Tuesday, December 13, 2011

History Through the Four Seasons

History is made when a person of great insight can predict what many others are going to want in the future. Isadore Sharp did just that when he opened his first hotel in a less than desirable area of Toronto. Now one of the most trusted names in luxury, Four Seasons guarantees optimal levels of service, performance, and above all, attention to the guest. The idea was to pamper every guest and treat them extraordinarily, and it was a formula that has built a billion-dollar empire. Here is the Four Season's story.

                    Founded in 1961, Four Seasons changed the face of modern luxury travel. It was a concept new to the industry, and the burgeoning architect and developer Isadore Sharp, took a lot of heat getting his idea off the ground. After five years of trying to convince investors, he finally had the backing to make it happen. The Four Seasons opened its very first hotel on the very first day of spring 1961, in Toronto, Canada. The pinnacle standard of luxury was not yet a mainstay, but catering to the needs of business travelers who sought more comfortable offerings certainly was. The idea was brilliant, and was instantly a hit with customers.           

Within two years, with success so profound, a second location was opened in a different part of Toronto. An urban resort, situated atop a hill overlooking vast green-spaces, the hotel was also home to one of the best restaurants in the city. Suffice it to say, it also received immediate success.

The next big breakthrough came when plans were made to develop a hotel in London. A contrast to the business-hotel idea, Sharp wanted to go in the direction of ultra-luxury, to compete directly with hotels like Claridge’s and the Connaught, which relied on status and old-world glamour to maintain their elite eminence. This success was a major turning point, and it set the standard by which the Four Seasons Brand is known for today. Competing directly with hotels of this magnitude, and doing a fantastic job at it, Four Seasons hotels are highly regarded for their reputation of stellar service and ability to consistently please their guests. One staple in nearly all Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels are the top-notch spa facilities, as well as the numerous fine-dining establishments. Awarded by both Zagat and Michelin for many of their restaurants internationally, when you eat at a Four Season’s restaurant, you know you’re getting the best. 

In 1974, seeing the need to push the brand further into a different direction, the company found a more viable future in managing hotel properties under the Four Seasons umbrella. This was a totally intelligent alternative to the complications that come with developing land, as well as buying and building hotels. Always expanding, they can now focus their strengths on bringing the Four Seasons brand to cities where they will have the most influence.

         The Four Seasons brand changed the way hotels treated their guests, and among those who travel lavishly, they are a brand that symbolizes quality, excellent service, and the best treatment a hotel staff can offer. From LA to Tokyo; New York to Paris, there is no comparison. As "Preferred Partners" with the Four Seasons brand, we have the ability to offer Exclusive Complimentary Perks, which add tremendous value to any stay in any of their hotels. Booking with us automatically entitles you to these privileges, ensuring you an even more luxurious visit!

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