Josef Forstmayr on Building Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica into a Timeless Luxury Resort

Josef Forstmayr

What began as a trip to Jamaica in 1979 became an extraordinary career spanning nearly five decades.

In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, Steve Turk sits down with Josef Forstmayr, longtime managing director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas, one of Jamaica’s most iconic luxury resorts.

Josef shares how growing up in his family’s farm restaurant in Austria shaped his approach to hospitality, why he originally traveled to Jamaica as a German tutor, and how he quickly moved into hotel management. His journey would eventually lead him to help rebuild Trident following Hurricane Allen before taking over Round Hill in 1989.

When Josef arrived at Round Hill, the legendary resort operated for only part of the year. He explains how he helped transform it into a successful year-round destination while protecting the character, culture, and Jamaican warmth that made it special. He also shares what he learned from working with influential Round Hill villa owners, including design guidance from Ralph Lauren and a valuable technology perspective from Bob Pittman.

The conversation explores authentic Jamaican luxury, multigenerational employees, community investment, hurricane recovery, and the responsibility hotels have to support the destinations around them. Josef also offers practical advice for young hospitality professionals who want to build international careers.

This is a conversation about much more than running a great hotel. It is about building a lasting culture, staying true to a property’s identity, and creating hospitality that genuinely belongs to its destination.

Episode Chapters

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast
00:31 A Message from Lodgify
01:34 Meeting Josef in Jamaica
01:57 His First Job and Move to Jamaica
04:13 Hurricanes and Early Career Growth
06:11 Transforming Round Hill into a Year-Round Resort
09:02 Growing Up in the Family Restaurant
11:23 Why Josef Chose to Stay in Jamaica
14:27 Round Hill’s Owners, Ralph Lauren, and Design
19:08 Evolving While Protecting Core Values
23:53 Discovering the Real Jamaica
29:52 Community Hikes and Finding Belonging
31:27 Running with Locals and Building Relationships
33:32 Giving Back and Recovering from Hurricane Melissa
36:33 The Future of Authentic Jamaican Luxury
39:27 Career Advice: Learn More Languages
42:04 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Round Hill