 It is likely that no one has
ever whispered, in the manner of Bergman to Bogie, "We will always have
Frankfurt." The city on the Main River is the financial center of Germany and
the birthplace of Goethe, but it is infamously stodgy and bourgeois. So when
Villa Kennedy opened on the Main’s south bank this spring, Frankfurt received a
much-needed infusion of pizzazz.
Chic, sleek, and loaded with sex appeal, Villa Kennedy is more
reminiscent of London than Frankfurt, which stands to reason considering that
its creator, Sir Rocco Forte, is British. For Forte, a flamboyant 61-year-old
triathlete and former actor, the Frankfurt property is the latest in his
namesake company’s growing arsenal of hotels (currently 13) across Europe. Each
of Forte’s properties has a distinct character, but at Villa Kennedy (so named
because President Kennedy’s motorcade once rolled down the hotel’s street, which
later was rechristened Kennedyallee) he plays off of expectations.
 Set within a massive, neoclassic mansion with crenellated stone
walls and towers and turrets, Villa Kennedy appears from the outside to be a
bastion of bürgerlich convention and propriety. Once inside, however, the
mood changes from 19th-century staid to 21st-century sophisticated. Plump easy
chairs and sofas in hues of plum and charcoal line the hotel’s minimalist lobby
and corridors. The monochrome patterns give way to zebra stripes and leopard
spots in JFK’s, the hotel’s bar and lounge, where 80 euros buys you a martini
made with Louis XIII Cognac and 40-year-old port.
Forte’s fashion consciousness reaches critical mass in the
guest rooms, most notably in the 3,500-square-foot Georg Speyer Suite. You enter
the suite on a gray- and cream-colored limestone floor, moving down a hall
appointed with stone urn lamps, a mobile pendant light by Paul Verburg, abstract
art by Peregrina, and a 1940 wardrobe. In the living room, you find sofas by
Martin Brudnizki, a Bechstein grand piano, a wall light by Serge Mouille, an
abstract painting by Baumbauer, and a 1960s black slate and oak coffee table.
Ultimately, of course, the success of Sir Rocco’s strategy is
based not on how many designer works he can cram into a given space, but rather
on the clientele Villa Kennedy attracts. It is too soon to gauge whether the
hotel will be a smash among Frankfurt’s beautiful people. However, as the crowd
at the bar during one recent visit indicated, they do at least exist. LOCATION
Near the restaurants, bars, museums, and shops of the
Sachsenhausen residential area, off the Main River’s south bank. ACCOMMODATIONS
The hotel describes the contemporary yet comfortable
interiors of its 134 rooms and 29 suites as “minimalist deluxe.” FACILITIES
Nine meeting rooms and a 3,550-square-foot ballroom that
accommodates as many as 450 people. The hotel’s spa includes a 15-meter indoor
pool, a Turkish steam room, a yoga and Pilates studio, a gym, and eight
treatment rooms. DINING
The hotel’s restaurant, Gusto, is a handsome study in gray
monochrome banquettes and columns lit by modernistic wall sconces. The chefs are
German, the cuisine is Mediterranean, and the attire is smart casual.
CONCIERGE RECOMMENDS
With all due respect to Gusto, the concierge suggests
heading to Silk, on the east end of town, where guests recline in beds around
circular tables while dining on such dishes as piña colada mousse frozen in
liquid nitrogen; one-hour organic eggs with mushroom and rucola gnocchi; and
popcorn, white chocolate, and raspberry gratinée. Be careful not to spill. RATES
From $620 for a standard room to $4,875 for the Georg Speyer Suite.
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