Skip to main content

Real-Time Retreats

Taking “The Grand Tour Italy!”

Rocco Forte Style

divider pattern

This week we’re taking a whirlwind tour of Italy, through the luxurious properties of the Rocco Forte Hotel Group. But wait, “That certainly couldn’t be so encompassing, could it?” you might say. And we would reply, “Hold my wine glass. How about…

Real-Time Retreats - The Grand Tour Italy! with Rocco Forte Hotels
  • Hotel de la Ville (Rome)
  • Hotel de Russie (Rome)
  • Rocco Forte House (Rome)
  • Hotel Savoy (Florence)
  • Masseria Torre Maizza (Puglia)
  • Vendura Resort (Sicily)
  • Rocco Forte Private Villas (Sicily)
  • Villa Igiea (Palermo - opening June 2021)
  • and The Carlton (Milan - opening 2023)?”

Megan McHale, Director of Global Sales, will lead us on a charming jaunt through the jaw-dropping properties of Rocco Forte. And she’ll have their ‘Italian Stallion,’ Benedetto Consiglio, live from Rome as well!

So, this week we invite you to dress in your swankiest Italian designers, darlings, or anything else that evokes Italy! Perhaps you’re a pasta maker, or a hip barista at an espresso stand? Maybe you’re a tour guide at the Borghese Gallery, or you’re an artist who paints at night for the crowds at Piazza Navona? We’re sure that you’ll have molto bene ideas to bring Italy alive for our call!

Italian movie poster - Marriage Italian Style
Giveaways this week!

The planner who goes all-in this week will win a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses!

And the first five planners to log in after 3:55 will win a gift, too! So, come for the learning and stay for the laughs, bellas.

Video Replay

Our Hosts

Megan McHale, Director of Global Sales, East Coast - Rocco Forte Hotels

Megan McHale

Director of Global Sales, East Coast
Rocco Forte Hotels

348 W. 57th Street
Suite 370
New York, NY 10019
O: +1 (646) 257-2914
D: +1 (917) 225-9527
M: +1 (917) 747-6099
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
W: roccofortehotels.com
Connect on LinkedIn

Benedetto Consiglio, Regional Director of Sales, Italy – Rocco Forte Hotels

Benedetto Consiglio

Regional Director of Sales, Italy
Rocco Forte Hotels

O: +39 06 32888847
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
W: roccofortehotels.com
Connect on LinkedIn

Rocco Forte Hotels

Rocco Forte Hotels, Italy

Welcome to Rocco Forte Hotels: exquisite hotels in exceptional locations. From London to Rome, Sicily to St Petersburg, each property is as unique as the place it calls home – each steeped in the spirit of its setting, united by the Forte family’s signature Anglo-Italian style, sophistication and warmth.

Expect national landmarks at the city’s best addresses and heavenly retreats. Secret gardens, Sicilian-inspired spas, rooftop bars and world-leading restaurants. Imaginative, original design, inspired by each locale, alike in quality and comfort. Genuine, individualized service and an open, easy atmosphere. Expect an unforgettable stay – and expect to return.

Hotel De La Ville - Rome

HOTEL DE LA VILLE - ROME

A vibrant, modern-day icon atop the Spanish Steps.

‘A lively 18th-century palazzo in a peerless position, Hotel de la Ville both embodies and overlooks life in the Eternal City.’

The confluence of classical Roman romance and contemporary cool, sweeping city views, buzzing drinking and dining spots and fresh, zestful design make for Rome’s most exciting new arrival. Fall for its enchanting courtyard, exquisite food from Fulvio Pierangelini, effervescent rooftop bar, street-side bistro and Sicilian-inspired spa.

Hotel Da Russie - Rome

HOTEL DA RUSSIE - ROME

A true Roman luminary between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps, the classical and cosmopolitan come together at Hotel de Russie.

An enduring favourite of artists and writers, stars and politicians, Hotel de Russie was dubbed “paradise on earth” by French poet Jean Cocteau in 1917, and the accolade still stands today. Visit our stunning Mediterranean tiered Secret Garden, with rose bushes, orange trees, and mature pine, and listen to the gentle sounds of the small waterfall flowing between three nymphaeums, to experience the magic for yourself.

Indulge in one of the best aperitivo experiences in the city in our Stravinskij Bar, sipping expertly-mixed cocktails under the stars. Surrender to bliss in the sublime De Russie Spa and dine on fine Italian classics in Le Jardin de Russie before heading up to enjoy exceptional comfort in the stylish surrounds of your luxury room or suite in the heart of Rome.

Rocco Forte House - Rome

ROCCO FORTE HOUSE - ROME

For those seeking something special, Rocco Forte House: the intimacy and exclusivity of a private home; the mark of quality of a Rocco Forte hotel.

At Piazza de Spagna, five palatial private apartments within an 18th-century palazzo. Above, a stately roof terrace surveying the Spanish Steps. Inside, elegant, opulent design by Tommaso Ziffer. A dedicated house manager on hand. Unbridled access to spas, bars and Fulvio Pierangelini restaurants of Rome’s foremost hotels: Hotel de la Ville and de Russie. A contemporary proposition, built on Rocco Forte’s rich Italian tradition. This is the height of elegant Roman living.

Hotel Savoy - Florence

HOTEL SAVOY - FLORENCE

Located on the magnificent Piazza della Repubblica in Florence, mere moments from the majesty of the Duomo, Hotel Savoy is part of the Florentine tradition of grand palaces, offering you an invitation to the historic heart of the city.

