Luxury Hotels - FS - toronto / site / florence / mauritius

http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/8676-four-seasons-unveils-18m-website
$18mm new site loads slowly (regardless of speed) and removed ratecards and other information

***

very interesting at mauritius >
http://press.fourseasons.com/mauritius/hotel-news/four-seasons-resort-mauritius-at-anahita-welcomes-guests-into-its-cercle-sportif/
http://press.fourseasons.com/ps-weekly/good-sports/
Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita is introducing its Cercle Sportif, whereby guests are offered the opportunity to partner with one of the Resort’s staff - from the groundskeeper to the general manager - in their preferred sport.
The Cercle Sportif unites guests and staff of all skill levels from around the world.
id be interested in hearing more about that if anyone talks to them or has a stay

http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/8676-four-seasons-unveils-18m-website
$18mm new site loads slowly (regardless of speed) and removed ratecards and other information

Hilariously, this site suggests that the motivation for the new site is to encourage people to book online. I've nearly stopped using it to even check rates online since it's so useless; the lack of rate cards and other information significantly detracts from the online booking experience.

(Also, why would anyone book online versus through a FSPP/Virtuoso agent? They need to make the online channel attractive in terms of pricing/benefits if they expect to drive people to use it. At the moment, our friendly neighborhood agents provide better information and lower effective prices than the website does.)

florence >

http://press.fourseasons.com/florence/hotel-news/two-stars-for-florence-chefs-vito-mollica-and-marco-stabile-present-dinner-at-four-seasons-hotel-firenze/
2 michelin star chefs at florence on may 24 for €95pp

http://press.fourseasons.com/florence/hotel-news/four-seasons-hotel-firenze-presents-sunset-concert-2012-a-charity-auction-dinner-and-musical-event-on-june-12/
Four Seasons wishes to honour this tradition after having published in December 2011 the Firenze su misura - Craft Shopping Guide
http://press.fourseasons.com/florence/hotel-news/four-seasons-hotel-firenze-introduces-firenze-su-misura-craft-shopping-guide-the-ultimate-resources-for-accessing-the-best-of-the-city/
315-page book presents 68 workshops and ateliers that capture the beauty and history of the city, in Italian and English...available at the concierge desk
http://press.fourseasons.com/florence/hotel-news/introducing-metropolitan-aperitif-every-thursday-at-four-seasons-hotel-firenze/
soft jazz by the Hotel's resident pianist Maurizio Tomberli and guitarist Gianni Zei

every Thursday...from 7:00 to 9:00 pm

toronto >

toronto taking reservations from oct 1 from CAD545
rooms, but only base suite loaded so far
pool is open 24 hours

so toronto went from 380 rooms to 259 rooms ^
although ~200 residences and no residents pool/etc

http://www.yorkvilleresidences.com/pdf/fourseasons_amenities_plan.pdf
looks nice, shows everything incl huge VIP spa suite

http://www.yorkvilleresidences.com/pdf/fourseasons_hotel_lobby_plan.pdf
lobby access on 2 sides
maybe bar access on a 3rd side? (lower left)
upper right elevators have something to do with east residence?

http://www.yorkvilleresidences.com/
location = neighbourhood/map/siteplan, and there are also views
(hotel rooms/suites go up to 21st floor, with views in all directions)
(http://www.fourseasons.com/toronto/accommodations/room_comparison/)

site >
reduced room information to emphasize/add nonroom stuff - 2 examples >

http://www.preview.fourseasons.com/maldiveslg/accommodations/rooms/beach_villa_with_pool/
http://web.archive.org/web/20100811075217/http://www.fourseasons.com/maldiveslg/guest_rooms_and_suites/beach_villa_with_pool/

http://www.preview.fourseasons.com/sayan/accommodations/villas/one_bedroom_villa/
http://web.archive.org/web/20100729173732/http://www.fourseasons.com/sayan/guest_rooms_and_suites/one_bedroom_villa/


also, not all properties have quick reference guides, which are only source for some info incl room counts

$18mm would have paid for soft upgrades at the most outdated US properties

and while some st regis and park hyatt are loading more suites including top suites online (st regis also ratecards) FS has at least removed rates if not online availability as well

site >
two examples of info provided by ratecards >
(FS chiang mai)
(first is how pool villa doesnt change, while base room does)

oct 12 > oct 31
$310 garden pavilion after 3rd nt free
$675 pool villa after 4th nt free

nov 1 > dec 19
$390 garden pavilion after 3rd nt free
$675 pool villa after 4th nt free

jan 6 > mar 31
$400 garden pavilion after 3rd nt free
$675 pool villa after 4th nt free

residence rates are almost doubling next year

oct 12 2009 - oct 31 2009 > apr 5 2010 - sept 30 2010
1BR $815 > $1445
1BR pool $860 > $1580
2BR $1120 > $2205
2BR pool $1180 > $2340
3BR $1435 > $3035
sources thread incl related >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17212433-post42.html

