Rocco Forte Hotels has agreed a strategic partnership that aims to bring the luxury brand to many more gateway cities across Europe and the Middle East.
Investment partner Emerald Pine Capital will bring its investment and asset management expertise to bear, alongside Rocco Forte’s hotel operations experience. Together, the pair aim to seek out opportunities to create new hotels across key cities, and destinations with a strong leisure demand.
A variety of routes to market
Those opportunities could come in the form of value adding transformations of real estate, or the repositioning of existing hotel assets. The pair will also consider development opportunities, and will work with existing owners rather than simply acquire assets. The aim is to deliver “a differentiated and compelling proposition” for those holding underutilised assets.
The Forte name has been associated with hospitality for four generations. The current Rocco Forte business was founded by Rocco and his sister, Olga Polizzi, in 1996.
“We are delighted to partner with Rocco Forte to offer a distinctive combination of expertise and skill sets to our clients and partners,” said Emerald Pine Capital founding partner Fabrizio Grena. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to quality and long-term value creation in the hospitality space. We look forward to working with aligned partners on this exciting journey.”
Currently, Rocco Forte Hotels is represented across a portfolio of 15 hotels, villas, resorts and residences. The brand is represented in many European cities, including Rome, Florence and Milan; London and Edinburgh; Berlin, Brussels and Munich.
The company has had particular success in recent years building its brand across Italy, and will be adding to that presence in the coming weeks as the group has announced it will open the Carlton hotel in Milan in November 2025. The brand’s second hotel in the city, it will feature 71 rooms, all designed to evoke the feel of a private residence.
A strong delivery pipeline is already in place. In 2026, Rocco Forte Hotels will open a new hotel on Costa Smeralda, in Sardinia. A resort property, it will sit on two acres of beachfront real estate, offering 64 luxurious rooms and suites.
A strong presence in Sicily
Coming to Sicily the same year will be the group’s third Sicilian hotel, in the town of Noto. Work under way will transform the historic Palazzo Castelluccio into a 31 room residence. Guests will enjoy unique rooms, making the most of the property’s 18th century architecture.
Looking further ahead into 2027, and the Palazzo Sirignano hotel should welcome its first guests in the city of Naples. Dating in parts back to 1535, the five star property is being transformed under the curation of the owning Colella family. Alongside its 46 rooms, the hotel will feature a large spa, private gardens, and a rooftop swimming pool promising panoramic views across the city.