During your stay in Florence, enjoy an aperitivo on the decadent outdoor terrace of Irene Bistro, savouring the vibrant Emilio Puccio decor and the hum of the city streets. Dive into Fulvio Pierangelini’s expertly crafted menu of fine Italian cuisine, using some of the region’s best ingredients. And as night falls, sink into splendour in your Olga Polizzi-designed room.

Negroni Cocktail

Negroni Cocktail

The Negroni is a popular Italian cocktail, made of one part gin, one part vermouth rosso, and one part Campari, garnished with orange peel. It is considered an apéritif. A traditionally made Negroni is stirred, not shaken, and built over ice in an old-fashioned or rocks glass and garnished with a slice of orange.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce gin
  • 1 ounce Campari
  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth
  • Garnish: orange peel

Method

  • Add the gin, Campari and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until well-chilled.
  • Strain into a rocks glass filled with large ice cubes.
  • Garnish with an orange peel.
Masseria Torre Maizza - Puglia

MASSERIA TORRE MAIZZA - PUGLIA

Masseria Torre Maizza is located in the most glamorous destination on the Italian Adriatic coast. Inspired by the sensational landscapes of Puglia and the ethos of Rocco Forte Hotels, it exquisitely blends local heritage with contemporary luxury and unparalleled service.

Surrounded by ancient olive groves, the renovated 16th century masseria is filled with thoughtful design accents and details to create a unique sense of place, from the stunning Olga Polizzi-designed rooms and suites to the romantic sunset rooftop bar and elegant restaurant overlooking the swimming pool. The resort also features a 9-hole executive golf course, a private beach club and an indulgent spa.

Verdura Resort - Sicily

VERDURA RESORT - SICILY

Welcome to Verdura Resort: 230 hectares of sun-kissed Mediterranean coastline, countryside, spa and golf.

Olive trees, orange groves and white-sand beaches. Tennis courts, water sports, championship golf and kids’ clubs. Infinity pools, thalassotherapy and the flagship Rocco Forte Spa. Fine dining, healthy eating and world-famous local wine. Luxurious eco-architecture and organic ingredients, grown on our land. Verdura is an oasis, a centre of wellbeing, escapism and indulgence set against backdrop of charming Sicilian villages, ancient Greek and Roman sites and the beautiful, blue Mediterranean Sea.

Rocco Forte Private Villas - Sicily

VILLA IGIEA - PALERMO

Space, serenity and sea views: expansive, exclusive Rocco Forte Private Villas with the lifestyle, leisure facilities and fine dining of Verdura Resort, Sicily.

From their hilltop spot, our elegant 3 and 4 bedroom villas overlook the Mediterranean Sea and Sicilian countryside. Your home: airy, elegant interiors, peaceful courtyards, sunny swimming pools and seamless indoor-outdoor living. Your host: Verdura Resort, its award-winning spa, restaurants and services; its gardens, groves, golf courses and coast.

Villa Igiea - Palermo

VILLA IGIEA - PALERMO

(Opening June 2021)

Discover history, majesty and serenity at Villa Igiea: a turn-of-the-century palazzo at the perimeter of vivid Palermo, the foot of Mount Pellegrino and the Gulf of Palermo. A long-loved seaside-meets-city sanctuary for royalty, dignitaries and Hollywood luminaries, trace their paths through tiered villa gardens that sweep down to the port and out to the Tyrrhenian Sea; on excursions to Palermo’s bustling markets, Baroque palaces and ancient sites, or yacht trips along its picturesque coast; and through Villa Igiea’s Italian restaurants, atmospheric bars and palatial Art Nouveau interior, revitalised as a Rocco Forte hotel.

The Carlton - Milan

THE CARLTON - MILAN

Rocco Forte Hotels is proud to announce a new five-star hotel opening in Milan’s fashionable centre. It will be the first Rocco Forte property in the Italian city and is set to welcome guests in 2023 after a full refurbishment.

Rocco Forte Hotel’s Director of Design, Olga Polizzi, will collaborate with interior designers Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen to recreate an authentic Milanese experience that represents the sophistication and style of this design capital. Elegant interiors and furnishings will accompany inviting and intimate spaces, combined to create a traditional, luxury Milanese hotel with elements of surprise.

The new hotel is set to offer approximately 70 rooms and suites, a restaurant and lounge bar, a full wellness centre with gym and spa topped by a rooftop panoramic bar with 360 views over the city. The ground floor will house the historical Milanese restaurant “Il Baretto” and designer retail offering a selection of the best Italian brands.

ebola perfect game every time

ALL THINGS ITALIAN

Each week, we give you some food for thought in this little area... to help put you in the mood for our tour. This week’s food? Pasta, of course.

And while you’re cooking, the perfect Italian dinner music playlist.

As if someone could narrow these down... the 27 most beautiful places in Italy.

How Italian fashion changed the world, one ’notice-me’ moment at a time.

The 19 best Italian movies of all time.

Since there aren’t any photos yet of The Carlton Hotel in Milan, we decided to bring you, well, The Carlton.

Some virtual backgrounds for you for our Zoom call, provided by Rocco Forte Hotels

Kelly McAlister, Maui Jim Corporate Gifts

Kelly McAlister, Maui Jim

Kelly McAlister of Maui Jim will be with us on the calls each week as judge and jury to see which planner really goes all-in with the theme. So engage, be creative, and have fun... and you may be the winner!

She’ll be doing some gifting that will surely lift your shelter-in-place spirits!

Maui Jim