European Summer Escapes

Summer in the City – Experience art, culture and festivals across Europe with The Rocco Forte Collection

This summer, indulge in an extended luxurious break by taking advantage of the latest European Summer Escapes offer from The Rocco Forte Collection. Guests booking a three-night stay between 27th July and 4th September 2009 can enjoy up to a third off.

Find out more about the offer on European Summer Escape packages page.

Each of the 12 elegant and contemporary hotels within The Rocco Forte Collection, renowned for reflecting the city they are located in, will offer visitors savings of up to thirty three per cent throughout the summer.  It is the ideal way to explore a new city - or an old favourite - during the summer period when so many exciting festivals, events and spectacles are planned to make the most of the sunshine.

The package of course includes the latest stunning addition to the Rocco Forte Collection: The Augustine in Prague. Positioned next to The Wallenstein Gardens and steeped in history, The Augustine is the jewel in Prague’s crown and ideally located to explore by foot.  The Czech city is brimming with cultural delights and this summer sees the arrival of 180 life-size original figures from the Terracotta Army collection from China.

As temperatures rise in Italy, the queues for many world famous galleries tend to deplete so the two Italian hotels within The Rocco Forte Collection provide the perfect retreat.  From the beautiful Hotel Savoy in Florence, you have the last chance to visit the Vasari Corridor which will close in September for restoration. The corridor is a private passageway dating back to 1564 which was built to allow the Royal family to move freely from Palazzo Pitti to the government palace. The hotel’s L’Incontro Bar and Restaurant offers uninterrupted views over the piazza with fine alfresco dining.

Rocco Forte’s Hotel de Russie in Rome is an oasis in the middle of the city with a butterfly garden created in collaboration with the WWF. Guests are invited to sample the Official Angels and Demons Tour, based on the book by Dan Brown. This treasure-hunt through the Eternal City takes in the many sights including Santa Maria del Popolo Church, Piazza del Popolo, Saint Peter’s Square, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Castel Sant’Angelo. Alternatively, visitors to Rome can visit Villa Adriana in Tivoli which is the most extensive roman villa and is one of the Human Heritage Monuments by UNESCO.

With three properties in Germany, The Rocco Forte Collection is the authority on luxury hotels, offering travellers three contrasting cities to visit.

Visitors to Frankfurt in August should take in the Museum Embankment Festival held along both sides of the Main River. The arts and cultural festival is a must if you choose to stay at Rocco Forte’s Villa Kennedy, whilst the Villa Spa is a serene haven, offering an indoor pool and Spa garden.

Who needs to escape the city to find some sand? The summer months in Berlin are given a coastal feel with a series of urban beaches complete with sand and palm trees along the River Spree. Guests are invited to stay at Rocco Forte’s Hotel de Rome, which also houses a stunning spa in the former bank vaults and is ideally positioned for exploring and shopping.  Meanwhile, the perfect location to experience Munich’s Movies, Moon and Stars programme is Rocco Forte’s The Charles Hotel. Enjoy a movie under the stars in the relaxing setting of Munich's Seebühne. At Movies, Moon and Stars you can bring a picnic and relax in the amphitheatre that surrounds the floating stage on the park's small lake.

Further afield, why not head to Russia this summer?  Visit the city of St Petersburg during the warmer months and leave your fur hat at home! There are numerous discounts available throughout the city during the quieter period and guests of Hotel Astoria in St Isaac’s Square will find this luxury destination particularly accessible at this time. The hotel’s Davidov Restaurant and Kandinsky Bar make it one of the leading properties in the city called the ‘Venice of the North’.

For those who prefer not to fly, The Rocco Forte Collection offers three stunning hotels in the British Isles.  Scotland’s capital city buzzes with culture during August with the Edinburgh Festival. Situated directly above Waverley Station and minutes away from Edinburgh Castle, The Balmoral is within walking distance of many of the world-class performances.  The Balmoral boasts Michelin-starred restaurant number one and one of Scotland’s best urban day spa retreats.
 The famous Brown’s Hotel offers guests a central and stylish location in London during the eventful months including the BBC PROMS.  Located in the heart of Mayfair with a legendary Afternoon Tea, Brown’s Hotel is supremely stylish and yet quintessentially English.

After pounding the streets during Manchester Pride one of the UK's largest Pride events, rest your feet and enjoy the luxurious Rocco Forte’s The Lowry, which houses The River Bar and Restaurant within its modern glass-fronted facade..

Or...simply jump on the Eurostar to arrive less than two hours later at The Amigo in Brussels to witness the famous Brussels Flower Carpet, a remarkable attraction during August when the Grand Place site is covered in flowers. The Amigo stands adjacent to this beautiful square and is a charming base from which to experience the city’s famous mussels, waffles and history via its cobbled streets.

European Summer Escapes price examples: 
-Hotel Amigo, Brussels, cost for 3 nights including breakfast from €537, saving €270
Hotel Savoy, Florence, cost for 3 nights including breakfast from €930, saving €456
The Augustine, Prague, cost for 3 nights including breakfast from €669, saving €336
Hotel Astoria, St. Petersburg cost for 3 nights including breakfast from £721, saving €386

On sale now. For reservations, please contact: www.roccofortecollection.com or call 00800 7666 6667

Ends

For press information, please contact Anna Martin or Natasha Berg on +44 (0) 207 766 3107/3137

Notes to Editors

• European City Escapes offer is available for stays from 27th July to 4th September at each of the 12 city hotels within The Rocco Forte Collection and is subject to availability.
• Rates quoted include breakfast and exclude VAT
• To qualify for the offer guests must stay 3 consecutive nights to receive up to a third off
o Offer is available on selected rooms and suites
• Offer is not available for group bookings and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer
• Rates are subject to change

The Rocco Forte Collection
The Rocco Forte Collection was established in 1996 to create a group of luxury hotels in Europe.  The hotels have individual styles, with each hotel reflecting its nationality and location. The properties are linked together under The Rocco Forte Collection, which guarantees attention to detail, quality and service delivery.

Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; The Lowry Hotel, Manchester; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Brown’s Hotel, London; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; Le Richemond, Geneva ; The Charles Hotel, Munich ; The Augustine, Prague

Future openings: Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily –Summer 2009 ; Marrakech – 2010 ; Abu Dhabi – 2010 ; Jeddah - 2010