Celebrity Interview - Count Rudi - Comments

Count Rudi

Poster: Annabel Milnes-Smith 01/03/2007

THE VERY SOUL OF THE MARBELLA CLUB, COUNT RUDI VON SCHÖNBURG TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO ANNABEL MILNES-SMITH AS HE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS ON THE COAST.

It is not often that a journalist living in Marbella has the opportunity to interview a true icon on the Coast who, quite literally, has ruled the social world over the past 50 years. This could be none other than the charming, delightful and multilingual Count Rudi von Schönburg People have always asked exactly what his position is at the hallowed Marbella Club, so one day somebody explained, "Well, he is just the soul of the club."
It was in April 1954 that this famous establishment was born, going on to gain Marbella a reputation as one of the most exclusive resorts in the world. This was a lifetime dream of Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe, and I was intrigued to discover, from Rudi, how the legend began.

When did you first meet Prince Alfonso?
"We knew each other since childhood, as we both lived in Saxony and our parents were very close, as well as related. I did not see Alfonso for many years, as I was at the Hotel School in Lausanne. I then got my very first job on reception at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hamburg. He was on his way to a shoot with the Bismarcks, and arrived too early for the house party; so, by pure chance, he popped into the hotel for a room. His opening remark was, 'What are you doing here?' To cut a long story short, he instantly offered me a two-year contract working to commercialise and turn the Marbella Club into a top-class hotel.
At that time, the club was merely a guest house. Alfonso turned an abandoned farmhouse into a meeting place for new settlers and for all the friends and acquaintances he had always maintained in Madrid. He spoke so much of Marbella, particularly to his madrileño friends, saying, 'Why don't you come here? It's a dream.'
"While he was doing this, many travellers started enquiring if he had some rooms to stay in. This convinced Prince Alfonso to add two hotel wings to the clubhouse. This created our very first 20 rooms."
Prince Alfonso and Count Rudi created history from that moment.

So why Marbella as a location as opposed to, say, the south of France or Italy?
"Prince Alfonso knew the south of France very well and was great friends with Prince Rainier. He also spent much of his time at other exclusive resorts. However, when he came down here at that immediate post war time, he was so impressed with the beauty of the nature and climate, which is still amazing, together with the kindness of the people, he came to the conclusion he had to save this paradise. Originally he did not buy the land for the hotel; he bought it for himself and his father. He just had the vision, and brought down more and more friends." "Apart from his European friends, he had met many Hollywood stars during his time studying in California. Sooner or later many followed him to Marbella."

I asked Rudi if he would reveal some of the great names...
"I remember one of the first guests who came here was the famous actress Merle Oberon. Then came Ava Gardner, who had a world-famous affair with bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin. There was also Gina Lolobrigida, and Audrey Hepburn, whom I personally adored. Another person who came here was the famous director Jean Negulesco, who made the film Casablanca and discovered Marilyn Monroe. Alfonso was also a close friend of Jimmy Stewart, who frequented the club."

In the early years you both hosted many events to keep the guests entertained, as - at that time - most lived on full board. A few of the events were somewhat unusual...
"Once we had finished the second phase of the beach club, every Tuesday we created fancy dress parties for the guests. These would have themes like "South Sea Island" and "Arabian Nights". They were a huge amount of fun. Another regular event we hosted was to theme the regular evening welcome cocktail party. I came up with the idea of hosting the event up in the hills with the aid of some four-legged friends. At that time, cars barely existed. One day I counted 39 passing by. However, there were about 600 donkeys that were used as transport. So at 7pm the guests arrived before being allocated their chosen mount; then on arrival at our mountain location we gave them sangria, which I have to confess was reinforced with Grand Marnier. We also asked the local gypsies to dance for us."

I gleaned from Count Rudi that, after a few drinks and much flamenco, the ride back down to Marbella was rather hair-raising. By a miracle, only one person fell off... "As you may imagine, we created a very intimate and personal atmosphere between management and guests. It has always been one of my stronger points."

You are a titled gentleman. Do you think this has helped in your ability to create style?
"It has definitely helped, together with our upbringing. Prince Alfonso and I, as children, grew up in great castles, and were used to receiving many guests. We were very open to the social life. I particularly chose the hotel career, because it is what I love; it is close to my heart, because I like to be with people. Alfonso was the great engine who started it for me, and I was always on site executing his projects. I made the many friends that he sent to Marbella, from all over the world, feel welcome.

