Rocco Forte Hotels is not just a name; it is a family. At the head of the company are Sir Rocco Forte, his sister Olga Polizzi, and his children Lidia, Irene, and Charles. The collection includes 14 hotels located in popular countries across Europe; from historic hotels in prestigious city districts to resorts in unique locations along the Italian coast. Each hotel embodies the Forte family’s philosophy: warm and attentive service; light and elegant design reflecting each region’s character; superb restaurants and bars; signature spa salons; as well as a distinctive Anglo-Italian style, sophistication, and warmth.

The Forte family’s hotel business history began in 1911 when Sir Rocco’s grandfather, having moved from Italy to Scotland, opened the Savoy Café and later became the owner of several popular restaurants in Scotland and England. Inspired by this success, his son Charles Forte, Sir Rocco’s father, opened the Milk Bar on the prestigious Regent Street in London. He was in the right place at the right time. Soon, there were five such bars in central London. The Forte business grew and eventually evolved into one of the world’s largest hotel and restaurant chains known as Forte Group.

Sir Rocco started working with his father in the late 1960s, and together they made Forte Group a market leader. At that time, their portfolio included hotels such as Hotel George V and Plaza Athénée in Paris, Ritz in Madrid, and Hotel des Bergues in Geneva. Unfortunately, due to an unsuccessful merger, the family lost everything... Sir Rocco then launched his new brand, Rocco Forte Hotels, starting with just one hotel — The Balmoral in Edinburgh, which he acquired in 1997.

Today, both of Sir Rocco’s daughters and his son work within the company. Lidia is responsible for developing the restaurant line of the hotel collection; Irene oversees branding and service standards and is also the creator of Irene Forte Skincare, which is featured in all hotel spa centers. Olga Polizzi, Sir Rocco’s sister, designs all hotels’ interiors by collaborating with renowned designers. It is truly a family business.

Over more than 20 years of successful activity, they have built a collection of remarkable hotels located in major European cities. Among them is the famous Astoria Hotel in Saint Petersburg and one of London’s first hotels — Brown’s. In Germany, each hotel reflects its building's or location's distinguished history: Hotel de Rome in Berlin, Villa Kennedy in Frankfurt, and The Charles Hotel in Munich. The Hotel Amigo located in central Brussels also stands out with its distinctive character.

Half of the hotels are situated in Italy—the family’s historic homeland—including Hotel de Russie and Hotel de la Ville in eternal Rome, as well as Savoy Hotel in Florence, at the heart of Tuscany. Several resorts are located on Sicily: Verdura Resort golf hotel on the Mediterranean coast and the new Villa Igiea hotel in Palermo (opening scheduled for 2021). One of the newest additions is the restored Masseria Torre Maizza on the Adriatic Sea coast in Apulia.

“Something new. Something special. Something unique.”

UPDATED: March 25, 2020