Whilst being based primarily at Brown’s Hotel, Mr Novella will also oversee two other hotels within the group; The Balmoral in Edinburgh and Hotel Amigo in Brussels. Stuart Johnson, Marco’s predecessor, is to take up the position of General Manager of the Rocco Forte Hotel in Shanghai which will open in 2018 as Rocco Forte’s first venture in the Far East. Mr Johnson opened Brown’s Hotel in 2005 and, as General Manager for eleven years since, has firmly established Brown’s Hotel as one of London’s leading luxury hotels. He now hands over to Mr Novella who brings with him a wealth of experience gained through managing some of the world’s finest hotels.

Responsible for the day to day operations and strategic direction of Brown’s Hotel, Mr Novella will oversee 115 rooms, of which 31 are suites; the seasonal British restaurant, HIX Mayfair; The English Tea Room, the hotel’s iconic afternoon tea lounge; The Donovan Bar, the hotel’s ever popular destination bar; The Spa and the hotel’s meeting and events offering.

Mr Novella joins Brown’s Hotel from his position as Chief Operating Officer for Grace Hotels Ltd where he managed a portfolio of seven hotels worldwide and planned the opening of seven additional properties. Prior to this he spent four years in Florence as General Manager of Villa San Michele for Belmond after nine years with Starwood Hotels and Resorts as General Manager of St Regis Grand and later Hotel Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel. On his appointment at Brown’s Hotel, Mr Novella said: “I am delighted to take up this position within Rocco Forte Hotels at the flagship Brown’s Hotel in the heart of Mayfair, the ultimate location for an increasingly discerning generation of luxury travellers. We have great plans for the future of Brown’s Hotel with my own primary focus being on elevating the experience of our guests through outstanding service, increased suite offering and exceptional food and beverage.

Personalised experience and the individuality of the team are intrinsic to the ethos of Rocco Forte Hotels, an idea which very much aligns with my own view that service, whilst luxury, is not about reserve but rather innovation, approachability and a refreshing outlook.”

Rocco Forte Hotels

Established by Sir Rocco Forte and sister, Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a family of 10 individual hotels and resorts. All of the hotels are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations. Led by a family who has been in hospitality for four generations, the hotels are united by their distinctive approach to service ensuring guests experience the best of the cities and surrounding areas.

Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; Verdura Resort, Sicily; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; Brown’s Hotel, London; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg; Assila Hotel, Jeddah. Future opening: Shanghai in 2018.