Crafting unforgettable luxury requires blending tradition with cutting-edge innovation, a challenge that hospitality leaders face today. Friedrich von Schönburg, Regional Vice President & Managing Director at Rosewood Villa Magna, leads this pivotal transformation. In this exclusive Shiji Insights interview, Friedrich unveils compelling insights into how timeless hospitality values and modern technology can combine seamlessly, offering indispensable strategies for those crafting unforgettable luxury experiences and navigating the future of hospitality.
Takeaways
Personalization Drives Luxury: Friedrich emphasizes tailored experiences over opulence, using technology to enhance guest connections.
Technology Must Enhance, Not Replace: Tools like CRM systems and WhatsApp complement human interactions, never overshadowing them.
Empowerment Fuels Excellence: Trust, training, and resources enable staff to deliver unforgettable service with a sense of ownership.
Sustainability is Non-Negotiable: Initiatives like repurposing linens reflect a commitment to luxury with a conscience.
AI’s Potential Looms Large: Friedrich sees AI reshaping back-end operations, promising a more seamless guest experience.
Influence of Family Legacy
Growing up in the Marbella Club, you must have been exposed to traditional hospitality practices. How do these traditions influence your leadership style today?
I was lucky enough from a young age to observe my father and how he lived his role. It was all about being a host, always ensuring that the guests had all they needed and were entertained. It was about coming up with experiences and fun activations/events to ensure that there was no need to leave the club. He was also great in introducing the guests to each other, which made the club such a special place. I also learned from him how important it is to have a good and genuine relationship with all the associates/employees. This is something I have tried to do in every role I have had. Without the team that follows and believes in you, you are nobody.
“I was lucky enough from a young age to observe my father and how he lived his role. It was all about being a host, always ensuring that the guests had all they needed and were entertained. … Without the team that follows and believes in you, you are nobody.” Friedrich von Schönburg
Career Evolution
From your first role as a telephone operator to Regional Vice President & Managing Director at Rosewood Villa Magna, how has technology in hospitality shaped your journey?
Technology has always been part of my day-to-day in every role I have had since my beginning as a phone operator. Technology has been evolving and has become better and better. Having said this, I believe that in hospitality, we are still far from excelling in the use of technology, and there are many areas of improvement and connectivity. I also believe that many hotels and teams don’t use the functionality of all the technology they have to the fullest and best ways. This is due to the managers’ lack of training and dedication at times.
Defining Modern Luxury
Personalized experiences are central to luxury hospitality. How do you blend human intuition with technological tools to deliver these experiences?
Our approach to luxury hospitality prioritizes personalized experiences over mere opulence. Guests seek authentic, culturally enriching experiences and personalized interactions. This is reflected in our hospitality, where each stay is personalized like selecting a local wine or leaving a handwritten note, creating lasting emotional connections. We use technology to make this possible by discreetly recording guest preferences, known and discovered during their stay, and sharing this information across all teams. This collaboration ensures every aspect of the guest experience is tailored, making each visit and gesture truly unforgettable.
Guest Interaction and Technology
How do you ensure technology complements rather than competes with the human interactions essential to luxury service, especially in moments requiring empathy?
We must use technology to add to personal experiences instead of surprising personal interactions. In the fast-paced environment we encounter, guests often want to communicate with the hotel directly via WhatsApp or any other communication channel. Many don’t want to pick up the phone anymore but rather text. This also helps on one side to have recorded all the interactions but allows a faster resolution to many easy requests. Any technology used to interact with guests must be easy to use without downloading apps or signing up for anything. It needs to be multi-generationally friendly and easy to use in multiple languages. Hospitality needs to learn of the ease of e-commerce using Amazon, Booking.com, etc., as examples of how easy it is.
Memorable Moments
Can you share an example of how your team has leveraged creative thinking, possibly supported by technology, to deliver an unforgettable guest experience?
We research our guests before their arrival to be able to create unique experiences and interactions. Thanks to this, we have created many memorable, unexpected moments for guests to personalize their rooms with pictures, special amenities, or room setups. Having a good internal CRM system, whatever one of our guests enjoyed within a hotel of the collection, we can recognize. For example, if you like your coffee in the extra hot morning, with two shots of coffee and oat milk, we will offer this to you on your first morning even though the guest never stayed with us before. Also, knowing their likes, passions, and preferences helps again personalize any interaction.
Empowering Teams
You’re a believer in empowering staff. How do you ensure they have access to the right tools and training to excel in delivering exceptional service?
Empowering people begins with trust, training, and the right resources. We offer ongoing development programs access to advanced hospitality tools, and commit to maintaining a culture that fosters initiative and creativity. By making our associates feel valued and well-equipped, our experience enables them to provide exceptional and personalized service. Empowerment also creates a feeling of ‘ownership,’ which, for me, is one of the most important values my team needs to have to excel. Everyone can make decisions to ensure the guests have an incredible, positive, unforgettable experience with us. Empowerment helps our associates ‘touch our guests emotionally,’ which is what they will always remember and create a positive word of mouth for us.
Training and Growth
How do you update your team on service best practices and the latest technologies to assist them?
