PERSONALITIES
Rocco Forte , at 73 , is
Sir hardly interested in slowing down . In fact , the always fit former Ironman competitor sounds raring to go as he works with three of his children to grow Rocco Forte Hotels and write the next chapter of the empire started by his father , Lord Charles Forte , in 1935 .
“ I still have a lot of energy and enthusiasm . So I don ' t see why I shouldn ' t keep going for quite a while longer ,” he says .
Plans are in place to open five new luxury properties , predominantly in Italy , in the next two years . “ We ' ve been quite proactive in the last 18 months ,” Forte says . “ I ' ve significantly strengthened my management capabilities as we ' ve grown our central
Sir Rocco Forte plans to open five luxury properties , predominantly in
Italy , in the next two years .
FORTIFIED FORTE
FAMILY DOUBLES DOWN
By JEFF WEINSTEIN , EDITOR IN CHIEF
team with a strong operations director . He ' s built a team around him and we ' re now in a position to take on a lot more hotels ( predominantly via long-term leases ). We can probably double the size of the number of hotels ” — currently at 11 — “ over the next five years without significantly increasing our central overhead . We ’ re geared up for expansion and that ’ s what we ’ re going to focus on over the next two or three years .”
The 22-year-old group ’ s first new openings in seven years include four properties in Italy and one in China . The Hotel de la Ville in Rome and the Masseria Torre Maizza in Puglia opens in May 2019 ; the first Rocco Forte House luxury serviced apartment opens in Rome in September ; the fabled Grand Hotel Villa Igiea will re-emerge in revived Palermo , Sicily , in 2020 ; and in China the group will open the Westbund Hotel in Shanghai in 2019 .
Forte says with his Italian origins and business relationships , he will continue to look for opportunities in Italy as the company builds a base there . His core partner , Cassa Depositi Prestiti of Italy , acquired a 23 % shareholding for £ 60 million ( US $ 76 million ) in 2015 and is a strong supporter of Italian development . Lloyds ’ Bank of Scotland has supported Rocco Forte Hotels for 21 years and recently agreed to a new 10-year debt facility for £ 158 million ( US $ 200 million ).
The group already operates the Hotel de Russie in Rome , the Verdura Resort in Sicily and the Savoy Hotel in Florence , which underwent a major renovation last year . “ I want to complete the network in Italy . I want to be in Milan , Venice and the Amalfi Coast ,” Forte says . “ I can do probably quite a number of smaller hotels in the cultural cities , as well .”
Forte is also operating his first Rocco Forte House – a five-bedroom apartment in Rome close by the Hotel de la Ville and the Hotel de Russie . The owner of the Hotel de la Ville asked Forte to take on the project and as a result has a potentially new venture . “ I don ’ t think I can do these independently of a nearby hotel base ,” he says . “ But we ’ re looking at several things where we have existing hotels . And so you might well see us doing some more .”
Forte says sales were up about 6 % in 2018 with the American market remaining strong . “ The Middle East business hasn ’ t come back completely , although it ’ s improved ,” he adds . “ And Russian business has actually grown .”
22 hotelsmag . com January / February 2019