As occupancy rates fell in the recession, some hotel owners pushed Four Seasons for cost cuts, from scrapping huge displays of fresh flowers to outsourcing laundry. At one meeting, Cascade executives argued that to save money at a Cascade-owned Four Seasons in Whistler, British Columbia, they should stop replacing guests’ sheets every day unless requested. Mr. Larson’s view was that wealthy travelers were also environmentally conscious. Mr. Sharp disagreed, saying guests paying as much as $700 a night should have their sheets washed daily, according to people familiar with the meeting. In a compromise, guests were given the option of placing a pine cone on their sheets if they didn’t need them washed every day.

Four Seasons has grown partly by breaking with industry conventions. In New Orleans it plans a 330-room hotel, defying a common belief that building much beyond 200 rooms means luxury service suffers.

did HK start going down some after long time GM left? cant recall reports here vs when he left

In Hong Kong, we were very lucky that over forty veterans of the old Regent (including our Chinese Executive Chef, Chan Yan Tak) rejoined us for the opening of the Four Seasons.

sadly, many managers are unintentional passion-killers who deprive their people of the autonomy they need to feel responsible for the achievement of agreed results.

I am frankly relentless in my own mind about giving first priority to employees and guests ... looking for areas where we may have an opportunity to improve

consciously keeping my “bureaucratic involvement” in administrative process to a minimum, which sounds easy, but is not. Every administrative function is ‘owned’ by someone seeking validation for their work through the visible and direct involvement of the general manager, which can make me a challenge for other stakeholders to deal with ... criticized for my slower responsiveness to some administrative issues that I see as ancillary to driving guest satisfaction or contributing to our business success, even if they are important to other stakeholders ... try not to spend too much time at 15,000 feet

Our hotel in Hong Kong is also a larger hotel than most Four Seasons properties, so I need to be sure that processes are working and communication is extensive, organized and clear so that nothing falls between the cracks because information wasn’t shared.

general manager directly taking a reservation from a travel partner (important though it may be) or responding to a guest complaint personally is involved at a very tactical level, that many management gurus would think inappropriate (if not fatal) in a business of our size and complexity; and yet this level of attention is one of our greatest points of difference. In the end, one has to delegate a lot, but there is a real art to “handing people off” to the appropriate people without offending them … and it is one that I have yet to master!

team of five in guest relations, led by a manager. The team was established as the hotel opened and determined as a necessity for a big and busy hotel ... Guests Relations Team technically fall within the Rooms Division ... physically adjacent to the front office ... guest relations team are also particularly focused on the needs of our highest paying ... just as much about making sure that we deliver one hundred percent execution on delivery of the basics ... will have a lot less impact if they are mistakenly assigned a twin bed

record guest preferences on a global basis, but the effort put into recording preferences is obviously meaningless if we don’t execute properly.

Four Seasons, specializing in only one premium segment of the market has a great advantage over companies trying to juggle multiple brands at multiple price-points.

combining authenticity and a sense of place with the brand consistency that guests demand is something I believe Four Seasons has become extraordinarily good at over many years; it’s part of our DNA.

technological innovation that becomes expected by the guest, without over-complicating things beyond what guests want.

I have also always felt able to speak my mind candidly without fear of retribution, which is important to me. I truly believe that Four Seasons remains a benchmark in the industry. So, I’ve never felt a pressing need to look elsewhere.

If you find a company that not only preaches but practices a high standard of ethical behavior, treats all its stakeholders with respect, provides continued opportunities for personal growth, is committed to excellence, is constantly innovating, and is able to retain talented people, you should think hard before deciding to leave. Such companies are not commonplace!