Valentine's Day according to Rocco Forte Hotels

London – 25 January 2012 - Valentine’s Day may be looming but it doesn’t take a commercial concept to inspire Rocco Forte Hotels to romance. Spring is in the air, and with it the promise of romantic days spent exploring some of Europe’s most alluring cities. From waking up in an astronomical tower; exploring Russian folklore and candle-lit dinners in a jewellery vault; to your very own blessing by Augustinian monks, there is not a rose petal or chocolate heart in sight.

In Prague, the Augustine Hotel sets a scene of ubiquitous luxury. Am amalgam of seven original buildings, the hotel is named after the 13th Century Augustinian St. Thomas Monastery at its own core. For a lasting impression, book the hotel’s dramatic Tower Suite. Located in the monastery’s astronomical tower and spread over three floors, the suite offers breathtaking 360 degrees of the Golden City. For those seeking divine intervention, a couples’ blessing by the monks in the St. Thomas Church can also be arranged. The hotel’s Celebrating Romance in Prague experience further includes a couples’ spa treatment, a private dinner for two and a champagne fuelled private boat tour of on Prague’s Vlatava River, making for  the perfect escape from the bustling city centre. This three night package starts from €1,065. The same three night package in the Tower Suite starts from €6,435.

In London, Brown’s Hotel, has partnered with the London Library to offer its guests a Valentine’s Day experience with a literary twist. The hotel which opened in 1837 has long been a favourite haunt for well known members of the London Library, which now holds more than one million books on 15 miles of open shelving – a paradise for bookish lovers. Guests will be taken on a tour through the Library’s literary labyrinth via the romantic words of some of its famous members with readings from poets and authors as Tennyson, George Eliot and T.S. Eliot. Before leaving for HIX at the Albemarle at Brown’s Hotel with a beautiful volume of love poems in hand, guests will also hear stories of many of its colourful members’ own love lives. The package costs £160 for two people. Rooms start at £259 per night.

In Berlin, Hotel de Rome sets the scene of sheer luxury and indulgence. For a tryst with a twist, guests can book the unusual vault room where in former times jewels and valuables were stored behind massive steel doors – ideal for a private candlelit dinner (from €80 per person). This year’s Berlinale coincides with Valentine’s Day, and the hotel Bebel Bar is hosting a ‘Movie Night’ during which classic love stories will be screened while guests sample inspired cocktails. The lavish Celebrating Romance in Berlin includes a bottle of champagne on arrival, relaxing SHISEIDO bath products and a selection of romantic films. Prices start €395 per night in a Classic Room.

Hotel de Russie in Rome is often described as one of the Eternal City’s most romantic settings. Located between the Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps on Rome’s fashionable Via del Babuino makes it the perfect rendezvous for a weekend getaway. The hotel’s Valentine’s Treat experience sets the tone with a walking map of Rome highlighting its most romantic spots, a welcome gift by Confetteria Conti di Milano and a two hour professional photography session in the city. The package starts from €568 per night, inclusive of breakfast. Minimum two night stay applies.

The same experience is available at Hotel Savoy in Florence. From Botticelli’s Venus, to Dante & Beatrice, and E.M Forster’s inspiration for A Room with a View, this city makes it impossible not to find amore. The Valentine’s Treat package starts from €427 per night, inclusive of breakfast. Minimum two night stay applies. 

Huddle together as you explore the romantic folklore of St Petersburg this winter – the best time to see the city. From the Potseluyev Most (the Bridge of Kisses) where legend has it that those who kiss on the bridge will enjoy true love; to touching the toes of the Atlantes statues which adorn the façade of the New Hermitage Building and are supposed to guarantee happiness. Those thinking about starting a family should visit the Alexander Column on Palace Square, where it is said the number of times you lead your loved one around the column will equal the number of children you’ll have. Hotel Astoria’s True Romance package includes a massage for two and aroma sauna at the hotel’s Decleor Spa Centre, a dinner at Davidov Restaurant and late check-out. The package starts from RUB 33,323 per night, inclusive of breakfast.

Brussels may not be synonymous with romance but nothing quite defines gifts of love like jewellery. Those who know the city would argue that the Grand Place with its guild houses and Gothic town hall, the cobbled lanes and winding streets of the Sablon area, all offer an idyllic setting for a getaway. Hotel Amigo’s Love to Love You offer includes an exclusive gift from Belgium’s top jewellery designer, Crista Reniers who finds her inspiration in natural, organic shapes and translates them into beautiful bespoke pieces. From €359 per night, breakfast included.

For more information or to book, visit www.roccofortehotels.com

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Notes to Editors
Rocco Forte Hotels

Rocco Forte Hotels is a family of 13 individual hotels and resorts. Each property has a unique style, reflecting its nationality and location, but all share Rocco Forte Hotels’ trademark attention to detail, high quality and immaculate service.
 
Established by Sir Rocco Forte in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: 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; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Augustine Hotel, Prague; Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily; Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi. Future openings: Jeddah 2013; Marrakech 2014; Cairo 2014; Luxor 2014.

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