Where monks once prayed to heaven, guests from all over the world now come to rest. We have Frederik Kubierschky and Catharina Lütjens to thank for Vocabolo Moscatelli, who have realized their idea of an oasis for all those for whom arrival begins deep inside, here in the green heart of Italy.
Interview: Marina Warth
Photos: Vocabolo Moscatelli
FACES: How did you get into the hotel industry?
Frederik Kubierschky: Through my parents, who had a wine tavern in Bamberg, Germany, when I was very young. After they separated, my mother ran a hotel for almost 30 years. All the experiences in front of and behind the scenes had a huge impact on me.
Catharina Lütjens: Through my family, who still own one of the best-known delicatessens in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Even when I was young, I helped out with the party service at events here. Alongside school, I earned my pocket money as a waitress until I decided to train as a hotel manageress in a five-star hotel in Berlin after graduating from high school.
F: How would you describe your hotel in one sentence?
FK & CL: It’s a quiet place of power where you can feel the attention to detail everywhere and meet interesting characters.
F: Take us through the development of your hotel from the idea to the finished resort!
FK & CL: Roughly speaking, it is a listed monastery of the Olivetans from the 12th century. Century – consisting of a main building, a barn respectively Farmhouse and a church and a park of approx. one hectare. When we bought the building, it was not yet clear exactly what form of hospitality would take place here. We considered various concepts and spun them through. One idea was to develop it purely as an event location or to specifically target only groups who could rent it on a weekly basis. But the building is crying out for a certain Via-Vai. A hotel is very much defined by the people who stay there, and it was important to us to embed ourselves well in the local community and also to be an added value for the locals. That’s why we decided on our interpretation of a classic hotel business. We have restored it very conservatively and at the same time brought in fresh and light elements that make it look more contemporary, but without losing respect for the great craftsmanship of this area. The style is a mixture of Northern European and Italian Mid-Century, manufactured exclusively in Italy. Thanks to this approach, we have survived the coronavirus period well and without any supply bottlenecks. Most of the companies are from the area and are no more than an hour or two’s drive away. Due to the bizarre experiences of the pandemic, we were also somewhat afraid of how the way people would experience society in public in the future would develop. That’s why a lot of attention was paid to the garden and outdoor areas. In addition, we have always tried to make the room “sociable” so that it invites our visitors to spend time together. The fireplace, a crescent made of microcement, or the free-standing Matite Bar made of terracotta are good examples. Apart from these hard facts, we are even more proud of our team and our hospitality. We try to offer a very familiar, cheeky and fun service, without a lot of chichi. Our guests have thanked us very much so far!
F: Give us three reasons why we should definitely stay at your place!
FK & CL: Great encounters, bombastic beds and great breakfast all day long! The latter was important to both of us, as we like to sleep in on vacation and you always end up having to set the alarm clock so as not to miss breakfast – not so with us! (both laugh)
Of great guests and the damned shortage of skilled workers
F: What makes the hotelier profession so exciting, and what aspects are rather tedious?
FK & CL: It’s definitely the guests! They make every day different. Every guest comes with a different backpack of experience and expectations. This daily “getting used to each other” is a great challenge. We only have twelve rooms and suites for a maximum of 24 guests. This means that we usually build up a very good relationship over one to three days. That takes a lot of energy – but also gives a lot. A bit like traveling… Tedious? Yes, there’s that damned shortage of skilled workers! Our industry has somewhat overslept in adapting working conditions to the contemporary needs of people – we are now paying a high price for this, as in the care sector. But we are confident!
F: What do hoteliers need to think about that others don’t?
FK & CL: Combining the needs of employees with the demanding work in the hotel industry. Putting yourself in the guest’s shoes every day and managing to give both guests and staff a good time in the end.
F: What are you worrying too much about?
FK & CL: Electricity and gas and Heating costs. These have quadrupled in recent months.
F: What are you like as a boss and as a female boss?
FK: Still a bit green behind the ears and often clearly overwhelmed. I demand a lot – but I also give a lot. This is my first position as “Head Coach”. What’s more, my previous management positions were all in Switzerland, where the pace is different. In any case, I always try to give employees the opportunity to develop and enjoy their work. I demand of myself that I always set a good example. My personal challenge is that I always want to please everyone. Which of course I can’t do… I would make it much easier for myself to become a dictator from time to time. Some people need that, but I’m just not like that and I don’t want to work like that either.
CL: I attach great importance to the details. When I have option A in my head, I find it difficult to settle for option B. Our employees tell me that they have never met a perfectionist like me. They really appreciate and admire this, but sometimes I drive them crazy with it. (laughs) I myself was able to enjoy a very instructive school and take great pleasure in sharing this knowledge with our employees today, but in return I also demand the interest to accept this and then put it into practice myself. I love standards in a hotel, but today I take great pleasure in designing our hotel in such a way that we don’t sink into standards, but create a healthy mediocrity so that the guest lacks nothing. When he comes back, he should feel right “at home”. Frederik is definitely the calmest of the two of us and is driven by love. I’m more of a realist myself – we balance each other out well and know that we make a good team.
