The Art of Living Well

The Art of Living Well

The spirit of a city. The soul of a building. And the intimacy of a family home. Our design approach brings all these elements together to give every Rocco Forte hotel a unique imprint.

We have thirteen very different hotels in the Group, from the intimate, fashion-focused Hotel Savoy in Florence to the ‘grand old lady’ that is The Charles Hotel in Munich. But thanks to Olga Polizzi, our co-founder and design director, all of them combine their individual character with an irresistible sense of relaxed elegance.

Look carefully and you’ll find our design ethic has signature features. These reflect our passions and Italian sense of style, refined and cherished over four generations in hospitality.

Beautiful, locally made furniture adds individuality to every hotel. A refusal to compromise on craftsmanship or materials creates a sense of indulgence for guests. And a deep-rooted belief that design is about comfort as well as style, makes our hotels easy to embrace – and hard to leave

Nijinsky Suite

Following a complete renovation led by Olga Polizzi, our Director of Design, this exceptional suite pays tribute to the graceful poise of esteemed ballet dancer and choreographer, Vaslav Nijinsky, who was a frequent visitor to Hotel de Russie.

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Villa Igiea

In 2019, Villa Igiea was acquired by Rocco Forte Hotels, a beginning of a new era for this opulent coastal resort. Working in collaboration with Paolo Moschino Ltd, Rocco Forte Hotels’ Director of Design Olga Polizzi has carefully restored this Grade 1-listed landmark, preserving its unique heritage features whilst reimagining and updating neglected areas.

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Hotel de la Ville

Designer Tommaso Ziffer, in collaboration with Olga Polizzi, Director of Design for Rocco Forte Hotels, was inspired by The Grand Tour of the 18th century when English and German nobles collected pieces of art during their cultural journeys to European cities. Using the backdrop of the timeless palazzo, Ziffer has recreated a contemporary retrospective of The Grand Tour by taking guests on a playful voyage of discovery.

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Sir Paul Smith Suite

British designer Paul Smith has created a unique suite at Brown’s Hotel, in collaboration with Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels. Enter the ‘Sir Paul Smith Suite’ to be surrounded by custom and vintage furniture, hand-selected artworks and designs from Paul Smith’s debut home collection.

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Olga Polizzi

Director of Design

“Each of our hotels have their own very strong characteristics, but we always design them to respect and mirror their location – and with the comfort of our guests in mind. My inspiration comes from everywhere: I might find a hanging at the Decorative Arts Fayre in Battersea; a vase from the Sablon area of Brussels. The art is in combining pieces, colours and materials to keep enhancing the spirit of the space.”  

Perhaps more than anything, our design approach springs from our belief that designing a hotel is like creating a home: it’s a lifetime project. In the same way that the exterior of a hotel weathers and changes with the seasons, so the interior evolves, too.

Collaboration is key to the design philosophy, working with leading local designers to realise each new hotel. As too is the belief that designing a hotel is like creating a home: it’s a lifetime project. By continually curating art, furniture and fabrics, hotels are created over time, layer by layer, so returning guests always have something new to discover.

Our Collaborators

Sir Paul Smith at the Sir Paul Smith Suite at 5-Star Hotel Brown's in London

Paul Smith

Renowned British fashion designer, who created the Sir Paul Smith Suite at Brown’s Hotel, London

Laudomia Pucci

Laudomia Pucci

Daughter of Florentine fashion designer Emilio Pucci, credited with the international expansion of the fashion house, and design partner on Hotel Savoy

Paolo Moschino, Philip Vergeylen And Olga Polizzi At Villa Igiea in Palermo

Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen

The architect-designers at the helm of award-winning design studio and design partners on the new Carlton, Milan

Tommaso Ziffer at Hotel de la Ville, Rome

Tomasso Ziffer

Esteemed architect and designer of Valentino boutiques, collaborator on Rocco Forte hotels in Rome: Hotel de la Ville and Hotel de Russie

Inge Moore, Rocco Forte Hotels

Inge Moore

Co-founder of design lab Muza, integral collaborator in the redesign of Brown’s Hotel London

Martin Brudninski

Known for the design of some of hospitality’s biggest names, from Scott’s and the Ivy to Soho House and Annabel’s – and co-designer of the Balmoral’s Brasserie Prince

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