Four Seasons’ people and culture of service are drivers of hospitality group’s success

Adrian Messerli, president of Hotel Operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Four Seasons talks to Economy Middle East about the success of the luxury hospitality brand in the region and the rest of the world, and how it has risen to become a preferred hotel destination for discerning guests, with its dedication to upholding the highest standards for customer experience. He then discusses the group’s many innovative initiatives that have enabled it to stand out from the competition. 

Four Seasons operates four properties in the UAE – three in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. What are your expansion plans amid the tourism boom the country is experiencing?

The Middle East is an important market for Four Seasons – both in terms of our property presence as well as a key source market for guests.

Here in Dubai, we celebrated the opening of our property Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach in 2014, closely followed by Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre in 2016. In 2021, when we announced our standalone Four Seasons Private Residences Dubai at Jumeirah, all 28 units sold out before going to public sales – the first time we have seen this in our 36-year residential history.

With 16 properties in the region, we have been able to achieve strong brand awareness, yet it is through the quality of the genuine care in our service that we have been able to also establish a high brand preference.

There is an exciting pipeline underway for Middle East and in particular in Saudi Arabia, with upcoming projects including Four Seasons Hotel Diriyah, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Jeddah at the Corniche, Four Seasons Resort and Residences AMAALA at Triple Bay, Four Seasons Resort Red Sea at Shura Island, Four Seasons Resort NEOM at Sindalah, and Four Seasons Hotel Rabat At Kasr Al Bahr – which is due to open later this year.

This pipeline also includes other properties in the region, such as Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Muscat, Oman, Four Seasons Private Residences Bahrain Bay, Four Seasons Hotel Luxor, Egypt, and Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences New Cairo Capital at Madinaty, Egypt.

In my role, I also oversee Europe and Africa, a region in which we have equally as exciting a growth pipeline with upcoming openings in Mallorca, Spain; Venice, Italy, Zanzibar, Tanzania; and our first standalone residential offering in Istanbul, Türkiye.

Apart from UAE, which other key markets do you see contributing majorly to the group’s revenue?

While we see guests from across the Middle East staying with us in our properties, some of our key markets include Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.

In addition to domestic and inter-regional stays, travellers from the Middle East are a key source market for many of our properties around the world – from our beautiful Indian Ocean resorts in Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius, our historical European palace hotels, which includes George V, Paris; San Domenico Palace, Taormina; and the Gresham Palace in Budapest, as well as our properties in key international markets such as Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC, Tokyo, Singapore and Seoul.

What are some innovative offerings that Four Seasons has for its customers?

At Four Seasons, our people have and always will be the key to our success and our most important differentiator, delivering our legendary service and authentic, unscripted care.  Our people and culture of service are what have driven us for more than 60 years, affirming Four Seasons as the world’s leading luxury hospitality company.

To continue leading our industry, we must always reach higher, innovating the ways in which we show up as a brand. As our founder Isadore Sharp said: “It’s the pursuit of excellence that allows you to never be complacent, to always say, ‘What else should we be doing?’ ”

For Four Seasons, App and Chat have been popular platforms for our customers since launch. We are the only Chat offering that is not a chatbot – it is real Four Seasons people on property. While there may be AI innovations in the future that help enhance this offering, it will always be ultimately powered by our people.

As an example of this, we recently announced that for the first time ever, the Four Seasons Private Jet is available for charter bookings on selective dates in 2024, allowing guests to curate their own ultimate adventure.

Each year, an average of eight itineraries take flight, with plans for even more in the years ahead. In 2024, we’ll travel from Easter Island to the Lost City of Petra on Ancient Explorer, Kyoto to the Serengeti on International Intrigue, Machu Picchu to Antarctica on Unchartered Discovery, and Rwanda to the Galapagos Islands on World of Adventures. These journeys allow guests to seamlessly travel around the world to bucket-list destinations, with Four Seasons stays and our legendary service at each step of the way.

Building on the success of the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience and Four Seasons Drive Experience, we knew there was a tremendous appetite for this type of immersive, end-to-end Four Seasons journey. Four Seasons Yachts will be a natural extension of these offerings, this time bringing our legendary service and travel experiences to the seas.

As the leading luxury operator of restaurants, bars, and lounges with over 600 unique outlets globally, Four Seasons is committed to developing category-defining culinary concepts around the world. The company maintains its leadership position holding the most Michelin stars of any single luxury hospitality brand with 34 stars across 25 restaurants in 20 hotels and resorts. The brand’s extensive restaurant portfolio has achieved the highest possible accolades from revered organizations such as Black Pearl, Gault&Millau, and numerous 50 Best Awards.

At Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre, the hotel is now welcoming discerning diners to the newly opened Pierre Hermé Paris Patisserie, offering an exquisite taste of pastry artistry. Sea Fu restaurant at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach presents marine-inspired dishes and a six-course Royal Tasting Menu, while the iconic Mercury Rooftop provides guests with panoramic views and an unforgettable dining experience. At Four Seasons Hotel Dubai DIFC, the recently renovated Luna Dubai and Penrose Lounge terraces offer uninterrupted views of Burj Khalifa with contemporary design touches, adding to the allure of dining in the city.

Four Seasons continues to elevate the gastronomic experience across its properties beyond the MENA region. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, for instance, boasts the highest number of Michelin stars and the world’s best bars under one roof.

Tell us more about the recently announced Four Seasons Yacht experience. Will UAE be on the itinerary?

Launching for its inaugural season in 2026, Four Seasons Yachts will explore more than 130 distinct destinations across over 30 countries and territories. All itineraries are crafted with flexibility in mind, allowing guests to tailor their own adventure as they explore beyond the familiar. The team curating each itinerary understands the nuances of these locales, ensuring each experience is truly extraordinary. Enhancing itineraries are customizable with pre-and-post hotel and overland programs at beloved Four Seasons hotels and resorts.

The first Four Seasons Yacht, currently under construction in Ancona, Italy, will travel westbound as part of its repositioning and will welcome guests to set sail amid the serene turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea from January to March 2026. The first Caribbean itineraries feature seven nights of exploration through the most exciting yachting destinations including Saint Barthélemy (St Barts), Nevis, the Grenadines, St Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Curaçao and Aruba. Destination highlights include indulging in the dazzling nightlife of St Barts, discovering Martinique’s volcanic coral reefs and lush rainforest landscapes, a marina day in St Lucia’s Tobago Cays, and much more.

With more destinations and details to be unveiled in the coming months, the first Grand Mediterranean voyages will begin in March 2026 and will include sailings through Croatia, Gibraltar, Montenegro, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Türkiye. The Mediterranean itinerary will also highlight the Greek Isles, with stops in Athens, Ios, Santorini, Milos, and more. Guests will explore under-the-radar islands steeped in culture and history, offering a variety of experiences that go above and beyond the ordinary of Mediterranean sailings.

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