Born into one of Europe’s best-known hotel dynasties, Lydia Forte is the eldest daughter of the hotelier Sir Rocco Forte and the group director of food and beverage at Rocco Forte Hotels.
Based in central London, she lives with her husband, the ship owner Dimitri Chandris, and their two children, Aliai and Johnny. Lydia works closely with her sister Irene, the group’s wellness consultant and the founder of Irene Forte Skincare. Her aunt is the interior designer Olga Polizzi and her cousin Alex Polizzi is a well-known hotelier and broadcaster. We sat down with her to talk all things luxury…
A luxury evening is dressing up, ice-cold dirty martinis with Nocellara olives, a great meal with close friends, lots of interesting conversation and laughter, and then dancing.
Lunch at Charlie’s in Mayfair is a treat: crisp linen tablecloth in a beautiful room, friendly service and simple but delicious British classics.
My Aquazzura shoe collection is my biggest indulgence. Edgardo Osorio, the brand’s founder, is a close friend and we’ve just launched a tequila bar together in the Hotel de Russie in Rome. But my passion for his shoes began long before we met.
My last splurge was on a bespoke tailored suit from my friend Daisy Knatchbull on Savile Row, with a matching coat and trousers in a beautiful bouclé tweed.
There’s a Sicilian shop called Manima in Palermo – next to one of our hotels, Villa Igiea – that creates luxury hand-embroidered table linens, bed linens and elegant clothes. They train vulnerable women in Sicily to produce exquisite artisanal items that are handmade, sustainable and beautiful.
Japan is my ultimate long-haul destination, though I still haven’t been, for its deep culture of cuisine – the only one in the world that can match Italian food, in my opinion.
For a mini break, I’d choose somewhere remote in the Scottish Highlands: the simpler the better, where you can walk for miles without seeing a soul.
I love buying great cheese from a beautiful cheese shop. At Brown’s [hotel in Mayfair], we buy our cheeses from Buchanans, and going in there is a moment of total serenity and joy. It’s almost like my version of church… cheese church.
The little luxury I’ll never compromise on is Irene Forte Skincare Phytomelatonin Rejuvenating Serum. My sister Irene tells me what to do; she knows all the beauty secrets.
At home, I like a carefully curated collection of objects – some that have personal meanings to me, some that tell an interesting story and others that are just beautiful to look at.
To elevate a cosy night in, I’ll wear a pink, floral silk dressing gown from Emilia Wickstead that a group of friends gave me for my birthday.
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