Guests should ask themselves when they leave when they will return
F: What makes a good host?
FK & CL: Always empathy for us! Adapt to your guest and anticipate certain needs. And by that, of course, we don’t mean an annoying refill every time you have a glass of wine in your hand.
F: Which guests do you like best?
FK & CL: This is different. But it’s usually guests who open up and give us some insights or experiences.
F: What do you dislike in guests?
FK & CL: Disrespect. Especially towards the team – but they realize that too. Fortunately, this happens very rarely. We could imagine a vacation together with most of the guests we had here – we are blessed!
F: What do you expect from your hotel?
FK & CL: When leaving, guests should ask themselves when they can come back and not whether it was worth it.
F: How have the demands of your guests changed in recent years?
FK & CL: As far as the infrastructure is concerned, we think a lot has changed. Many people now have their own rain shower or bathtub at home. So it’s difficult to score points with that. For example, we do not provide televisions in the rooms, as most guests travel with a device on which they can consume their favorite media anyway. We are happy to provide a Smart TV or projector in the room on request, although this hardly ever happens. However, we have invested a lot in good water pressure and a strong internet connection so that you can stay well connected. As far as soft skills are concerned, it is of course about the tailor-made experiences that our guests can have with us and in the surrounding area. We are here to find and make these experiences accessible and let the guest become part of our local community. And then, of course, there’s everything to do with food and drink. People are eating much more consciously, and at the same time it will become more and more of a luxury in future to know exactly what you are eating. For us, this means finding top-quality local produce and animal products that we can guarantee have been created with dignity.
Evacuation alarm!
F: What story from your everyday life as a host do you have to tell us?
FK & CL: We met back then in a five-star hotel in Zurich. Frederik was head concierge, and I was fresh out of training in Berlin. At the time, I was given the opportunity to set up a new internal department, which involved working closely with the concierge. We regularly welcomed the guests together and said goodbye to them again. At this point at the latest, we knew: something of our own one day, that would be it! One day, one of our then joint managers said goodbye to us in the lobby with the words: “Let me know if you open your own hotel one day” – and now the time has come. Together we experienced many funny, crazy and also sad situations in hotel life. We could write a whole book about it. (both laugh) One story from this would be when the hotel was fully booked due to a well-known event in the city. The evacuation alarm was triggered in the middle of the night – there could not have been a more inappropriate time, as a Hollywood star was also in the house. The next morning we apologized to all the guests and every single one of them had a smile on their face. We will never forget that, it’s not something you experience every day.
F: What do you look out for when you stay out yourself?
FK & CL: Mainly on friendly service, cleanliness, good mattresses, good water pressure and good internet connection.
F: What distinguishes a good hotel from a great one?
FK & CL: The staff.
F: Where is your own bed?
FK & CL: We have a small apartment in the middle of Kreis 4 in Zurich and a small house two kilometers from the hotel here in Umbria.
This is what Frederik Kubierschky & Catharina Lütjens from…
cruise ships:
A large number of people traveling in the same direction in a confined space. Not our thing…
Buffet meal:
we avoid.
All-inclusive:
is completely alien to us.
Tip:
a matter of course with good service.
Dogs in the restaurant and hotel:
If they are well behaved, no problem at all.
Children in the restaurant and hotel:
like with dogs. (both laugh)
entertainers:
admirable, funny people.
Dress codes:
annoying.
TripAdvisor:
exciting tool, although the emphasis is too much on the guests. To be fair, hoteliers should also be able to rate guests. Airbnb is leading the way for us here.
OTAs:
great tools to increase visibility – whether you always address the right guests with them is somewhat questionable. Reminder: always book directly!
Sharing Economy:
extremely exciting. Fantastic in Zurich! Here in Italy you might share a pig with your neighbor like 40 years ago…
Sustainability:
a matter of course.
Shortage of skilled workers:
As already mentioned: It’s our own fault!
Vocabolo Moscatelli
Walls that could hold stories for numerous volumes, Italian design and furniture made by local craftspeople: This is the Vocabolo Moscatelli, more a refuge than a hotel and the baby of Frederik Kubierschky and Catharina Lütjens. Where the heart of Umbria beats loudest, this retreat is surrounded by centuries-old forests, fruit trees and fragrant flowers within the same walls where others have sought refuge. Modernity blends naturally with the past and weaves in design and the feeling of simply being at home at Vocabolo Moscatelli.
vocabolomoscatelli.com
You can find even more places of longing here.
