From the Dream Escape Podcast Series: Sir Rocco Giovanni Forte

Holly chats to Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman of the prestigious Rocco Forte Collection of luxury hotels, to include the iconic Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh and Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, London.

The Rocco Forte Collection of hotels was founded in 1996 and is made up of iconic landmark properties that are all situated in exceptional locations. A lot of thought goes into the essence of each of the hotels, which are interestingly designed by Sir Rocco’s sister, Olga. Each property will work with local artists and designers to incorporate key events or special residents, and it is this sense of place that is so important to the brand and the most important pillar of their ethos. The Forte team are masters of creating wonderful experiences and making their properties stand out from the crowd, and ultimately deliver the most authentic stays for every guest. A veteran of the hospitality industry, Sir Rocco’s philosophy is certainly customer orientated and his team are given a sense of belonging and being part of something very special.

Holly:

Sir Rocco, you have an incredible and evolving collection of luxurious five-star hotels and resorts, ranging throughout Europe and beyond. They're all landmarks in exceptional locations and are truly exquisite, but I'd love to talk to you more about your magnificent and iconic Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh and Brown's Hotel, London. I know the Balmoral Hotel was where it all began. Could you tell us a little bit more as to how this all came about?

Sir Rocco Forte:

It all came about because I was suddenly left with nothing to do at the age of 51. Plenty of energy and ambition, I decided to start building a portfolio of distinctive luxury properties. The initial period was quite difficult because I discussed a number of deals, possible acquisitions and so on, but they all fell through. Balmoral came along, and I managed to do a deal with the Bank of Scotland and Trusthouse Forte, my previous company.

We were delighted when a deal was made as it enabled us to turn it around, because otherwise, it would have been taken over in bankruptcy by the bank. The Balmoral Hotel was indeed the first hotel within the new Rocco Forte Collection – purchased on the 1st March 1997.

The thing I am most proud of is the culture that we have created at our hotel collection.

Holly:

It has been an incredible journey that you embarked on with your sister Olga, and really special. It's over four generations that your family have been in hospitality. Did you always envisage the family being so involved?

Sir Rocco Forte:

I suppose in the back of my mind, yes. But I wasn't sure. I didn't want to force them into something they didn’t want to do. But they all had school holiday jobs in the business, so they were exposed to the industry from a young age. As a result, they got a flavour of it, and a liking for it, which made them keen to join after they had finished university and having experienced other jobs outside the industry.

Holly:

With all of your properties, from the location to the interiors, each hotel is authentic and individual with its own characteristics, combining the history and culture of the places, along with working with local artists and designers. A Dream Escape favourite with guests is your J.K. Rowling Suite in The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh and the (Rudyard) Kipling Suite in Brown’s Hotel, London. Creating these different experiences has really made your properties stand out. Has this sense of place always been important to you?

Sir Rocco Forte:

Yes, very much so. Each of our properties is individual – each has its own personality, and each is authentic to its city. When we set off, we felt that the sense of place for our hotels was one of the most important pillars, everybody talks about it now, but I think we were one of the first to do it. Most of the trade was a sort of rubber stamp of hotel chains at that time.

It’s really thanks to my sister that a lot of that has come together so well, in terms of the decoration of the hotel. Olga spends a lot of time before we start remodelling the hotel, thinking about the main theme and feeling for the hotel.

Holly:

Have your personal experiences influenced your approach to creating these authentic stays?

Sir Rocco Forte:

Yes, very much. I think one's character is to some degree made up of one's personal experiences, and so the fact that I’ve been staying in good hotels for most of my life, ever since I was a small child with my parents, must have had a positive influence on me. There’s also the fact that I was involved in both the running and development of Trusthouse Forte, and being in the hotel industry all of my life has certainly been another contributor.

Holly:

The atmosphere and warmth when you arrive at one of your hotels is such a wonderful experience. I would love to know more about how you have achieved such a loyal and supportive team?

Sir Rocco Forte:

I think that's what it's all about. Olga spends much time with the staff, it is important to give them the same sense of belonging to something special, the organisation, the family, the history of both the family and the individual hotel, including where it sits within the city that it's in. Everybody goes through an induction process covering this, and I think that really helps to create the sense of feeling you describe in our hotels.

Holly:

Would you say then your success is a combination of good business practices, and clearly your team are very important to you?

Sir Rocco Forte:

Yes, of course. Once you've built a hotel, redecorated, or restructured it, that's just the beginning. It's not the end. Then it's about what you put into it and the feeling that you create, which is where the atmosphere comes from. The general manager, the concierge, and all the staff in the hotel, they're the ones who ultimately create the experience and the warmth. Obviously, our philosophy is very customer orientated, and so we have worked very hard on ensuring this is understood in the staff training. From the beginning we have strived to create a greater warmth between the staff and the customer, because 20 years ago, a lot of luxury hotels had a rather pompous feel to them, and I wanted to try and avoid that – and I think we've been relatively successful at it. Overall, I am most proud of the company culture that we've managed to create. In terms of our development, I've made a few mistakes, but generally I try to choose hotels which are special, and which fit in to the ethos of what we're all about.

Holly:

You've been exceptional at contributing to the industry too. You hold various accolades, and you've given so much back with your time and your support to the industry. What do you envisage the next decade holding with regards to people's expectations of experiences at luxurious properties?

