The Four Seasons was founded in 1961 by Isadore Sharp, a young Canadian architect and builder, with the help of his father, Max Sharp, a contractor. He constructed his first hotel, the Four Seasons Motor House in 1961, in a run-down area ofToronto, aiming to attract businessmen. Over this decade, he went on to open three new branches in Canada.
The following decade began with a bang as the Four Seasons expanded into international territory. Its first overseas location was established in 1970 inLondon,England, and it would set the luxurious standard for the rest of its international hotels. Sharp wished to create a hotel chain which catered primarily to the guest, combining friendliness and efficiency. By the end of this decade the Four Seasons had 10 locations inCanada, and had broken into the US market, with hotels in San Francisco, Chicago and Washington,DC.
The 1980s saw further expansion into the US, with hotels in a dozen new cities, including Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago. As the company started to establish itself as a household name, it began to transform itself from a hotel owner-operator into a management company. The company went public in 1986. In the same year, the company began to develop its services, introducing its first spa at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas. Nowadays all Four Seasons hotels offer spa facilities or services.
In the 1990s, the Four Seasons brand was already hailed as a North American leader in hospitality. The company then began to focus on providing exceptional leisure experiences by developing its resorts. It also established more locations throughout Europe and Asia.
The company was affected by recent economic downturns, including the collapse of the travel industry following the September 11 attacks, and the financial crisis of 2007-2010, but it recovered. In 2007, it agreed to a buyout by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Price Al-Waleed bin Talal of Saudia Arabia for $3.8 billion, who now own 95% of the company, while Sharp owns the rest. In August 2010, Kathleen Taylor took over as CEO of the company.
The Four Seasons continues to expand, now with over 50 properties on every continent except Antarctica. It also supports numerous philanthropic programs, focusing on building communities, cancer research and supporting sustainability. The Four Seasons was one of the original sponsors for the Terry Fox Run in 1981, which has now grown into the world’s largest single day cancer fundraiser and has raised close to half a billion dollars.
The 2000′s saw the development of residential properties associated with the Four Seasons, including of course the Four Seasons Private Residences in Toronto. The Four Seasons brand is associated with the utmost luxury and comfort, and the Private Residences promise nothing less.