Tintin goes to Hollywood
Blistering barnacles, 2007 is really shaping up to be Tintin's year. Earlier this month, Steven Spielberg's studio DreamWorks announced that it had taken up the Tintin film options and is already in pre-production on a series of movies based on the legendary cartoon character.
Whether by coincidence or not, 2007 also marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Tintin's creator Hergé (or George Remi to give him his full name), who was born on 22 May 1907. In celebration, the flea market in the Place du Jeu de Balles in Brussels is hosting a special Tintin market on Saturday 21 July, giving visitors the chance to take home their own little piece of cartoon history, which may well turn into a valuable investment with a Hollywood movie in the offing…
While in Brussels, Tintin fans should also check out the Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art, housed in a stunning Victor Horta building, which is home to 15,000 square feet of original artwork and an impressive collection of Tintin memorabilia, including the original artwork of some of the comic strips. Just don't be surprised if you end up standing next to a famous film director brushing up on his cartoon trivia!
And don't forget the Comic Strip walk, a series of 30 or so huge murals dotted throughout Brussels that celebrate various cartoon characters and which includes a scene from TIntin's “The Calculus Affair”. If you want to skip straight to it rather than do the whole walk, you will find it on Rue de l'Etuve, just moments from Rocco Forte's Hotel Amigo.
Rocco Forte's Hotel Amigo, which has its own permanent tribute to Tintin in the shape of framed pictures and statuettes of the comic strip star in every bathroom, is offering a special Tintin package in 2007. It includes:
- One night in a classic room
- Full buffet breakfast in the Bocconi restaurant
- Special Tintin chocolate box
- Tour of the Grand-Place
- Entrance to the Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art
- Guide book "La bande dessinée dans la ville"
- Access to the fitness centre
Price:
Classic rooms from €274/ approximately £185, per room, per night.
Valid:
Weekends: from 01/05/07 until 30/04/08
Weekdays: from 23/07/07 until 19/08/07
For further information, please contact:
Sue Heady
Director of Communications
Direct line: 020 7766 3107
Email: sheady@roccofortecollection.com
Natasha Berg
Media Relations Manager
Direct line: 020 7766 3116
Email: nberg@roccofortecollection.com
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Rocco Forte Hotels was established in 1996 to create a collection of luxury hotels in Europe. The hotels have individual styles, with each hotel reflecting its nationality and location. The collection is linked together under the Rocco Forte Hotels brand, which guarantees attention to detail, quality and service delivery.
The company is celebrating its ten year anniversary this year. Rocco Forte Hotels took control of The Balmoral in Edinburgh on 1 March 1997.
The Rocco Forte Hotels collection includes:
- Hotel de Russie, Rome
- Hotel Savoy, Florence
- The Balmoral, Edinburgh
- The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
- Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg
- Hotel Amigo, Brussels
- Le Richemond, Geneva (currently closed for refurbishment)
- Brown’s Hotel, London
- Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt
- Hotel de Rome, Berlin
Future openings:
The Charles Hotel, Munich – Summer 2007
Prague - 2008
Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily – 2008
For further information and online reservations, please visit the Rocco Forte Hotels website: www.roccofortecollection.com
Angleterre Hotel, St Petersburg, is a deluxe four-star sister to Hotel Astoria. For information and reservations, please visit www.angleterrehotel.com.
