Stéphane's passion for hospitality was ignited early on, nurtured by a family that cherished culture and the art of living. His career, which began at the iconic Waldorf Astoria in New York, has seen him rise through the ranks of luxury hospitality, ultimately leading him to his current role as General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco. Join us as we explore the key moments of Stéphane's remarkable journey, his leadership philosophy, and his vision for the future of this prestigious property.
Hello Stéphane, could you introduce yourself and outline the main points of your professional journey up to your current position?
Born and raised in France, I was fortunate to grow up in a family that appreciated culture and the art of living, which sparked my passion for hospitality. The international dimension of hospitality and the opportunities it offers began to take shape in my mind as I completed my studies at Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, where I encountered a rich diversity of cultures among the students.
I started my career in the late 90s in NYC, at the intimidating Waldorf Astoria, in Food and Beverage Management. It was an incredible experience in an iconic property, but my goal was to enter the top tier of luxury hospitality. I set my sights on Four Seasons and joined the brand in 1999 at the acclaimed 57th Street property. The brand offered opportunities for professional growth and personal development through the various locations and cultures I experienced. I felt well aligned with the brand’s principles and knew I could contribute and grow.
From New York to Austin, Newport Beach, and eventually Hawaii, the first ten years in the US passed quickly before I transitioned to more exotic locations in the Middle East-European portfolio of Four Seasons properties. There, I served in various operations leadership positions in Prague, Cairo, and later joined the opening team in Baku. Returning to Prague, I took on my first role as General Manager before moving to Megève, where I led a complex yet exceptional collection of two hotels and eight restaurants, a truly unique offering within the Four Seasons portfolio.
In spring 2023, I had the opportunity to change gears and environments, moving back to the US to join Four Seasons' Northern California flagship property in San Francisco. Looking back, it’s impossible to pinpoint specific highlights from each destination, but I can attribute my successful journey to the inspiration and support I received from the teams and leaders I’ve been fortunate to work with in various places.
Your career has taken you from France to the United States, with stops in Europe and the Middle East. How do these international experiences influence your approach to managing the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco?
The many moves and experiences have all contributed to elevating the notion of agility and adaptability. You keep learning every single day. This not only defines your ability to lead a team but also how you engage with guests and business partners. The 10 years spent in various parts of the US early in my career have certainly helped me find my way back to the US more effectively, even though each place has its own specifics.
The Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco was set to "fully reinvent itself" according to you (in 2023). What strategies have you implemented to maintain its leading position in the market?
In a slowly recovering market like San Francisco, the property needed to redefine several aspects of our approach, both in how we execute service and how we adapt our commercial strategy.
As a brand, we continue to place our service at the center of the guest experience. In San Francisco, with the increased choices of hotels available to visitors in the current economic context, we have been even more focused on creating a high level of connection with our guests.
We strive to achieve this with our regular visitors as well as those who are discovering the brand, with the goal of building loyalty. This is implemented throughout the property through personal and genuine engagement by all team members. No detail is too small to make an impact on a guest’s stay.
How do you balance the needs of business clients with those of travelers seeking authentic experiences in San Francisco?
Of course, we notice a shift in needs between weekdays and weekends, or during certain periods of the year when conventions are fewer and leisure travel gains momentum. This constant adaptation requires our team to stay on top of their game—an expertise gained over time through consistent efforts and a healthy dose of curiosity.
A seasoned team has the ability to execute service in a changing environment because we continuously review and discuss our offers and recommendations to provide the expected experience for our visitors. We strive to engage with our guests prior to their stay to identify the purpose of their visit and, therefore, lay out the best possible plan for them.
However, it is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and access to technology makes our guests very well-informed about their options—raising the bar for our team to add value to their itinerary. Some of the best examples of surprising guests come when our team invites them to discover and enjoy places they personally love, which adds a touch of authenticity.
You mentioned the image challenges San Francisco faces. How are you working to reassure and attract potential clients?
Whenever possible, we invite our potential clients to come and see it with their own eyes. It is undeniable that the situation in some parts of the city has been very concerning in the post-pandemic period, and it has impacted us beyond what anyone could have imagined. Nevertheless, there have been significant changes resulting from several initiatives adopted by the authorities, and the situation has really improved—I have noticed a real difference since my arrival 18 months ago, and positive momentum is certainly there.
We do not ignore the importance of the situation but are committed to avoiding any disturbance to our visitors. While time and measures allow for further improvement, it is our task to curate the guests’ stay, and we have the expertise to design a program that will keep guests away from undesirable parts of the city. Our team creates insightful itineraries for our visitors, and as they explore the city, they realize that much of it is unaffected by the situation. It truly changes their perspective as they walk through the city and are amazed by the depth of its diversity and appeal.
Your leadership philosophy emphasizes listening and communication. Can you provide a concrete example of how you apply these principles within your team?
The brand's success relies on the perfect execution of service and the personal interaction between our team and our guests. It is therefore paramount that our team has opportunities to share with us what they hear from our guests, as well as when they observe something in our process that hinders a perfect stay. We maintain various communication platforms with the team, from daily operational briefings and monthly General Manager’s Coffee Chats to quarterly town halls—all of which serve as opportunities to align our resources toward the ultimate goal of providing a great guest experience.
However, in my opinion, the most valuable of all are the regular property walks throughout the course of the day, which give me a great opportunity to connect and exchange with all team members at all levels. I do the same with our guests: lobby time is too rare on most days, unfortunately, but it is such a valuable source of feedback and engagement.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to build a career in luxury hospitality? What are the 3 essential qualities to possess and cultivate?
Hospitality is a mindset; it’s about extending service and being there for someone else, whether it’s a guest or a team member. This notion is very strong and likely remains with any hotelier throughout their career. The rewards include great personal encounters, unparalleled magical moments during special events, and the discovery of cultures and unique places. It’s also important to learn from the bad, the good, and the ugly—self-reflection is key.
If I were to name three key qualities, they would be care, curiosity, and attention to detail...we work in Luxury!
You have remained loyal to Four Seasons for most of your career. What do you believe sets this brand apart in the luxury hospitality world?
While evolving and adapting to a changing environment, Four Seasons has remained true to its core values and definition—the magic recipe lies in ensuring that all team members are constantly aligned with the idea of creating memorable guest experiences through their own genuine contributions. It is successful because it has a very solid foundation in key principles, and the brand keeps those in perspective when growing strategically and expanding into other domains: luxury residences, jet, and yacht journeys.
What are your long-term ambitions for the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, and how do you envision its evolution in the coming years?
Such an iconic city will be at the forefront again, there is no doubt about it. As the recovery materializes, we must continue working on creating guest experiences that are unique and memorable, positioning our property at the top of the list.
We have a well-established reputation as a service leader in the city, strengthened over the past 23 years. I have full confidence in our team’s ability to pursue the work with unparalleled determination and passion in every opportunity—where we succeed, the destination does as well.
And finally, more personally, if you were…
A dish or food: Homemade pasta. It can be developed and elevated in so many ways, but it’s also so good when plain and simple!
A fictional character: Mickey Mouse in Fantasia – Hotels’ General Managers are conductors
A vacation destination: La Trinité sur Mer
A favorite book: Around the world in 80 days by Jules Verne