Sir Rocco Forte:

I think it's very difficult to look a long way ahead because effectively you don't change from black to white overnight.

The services you give in a hotel evolve over time and adapt to keep up with fashions and customers’ needs. For example, the technological needs guests expect today are very different to what they were 20 years ago. Some of the changes I have seen over recent years are that the luxury clientele has become more discerning, looking for something different and special every time.

The Drawing Room at Brown's Hotel. For a slice of traditional London life, enjoy the fabled Brown's Afternoon Tea in their award-winning English Tea Room. Take your pick from over 17 teas, including Brown's own blend — and a selection of sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries.

There's also a huge movement in family travel, and multigenerational travel, which has created more demand for adjoining suites. Plus there's a much younger crowd now, and their attitudes are very different to that of the traditional customer.

Once upon a time, you wouldn't have been allowed into Claridges with your jeans on for example, or to sit at lunch with a cap on. But it happens all the time now. And that's the younger generation feeling comfortable doing that, so you can’t really argue with it.

Sir Rocco Forte, his sister Olga Polizzi, Co-founder and Design Director, and the rest of the Rocco Forte Family.

Once you've built a hotel, redecorated, or restructured it, that's just the beginning. It's not the end. Then it's about what you put into it and the feeling that you create which is where the atmosphere comes from. The general manager, the concierge, and all the staff in the hotel, they're the ones who ultimately create the experience and the warmth.

Holly:

You've also been very clever at creating spaces where people do feel very comfortable in their surroundings, accommodating such a variety of different clientele. Is it likely you might launch more properties in the UK in the near future?

Sir Rocco Forte:

Yes, the UK is a market which interests me greatly, and in which I am looking to open more hotels. I have started to consider smaller properties in the main tourist destinations outside of London, the Cotswolds, Bath and so on, so that we can offer more than just London. In Puglia we took on a hotel which we completely re-developed. It is only 40 bedrooms (Hotel Del Levante), and as a small seasonal hotel, I was initially worried that we wouldn’t make it work at that size, however it has been very successful. I think I could use the same sort of model in the UK in certain important destinations outside London.

Holly:

That sounds great, very exciting! Thank you Sir Rocco, it has been so inspiring to speak to you. It is always a pleasure working with you and your teams. We wish you all the best in your search for more UK properties, and look forward to welcoming our guests through your doors once more.

The Forte Family at Brown's Hotel, London.

Explore London and Edinburgh with a Rocco Forte Hotels stay with Dream Escape.

Brown’s Hotel, London:

Guests arriving at Brown's Hotel, London

Few cities in the world have more stories to tell than London. With a history stretching back to Roman times, London boasts countless world-famous landmarks, and even more less well-known treasures. : take the time to seek out the remains of a Roman amphitheatre rediscovered in 1988, for example, or the Palace of Placentia, where Sir Walter Raleigh is said to have laid his cloak over a puddle so that Queen Elizabeth wouldn’t get her feet wet. As London’s first hotel, opened in Mayfair in 1837, Brown’s Hotel has many stories of its own. Over the years it has hosted a roll call of famous names, including Theodore Roosevelt, Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, and Joseph Conrad. Dream Escape will arrange a private tour of the hotel for you to fully appreciate its rich history, or take a walking Royal Warrant Tour and find out where the royal family shops. Or why not stay in the Kipling Suite, Brown’s most distinguished residence? Rudyard Kipling penned The Jungle Book here, and the suite includes a framed handwritten letter from the author himself.

The Balmoral, Edinburgh:

The Balmoral's signature J.K. Rowling Suite, Edinburgh. The decor throughout evocatively conjures the Scottish countryside through stylish sylvan accents and decorative touches that call to mind the natural world.

With a medieval Old Town and an elegant Georgian New Town, Edinburgh also has more than its fair share of historic landmarks. Dominating the skyline of the Scottish capital is Edinburgh Castle, home to Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The famous Royal Mile links the castle with Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. But perhaps Edinburgh’s most famous thoroughfare is Princes Street, famous since Victorian times for its shops and hotels. And located at 1 Princes Street is The Balmoral, a legendary hotel with a landmark clock tower. A galaxy of stars from every field have visited over the decades, including Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, and Paul and Linda McCartney. Allow Dream Escape to arrange a private history walking tour of the Old Town or find out if your ancestors played a part in Scottish history with a private genealogy session. You might enjoy a stay in the elegant J.K. Rowling Suite with unique features including an owl door knocker, the marble bust of Hermes that J.K. Rowling signed when she finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows here, to the antique furnishings, charming turreted alcoves and star-filled entranceway into the lounge. Read more in our Edinburgh special, p78.

Find out more

Holly Mackie, Owner & Director "Sir Rocco and his exceptional team make any stay at the iconic Brown's and Balmoral Hotels truly memorable. From the fabulous designer suites, the wonderful range of dining options and the personal touches to make every guest feel at home, it's always a pleasure working with the entire team."

Listen to this and more from our podcast series: ‘Chatting with Holly’ Holly and the team pride themselves on the personal relationships and connections that they have with a variety of exceptional private properties and experiences in the UK & Ireland. These podcasts will give you an inside glimpse to some of these wonderful connections, many of whom are personal friends, as they talk candidly to Holly about their special properties and experiences.

⬥ holly@dreamescape.co.uk → dreamescape.co.uk