Much has changed since the first Four Seasons Hotel opened its doors 60 years ago, but one thing hasn't changed since the brand's inception: the countless memories created at properties around the world, day after day. The past few months in particular have shown just how important they are. Making connections, experiencing unique moments and getting more than expected - that's how the typical Four Seasons experience could be summed up. Christian Clerc, President Global Operations, lives this spirit every day. And he knows that it is not the "hardware" of a hotel that defines luxury.

When you look back on your career: What were the major milestones that eventually brought you to Four Seasons? Has luxury travel always been one of your passions?

I was born and raised in Montreux, Switzerland, where I was exposed to the hospitality industry at a very early age, as the city is home to beautiful palaces and was even a stop on the Orient Express. Naturally, I was drawn to a career in hospitality. I studied at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne and moved to the United States after graduation. I worked at several independent hotels in the U.S., Europe and Latin America before joining Four Seasons in 2000. I have now been with Four Seasons for more than 21 years and have had the incredible opportunity to manage our hotels in Paris, Washington, Punta Mita and other locations before moving to my current position where I oversee the global operations of our portfolio of 120 hotels and resorts.

Four Seasons - or rather, the Four Seasons Experience - stands for a special, now even legendary relationship between guests and staff. Isadore "Issy" Sharp, the founder and chairman of Four Seasons, believes this success is rooted in what he calls "the Golden Rule": the idea that if you treat people as well as you would like to be treated, they will do the same. Is it still that simple?

The Golden Rule remains the guiding principle of Four Seasons. It empowers our associates around the world to go above and beyond for our guests, residents and each other, ultimately creating the outstanding service for which our brand is known. Our guests choose Four Seasons to experience this friendly, sincere service and the other memorable moments our associates create.

The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts story began in 1961 with the opening of its first hotel in Toronto, Canada. Since then, the brand has transformed the hospitality industry by combining personalized, genuine care with an unwavering commitment to excellence. Who defines excellence? What constitutes excellence?

We are not guided by external factors in defining excellence. Rather, we seek to constantly evolve and improve to meet the needs and desires of our guests. We will never abandon this constant innovation as we strive to perfect the hospitality experience and become the undisputed leaders in luxury hospitality. True luxury is about excellence without formality; an authentic experience that is exceptional and rare. It's not just about the products and what you see, but also what you don't see at the heart of the establishment. At Four Seasons, it's the moments of unrushed service from our incredible staff that make every Four Seasons experience so special. You won't be forced into a service experience; our guests' unique needs are anticipated because our staff is empowered to go far beyond the expected. We've mastered this flawlessly for 60 years, and it continues to be our competitive advantage, especially in difficult times.

This exceptional service and the luxury that comes with it are renowned around the world. What are important components of the Four Seasons service experience?

Luxury today is about spending time well and creating memorable experiences. We pride ourselves on our ability to create meaningful, personal connections between our guests and our employees that lead to exceptional travel experiences. We achieve this through our company culture, which is guided by the Golden Rule. Our employees are empowered to act in the moment, anticipating needs of our guests and meeting them with care and compassion, creating moments of unique caring that leave a lasting impression.

Four Seasons was one of the first brands to introduce Branded Private Residences to experience the Four Seasons lifestyle as part of everyday life; many brands followed. What do you think are the main reasons for the popularity of Branded Private Residences among guests?

Branded residences are becoming increasingly popular because residence owners can live with a brand they know and trust, like Four Seasons. They have come to appreciate our service and experience during their stays at our hotels around the globe and want to make this a part of their daily lives. They also benefit from a service-oriented environment where our staff cares for residents and their homes, acting as a permanent property management team. Owners can rest assured that they, their families and their most important asset - their home - will be provided with the same level of service, attention to detail and quality. Our Private Residences are in the best locations in each of the destinations in which we operate, and have been designed by some of the finest architects and interior designers in the world. Ultimately, we offer a luxury lifestyle experience that only Four Seasons can provide.