We take a holistic approach, prioritizing continuous learning through tailored training programs, hands-on coaching, and regular workshops. Our team stays informed on service best practices and technologies via expert-led sessions, industry insights, and real-time feedback. This blend of traditional hospitality values and modern innovations ensures our associates deliver an exceptional, forward-thinking service. We also ensure that we participate in important fairs and follow trends in the industry. We need to always have a mindset of ‘how can we improve what we do’ and ‘never be just content with what we have.’
Team Collaboration
How do you foster creativity within your team, and does technology contribute to that process?
Creativity is central to our mission, he says. We encourage our team to think beyond traditional luxury by exploring new ways to surprise and delight guests. An open, inspiring environment where every associate feels valued is key. We facilitate this through regular brainstorming sessions, cross-departmental collaboration, and hands-on leadership that promotes innovation. Technology also plays a vital role, from data-driven insights for personalizing guest experiences to digital platforms that enhance team communication. By blending the warmth of personal service with technological precision, we ensure our hotel remains dynamic and offers unique experiences to our guests.
Balancing Tradition and Innovation
Rosewood Villa Magna has a storied history. How can innovative solutions be integrated without overshadowing the charm of the hotel’s traditions?
It is very important, as mentioned earlier, that technology must ADD to experience and history and not disrupt it. We use technology, for example, with our Interactive TV system where the guests can learn from the history to the art exposition, to any pop-ups to even watch masterclasses such as the ‘perfect G&T’ with our head mixologists. Our internal communication system that we use with guests also enables us to easily share any information on the hotel’s history or anything else with them.
Sustainability and Luxury
How are you approaching sustainability initiatives, and is technology a part of achieving those goals while maintaining guest satisfaction?
Sustainability is a fundamental pillar of our vision for luxury hospitality. At Rosewood Villa Magna, we have implemented initiatives like repurposing old linens into associate uniforms and sourcing amenities locally to negotiate with our suppliers to donate between 1%-5% of the revenue generated through us to a local charity organization. These efforts allow us to uphold high guest satisfaction while being mindful of our environmental impact. We aim at Rosewood to build a future where People and Place enrich one another.
“Our approach to luxury hospitality prioritizes personalized experiences over mere opulence. … We use technology to make this possible by discreetly recording guest preferences, both known and discovered during their stay, and sharing this information across all teams.” Friedrich von Schönburg
The Role of Technology
How do you see technology helping to maintain the seamless service luxury guests expect while supporting staff efficiency?
Technology is crucial for enhancing luxury guest service and improving efficiency. At Rosewood Villa Magna, we integrate advanced systems like automated check-in/check-out, allowing for a streamlined experience for both guests and employees. Our internal chat platform enables direct communication between guests and associates to address issues and request services. Additionally, our preference programs help us anticipate guest needs. Ultimately, the right technology enhances the luxury experience by making it more personalized and efficient while preserving the essential human touch.
Guest Data
What’s your approach to using guest data responsibly to tailor experiences while protecting privacy and trust?
We prioritize transparency by ensuring guests understand how their data is used and obtaining explicit consent. Robust security measures protect their information, and we use data ethically to enhance their experience, always focusing on privacy and trust. Every associate undergoes tailored and in-depth training on data privacy annually.
Evolving Traveler Needs
With today’s travelers expecting a mix of personalization and convenience, how do you balance digital innovation with human connection?
Balancing digital innovation with human connection is vital for meeting today’s travelers’ needs. We use technology to streamline services, like personalized recommendations and seamless check-ins, enhancing convenience. Simultaneously, we prioritize genuine human interaction, ensuring our associates are always available to provide a personalized, high-touch experience that makes guests feel valued and at home.
Future Vision
What technological trends or innovations are you most excited about, and how do you see them reshaping luxury hospitality?
AI is a big new trend that many still do not know how it will impact all we do. While AI won’t take away the human touch and interaction, which is one of the main reasons guests choose to stay in Hotels such as the Rosewood Villa Magna, it will affect many tasks on the back end currently done by employees. It is essential to find appropriate solutions so that all software and systems can communicate effectively, allowing information and data to flow properly for an improved guest experience. As mentioned earlier, I think hospitality has always been a bit delayed with any technology, so I look forward to this change.
Madrid’s Transformation
Madrid is a vibrant city. How does Rosewood Villa Magna leverage its unique position in the city to meet changing guest expectations?
Rosewood Villa Magna embraces its unique position in Madrid by offering a seamless blend of luxury, culture, and local experiences. We provide guests exclusive access to the city’s top attractions and cultural gems while ensuring a tranquil retreat within our hotel. By combining personalized service with Madrid’s vibrant energy, we meet evolving guest expectations for both relaxation and discovery, delivering a truly tailored experience. We have created a warm and welcoming cozy hub that encapsulates Madrid’s sophisticated local lifestyle for locals and travelers alike. The multiple activations, collaborations, and pop-ups make the hotel a consistent change and evolving space adapting to Madrid’s needs.
Final Words
Friedrich von Schönburg’s vision for luxury hospitality is a masterclass in balancing heritage with forward-thinking innovation. For him, the essence of exceptional service lies in personalization, enabled by technology yet grounded in human connection. As he leads Rosewood Villa Magna into the future, his commitment to empowering teams, embracing sustainability, and anticipating traveler needs ensures that luxury remains both timeless and transformative.
