Crafting a Seamless Luxury Experience at Passalacqua with FreedomPay

Passalacqua is redefining luxury hospitality—offering a rare blend of history and beauty on Lake Como.
 
The five-star hotel has partnered with FreedomPay, embracing advanced commerce technology to further enhance the luxury hospitality experience. By harmonizing payments, PMS integration, and mobile functionality into a unified platform,FreedomPay supports Passalacqua’s mission to offer guests an experience that is both timeless and technologically effortless—from check-in to checkout and beyond.

The Challenge: Marrying Timeless Elegance with Modern Technology

From hand-restored frescoes and antique glass chandeliers to hidden minibars and secretly framed televisions, Passalacqua was meticulously designed to blend luxury with discretion. But behind the scenes, the hotel required a payment system that could match this level of sophistication—delivering seamless functionality without disrupting the guest journey and experience.
 
Andrea Caniggia, Board Member and Financial Controller at Passalacqua, shared:
“Our vision was clear—we wanted guests to feel the spirit and history of this place the moment they arrived. Technology should elevate that experience, not intrude upon it. We needed a partner that understood this balance.”
 
Core requirements included:

• Mobile PED capabilities to support payments from any location on the property.


• Seamless integration with the hotel’s Property Management System (PMS) without visible hardware at the front desk.


• Tokenized, PCI-compliant transactions and paperless receipts.


• Real-time transactional data and centralized reporting for finance.

 

The Solution: FreedomPay’s Seamless Innovation

To deliver on that promise, Passalacqua partnered with FreedomPay, a global leader in commerce technology. The goal was to create a flawless and flexible payment experience—one that was present wherever it was needed, but never visible or disruptive.
 
FreedomPay deployed Wi-Fi-enabled payment terminals across the estate, enabling payments to be taken anywhere.The result: no queues, no delays—just seamless service.
 
“We may only have 24 rooms, but we offer the full spectrum of luxury hospitality,” said Elena De Santis, Director of Finance. “That includes a world-class spa and fine dining experiences. Our guests expect the highest standard—and FreedomPay helps us deliver it, discreetly and beautifully.”
 
Technology remains elegantly in the background at Passalacqua. TV screens are hidden behind custom frames, the check-in desk is free of visible PMS equipment, and all payments are processed digitally. Guests receive a final account upon checkout—nothing more, nothing less.
 
FreedomPay deployed its Next Level Commerce™ platform, featuring:

• Mobile Wi-Fi enabled terminals for staff to initiate and complete transactions across the property—from suites to spa terraces.


• Direct integration with the hotel’s PMS, enabling centralized guest folio management and real-time transaction syncing without interrupting the aesthetic or experience.


• End-to-end tokenization and point-to-point encryption (P2PE), ensuring maximum data security and PCI compliance.


• Paperless billing and digital receipt delivery, with the final guest folio issued only at checkout.

A Partnership Beyond Technology

Passalacqua doesn’t think of FreedomPay as a vendor, but as a true partner in delivering world-class service.
 
“From the moment of installation, the FreedomPay team delivered a flawless, seamless setup,” added Elena De Santis. “Their engineers worked around our unique needs with grace and professionalism. It was more than a technical deployment—it was a collaboration.”
 
Ben Eckley, VP of European Sales & Partnerships at FreedomPay, reflected on the collaboration:
 
“Passalacqua is a one-of-a-kind property with an equally unique set of challenges. They came to us seeking not just best-in-class technology, but best-in-class support. We’re proud to have met that challenge and to be part of a guest journey that is as seamless as it is extraordinary.”
 

Results: A Unified, High-Touch Commerce Experience

• Frictionless Payments: Guests can transact anywhere on the estate without queueing or being redirected to fixed terminals.


• Invisible Infrastructure: No visible POS hardware or traditional check-in counters disrupt the historical ambiance.


• Operational Efficiency: Real-time reporting and transaction-level data enable fast reconciliation and informed decision-making.


• Enhanced Security: All guest payment data is fully encrypted and tokenized, ensuring regulatory compliance and peace of mind.