Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts: What Really Sets The Brand Apart?

In recent times, I’ve been writing a series about some of the world’s small luxury hotel groups, including Airelles, BVLGARI, Cheval Blanc, Oetker, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, etc.

In this post, I’d like to talk broadly about Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Okay, Four Seasons is far from a small, boutique hotel group, but instead, is probably the world’s most well known luxury hotel brand. I’d like to talk about that in a bit more detail in this post, because I always find online discussion about Four Seasons properties to be interesting, and rather polarizing.

Let’s start with a bit of background, and then I’ll share what I think sets Four Seasons apart from the competition, as well as what I don’t consider the Four Seasons brand to be…

Basics & background of the Four Seasons brand

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts was founded in 1960 by Canadian businessman Isadore Sharp. I’d say that he might be one of the two most transformational people we’ve ever seen in the hospitality industry, along with Aman founder Adrian Zecha (who is no longer associated with Aman, but does have some new ventures).

The whole Four Seasons brand started when Sharp, who was an architect at the time, designed a motel for a family friend. When it proved successful, he was motivated to get into the industry, and found investors so that he could create his own hotel. That ultimately resulted in the opening of the Four Seasons Motor Hotel in 1961.

While I have utmost respect for Aman’s founder thanks to his visionary approach to seeking out properties and creating a certain vision for hospitality, Sharp has run a company known around the world for exceptional customer service and hospitality. If you have the time, Sharp’s book, “Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy,” is worth a read.

The brand grew slowly over time, to ultimately become what it is today, with around 130 properties around the world, in dozens of countries. Four Seasons is still growing at a fast pace, so it’s only at the start of its journey.

One other thing I find interesting about Four Seasons is its ownership structure, as it’s not publicity traded. The company is owned 71.25% by Bill Gates (through his Cascade Investment firm), and 23.75% by Al-Waleed bin Talal (through his Kingdom Holding Company).

I think this is one of the reasons that Four Seasons has been able to maintain quality over the years, and focus on the core of the brand, rather than growing at any cost. Publicly traded companies in the US are ruthless when it comes to growth, and will dilute their brand for short term profit. That’s not a trap that Four Seasons has fallen into.

Fair criticisms that exist of the Four Seasons brand

Before I get into my impression of the Four Seasons brand, let me start with mentioning some of the criticisms of Four Seasons that I consider to be fair. Admittedly I’d say these are mostly true for any hotel group with 100+ properties.

For one, there’s inconsistency in terms of the quality of Four Seasons properties, in terms of the hard product. That’s not surprising, since we’re not talking about something like Cheval Blanc or Oetker Hotels, where you have fewer than a dozen properties.

While Four Seasons properties are consistently up to a luxury standard, it goes without saying that there’s going to be a difference between the Four Seasons Miami and the Four Seasons Paris George V. That’s true of any big hotel group, and it’s certainly true of Four Seasons as well.

I say that because you should never judge a big hotel group based on one hotel — a corporate city hotel and a flagship hotel in a hyper competitive market are never going to be the same. No major hotel group should be judged by a single property.

Along similar lines, Four Seasons properties range in size, but on balance, I wouldn’t consider Four Seasons properties to be boutique. Some Four Seasons properties are on the small side, while others are massive, with hundreds of rooms. So Four Seasons isn’t some bespoke, boutique hotel group, for someone looking for off-the-beaten-path hotels.

I think Four Seasons properties strike a good balance in that regard, as you have some that are more corporate and cookie cutter, while you have others that are historic and charming, and perfectly reflect their locale.

Lastly, of course Four Seasons properties are generally expensive, and they’re probably not going to be the best value properties at their destinations. Over the years, we’ve seen massive inflation to luxury leisure hotel rates. Pricing is of course based on what people are willing to pay, and with how “hot” luxury leisure travel has become, the supply and demand equation has become pretty lopsided.

I hardly think this is unique to Four Seasons, but it’s hard to argue that any luxury properties really excel on that front (I mean, just look at the St. Regis Aspen charging $2,500+ per night in ski season).

The areas where the Four Seasons brand excels

Among the big hotel groups, I think Four Seasons is in a league of its own when it comes to the quality of its product and service. It’s amazing that as Four Seasons has grown, the company has still managed to maintain its same commitment to guest experience that it has always had.

I’d say that the single thing that impresses me most about Four Seasons is that the brand offers intuitive and frictionless service, and that comes down to the people. It doesn’t matter which property you stay at, I’ve found service to be more consistently excellent at Four Seasons than at any other major hotel group.

Four Seasons hires people for their personality, and they do a great job retaining their talent (just look at the hotel stay benefits Four Seasons employees get, so they can experience the hotels like any other guest). Four Seasons employees just generally seem happy and friendly, and they’re allowed to be themselves. It’s not canned hospitality, where it feels like employees have a mandate to address you by last name with every spoken sentence (for example, I find Ritz-Carlton to have much more canned service, in general).

I also find Four Seasons service to be really frictionless and detail oriented. That might sound silly, but at some other hotel groups it just seems like they can’t get things together, to provide a decent experience. I’m talking about everything from quick responses in the Four Seasons mobile chat, to the phone being picked up quickly when calling the operator, to room service orders being correct and prompt. Given the size of some of Four Seasons’ properties, it amazes me that they’re able to maintain that level of quality.

