“I never thought I would stay in the English countryside for eight years, but with Bond and Bridget Jones movies shot here, and regular events, every day is fascinating – plus we have so much history,” says Giammario Ragnoli, GM of the 49-room Stoke Park hotel near Windsor, England.
Ragnoli was enticed there from London, 50 miles away, by another Italian, Ricci Obertelli, former GM of The Dorchester. “The owners of Stoke Park, the King family, wanted a hotelier, not a golfer. I look after the hotel, three restaurants, and, apart from golf, all the wellness, which includes 13 tennis courts and an extensive fitness and spa facility,” he explained. “I share accounts with my golf counterpart and he and I, together with the director of estates who looks after the entire 300-acre private plot, report directly to Chester King, one of three sons of the family patriarch, Roger King.”
Roger and Gilly King had bought Stoke Park in 1988. It came with extensive golf and a wedding cake-look house, built in 1775 by James Wyatt, architect to King George III. It had several meeting rooms and 21-foot high-ceilinged bedrooms filled with antiques. In 2000, the three-floor new-build Pavilion, 200 yards away, was finished: this houses one restaurant, spa, the indoor swimming pool, games room and fitness center, and three indoor tennis courts. Above all of this are 28 bedrooms, popular with those who do not want to walk outside, from the historical building, to get on a treadmill.
“When I arrived at Stoke Park in 2009 it was more like a members’ club with 600 golf members and some of those who ate and dined here regularly were not quite at ease with hotel guests,” said Ragnoli with his characteristic wry smile. “Today there are 2,500 racquets members, 800 golf members, a growing number of fitness-only members, and 400 social members, who just like dining and wining and special events.”
Special happenings include a weekly Wednesday club night, for all members, and the annual Boodles’ tennis tournament, which this year runs from June 27 to July 1. Over 2,200 spectators come to watch play that extends from noon through to about 6.30 p.m., after which most rush back to London. All restaurants are fully booked and a big tent, put up for the occasion, is outside catered. The Wainwright family, owners of Boodles Jewelry since its 1798 start, sell a lot of pieces during the event, and they entertain their best clients.
“Sadly, lack of planning permission currently prevents us adding the 50 or so extra bedrooms we badly need,” Ragnoli shared. “We expect to finish 2017 at around 75%, of which 80% is domestic. The U.S. and Europe make up the remainder of our guests, and we get a fair number returning once a year for special occasions. Average length of stay is two nights.”
In 2014 the King family extended Giammario Ragnoli’s duties to include head of operations for their International Group Management (IGM) consultancy, which includes financial assessment of planned projects worldwide. Born in the Lake Como area of Italy, Ragnoli had studied finance at CFP Alberghiero Bellagio before switching to hospitality, and in 1986 started serving as a waiter at the Hotel Victoria in Menaggio on Lake Como. After a spell at the Compleat Angler Hotel in Marlow, UK, he moved in 2004 to Baglioni Hotel London, as deputy GM under Luca Virgilio, who has just re-opened The Eden, Rome, for the Dorchester Collection.
What else does this versatile Italian need, other than time to extend his own spells on one of the three indoor tennis courts? “There is really no trouble finding the 160 caring and authentic staff who report to me directly,” he said. “We house about a quarter of them and they can easily get into London if they need a few hours of bright lights or shopping. My constant need, however, is to combat the serious shortage of good spa therapists that seems to be an industry predicament just at the time when wellness is even more crucial, for men and women of all ages.”