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Executives from Rocco Forte Hotel’s ultra-luxury portfolio of properties were in Australia this week, meeting with partners and hosting VIP events for its elite agencies, otherwise known as “Knights”, in Sydney and Melbourne.

The UK-headquartered hospitality brand has a boutique-sized stable of 15 uber-high-end properties in the UK, Germany and Brussels, however, Italy is where Rocco Forte has established its strongest connection and collection. In Rome and Sicily, there are three-a-piece, plus individual properties in Florence, Puglia and Milan.

Represented in Australia for the past seven years by Numinous LTR’s Tamara Kobiolke (after 10 years working for Rocco Forte in the UK), the local market is performing well beyond expectation, said Jan Arnold, Vice President of Sales of the brand. On this week’s whirlwind two city showcase, Arnold led two colleagues from Europe – Sara Zanazzo, Regional Director of Sales for Italy and Xenia Seidel, Regional Director of Sales for Belgium and Germany.

“All the support we are getting from you is unbelievable,” Arnold told two dozen Rocco Forte Knights (and LATTE), in Sydney on Tuesday evening.

“The number of guests, especially since COVID, have really gone through the roof.”

“Thank you. Thank you for entrusting us with your guests. You send them on this long journey to Europe, and you send them to us. It really means a lot to us,” Arnold said.

Arnold, who made his first visit Down Under last year and is now infatuated with the country, and the Rocco Forte sellers, said the hotelier has invested millions of pounds in the past year across the entire portfolio “to make sure that the product meets the expectations of your travellers.”

“Rates have really increased quite significantly since COVID. We are vey much aware of that, and we are very much aware of the fact that when your guests are spending their money in our hotels they are expecting the very best.

“Sir Rocco has really focused and invested a lot of time, effort and money in making sure we have the best-trained staff so your guests will have the best service experience in our properties, and in our class.”

Arnold also flagged Rocco Fortes’ expanding pipeline of properties, which includes yet another palace announced only in the past few days.

“We’re also looking into the future. We’re developing new destinations.”

“Italy really is our home turf. We feel very comfortable in Italy which gives us the opportunity to tap into destinations, into cities or properties that perhaps other hotel groups wouldn’t be able to get their hands on,” he said.

Already announced and under development is a project in Naples – Palazzo Sirignano.

Already announced and under development is a project in Naples – Palazzo Sirignano.

“We’re hoping to turn Naples into a similar success story as we’ve done in Villa Igliea in Palermo. A city that is a bit rough around the edges but has huge appeal, and that’s what we aim to achieve in Naples. Palazzo Sirignano will be right by the bay, overlooking the Mount Etna volcano, with a rooftop pool and coming online in 2026.”

In Puglia, Masseria Torre Maizza “continues to appeal to travellers from all around the world,” Arnold said, noting that the 40 units will be enlarged by another 11.

“We’ve also acquired a second Masseria in Puglia which will come online ’26, giving your guests even more opportunities to travel to Puglia,” he said.

“In Milano, Rocco Forte House opened three weeks ago. A private residences/apartments. It is only the first step in Milano with the ‘big bang’ coming when we open the Carlton Hotel with 80 rooms,” he adds.

Additionally in Italy, Rocco Forte will open the Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia in 2026.

Another property in Sicily

“And three days ago, we announced Noto on the island of Sicily – the Baroque capital.”

Located in the Baroque Valley in southeastern Sicily, the former palace built by Marquis di Lorenzo del Castelluccio in 1782, will be converted into a 31-key luxury hotel.

Arnold said the project was previously a museum whose former owner made significant investments on the site. Palazzo Castelluccio in Noto will come online in 2026 or 2027, becoming Rocco Forte’s third property in Sicily, alongside Villa Igiea (Palermo) and Verdura Resort (Sciacca). It will feature a restaurant, bar, garden lounge, spa, gym and more.

“And we continue to look outside of Italy as well. We’re looking at something in Dubai.”

“We’re also toying with the idea of going into Saudi Arabia – like so many other hotel groups are doing at the moment. We also fell that there’s a lot of potential in the medium to long term in Saudi Arabia,” Arnold said.

[Earlier this year, Sir Rocco himself told media the brand was eyeing two to three projects in the Kingdom. That comes after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) acquired a 49% stake in the brand.]

Arnold also confirmed Rocco Forte was considering “classic European cities” as part of continued expansion, suggesting ”Paris, Madrid, Barcelona are cities that we continue to look at.

“That’s a very exciting trajectory.”

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