Understandably, many people probably think “but don’t you expect that from a luxury hotel group?” Yes, you would hope… but it doesn’t reflect reality. For example, you won’t find nearly that level of consistency with Marriott’s luxury brands. Some hotels may have great service, while it’s a disaster at others.

Similarly, when things go wrong (it happens!), Four Seasons tends to handle these situations better than most other hotel groups. At some hotel groups, it feels like they really don’t care if things go wrong. Meanwhile if things don’t go right at a Four Seasons property, it’s taken very seriously.

So there’s something really nice about knowing that odds are in your favor in terms of service. Beyond that, there are several little consistencies with Four Seasons that I appreciate. Among other things:

• The Four Seasons bed is the most comfortable hotel bed out there, in my opinion, and it’s especially nice to have that in destinations not typically known for their comfortable beds
• Four Seasons properties are spectacularly kids friendly, where it’s not just that they tolerate kids, but warmly welcome them; this includes everything from welcome amenities for kids, to great kids clubs (branded “Kids For All Seasons”)
• As someone who loves coffee, I appreciate how Four Seasons offers complimentary coffee in the lobby every morning at each property
• Four Seasons puts a lot of effort into its gyms, and they range from above average to stellar

I once heard someone describe Four Seasons as “McDonald’s for rich people.” At first I thought that was some hilarious shade, but the more I thought about it, I actually think it’s not that far off, and is quite the compliment, in a very unusual way.

The thing is, Four Seasons offers a remarkable level of consistency across the globe when it comes to the experience you’re going to have. It might not always be the single best option in a market, but you know you’re going to like the product, and you know exactly what you’re going to get. There’s something to be said for that.

It’s quite a contrast to my St. Regis experiences, for example. I’ll have one amazing stay, with perfect service, and then the next stay will just be terrible. I don’t think you’ll find that level of variability with Four Seasons.

Four Seasons can’t use a loyalty program as a crutch

As someone who is into miles & points, I of course with that Four Seasons had a loyalty program. But I think the company’s conscious decision to not have a loyalty program (despite the big revenue upside) is actually a reflection of the company’s commitment to service.

Let’s be honest, hotels with loyalty programs can use those programs as a crutch, to essentially overcharge people while also giving them a subpar experience:

• You have a lot more “funnels” with which to fill rooms, and for properties with a lot of points redemptions, it allows the hotels to raise their average daily rate for the rooms they’re actually selling for cash
• You have a much more brand loyal crowd, because many people will seek out that hotel specifically because they have elite status, because they want to earn points, etc.

So when you see “resort factories” like the St. Regis Aspen and St. Regis Deer Valley that charge $2,500+ per night while providing inconsistent service, they can only get away with that because of their connection to a major loyalty program. That’s why there’s also such an irony to the hotels that try to be cheap with elite guests. While it doesn’t apply to luxury hotels in the same way, I’ve written in the past about mediocre hotels’ loyalty program delusions.

Four Seasons doesn’t have a loyalty program to rely on as a crutch, but instead, it has to win business with every stay independently. The company’s primary method for getting people to book Four Seasons properties is just continuing to deliver on what they promise.

Four Seasons’ mission statement is pretty cool

While rather random, a while back I stumbled upon Four Seasons’ mission statement, and I thought it was actually pretty cool. I’ve found most mission statements to be full of puffery, but I actually find Four Seasons’ statement to be quite refreshing and transparent:

Many years ago, Four Seasons set out to create a corporate mission statement that would guide the actions of everyone in the organization. Our goals, beliefs and principles are the foundation of the work we do every day on behalf of our guests.

Who we are

We have chosen to specialize within the hospitality industry by offering only experiences of exceptional quality. Our objective is to be recognized as the company that manages the finest hotels, resorts and residence clubs wherever we locate. We create properties of enduring value using superior design and finishes, and support them with a deeply instilled ethic of personal service. Doing so allows Four Seasons to satisfy the needs and tastes of our discerning customers, and to maintain our position as the world’s premier luxury hospitality company.

What we believe

Our greatest asset, and the key to our success, is our people. We believe that each of us needs a sense of dignity, pride and satisfaction in what we do. Because satisfying our guests depends on the united efforts of many, we are most effective when we work together cooperatively, respecting each other’s contribution and importance.

How we succeed

We succeed when every decision is based on a clear understanding of and belief in what we do, and when we couple this conviction with sound financial planning. We expect to achieve a fair and reasonable profit to ensure the prosperity of the company and to offer long-term benefits to our hotel owners, our customers and our employees.

How we behave

We demonstrate our beliefs most meaningfully in the way we treat each other and by the example we set for one another. In all our interactions with our guests, customers, business associates and colleagues, we seek to deal with others as we would have them deal with us.

Bottom line

I consider Four Seasons to be the highest quality “big” hotel group out there (in terms of brands with 100+ properties). Of course not all properties are equally spectacular, and Four Seasons also tends to be priced at the top end of the market, at most destinations.

However, what Four Seasons consistently delivers on most is good service, and to me, that’s something that’s really important. Despite the big size of some Four Seasons properties, they consistently deliver friendly, attentive, and frictionless service. I don’t find there to be that level of consistency with any other major hotel group, and I think that’s what makes Four Seasons special, more than anything.

Of course the brand also has some spectacular hotels, and I appreciate the very comfortable beds, lobby coffee in the morning, emphasis on good gyms, etc.