Charles Forte

1908 – 2007

Founder of the Forte group; his son created Rocco Forte Hotels. 6 hotels of the collection keep track of him.

In the grand hotels

1935: Charles Forte, an Italian immigrant to the UK, opens a « Milk Bar » on Regents street in London … the company becomes the Forte Hotel Group (Trusthouse Forte).
1993: The Forte Hotel group faces a hostile takeover bid from the Media Conglomerate Granada the founding family is ejected with a settlement payment of £350 million. Two of the 6 children, Rocco Forte and his younger sister Olga Polizzi decide to reinvent their fathers Hotel business.
1996 May: Sir Rocco Forte founds RF Hotels.
1997 February: Opening of Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.
1997 December: Acquisition of Hotel Savoy in Florence.
1999 January: Acquisition of Hotel Astoria in St Petersburg.
2000 January: Acquisition of Hotel Amigo in Brussels.
2000 April: Opening of Hotel de Russie in Rome.
2003 July: Acquisition of Brown's Hotel in London.
2006 March: Opening of Ville Kennedy (Villa Speyer) in Frankfurt.
2006 October: Opening of Hotel de Rome (formally seat of Dresdner Bank) in Berlin.
2007: Rocco Forte Hotels are renamed Rocco Forte Collection. Rocco Forte at the Hotel Carlton in Cannes, the Brown's Hotel in London , the Balmoral in Edinburgh , the Hotel Amigo in Brussels , the Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg , the Hotel de Rome in Berlin , the Villa Kennedy in Frankfurt , the Hotel de Russie in Rome and the Hotel Savoy in Florence .

Rocco Forte at the Hotel Carlton in Cannes, the Brown's Hotel in London , the Balmoral in Edinburgh , the Hotel Amigo in Brussels , the Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg , the Hotel de Rome in Berlin , the Villa Kennedy in Frankfurt , the Hotel de Russie in Rome and the Hotel Savoy in Florence .