountain view..
The micro climate in this region is mild and sunny in April. The temperatures here are on average around 20° during the day, but there can also be peaks of 25°. The hotel has a small private beach directly on the lake. Although sometimes people already swim in April in the (still fresh) lake water, it is anyway possible to use the indoor heated swimming pool and sauna. The pool area has beautiful sliding glass doors to the astonishing flower garden. A fitness room with modern infrastructure is also available.
The characteristic city of Pallanza is only 1 km away; fashion capital Milan 90 km to the south, Brussels 870 km. The Majestic is easily accessible by car (free parking in front of the hotel), with the train (Verbania) and by airplane (the closest airport is Milano Malpensa, at 70 km.
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Prices
| Classic room to the back side (only 5 available) | 1010€ pp |
| Supplement balcony (only 5 available) | 15€ pp per day |
| Supplement lake view (only 5 available) | 30€ pp per day |
| Supplement lake view and balcony | 55€ pp per day |
| Supplement double room for single use | 60€ pp per day |
| Superior, deluxe, suite, children, dog… available upon request | |
The number of rooms in the standard categories are limited. These will be allocated at the time of booking.
> The tourist tax is not included in the above prices.
> Advance to be paid within 2 weeks of booking to Marisa and Oliver: 350€ pp.
> Deposit (non-refundable) to be paid to the hotel within 2 weeks: 1st night
> Remaining to be paid to the hotel by bank transfer about 6 weeks before the holiday.
> EARLY BOOK DISCOUNT: -50€ per couple with payment deposit before 15/11/2024
Cancellation fees in case of cancellation by the participant:
– until 14 days after reservation: 25€ pp.
– from 15 till 30 days after reservation: 50€ pp + non refundable 1st night to the hotel.
– as of 1 month after reservation until 10th March: 75€ pp. + non refundable 1st night to the hotel.
– after 10th March: 50% of the reserved package.
– after March 25th: the total amount is due, unless a last minute replacement can still be found.
– we strongly advise to take a personal travel insurance that will reimburse you in case of impossibility to come due to illness, family issues, a positive Covid test, etc.
Cancellation fees in case of cancellation by the organisation:
– if we have to cancel the tango week because of force majeure (Covid, travel restrictions…), you will receive a voucher for a future tango holiday, or you will be be reimbursed except for a non-refundable small administrative fee of 25€ per person to partly cover the upfront organizational work.
Package
Included in the price are:
- Hotel in half board for 6 days/nights in a double room with private bathroom (bath/shower) and toilet, hair dryer, air conditioning, TV, telephone, WIFI, mini bar, safe. The participants have free access to the private beach, the swimming pool and sauna, the garden chairs, the fitness centre, the dance halls…
- Breakfast buffet (until 10h00) and supper with typical Italian menu. Every evening in the magnificent dining room with lake view reserved for the tango group, you will enjoy a varied menu (vegetarian and not) with: salad buffet or first course, main course, side dishes, dessert. Mineral water is included in the price. 1/2 liter of house wine and a coffee is available at the special price of 12€ per person extra.
- The tango workshops: for a total of 10 hours. Each group will have 4 classes of 75 min. with professional tango teachers Marisa & Oliver, 2 classes of 75 min. with guest teachers Daniela & Dalmazio and 2 classes of 75 min. with guest teachers Michela & Manuel. Those who want to invest more can participate in all or some extra classes in the other group, or take private classes with the teachers.
- Every evening milonga, and a special ball with an exhibitions by the guest teachers.
Not included: trip/shuttle to the hotel, lunches, extras (drinks, snacks…), local tourist tax to pay at the moment of departure (+/-2€ pp per day).
Teachers
>> Marisa van Andel & Oliver Koch are the main teachers and organisers (Brussels/B, Al compás del corazón/La Tangueria).
After a career in the contemporary dance company Rosas, Marisa & Oliver have been working as a tango couple since 1996, giving workshops and exhibitions all over Europe as well as in the USA and Buenos Aires.
They danced in different tango shows in The Netherlands and Belgium and they have trained several of today’s professional tango dancers in Belgium and abroad. They also have vast experience in teaching and organising tango holidays in Italy, France and Austria.
From the beginning, they have been co-organizers of the International Brussels Tango Festival.
Their tango school Al compás del corazón and their milonga in La Tangueria have become a reference for tango in Belgium and abroad.
Marisa & Oliver will have the pleasure to share the teaching in this week with 2 couples of friends who live and teach in the neigbourhood of Pallanza.
<< Michela Elicio & Manuel Bianchi are a young tango couple living and teaching in the surroundings of Gravellona Toce, Arona and Milan. As choreographers and stage dancers they were for a longtime part of the core company of the famous maestro Miguel Angel Zotto, performing in the weekly dinner shows in Milan. M & M are also in the contest scene, as they have participated in and won several editions of the European and World Tango Championships. In 2024, they became Italian champions in the tango escenario and tango de pista categories. In 2023 and ’24 they were among the semifinalists in the Mundial de tango.
They were invited to teach and perform also in many important Italian tango events, as well as in international milongas in Athens, Barcelona, and also in La Tangueria Brussels.
