By Jacob Roeschley

Sir Rocco Forte. Photo by Hugo Burnard.

One could argue that for Sir Rocco Forte, the hotel industry runs through his blood. The son of a legendary British hotelier, he has carried on the family tradition. However, when forced to rebuild his legacy from the ground up, it is evident that Forte isn’t riding on anyone’s coat tails.

Several aspects combine to make a hotel stay memorable experience. Size matters, of course. The bigger the room, the bed and hydro-massage whirlpool bathtub—the better. The view, the restaurant and (for ambitious patrons) the gym all factor into how one responds on the comment card left on the bedside table—particularly when your clientèle is willing to drop several thousand dollars a night. Sir Rocco Forte must consider all this on a daily basis, and as one of Europe’s premier hoteliers, he has dedicated himself to the art of hospitality. Last year, he was inducted into the Hospitality Industry Hall of Honor at Conrad N. Hilton College in Houston.

He owns London-based Rocco Forte Collection, a group of 11 five-star hotels in Europe. While most European luxury establishments are smaller business ventures, typically owned by families or small regional groups, Forte established luxurious destinations in major cities across the continent. From the Brown’s Hotel in London to Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg and The Charles in Munich, each property touts a stylized atmosphere, central location, and countless jaw-dropping amenities. However, in Forte’s opinion, the most important part of running a luxury hotel is the service. “I don’t think [the amenities are] so important,” Forte tells Brilliant. “Innovations come in the niceties of the service we deliver. [We] take a slightly different approach to each guest.”

Bebel Suite Bathroom at Hotel de Rome, Berlin. Photo by The Rocco Forte Collection.

Forte was knighted by the Queen of England in 1994 for his service to the United Kingdom Tourism Industry. With the exception of a brief acting stint as a teenager, he has worked a lifetime in the hospitality industry. Like many teenagers, summers and holidays were spent working for the family business. What made Forte’s childhood job exceptional was that his father owned a multi-billion pound hotel and restaurant company.

Italian-born, Lord Charles Forte founded the Forte Company in 1935, which, at the time, merely consisted of a milk bar in London. His business had grown to a chain of eight by 1940 and later merged with Trust Houses Group to become the massive Trust House Forte in 1970. “I worked very closely with [my father] for many years,” Sir Rocco recalls. “I learned a lot from him. He was a man of very high integrity. He was someone who had huge determination. He was extremely charming and polite and, at times, very tough. These are all things I think I’ve absorbed.”

In the early 90s, Trust House Forte owned more than 800 hotels and 400 restaurants, serving everything from fast-food to five-star dining. CEO since 1982, the younger Forte became chairman of his father’s empire in 1992, but soon lost the company in hostile takeover by the British conglomerate Granada. Rather than sit on a fortune and enjoy an early retirement, Forte opened his own chain of luxury hotels. “I was 50 when the Trust House Forte business was sold,” Forte explains. “I didn’t feel like retiring. I needed to be stimulated, and the stimulation I get is from business.” In 1997, Forte acquired the majestic Balmoral in Edinburgh, Scotland, a move that quickly launched him to get back in the game.

Landscape Suite at Vendura Golf and Spa Resort. Photo by The Rocco Forte Collection.

Though now only in its 12th year, the new Forte empire has re-established the luster once held by its predecessor. They are slated to open five new luxury hotels within the next three years, including one in Marrakech, Morocco, and two in the Middle East. Verdura in Sicily, named for the river that runs through the city, will open this year and introduce a new business venture for Forte: golf resorts. Set on 560 acres of breathtaking landscape and 1.3 miles of Mediterranean coastline, the resort will boast two championship golf courses, as well as a state-of-the-art hydrotheraphy spa.

The Verdura project has involved the restoration of existing buildings as well as the construction of several new ones. Like all other Forte hotels, the décor will prove a contemporary reflection of the history and character of its environment—largely due to Forte’s sister, Olga Polizzi. Like his father, Forte keeps the company a family affair. Polizzi serves as the interior design director for the company, and has collaborated with her brother on both new construction and restoration projects. “I try to build hotels that relate to the local environment, which is becoming more important to international clientèle,” he shares. “When I started my company, I had no sort of decoration for the hotel, but [Olga] had very clear ideas.”

Today, Forte plays an integral part in nearly every aspect of his ever-expanding company. He hopes to one day establish his brand of luxury in every major European city from Paris to Moscow and even venture to New York. Although an 800-strong hotel empire may be little more than family history, losing his father’s company resulted not, he confesses, without a silver lining. “Working in a big company, you have people doing everything,” he divulges. “With a small business, you’ve got to do a lot more yourself. I’ve always survived—I’ve absorbed things I didn’t even know … I’ve learned my trade, as it were.” A trade, it seems, for which he was born.

Share this Article!

Hide Sites