Summer in the city

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.

Each of the 12 elegant and contemporary hotels within The Rocco Forte Collection, renowned for reflecting the city in which they are located, will offer visitors savings of up to thirty-three percent 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 European sunshine.

“We anticipate a significant number of visitors from the Gulf and Middle East this summer, as we continue to see a steady rise in guests from this region,” said Adel Soukah from The Rocco Forte Collection Middle East Sales Team.

“Our European destinations are particularly popular with Middle Eastern guests because of the good travel connections from all the GCC countries, the high levels of personalised customer service we offer, our extensive range of facilities and our great central locations. We also offer a number of special amenities for our Arab guests such as prayer mats, Middle Eastern delicacies, the continuous availability of halal foods, as well as special Arabic cuisine during Ramadan,” added Soukah.

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.

Visit Geneva, Switzerland to stay at Le Richemond and enjoy the city’s art and culture from a stunning lakeside location. A highlight in the city’s summer calendar, The Fetes de Geneve is a collection of concerts, parades and shows which will bring the streets of Geneva to life between July 30th and August 8th. Colourful floats, performances, stalls and a spectacular fireworks show.

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’.

The Rocco Forte Collection also 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. Visitors to Manchester can enjoy 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

For reservations, visit roccofortecollection.com.