Building delays put back Savoy Florence relaunch

RF Hotels has delayed the opening of its five-star, 107-bedroom Savoy hotel in Florence.

Last month the five-star group, owned by Sir Rocco Forte, announced that the hotel, which closed for refurbishment at the end of 1998, would reopen on 1 March 2000. Now it admits that the building work will not be finished in time and has put the date back to 5 May.

RF Hotels has also set a date for the reopening of its 130-bedroom Hotel de Russie in Rome, which is undergoing a £7m refurbishment. It was originally due to reopen last summer but the date had to be rescheduled because of building problems (Caterer, 20 May 1999, page 10). It will now reopen on 15 April.

Meanwhile, work has started on the group's latest project, a 171-bedroom hotel on the outskirts of Manchester. It will be called the Lowry and will open early next year.