The birth of the Four Seasons chain of hotels and resorts began with the vision of young architect Isadore Sharp in the 1960’s. Together with his father, Max Sharp, Isadore opened the very first Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, Canada. A 125-room motor hotel, there was no grand plan or vision whatsoever, but a strong emphasis on its philosophy of treating every customer as a special guest became the foundation of its success.
During the 1970’s, the hotel’s focus on luxury led to the opening of a branch in London, England, which set the tone for its future direction. Within the decade, 10 more hotels were built in Canada, San Francisco, and Chicago.
Expansion to the US started in the 1980’s, and by the 90’s, Four Seasons became North America’s leader in hospitality. The company had also begun branching out to exotic destinations in Europe and Asia.
By the year 2000, Four Seasons had become a global luxury brand, and today, about 100 hotels, resorts, and properties bear the Four Seasons name.
Products and Services
The Four Seasons range of products and services range from luxury hotels in the world’s metropolitan cities, exotic resorts in every continent in the world except for Antarctica, private residences and rentals, family travel experiences, a wide range of spa’s and wellness centers, golf clubs, and opportunities for sailing, diving, and water sports activities.
The Executives
Isadore Sharp is the founder and chairman of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. An architect by profession, he opened the very first Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, Canada in 1961.
The President and CEO of the company is J. Allen Smith while the President for Global Product and Operations is Christopher W. Norton. Taking care of overseas global hotel operations, Norton travels the world to work with top international designers, architects, and the best operators to deliver the stringent standards of the hotel chain.
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- ISADORE SHARP, Founder & Chairman
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- J. ALLEN SMITH, President & CEO
President of the Asia Pacific region is Michael A. Crawford, who is the newest addition to the group of executives, and responsible for all the business activities in Asia and the Pacific islands. He had worked at Walt Disney for the last 24 years.
With a broad range of world class executives, the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts are run by globally competitive individuals who have the same passion and drive to make the company the leader in luxury hospitality in the entire world.
Culture and Values
The company started with one philosophy – and that’s to treat every guest as you would like to be treated. Giving each guest utmost special treatment is the core value of the company, satisfying the needs and tastes of each individual.
With the service culture deeply rooted in its people, the company’s mission statement is offering exceptional quality and to maintain its position as the world’s leader in premier luxury hospitality.
Contact Information:
Website: www.fourseasons.com