site - recap >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/998831-fs-web-design-finally-makes-mistake.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1025914-fs-what-they-playing-re-hotel-e-mails.html (related)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1240014-rates-fs-sites.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1293158-new-four-seasons-website.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1265356-luxury-hotel-marketing-loses-sight-reality-post17799276.html#post17799276
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1340498-fs-toronto-site-florence-mauritius.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1349109-optimum-time-book-luxury-hotels-advance.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1352494-airline-like-pricing-games-fs.html

site recap >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/998831-fs-web-design-finally-makes-mistake.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1025914-fs-what-they-playing-re-hotel-e-mails.html (related)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1240014-rates-fs-sites.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1293158-new-four-seasons-website.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1265356-luxury-hotel-marketing-loses-sight-reality-post17799276.html#post17799276
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1349109-optimum-time-book-luxury-hotels-advance.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1352494-airline-like-pricing-games-fs.html


Thanks Kage, this is a useful way of organizing these.

site >

nice to see they kept /value/ pages backed up and online ^
no value page - goldentriangle, maldivesfse, london, baku, pudong, toronto, stpetersburg, beijing
guangzhou DOES have a value page

http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/experience--value--responsibility-and-functionality--the-key-attributes-of-luxury_1924.html
Four Seasons has chosen to cut down on such costly print advertising and focus on online communications

http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/8844-four-seasons-18m-website-reviewed

http://www.hugeinc.com/work/
http://www.pacecommunications.com/clients/

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/articles.aspx/7063/Four-Seasons-global-expansion-moves-forward
[CEO] Taylor said...Transparency in pricing is so very important.”
and ratecards have been removed
and now doing the full on dynamic treatment, including requiring mgmt to override

example of FS magazine being integrated (istanbul) >
http://www.fourseasons.com/istanbul/my_four_seasons/from_russia_and_istanbul_with_love/
http://www.fourseasons.com/istanbul/my_four_seasons/crime_punishment_and_a_paradise_reborn/
http://www.fourseasons.com/istanbul/my_four_seasons/please_dont_call_it_a_carpet_the_kilim_unraveled/

site >

so, why not have (flash) calendar like ihotelier for example?
doesnt matter that its now dynamic pricing
or does it? i guess dynamic can change while youre in the middle of checking rates
of course flash doesnt work on apple gadgets
re new FS site >
http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2012/06/ipad-accounts-for-90-of-four-seasons-mobile-revenue/711652/1
tablet computer accounts for 86% of its mobile room revenues

website better geared for mobile travelers

"conversion" of website visits to revenue on an iPad is five times that of a mobile phone

site >

:eek: RC now beats FS rates/reservations. RC/marriott added calendar. :eek:
map - /destination/directions_and_maps/
number of rooms in each category - some have added this to /accommodations/room_comparison/
weather - removed? attractions is another thing removed

(ihotelier has changed, but still has calendar.)

:eek: RC now beats FS rates/reservations. RC/marriott added calendar. :eek:

ihotelier has changed, but still has calendar.

Makes no difference to me - I would never stay at a R-C anymore.

I've had some to settle in and use the new FS website and while I appreciate the new photos, I prefer in every other respect, the previous website. Its now more difficult to find simple but important things like the toll free reservations number and what new properties are in the pipeline. They also used to have very helpful information about the number of rooms in each category, the weather for each destination, a plotted easily accessible map of the properties, and an easy way to compare both dates and rates.

Four Seasons does so many things not only "right" but better than any one else in the hospitality industry that this isn't going to keep me from booking with them but I think they should continue to work on their website and collect feedback from guests.

Four Seasons does so many things not only "right" but better than any one else in the hospitality industry that this isn't going to keep me from booking with them but I think they should continue to work on their website and collect feedback from guests.

Agreed- the new website looks great on an Ipad.... and that is about it. Given the excellence of Four Seasons at operating the majority of their hotels- is it not possible to align with a web company that has a similar point of view? Strange.

site >

:eek: RC now beats FS rates/reservations. RC/marriott added calendar. :eek:
map - /destination/directions_and_maps/
number of rooms in each category - some have added this to /accommodations/room_comparison/
weather - removed? attractions is another thing removed

(ihotelier has changed, but still has calendar.)

that's a nice little feature.

I'd like it if you could do a system search on a given date where all the propoerties rates would come back to you. There are many time when we'd like to just go on a getaway and not be too picky about which location it is...but would instead choose based on where the best deal may be.

that's a nice little feature.

I'd like it if you could do a system search on a given date where all the propoerties rates would come back to you. There are many time when we'd like to just go on a getaway and not be too picky about which location it is...but would instead choose based on where the best deal may be.

