To support its aggressive expansion in Germany, Rocco Forte Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of Daryl Kornelsen as Director of Sales and Marketing, Germany. He will be based in Frankfurt, the site of the new five-star Villa Kennedy, which will open in January 2006. Kornelsen will also be responsible for the Hotel de Rome in Berlin, which will open in summer 2006, and the - as yet un-named - Rocco Forte Hotels property in Munich, which will open in 2007.
Both Kornelsen and Sir Rocco Forte, founder of the hotel collection, are very enthusiastic at the prospect of doing business with and in Germany. As Kornelsen comments, “Feeling comfortable when travelling, on business or pleasure, is always an issue for today’s travellers and the team at Villa Kennedy looks forward to giving Frankfurt’s visitors a long-awaited oasis.”
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The opening of these three new properties in Germany demonstrates the strength of feeling Rocco Forte Hotels has for this particular market. The essence of the Rocco Forte Hotels is that they reflect their nationality and location as well as providing first-class service, luxury and minute attention to detail. Rocco Forte Hotels’ dedicated team is looking forward to bringing world-class service to three of Germany’s most important cities and are confident all the properties will be ranked amongst the country’s best hotels.
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Each of the German hotels is unique. Frankfurt’s Villa Kennedy is being constructed around an early 20th-century private home. Berlin’s Hotel de Rome sees the conversion of a grand 19th-century building, which has also served as the headquarters of the Dresdner Bank. The Munich property is a new luxury building, being constructed in sympathy with the city’s architecture, on the edge of the Botanical Gardens. All three will be individual, yet all share the qualities of being sited very close to their city’s centre while managing to benefit from tranquil and relaxing locations.
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Kornelsen, a Canadian who has lived in Europe since 1989, comes to Rocco Forte Hotels from The Leading Hotels of the World, where he was Regional Manager for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Previously, he worked with a number of Europe’s top hotels in Germany and Russia.
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Kornelsen’s enthusiasm for the latest properties to grace Rocco Forte Hotels’Ê portfolio is apparent: “Germany is a wonderful country that is constantly innovating itself. By opening three hotels over the next two years, we are able to expand our brand position in a country that is well known for its hospitality tradition.Ê At the same time, the progress, design and hospitality culture of Rocco Forte Hotels, will be bringing the global, affluent traveller a unique luxury experience when travelling to Germany.”
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