Luxury Hertfordshire hotel and award-winning spa, Sopwell House, has announced the appointment of Luigi Villani as its new Director of Spa.
With over 20 years of international experience in luxury spa and wellness operations, Luigi joins Sopwell House from Kempinski Hotels, where he led the team as Head of Spas, overseeing the global spa and wellness strategy across 80 properties worldwide.
Prior to this, Luigi held the position of Director of Learning and Performance at spa management company, Ocean View Monaco, where he oversaw a team of 380 staff across a portfolio of 17 luxury cruise ship spas.
Across his career, Luigi has built a strong background in revenue optimisation, operational performance and staff development, delivering measurable boosts to guest satisfaction and employee retention.
In his new role, Luigi will oversee Sopwell House’s Cottonmill Spa and The Club at Cottonmill, introducing his vision for a world-class experience to the property and driving continued operational excellence. By focusing on fully understanding members’ needs, Luigi is looking forward to implementing new opportunities to further enrich the guest journey, while fostering a culture where the team are proud of the service they provide.
Luigi Villani, Director of Spa at Sopwell House comments:
Sopwell House is an extraordinary hotel with a glowing reputation for delivering an exceptional spa experience. I look forward to building on the spa’s success and enhancing the guest journey further, whilst also championing the talented team behind it.
Giammario Ragnoli, General Manager of Sopwell House adds:
We are delighted to welcome Luigi to Sopwell House. His global track record across luxury operations, strategy and talent development makes him an ideal fit as we continue to elevate our wellness offering.
The appointment follows other recent senior additions at the property, including Sopwell House’s Director of Human Resources, Diane Packer, as well as the launch of its 40th anniversary delegate and summer BBQ packages. The elevation of the wellness offering also echoes wider industry moves, such as a renowned Glasgow hotel spa strengthening its luxury offering with senior appointments.