Four Seasons was the first brand to open a hotel with a full-service spa at a time when it was unheard of in North America. Since then, Four Seasons has created some of the best spas in the world. Where did the idea come from, and what sets a Four Seasons spa apart from other hotel spas?

In 1986, our Dallas hotel became one of our first major leisure hotels, allowing guests to enjoy a resort-like ambiance with golf and other amenities in an otherwise urban setting. This was the perfect opportunity to introduce our first full-service spa and provide our guests with a comprehensive leisure experience, not only through hotel services, but also through amenities such as restaurants, golf and spa. To this day, we operate some of the best spas in the world. They are well known by our travel guests, but are also frequented by our local customers in every market. As with everything we do, Four Seasons' excellence in service and quality runs through the entire spa experience, from booking a treatment to departure. We also emphasize wellness in general, both in our spas and throughout the hotel - from the different types of treatments we offer, to the inviting and relaxing design of our facilities, to the food and beverage we serve. This comprehensive approach to wellness makes for a unique spa experience.

Golf resorts, tented camps, private cruises and the Four Seasons Jet Experience were other company innovations. What's next?

Most recently, in 2019 we launched an online store where our famous mattresses, sheets, towels and more can be purchased. This has become more popular than ever in recent years. As our guests spend more time at home than ever before, they want to make Four Seasons a part of their daily lives. Building on the initial success of the online store and the growing demand for products, we have expanded our offering to include categories such as candles, leather goods and travel accessories and continue to evolve to meet market demands. We've seen incredibly strong demand, which has only accelerated since launch. Driven by a love of our distinctive products and an amazing response to our new launches, business has more than doubled year-on-year.

Four Seasons is also known for using new technologies to enhance the guest experience - it launched its hotel website back in 1996 and launched an app in 2015 and the award-winning Four Seasons Chat platform in 2017. What do you think the future might hold in the technological-digital realm?

Since the launch of our website, and later our app and chat platforms, we have continued to improve and upgrade technology to adapt to changing customer needs. We recently introduced a travel planning feature in our app and are currently looking at further app enhancements, such as the mobile key, which allows guests to use their mobile devices as room keys.

What new openings can Four Seasons fans and those who want to become fans look forward to in the near future?

We just opened a property in Italy, transforming the historic San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily, into a Four Seasons experience. Later this year, we will open brand new hotels in New Orleans, Napa Valley, Fort Lauderdale and Tamarindo, Mexico. Our longer-term pipeline also includes some very exciting projects, including the recently announced properties in Puglia, Mallorca and Osaka.

New definition of luxury: These days, luxury is about creating good times and remarkable experiences, says Clerc ©Shutterstock

The Four Seasons

Foundation and idea

The Canadian Isadore "Issy" Sharp laid the foundation for the later luxury hotel brand in 1961 with the opening of the first Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Toronto (Jarvis Street). The modest exterior of the hotel gave little indication of the revolutionary idea behind it - inside, from the start everything was designed to relieve business travellers of any stress and to offer a new hotel experience.

The famous mattress

Innovation has always been the driving force behind Four Seasons. The will to constantly improve and maintain its place at the top of the luxury hotel industry is unbroken. In 1984, the Four Seasons mattress saw the light of day. Guests can now completely customize this to their own sleeping needs and is available in the Four Seasons webshop for home use.

Multiple awards

Four Seasons has won numerous international awards, including Best American Employer for 21 consecutive years.

Today

In the meantime Four Seasons is a public limited company, chairman is Isadore Sharp, CEO John Davison. One of the biggest shareholders is Bill Gates. The brand currently operates 120 hotels in 47 countries.

©Kenseet

Christian Clerc

Washington

Christian Clerc joined Four Seasons in 2000. His first position with the company was as hotel manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Washington.

Motto

"Every interaction with a guest is an opportunity" - that's the motto he uses to guide his day-to-day work.

Family

Clerc is a family man. He openly admits: "It's no secret that I owe my career to the support of my wife Meg and my two daughters Eleanor and Georgia."

Kitchen

When he's not at work, Christian Clerc can be found in the kitchen. A passionate amateur chef, he likes to be inspired by international cuisine.