This iconic brand is facing delays in reopening ultraluxury hotels in NYC and Santa Barbara
The Four Seasons ultra luxury Hotel New York and the ultra-luxury Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara will reopen next fall and springafter being closed for almost five years.
The 2019 pandemic, along with a series of standoffs with a billionaire investor, forced the closure of these properties, which in their heyday housed billionaires and celebrities from around the world.
The reopening date has been pushed back a few times, but unofficial reports suggest so that Hotel New York will most likely reopen on November 15, 2024.
“For more than three decades, both iconic properties have hosted discerning travelers and locals alike, and the team at Ty Warner and Four Seasons look forward to welcoming guests back to these celebrated properties,” reads the website.
The road to reopening has not been easy. Anyone who has worked in the hospitality industry knows that properties require ‘relentless’ daily maintenance to meet customer expectations.
Therefore, when a property is left abandoned for an extended period of time, it quickly deteriorates, requiring a significant investment to renovate it years later.
A curious case occurred in Barcelona with the famous W Barcelona. During the lockdown, the hotel had to hire an engineer to live alone in the enormous building for months, with the sole job of turning on the water taps in the 473 luxury rooms every Wednesday to prevent structural damage. The story was so bizarre and funny that it made the local news at the time.
Another challenge the Four Seasons properties have faced is rehiring laid-off staff, a process that takes time as many former employees have already found new jobs, meaning managers have had to train new staff to run the ultra-luxury standards of these properties, a report said. from Bloomberg.
Hotel rates in New York have been unaffordable post-pandemic, so new rates at these two high-profile hotels are expected to make headlines.
What you need to know about these ultra-luxury properties before you reopen them
The Four Seasons Hotel New York has long been a symbol of luxury in Manhattan and is home to international celebrities such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio.
The property was originally designed by renowned architect IM Pei and offers stunning views of the iconic Central Park and the beautiful New York skyline.
In the meantime, the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara is a historic beachfront property known for its unique Spanish colonial architecture.
This resort is proud to have hosted former President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie Kennedy on their honeymoon. Other high-profile guests include Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow.
With the reopening, these hotels aim to restore their legacy as two of the most prestigious accommodations in America.
