When Peter the Great founded St Petersburg in 1703, he wanted to create a city that would impress the world, so he employed some of the greatest architects of the day to create a "Window on the West". The result is a stunning city of Baroque, Rococo and Neo-Classic masterpieces with gilded cupolas, stucco plaster work and marble columns. Rocco Forte's Hotel Astoria is very much a part of that heritage, being an Art Nouveau hotel situated on St Isaac's Square, which lies at the very heart of the city and includes the impressive architecture of St Isaac's cathedral.

During the 18th century, under the Tsars of Russia, the elegant city of St Petersburg came into its own during the winter months. As the nights drew in, the Russian aristocracy gathered together to enjoy themselves in a social whirl of theatre, balls and concerts. In the 21st century, a series of cultural events takes place from November through to March every year to replicate this magical era. Highlights include the International Ballet Festival at the Mariinsky theatre, the International Maslenitsa (or Pancake) Festival and the Arts Square Festival - a more comprehensive programme is attached.

Hotel Astoria has created a White Days package that offers visitors to modern-day St Petersburg the opportunity to re-visit that earlier age of elegance and romance. But it's not just for the White Days events that guests should visit the city in winter.

Winter is also the perfect time to visit St Petersburg to tour the art collections of the Hermitage and the amber room of St Catherine's Palace, so as to avoid the large crowds that flood into the city in summer. Spend the days touring some of the city's 125 museums and galleries, which range from the Artillery Museum to the Zoological Museum, before taking your seats for a cultural extravaganza in the evening.

St Petersburg certainly has a distinct charm when its architecture is powdered with snow and the winter sun is reflecting off the city's canals. Find the time to also take a traditional Russian troika ride through the parks of tsars and the Dr Zhivago image is complete!

The White Days package includes:

Three nights' accommodation Buffet breakfast every morning Transfers from/to the airport or railway station A ticket to the Mariinsky Theatre performance Dinner in Hotel Astoria's elegant Davidov Restaurant

Cost: EUR550 per person in a Court double room. Single supplement: EUR310 per package Upgrade to Executive room: EUR50 per person per package Upgrade to Junior suite: EUR125 per person per package Reservations are subject to availability. All rates include VAT. Valid: 1st November 2005-29th December 2005 and 2nd January 2006-31st March 2006 (exclusive of Mariinsky Ballet Festival).

Ends

For further information and/or images, please contact:

Sue Heady Head of Media Relations Tel: 020 7766 3107 E-mail: sueheady@rfhotels.com

Highlights of the White Days Programme 2005-2006

� November 2005 - October 2006 Exhibition in the Hermitage dedicated to the Russian Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825).

� November 13, 2005 Concert in the Big Philharmonic Hall from the series "Maestro Yuri Temirkanov and Russian Music".

� November 13-20, 2005 17th International Festival of Contemporary Music "Sound Ways" in the Big Philharmonic Hall.

� December 7, 2005 - February 26, 2006 Exhibition in the Hermitage "Masterpieces of Sevres".

� December 22-30, 2005 Gogol Festival at the Mariinsky Theatre.

� December 28, 2005 - January 7, 2006 7th International Festival "Art Square" dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the great Russian composer Dmitry Shostakovich, Artistic Director and Conductor - Maestro Yuri Temirkanov. (Big Philharmonic Hall, Russian Museum, Yusupov Palace).

� December 31, 2005 New Year's Gala performance in the Mariinsky Theatre.

� December 31, 2005 New Year's Eve Grand Ball in the Yusupov Palace with Maestro Yuri Temirkanov.

� January 22-29, 2006 Mozart Musical week at the Big Philharmonic Hall dedicated to Mozart's 250th anniversary.

� February 8 - March 10, 2006 Festival of Ice Sculptures "The Russian Empress Ice Palace" on the Palace Square of St. Petersburg.

� February 27 - March 5, 2006 2nd International Maslenitsa Festival (Pancake week) in the Mariinsky Theatre.

� March 5, 2006 A Farewell to Winter - a celebration of the last day of the Maslenitsa Festival and the Exhibition of Ice Sculptures in the Summer Garden.

� March 16-26, 2006 6th International Ballet Festival "Mariinsky".

� March 29, 2006 - Gala concert in the Big Philharmonic Hall dedicated to the 70th birthday of conductor G. Rozhdestvensky.

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.

Current hotels within the Rocco Forte Hotels collection are:

- Hotel de Russie, Rome

- Hotel Savoy, Florence

- The Balmoral, Edinburgh

- The St David's Hotel & Spa, Cardiff

- The Lowry Hotel, Manchester

- Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg

- Hotel Amigo, Brussels

- Le Richemond, Geneva

- Brown's Hotel, London (closed for refurbishment, will re-open September 2005)

- Ch�teau de Bagnols, en Beaujolais (managed on behalf of Lady Hamlyn)

Future openings:

Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt - 2006 Hotel de Rome, Berlin - 2006 Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily - 2007 Munich - 2007

For further information, online reservations and images, please visit the Rocco Forte Hotels website www.roccofortehotels.com.

- Angleterre Hotel, St Petersburg, is a four-star sister to the Hotel Astoria; for information and reservations, please click on www.angleterrehotel.com .