Nine openings in 12 months for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

From a Renaissance palazzo in Florence housing rare frescoes to a shimmering skyscraper in Mumbai’s Worli financial district, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts boasts a steadily growing portfolio of distinctive properties.

Ranging from urban and modern, or historic and stately to rustic and tropical, the company continues to add contrasting properties in diverse locations, in keeping with its brand image and unique growth strategy.

The luxury hospitality brand has experienced a phenomenal year of growth, with 2008 heralding eight hotel openings. A host of singular new developments across the board include Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, housed in a 19th centrury Ottoman palace, and Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, a tropical paradise surrounded by azure lagoons and stunning vistas.

Four Seasons commitment to service and quality ensures the group continues to embrace new developments such as hotels and resorts in the Asia Pacific region for 2009. These include Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai at Pudong, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou and Four Seasons Resort Seychelles.

A clearly defined approach that identifies further projects for 2010 and beyond – for additional properties in the region as well as the Americas, Europe and the Middle East – equates to a progressive strategy of expansion in key locations.

Carefully targeted new developments meet the needs and desires of guests across the globe, with the assurance of brand consistency. Four Seasons is recognised for its commitment to its employees, seeing their dedication as instrumental not only to growth, but to maintaining high standards across properties. The brand is also known for a culture of generosity and for added value, as with the extended services offered for families across the globe, including amenities for children.

Guests also appreciate the curative, pampering treatments offered via exceptional spa and wellness facilities. Therapists promote programmes that are progressive yet relevant, innovative yet traditional, often highlighting local rituals pertaining to location and culture. The same can be said of the serenity-inspiring designs. Most importantly, Four Seasons Spas, like the properties themselves, are guest-centered environments that are both welcoming and memorable.

Four Seasons holds a broad appeal not just for such attention to detail and high service standards, but also for local contributions to support communities. These, along with an emphasis on sustainability, all fall under the brand’s global remit.

A strategic Corporate Social Responsibility plan tailor-made for each region, is a result of the company’s forward-thinking approach regarding its environs, people and society. With the steady growth of properties around the world during this year and beyond, such core values are increasingly relevant.

Additional openings in 2008 include Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita with 91 villas and 45 private residences; Four Seasons Hotel Macao with 363 rooms and residences on the newly developed Cotai Strip; Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, a 200-room property situated on the banks of the Mississippi; and the 147-room Four Seasons Hotel Seattle in the heart of the city.