The Fay Group announced today that Rocco Forte Hotels had been chosen as the operator for the luxury hotel to be built at the Villa Speyer on Kennedyallee in Frankfurt, Germany. It was also announced that the chosen architect was Dr Porphyrios & Associates of London.

The Villa Speyer, built in 1904, will be fully restored to become the centrepiece of a DM120m hotel. Substantial additional new construction will provide 166 spacious bedrooms and suites; restaurant and bar; lounge within the building cloisters, opening on to the gardens; hydrotherapy spa and fitness centre; conference and banqueting facilities for up to 250 delegates equipped with the latest technology; seven meeting rooms for up to 40 delegates; and an underground car park.

Announcing the decision, Andreas-Norbert Fay, Chairman of the Fay Group said: “We have chosen Rocco Forte Hotels after considering proposals from several international luxury hotel companies. We were particularly impressed by the success of Rocco Forte Hotels and by the experience and quality of the management team. The company`s approach to branding, which delivers consistent quality whilst reflecting the local culture, is a perfect match to our ambitions for the hotel.”

Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman & Chief Executive of Rocco Forte Hotels, said: “The Fay Group has forty years of successful experience in property development and ownership.

They have secured an outstanding site and delivered an imaginative concept. The location will provide a unique retreat from the bustle of the city whilst still being within easy distance of the business and leisure areas. We look forward to working with them on the detailed design of the building to produce a hotel of a standard which does not presently exist in Frankfurt. When operated to the high levels of service which have become the hallmark of our brand, this will become one of the very best hotels in Germany.”

In a message welcoming the project (see full text in Notes to Editors) the Mayor of Frankfurt, Petra Roth, said: “The project is well in line with the top position held by the Frankfurt hotel market, which will now be supplemented by a new hotel managed by a globally reputed family of hoteliers. I am sure that Rocco Forte Hotels has the required know-how and necessary sensitivity to transform Villa Speyer, the former home of a Frankfurt family of private bankers, into an extraordinary hotel of the luxury class. This is, indeed, a worthy use of this beautiful building classified as a historical monument.”

The companies will work on the final designs of the hotel in the coming months and submit the detailed applications for building permissions in early 2002. Construction will commence in 2003 and the hotel will open in 2005.

Under today`s agreement, Rocco Forte Hotels will provide technical advice to the Fay Group, who will fund and manage the construction of the hotel and will grant Rocco Forte Hotels a 30-year lease as hotel operators.
The site on Kennedyallee was purchased by the Fay Group in August 2000 and is recognised as a prime hotel site. During the year, a number of leading architects were invited to take part in a competition to produce a concept for a luxury hotel and Porphyrios & Associates was one of the recommended candidates. Porphyrios has a particular reputation for the sympathetic treatment of historic buildings. Dr Dimitri Porphyrios is an adviser to HRH The Prince of Wales and a Founding Member and Trustee of The Prince of Wales` Institute of Architecture.

Beate Lichner, Managing Director of Fay Frankfurt pointed out that “only very few hotel companies have the experience necessary to integrate a protected monument building with a new luxury hotel and thus give this entire project its own identity right from the start. By granting the lease to Rocco Forte Hotels we can ensure that this hotel will reach a top position among German hotels.”

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