A €30 million euro renovation seals the first 25 years of the Hotel de Russie at Rocco Forte Hotels.
The hotel is famous for its Secret Garden
The work, carried out between 2021 and 2025, involved every part of the historic hotel - from the public areas to the suites and rooms - and concluded with the renovation of the De Russie Spa, which reopened on 10 June. The famous Secret Garden, the attentive and personalized service, and the refined atmosphere of the hotel continue to evolve without ever betraying the property’s identity. The restyling, guided by the creative talent of Lady Olga Polizzi, vice-president and design director of Rocco Forte Hotels, who founded the group in 1995 together with her brother Sir Rocco Forte, has involved different areas of the structure.
A new beauty Forte Vita Bar
It begins with the De Russie Spa: five treatment rooms - including two suites for couples - inspired by the tones of nature. There is also a sauna, a Turkish bath and a saltwater hydro-massage pool in relaxing shades of blue, recalling the blue skies of Rome and there is also a state-of-the- gym Technogym gym. Then there is the Forte Vita Bar which is an absolute novelty: an intimate and sophisticated space entirely dedicated to beauty offering effective facial treatments and using products from the Irene Forte Skincare line. The lobby at the entrance of the hotel's 19th-century building combines elegance and history in a warm and refined design, including details such as Pietro Monti's bas-relief depicting the Archangel Gabriel, emblematic of the dialogue between past and present.
The jewel in the crown is the Nijinsky Suite
One of the most evident expressions of the project is the refurbishment of the rooms and suites: the jewel in the crown of this new vision is the Nijinsky Suite, on 210 sqm, this private residence in the heart of the hotel, has a large panoramic terrace with exclusive views of Villa Borghese and the rooftops of Rome. The Secret Garden, designed by Giuseppe Valadier (who created the original design of the property) has undergone a careful four-year restoration. The poet Jean Cocteau, during his stay in 1917, called it “Paradise on Earth,” and today it has been returned to original configuration, with the addition of a new scenographic lighting system and a botanical assortment designed to ensure continuous flowering. At the base of the Secret Garden, in Piazzetta Valadier, the refined Bar Stravinskij is dominated by a sculptural pergola inspired by the works of Alberto Giacometti. Here the cocktails are true masterpieces, created by the legendary Salvatore Calabrese together with bar manager Mattia Capezzuoli.
