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

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