DrivingRain, completely agree. We are always searching for exactly this type of get away.

site - from FS docs >

"Advantage Pricing and IDeaS Revenue Management system" rolled out dec 2011 > apr 30 2012

"Competitors will comment - our objective is to win share not satisfy the competition"

"IDeaS is a demand system and recommends restriction levels not the actual BAR price. Hotel must evaluate recommendations and not simply let IDeS control rate and inventory decisions. Dont overestimate the power of lower pricing"

http://www.ideas.com/

...

"Scoping and design work for Reservations using external consulting engagement similar to the initial Oliver Wyman work drawn up. Extensive input from field and corporate subject matter experts"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443571904577631311184959038.html
WSJ: How do you use social media? Is it a tool for anything more than addressing customer complaints?

Ms. Taylor: Over half of our marketing spend [is] in digital. Every hotel has a social-media manager; some hotels more than one. Their role is not only to answer guest complaints, but also to engage with customers about things that interest them.

It can sometimes be a guest sleeping in the bedroom upstairs. They used to call the front desk. Now they tweet or blog about it. We just have to be where they are.

site - from FS docs >

"Advantage Pricing and IDeaS Revenue Management system" rolled out dec 2011 > apr 30 2012

"Competitors will comment - our objective is to win share not satisfy the competition"

Missing from this seems to be any discussion of what the customer might think. As far as I can tell, most customers see more opaque and less predictable pricing (and more surprises when, e.g., modifying reservations) as being fairly unfriendly changes. Seems like there's a high risk for short term optimizations having a high long term cost.

i dont recall where NYBanker described how FS handles minimum stays - arriving before "start date" for XMAS/NYE @ hualalai, in order to avoid any minimum stay requirement.

Nov 7 2011 >
i have never understood the rates at [FS palm beach], which seems to operate a very dramatic dynamic pricing policy. If you do a search for a room, literally one day difference either way can make a big difference in price for the entire stay.

Just as an example, take a 14 night stay in a partial ocean-view room:

arrival on 15 Feb gives a rate of $779,
16 Feb = $699,
18 Feb is back to $779,
19 Feb drops to $599
24 Feb is even lower at $499
28 Feb back to $599.

These prices apply to every night of the stay, so arriving on 19 Feb rather than 18 Feb would save $2520 for essentially the same stay in the same room. When it comes to suites, the price differential is even larger (as much as $1500 savings per night for some dates).

Anyone have any idea what is going on here? The prices are not blended rates, and I doubt it can be supply and demand as the price on the arrival date applies to every night of the whole stay.

I have never noticed this at any other hotel, most of which have clear peak, off-peak and shoulder seasons, (and specials of course). Maybe it exists but the differences are more subtle?

I can't understand why it would affect the whole stay, and not just fluctuate on a daily basis.

May 9 2012 >
FS Santa Barbara...The third night free package works out to a really great rate if you can do weeknights. Actually, was looking at a sunday thru Saturday booking (six nights with two free nights) and still got mid-week pricing (June 10-June 16)

Dlx: $337, regularly $505 weekdays, $675 Weekends
Premier: $390, regularly $585 weekdays, $775 Weekends
Dlx 1BR Suite: $737, regularly $1105 weekdays, $1295 Weekends
San Miguel 1 Br. Suite: $1137, regularly $1705 weekdays, $1895 Weekends

Those third night free rates work out to roughly a 50% discount off the weekend rates for the "rooms" (less discount for the upper tier suites).

The rates quoted above for "third night free" are the average rate for all three nights. The "weekday" and "weekend" end rates are valid for a single night though they may have a minimum stay on summer weekends.

Jun 2 2012 >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1352494-airline-like-pricing-games-fs.html

jan/feb then (vs) apr 2013 >

FS punta mita >

2nd nt free (only garden ocean oceanfront suites?)
(3 paid nt min) (jan 22 - mar 1 and apr 1 - apr 30)

idea of base rates >
$485 may jun sep
$600 apr aug
$605 oct nov dec
$645 jul
$655 jan feb
$745 mar
? presidents day and easter
$1175 xmas/nye (8 nt min shown, used to say 10 nt min)

luxury's post in another thread sounds like they extended 2nd nt free to rooms and low season, but no beachfront...
ah must be unpublished FSPP offer

From May 19 to October 31, 2013 every second night is complimentary. Includes Preferred Partner amenities. Full non-refundable pre-payment required at booking.

Exclusions are beachfront units

fully nonrefundable in low season..

and they increased rates
may jun sep 485 > 700
aug 600 > 700
jul 645 > 700
oct 605 > 745

unfortunate if they are playing those kinds of marketing games

normal, wow >

A three-night deposit on accommodation, plus 16% VAT, 3% occupancy tax and 10% Resort service fee, will be charged as a guarantee and will be posted to the first and last two nights of the stay. If the stay is three nights or fewer, full payment, plus tax and service charges, is required at time of booking. Cancellations of room reservations must be received at least 30 days (60 days for villas and select suites) prior to expected arrival date or the full deposit will be forfeited. The same policy applies to no-shows, unexpected departures, stays shortened prior to arrival or change of dates within the 30-day cancellation period.