As the ultra-luxe five-star siren Lanesborough Hotel reopens its doors post rad reno, we sat down for a cuppa and chinwag with one of the hotel’s most beloved and long-standing fixtures, Managing Director Geoffrey Gelardi.
First, a little about you. How did you get to where you are today?
Well, I am from a family of hoteliers. My grandfather was GM of The Savoy and then Claridges. In 1931, he was famously invited to open the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Meanwhile I started out as a trainee steward at the Sonesta Tower [now Jumeirah Carlton Tower], went on to work in the kitchens and then as a waiter. I took to it like a duck to water. Eventually I found myself in the States, and stayed there for the next 17 years, until one day the president of Rosewood hotels (having acquired The Lanesborough) approached me for help in finding a GM. I said I had someone in mind but didn’t think they could afford him. Well, I was wrong, and here I am today.
You’ve garnered a fair few awards on your way to the top, what do you think makes a really standout GM?
You’ve got to be constantly on your toes. But above all, I believe in treating people as you wish to be treated – and that goes for both guests and employees. The hotel industry is a fascinating cross-section of society. You meet wonderful people, you meet awful people, you meet sparkling celebrities, you meet unassuming billionaires. It’s important to treat everyone with the same respect and politeness.
The Lanesborough has recently undergone an Albert Pinto-led, multi-million £, 19-month renovation, what has changed?
We gave it a new heart. New aircon, New lifts, every room has been teched out to the absolute cutting edge. [Ed note: think foot-receptive floor lighting leading your way to the lav at night.]
From a design standpoint, it’s much lighter. Mr Pinto’s use of colour and texture is spectacular. When it was first constructed in 1991, The Lanesborough was the most expensive hotel in the world, costing £1 million per room. But it was becoming too dark, too English. The abundance of woodwork had become heavy and saturated with polish, so the team have restored it to its original warm hue. The overall detail is just second to none. I love it.
What is your favourite space in the new Lanesborough?
The Great Hall. When people walk into this space they’re convinced it’s been festooned with green fabric, but it’s a trompe-l’oeil, it’s been hand-painted to resemble fabric. The effect is really quite staggering.
And, what is your favourite suite?
Funny you should ask that. A famous travel agent once stayed here and revealed to the press his favourite room number. Only, he gave the wrong number. People would phone up, specifically requesting that room. We would say: we don’t think you want that one, you want this one. But they would usually insist otherwise. It wasn’t even our best room.
For me, the Apsley Suites on the first floor, set across the old chapel, are really quite wonderful. The suite with the little dining area is my favourite.
You were the first London hotelier to employ butlers, a lead which has been followed by many hotels across the world today… What sets The Lanesborough apart?
They’re a dime-a-dozen nowadays, of course. But I would say 90% of hotels don’t do it properly. Housekeepers and in-room dining are a separate entity here. Our butlers are the cream on top. They serve as a floor manager, welcome every guest, run errands, walk the dog, literally anything… as long as it’s legal!
And what do you think makes London such a fabulous destination?
Without a doubt, its history. And its parks, of course. London is also such a vibrant city and has come a long way in the last twenty years. People used to laugh at English food, but today it ranks alongside Paris and New York as one of the world’s best. If I’m honest, I think it’s even starting to edge past the other two. Really, apart from the weather, what’s not to like?!
You also spent a large part of your career in New York, what is the first place you visit when you go back?
I go back often, and one of the first things I always do is eat in a New York deli. The way they prepare a pastrami sandwich… well, it’s just to die for. Nowhere else in the world can seem to replicate it.
What are the next destinations on your travel wish list?
New Zealand. The landscape seems out of this world, and most importantly, they play great rugby. I’d also like to explore India properly. My mother was born and raised there while my grandfather looked after a forest in Bangalore, but I’ve only ever been there for work. I’ve visited the big-hitters like São Paulo, but I’d like to see more of South America.
Apart from The Lanesborough, what are three of your favourite hotels?
One of my all-time favourites is Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico. I visited years ago with my family and, as part of the Rosewood group, they have proper butlers too. Our butler was outstanding. We would go scuba diving and there he would be, waiting to help us on with our gear.
The Peninsula in Hong Kong is fantastic. Beautiful building, sterling service, lovely afternoon tea, and we had a corner suite so you take your bath overlooking the harbour.
And the Bel-Air in Los Angeles. I used to work there and still go back. Set across 11 acres of the most expensive real estate in LA, it’s one of the most spectacular hotels in the world.
And what do you never travel without?
My wife!
The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, London, +44 20 7259 5599, lanesborough.com
