scented

I heard from someone at Rosewood that it is only a matter of time until Beverly Wilshire will no longer be managed by FS, completely renovated and turned into a Rosewood. It will happen. This might be the explanation why FS does not care anymore, as evident by the AVP and GM of the property who is acting very differently these days.

Isadore Sharp is still very involved, although less and less. He was just at the Trinity grand opening (a rare honor) and his wife made a visit to FS Hampshire.

I don't really like the suites at FS Toronto, but I don't know what it is like these days under Konrad. Anything particular you don't like? There are some odd things with the property, such as the fact that they post their F&B amenities online on their website, along with prices! Since when are they charging for these...
Also the spa is not a place I would visit twice.

Aventine

A bit OT but a lot of the things that you hate about the Beverly Wilshire such as slow service and employee attitudes (read: rude) at Cafe Boulud. Breakfast should not take 2 hours AND you get orders wrong. The suites have to be some of the dullest I've ever been in. Just NO personality.

scented

It is, I feel your pain. I suspect both the LA and Toronto markets are a nightmare to recruit people, although Dorchester gets it right in LA.

HumbleBee

Stayed in FS Toronto this April.

Rooms are modern, very nice and large.

It's definitely remarkably stingy, they charged me $5 to print a 5-10 page document at the front desk, there was no bottled water in the room at all other than minibar Evian, and they made a remarkable fuss about noting my room number when I took an umbrella from the bellboy.

Aventine

Sets a new low for stingy. Wow. Did you call and ask if housekeeping would bring you any?

Cityflyer10

Anyone stay at the new WA yet? Hard product looks wonderful but I'm worried mostly about the soft product, being WA and all...

aa213bb

FWIW, staying at Rosewood Mayakoba right now and management told me, outright, that Rosewood's takeover of BW is "signed already, a done deal".

Thank god, too, as that property is in DIRE need of total renovation - from product to service.

scented

Thank you for confirming this... that's the explanation for Four Seasons not offering any more than damage control.

Let's see when they make this public!

It is sad that Beny Alagem already had a contract with Hilton, so it was an easy decision to make his new hotel a Waldorf Astoria. This would have made the perfect new Four Seasons in LA.

Edit: It is funny though, Michael Newcombe is GM at FS Los Angeles and also new Chair of FS' Global Spa Task Force... and in his Los Angeles Spa they now have a "chemical-free" option by Tata Harper... a so called "100% organic" product line. Only problem is they are not what they seem to be. I just hope this spa doesn't become his poster child ... there is such a strong local Spa market in LA, where they can fill all of their slots with locals any time of the day so it doesn't take much to be successful, but I hope this is no indication for FS future there.

vuittonsofstyle

When I heard about his new role, I was a little perplexed as he has no history of knowing about spa products, apart from the medi-spa at Westlake Village. Agree about Tata Harper - not what I would call chemical-free.

Aventine

Tata Harper taps into that Goop perpetuated line of organic, paraben free, non-toxic, etc. She talks a good game but her products don't perform very well. I find them to be overly scented too.

scented

That is because she is using a lot inactive ingredients without the benefits of essential oils. The cheap fillers won't do much harm, but also don't deliver results. And since most of them don't have that much of a smell to them, it is easy to put a overpowering scent on top.

A bit OT, back to Bev Hills and its hotels..

Aventine

We need a luxury spa news and review thread

icegirl

I must say the loss of the Pretty Woman hotel is a loss of epic proportions not only for FS but also me, as it’s a place that I have wanted to visit more than any other in the world. I am surprised that Sharp and Al-Waleed have allowed it to happen, especially as it is as a trophy (legendary) asset in their collection of properties which I personally feel has declined with FS over the years. These seem to be acquired by likes of Fairmont, Dorchester etc.

I am surprised Newcombe too would this approach, especially as FS have a strong relationship with the likes of ESPA.

scented

Maybe it is a loss but when you have an owner unwilling to invest a mere 30,000 USD to buy Nespresso machines for all rooms and suites, then it is not worthy of FS. I am sure you would have loved the hotel back in the day, but it just isn't that hotel anymore. It's a shadow of a former, more glorious past. A storied institution is nice but most guests come with huge expectations and in its current state they are unable to fulfill those. Onwards and upwards I would say -- not going to miss FS BW. I wonder about Wolfgang Puck there though... always loved his cuisine.

ESPA at Four Seasons is something we will hopefully see not as much in the future. Aside from several exceptions, they tried to avoid this disgrace. I don't know Michael Newcombe's approach unfortunately -- didn't even know he was much of a spa person!

icegirl

Clearly, the lack of investment in the property is deliberate by the owners to make FS walk away and severe the contract sooner so Rosewood can claim their prize.

I have met Michael a few times before when he used to be GM of Hampshire and lead its opening. Great guy and certainly goes out of his way to deal with escalations.

Whats the story with ESPA and FS avoiding each other?