A second Rocco Forte hotel will open in Rome in 2018, following the ongoing success of the existing Rocco Forte hotel in the city, Hotel de Russie.

Rocco Forte Hotels, which is 23 per cent owned by the Gruppo Cassa Depositi e Prestiti through CDP Equity, will work with the real estate division of Reale Group to renovate and upgrade the Hotel De La Ville.

The Hotel De La Ville is in a magnificent position at the top of the Spanish Steps and not far from the Hotel de Russie.

The hotel is currently closed and has 192 rooms which will be reduced to 105 after a full restructuring and refurbishment conducted by Reale to specification.

It is expected to re-open at the end of 2018.

The news follows the recent announcement of Rocco Forte Hotels’ expansion, with Sir Rocco revealing his intention to double the number of hotels in the group over the next five years.

The existing ten hotels in the collection are largely European based, an area where the group will continue to concentrate, as well as branching further afield with a hotel in Jeddah opening in 2016 and another in Shanghai, opening in 2018.

Rocco Forte said: “It has been a long standing ambition of mine to have a second property in Rome so I am delighted to be working with the prestigious Reale Group to launch a new hotel in the heart of the city. 

“The success of our existing hotel, Hotel De Russie, has shown that Rome continues to be a highly attractive destination for both the business and leisure travellers and we are very confident of the long term growth prospects of the city. 

“The two distinct hotels will complement each other, offering a combined 226 rooms and suites, and appealing to the luxury guest who seeks the outstanding Rocco Forte Hotels service.

“With our existing city presence and knowledge of working in Rome, I am confident that we will take Hotel de la Ville to new heights.”

The Hospitality division of the Cushman & Wakefield, a leading global real estate services firm, has acted as exclusive advisor for Reale Immobili assisting in the search and selection of a new operator for the management of Hotel De La Ville.

Alberto Ramella, managing director of Reale Immobili, said: “We are very pleased to have reached this agreement which allows us to be present in a specific and high-standard sector of the market and to strengthen our position in the luxury hotel industry.

“It is a strong competitive advantage for our company and for the whole Reale Group which gives additional value to our core business.”