You grew up in a world of good manners and style. Do you despair of modern manners and, if so, what distresses you most?
"I definitely do despair of the manners and the way people dress and behave. Unfortunately it is not the same group of people that, in our day, had the money. What also makes me sad are family break-ups and divorces. It is against all my beliefs."

Do you also think it sad that Marbella now does not attract so many of the international set?
"There are still many international people who come here, and don't want to be seen for fear of appearing on the tabloid front pages. I can even say that last year's scandals have fortunately, up to now, not affected the good clientele of the Marbella Club. Still there are fewer. The actors and stars of these days are not as glamorous as in our day. Even if they are very important they are understated in dressing, and their way of life. This has happened not only in Marbella, but Monaco and other such resorts. "The press here are certainly not helping, because they write all the time about the mafiosi, people being killed, and houses burgled. It is normal, because of security, for them to say, 'Let's wait one or two years before returning.' I believe that, in the long term, if we keep quality style and our character, with personal service from the management down to the bellboy, the glamour of Marbella will show again! I do not doubt Marbella will continue to have a great future."

How much was hard work, and how much was fun, building up the Marbella Club?
"Funnily enough it was both the same. It was very hard work if one thinks back, but since we enjoyed it so much, we just loved it. It was our baby. I had not been married by that time, so the hotel was my life. It was like living in a convent, though I am not saying I lived like a monk!"

In your youth, were you a bit of a playboy?
"Put it this way, I enjoyed having a good time, especially as I combined it with my work; it was wonderful."

You have been married for 36 years to Princess Marie-Louise of Prussia...
"I had known her since she was a little girl because I was a distant cousin of her mother. I was actually 13 years older than Marie-Louise so I, at that time, was more impressed by her beautiful mother! I did not see them for many years, but then saw her at a ball in Germany and then again in Mogadishu. Funnily enough she had been there helping my sister-in-law, who was expecting her fourth baby. Marie-Louise was a trained nurse. Whilst she was there, I had been invited to a safari in Kenya and I thought I must go and see them. I did, and it was definitely love at first sight. However, it took me sometime to convince her, as she always saw me as Uncle Rudi!" Rudi, not to be turned down, continued to court her and, little by little, won her round. They got engaged that same year after Rudi had visited her parents, in a wonderfully old-fashioned manner to ask for her hand. They were married in 1971.

Please forgive me, but I find you a very sexy man (blushing). What are the secrets in maintaining your longevity?
Rudi answers with an infectious laugh. "I feel very young. I think being married to a much younger woman keeps a man on his toes. Of course, living in Marbella helps to slow the ageing process. The secret is I have a very happy life and am a positive person, with a lovely wife and two wonderful children, so why should I get old and grand?"

What would be your advice to a young man in filling your shoes as the "operator" of a world famous club?
"As I say to all pupils of hotel schools whom I am asked to speak to on a regular basis, this business is only for somebody who loves it and is ready to sacrifice most around him. You should enjoy hotel life. One of the main credentials is that you must have talent in public relations and how to handle the staff. As people said about me, I did run the club somewhat like a castle. I made the guests feel as if they were staying in a country club. You should receive people like you would in your own home."

You recently celebrated half a century in Marbella, and must have seen enormous changes over that time. Which ones in particular?
"If there hadn't been any change it would have been a very bad sign for Marbella. It started as a lovely old town but after the war was in a relatively poor condition. I think when I came in 1956 there were only nine houses between here and Marbella. Of course, it was charming and had the greatest vines in the area. All the Málaga wines came from Marbella in the past centuries until a disease destroyed all the vineyards on the Coast. It had to change to become a world-famous resort. In that time, some lovely changes have occurred, as well as negative ones; but that keeps the balance."

There has, of course, been a major change in ownership of the Marbella Club and the Puente Romano Hotel...
"The Marbella Club Group is privately owned by a few friends headed by David Shamoon, who represent us. Ever since he bought it, he has not stopped investing money into the hotels whilst keeping a watchful eye on maintaining the old style together with adding a private golf course, which is now the Marbella Club Golf Resort. We are also planning to make a golf hotel in the near future, with the same style as the Marbella Club. The name will always be the Marbella Club because that is our start, our name and our fame."

On that note, I leave the legendary Marbella Club, and say goodbye to its greatest living monument.

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