Javier Hortal is Project Services Director for Rocco Forte Hotels and is currently leading an intensive programme of capital expenditure renovations across the group’s portfolio of luxury hotels in Italy, the UK, Germany, and Belgium. The portfolio includes iconic assets such as Hotel de Russie in Rome, The Balmoral in Edinburgh, and Brown’s in London. Javier also oversees Rocco Forte’s new hotel developments, including hotels, serviced apartments, and branded residences.

Javier believes in fostering a culture of “pursuit of excellence through creative ambition” amongst project teams, and says that the greatest reward of his role lies in defining the vision for each new hotel project and developing it through close collaboration with leading designers, consultants, and specialists, ensuring that every new Rocco Forte hotel is the group’s best to date.

A Spanish national and UK-qualified architect, Javier spent over 11 years at Mandarin Oriental prior to joining Rocco Forte, overseeing the group’s projects across EMEA, during which time its regional presence quadrupled in size. Prior to that, Javier worked at global architectural practice RTKL, where he was Head of Hospitality, EMEA, based at the group’s London headquarters.