Rocco Forte Hotels has completed major design work at two of its best-known Italian properties, finishing a three-year refurbishment of Hotel Savoy in Florence and the latest phase of updates at Hotel de Russie in Rome.
Announced on 13 July, the projects were led by Rocco Forte Hotels Director of Design Olga Polizzi. Studio Ferrari collaborated on the Florence refurbishment, while Studio Moschino worked on the redesigned arrival spaces in Rome.
The two projects share an emphasis on Italian makers but respond differently to their locations. Hotel Savoy uses Florentine stone, timber and cultural references throughout its guestrooms and social spaces. Hotel de Russie draws on historical Roman interiors, softened by warm colours and custom-made contemporary pieces.
Hotel Savoy brings Florentine craft into every room
Looking out onto Piazza della Repubblica, Hotel Savoy is a historic luxury hotel housed in an 1893 building in central Florence. Its refurbishment is now complete, with more than €9 million invested in the work, which covers all 46 rooms and suites, along with the hotel’s dining and gathering spaces.
Bespoke parquet flooring, Arabescato marble and locally sourced stone give the guestrooms a stronger connection to the city. Timber finishes and selected textiles add warmth, while redesigned bathrooms bring the practical elements of each room up to date.
The layouts remain generous, with interconnecting rooms and flexible configurations designed for couples and larger parties, including families and groups travelling together. Material, texture and local workmanship establish the scheme’s Florentine character.
“We wanted the interiors to feel more rooted in Florence — more tactile, more characterful, and more reflective of the craftsmanship and culture that make the city so special,” Polizzi said in the hotel group’s announcement.
Irene and Bar Artemisia reshape Hotel Savoy’s social spaces
Located beside the hotel lobby, Irene is Hotel Savoy’s Tuscan restaurant, named after Lady Forte, the mother of Sir Rocco Forte and Olga Polizzi. Its refreshed interior takes its cues from an elegant Florentine home, using walnut panelling and two-tone marble alongside red accents and soft lighting.
The dining room opens onto an outdoor veranda facing Piazza della Repubblica, creating a direct link between the intimate interior and one of Florence’s central public spaces. Hand-selected Venetian chandeliers and bespoke furniture complete the residential atmosphere.
Fulvio Pierangelini, Creative Director of Food at Rocco Forte Hotels, developed Irene’s Tuscan menu around regional cooking and expressive ingredients. The food is accompanied by a selection of local wines, keeping the restaurant’s design and culinary identity closely tied to Tuscany.
Next door, Bar Artemisia is named after Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi. The darker, more theatrical room uses changing wallpaper scenes and lighting developed with design studio C14, with dense wood connecting the entrance to the bar counter.
Its cocktail list, created by Salvatore Calabrese with Federico Pavan, reworks the Florentine aperitivo through regional flavours. Drinks feature references to truffle and Chianti, with other combinations drawing on leather, wine and local ingredients. Tuscan-inspired small plates were developed by Pierangelini to accompany them.
The refreshed Hotel Savoy lobby also introduces guests to Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, the historic Florence fragrance and apothecary brand, through a new partnership.
Guests staying in suites can discover the city through the hotel’s Suite & Beyond programme. Choices include private visits to Palazzo Strozzi and calligraphy lessons with views of Ponte Vecchio, organised with stationery house Pineider. They can also visit Florence’s historic leather workshops, offering another route into the craft traditions reflected inside the hotel.
Hotel de Russie creates a warmer Roman arrival
Set on Via del Babuino between Piazza di Spagna and Piazza del Popolo, Hotel de Russie is a 19th-century luxury hotel known for its terraced Secret Garden. The latest work focuses on its lobby and reception rather than the guestrooms or wider property.
The reconfigured arrival sequence moves through the entrance and reception before reaching the concierge and conversation space. This clearer arrangement is intended to improve movement while giving each public area its own purpose and atmosphere.
Walnut panelling wraps the lobby and reception in warm amber tones, balanced by ivory and pale leather across rugs, walls and textiles. A bronze screen forms the backdrop to the concierge desk, while bespoke lighting was made specifically for the project.
Italian artisans and manufacturers made more than 90 per cent of the lobby’s furnishings and finishes to measure. The scheme also includes an 18th-century glass chandelier and a 17th-century Italian carving, placing historic objects within a restrained contemporary setting.
Palazzo Pecci Blunt, a Roman palace known for richly decorated interiors, provided part of the design inspiration. The rooms use classical forms within a restrained contemporary setting.
“The design draws on a more nuanced idea of Rome — one that moves beyond the obvious references to imperial classicism and instead reflects a city of layers, character and continuity,” Polizzi said.
Refurbishment remains a focus across Rocco Forte Hotels
Founded by Sir Rocco Forte and Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels has continued to invest across its international portfolio. The Caterer reported that the group directed £64.4 million towards projects during its 2025 financial year, up from £27.7 million in 2024.
That programme included work at Hotel Savoy and Hotel de Russie, as well as Brown’s Hotel in London, The Charles Hotel in Munich and Verdura Resort in Sicily. The Florence and Rome updates are now complete. Both hotels retain their established identities and offer guests a more locally specific sense of arrival.
