Official Opening of Rocco Forte`s New Amigo
Sir Rocco Forte was in Brussels last week hosting the official party to mark the reopening of his Hotel Amigo in the centre of Brussels, following a å£13.5 million refurbishment programme to restore the hotel to its former five-star glory.
An exciting extravaganza of multi-cultural cuisine and music will be served representing the host countries of the Amigo`s sister hotels within the Rocco Forte Hotels collection - namely Italy, Russia and the UK (incorporating Wales, England and Scotland). All will be distributed between the extensive conference rooms of the hotel and will spill into the centre of the town hall where a marquee will be erected.
Olga Polizzi, Sir Rocco`s sister, has overseen the design and refurbishment work at the hotel and has retained the warm and elegant atmosphere of the hotel whilst giving it a more contemporary feel. Heavy Brussels linens are used extensively, together with silk curtains with embroidered velvet detail, leather brass-nailed headboards and ornate Flemish chairs and tables. Surrealist prints by Marcel Broodthaers and René Magritte are in all of the rooms, many of which have views over Brussels` town hall. Good-sized bathrooms contain mosaic details in red or green to match their marble vanity tops, and figures of Hergé`s characters Tintin, Snowy the dog and Captain Haddock enliven the walls. All the latest technology has been incorporated into the new rooms, such as two-line telephones, voice messaging, dataport and interactive satellite television.
A new restaurant, Le Verlaine, has been created on the ground floor of the hotel and offers a wide range of Belgian and French cuisine. A separate entrance provides direct access to the street. Other additions include a new bar, fitness centre, a ballroom which can accommodate up to 200 people, theatre-style, and six new meeting rooms. In addition the hotel now has 177 bedrooms, including 11 suites and the 180 sq m penthouse suite which has its own kitchen, dining room and a 60 sq m private roof terrace. This suite has been named after the Blaton family who originally built the hotel.
The Hotel Amigo is located in the centre of Brussels adjacent to the Grand Place, close to the financial district and Stock Exchange, and within easy walking distance of Le Sablon the city`s main area for antique shopping.
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Sir Rocco commented, “I am very pleased that we have been able to retain the previous intimate atmosphere of the hotel whilst giving it a much more modern feel. A large number of the staff have been at the hotel for many years and their already high levels of service have been enhanced by our own service standards and training programmes. I believe the Amigo will soon become the best hotel in Brussels.”
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