FRANKFURT”S new Rocco Forte Hotel, the Villa Kennedy, will open 1 March. Rather like its contemporary, Brown”s Hotel in London”s Mayfair, the new Forte property is built around an existing hotel, the Villa Speyer, which was originally constructed in 1904. Unusual for a city hotel, it is nestled amongst extensive gardens, providing a unique retreat from the bustle of the city yet still within easy reach of the main business and leisure areas. Villa Kennedy has 163 rooms, including 26 suites, designed by London-based Martin Brudnizki and his team in a minimalist deluxe style. The lobby area of each guestroom has timber floors and full-length mirrored walls. All rooms feature state-of-the-art technology, including flat-screen televisions and dedicated workstations. A highlight of the hotel is the spa area, which is split over three levels and comprises a 15-metre indoor pool with raised relaxation area, sauna, Turkish steam room, yoga studio, gym and eight treatment rooms. Business clients will benefit from seven meeting rooms, five of which inter-connect, for groups of 6 to 40 people. There is also a 330-square metre (450 people) ballroom with its own entrance and a grand lobby. Work is pressing ahead with a further two Rocco Forte hotels in Germany, Hotel de Rome in Berlin (opening September 2006) and a yet to be named Munich property (opening Spring 2007).
http://www.roccofortehotels.com