Obituary: Rosewood London front of house director Manuela Ghezzi dies in car accident

Rosewood London front of house director Manuela Ghezzi died in a car accident in Namibia last week. She was 33.

Ghezzi started her career in housekeeping and front of house roles across luxury hotels in northern Italy, including the Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto in Sorrento, the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel & Conference Centre, and the Westin Europa & Regina in Venice.

She moved to London in 2010 to the five-red-AA-star, 115-bedroom Brown’s hotel in Mayfair to work in the front office, before moving onto the five-red-AA-star, 93-bedroom Lanesborough hotel in Knightsbridge, where she worked her way up to front office manager.

After nearly three years at the Lanesborough, she was appointed front office manager at Rosewood London in Holborn, which has five red AA stars and 306 bedrooms.

Since joining Rosewood London in February 2018, she had been a key member of the guest relations team, with a focus on process, service and engagement and quickly made her mark on the operation, bringing in new ideas and ways of operating.

Ghezzi played a key role in the the expansion of the hotel's Explorer programme, as well as the development and implementation of the TOP guest programme. Her work ethic and drive were described as “integral” to the improvement of service results in the guest relations team.

Managing director of Rosewood London Michael Bonsor said: “Manuela joined us in the spring last year and brought with her so much energy and passion. Her caring nature and dedication to our guests were much loved by her immediate team and the Rosewood family. Many kind words of sympathy are coming from the wider community where Manuela impacted colleagues at the Lanesborough, Brown’s hotel and further afield.”