Given their esteemed classes at the Easter 2024 tango vacation, we invite this friendly and talented couple to teach again in spring 2025.
>> Daniela Tabai & Dalmazio Carrara are professional dancers who give weekly tango classes in the provinces of Varese, Como and Milan. They also participate in festivals, tango holidays and theatrical tango shows all over Italy. D & D are highly qualified teachers, interpreters and choreographers, with a long tradition in Latin-American dances, and a specialisation in tango argentino. Daniela even became an early world champion tango back in 2002, where she got the title together with her previous tango partner in the Miami championship.
In 2024 we invited them for the first time as teachers for the tango vacation at the Grand Hotel Majestic. The participants were enthusiastic and therefore we chose them again for Easter 2025.
Classes
There will be a variety of themes in the classes: tango de salón, tango milonguero, tango fantasia, vals and milonga. The classes will focus on technique, as well as on detailed refinements regarding posture, axis & balance, embrace, foot work, adornos, musicality, leading and following. Students will learn new movements, figures and sequences, but the main goal is to create a more harmonious, comfortable and enjoyable dance.
Up to 15 registered couples, there will be only 1 group for the classes. As of 16 couples, the participants will be divided into 2 groups. The degree of difficulty of the lessons will be decided by the teachers according to the average level of each group. At the time of registration, participants are asked to detail their experience of tango and the estimated level (neo beginner, intermediate, advanced, very advanced…) .
The tango workshops are taught in a spacious dancing room (Sala Toscanini), with sprung floor and lake view. Generally, the classes take place after breakfast and before dinner. Everybody will have one full day without classes, to have time to explore the region.
A detailed programme of the classes will be sent to the participants about one month before the start of the holidays.
The classes will be taught in English. Oliver also speaks German, French and Dutch, and Marisa is fluent in English French, Dutch, Italian and understands and speaks German and Spanish.
Generally, the lessons are reserved for the participants of the tango holiday. If, at the end of the registration period, there are still places available, people from outside can also take the lessons à la carte. Also Tango dancers who do not want to follow classes but only want to stay at the preferential rate in the hotel and participate in the milongas can register (subject to availability).
Milongas
In the evenings there will be milongas in the beautiful dancing hall with sprung floor, big terrace and lake view. A special milonga will be organised during the week with exhibitions by the guest teachers. Some of the milongas will be open for outsiders of the tango holidays (subject to paying an entrance fee). Previous reservation is compulsory for non hotel guests.
Singles
We try to help singles to find a partner for the workshops by bringing them into contact with each other. Once registered as a dance couple, however, it is no longer possible to request a partner change for the classes. So please verify that the relationship between the two dancers is good before registering as a dance couple.
Also for those who wish to find a room mate (eg 2 or 3 ladies or men together), we can provide help by bringing singles into contact with each other, but we cannot guarantee that we will find a suitable roommate for everyone.
Practical information
- Arrival is is foreseen on Sunday 13th April before 17h. Supper is at 19h.
- Departure is on Saturday 19th April after breakfast. Those wishing to stay longer at the hotel for Easter on April 20 and 21 had best give notice as soon as possible, as rooms will most likely sell out.
- For tango guests who want to book extra days, for tango dancers who only participate in the milongas, and for non-dancers who accompany participants (spouses, children, babysitters…) we have negotiated a discount group price. To benefit of the cheaper conditions, it is compulsory to book via Marisa and not to contact the hotel directly. NB: a small commission of 10€ pp per day is charged by the organization for extra days and for non tango guests who in exchange benefit of the cheaper group prices we negotiated. However, if you book extra days directly at the hotel desk, you will either have to pay the full hotel price, or the commission (10€ per day pp) will be charged to you afterwards. We thank you for your understanding. Be aware to book asap, as last year the hotel was fully booked and additional days were not possible anymore.
- Participants who take the full package of hotel + classes + milongas have priority.
- Small pets are allowed, at an extra charge.
Address and itinerary of the Hotel
Grand Hotel Majestic Pallanza
Via V.Veneto, 32, 28922 Verbania, Italy
Tel: +39 0323 509711 – Fax: +39 0323 556379
GSM: +39 349 800 44 28
E-mail: info@grandhotelmajestic.it
http://www.grandhotelmajestic.it
Person of contact: Federica Avetta
Itinerary
From the north (Belgium, The Netherlands, France, etc)
Go to the south to the Gotthard Tunnel (CH). Shortly (+/- 30 minutes) after the Gotthard Tunnel take exit 47 Bellinzona Sud/Locarno. Take the A13 Locarno Tenero, continue towards Ascona. Enter Italy, then subsequently follow Cannobbio, Cannero Rivera, Ghiffa, Intra, Verbania.
Bookings
All full package and hotel only reservations have to be made only via Marisa. Do not contact the hotel directly if you wish to benefit of the group prices or participate in the tango activities.
To reserve your tango holidays, please send the complete details of both dancers, the chosen dates and your dancing level to Marisa (NL, FR, EN, DE, IT, ES) via tangueria@gmail.com.
The telephone & Whatsapp number is: +32 479 22 86 98.
