The hotel Four Seasons opens its doors this Friday to receive the first guests. A premiere marked by the covid-19 crisis and by the roller coaster of emotions that the project has gone through. As he explains to idealista / news Monica Eisen, hotel manager of the company, the new complex is a transformation of luxury more focused on a personalized treatment of the client than on the material. Eisen also assures that the obstacles have made them work with more energy and that Madrid needed a project like the one offered by the North American chain.
Despite the optimism, Eisen reveals that Occupancy forecasts for the first year -before the onset of the coronavirus- were between 60% and 70%, although it will barely have 30 guests at its launch. “The situation is what it is and our goal has always been to preserve the work of the more than 200 workers we have hired,” he says. In addition, the hotel manager of Four Seasons Canalejas emphasizes the importance of being able to open in Madrid, one of the few large capitals in Europe that did not have this luxury brand. After visiting its facilities exclusively, now idealista / news reviews all the details of the project with one of the visible heads of the hotel complex that will premiere this Friday in the heart of the city and with prices per night that range between 750 euros and 18,000 euros for your suite.
What does the opening of this hotel in Madrid mean for Four Seasons?
It is a great thrill for the 60-year-old company. It is incredible to be able to reach Madrid, one of the few great capitals in the world where we were not yet, after eight years of project. It is a moment of celebration and very special for the history, culture and tourism of this city. Madrid needed a Four Seasons in its city.
What has it been like to open a hotel complex of this magnitude?
Well, I would speak of a roller coaster of emotions. First of joy, then uncertainty due to covid-19 and in the end you realize and you are just one day away from opening the hotel. Our goal was crystal clear: to preserve the employment of all the people we had just hired because it is they, after all, who create the luxury and magic within Four Seasons. Regarding the current situation, the reality is that we have had to work hard to try to apply all the Health criteria and protocols.
I had not planned to go with masks and that something as basic as the smile of our employees is not visible, but we have to adapt. All the obstacles have given us more energy, more motivation, more encouragement to the team … and I think that is what we are going to convey to everyone from now on.
How many reservations are there for this Friday?
For now we have 30 rooms reserved.
Do you have an occupancy estimate for the first year?
It is impossible to make predictions right now. Before covid-19 appeared, we did have an estimate of between 60% and 70% occupancy throughout the first year, knowing that it was very difficult for us to judge without history and without experience in the Madrid market.
How many workers will be active when the hotel starts up?
The The truth is that at the moment we have 246 direct contracts. But then we generate a lot of indirect employment for other companies in other sectors: florists, engineers, service providers …
What is the price range for this premiere?
We are analyzing prices all day, but we come out with rooms from 750 euros per night to 18,000 euros for our suite.
Image of one of the rooms / Four Seasons
What is the Four Seasons Madrid customer profile?
There are two kinds. The first that are international guests, especially Americans and Latin Americans, although here also enters the local tourism looking for the exclusive. We know that this profile is difficult to conquer in these moments where it is so difficult to catch a plane, keep quarantines … Anyway, we have another market that is equally important and that is not directly associated with accommodation, but with restoration, spa and the rest of the offer that we have inside the hotel. We are ready for them.
Despite the covid-19, do you have reservations in your rooms adapted for weddings, events, convections …?
Yes, the truth is that we have been lucky because we already have some events reserved and confirmed in our rooms. Small meetings, of course, but we do have.
Image of one of the Four Seasons lounges
To what extent will the opening of the Canalejas shopping gallery help attract guests?
It will be very interesting because the complex’s offer will be expanded. People who go shopping and still stay with us, for example.
With regard to the leisure offer, are you going to charge just to go up to the roof of the hotel like other hotel chains in Madrid do?
No. We have a restaurant on the roof with a reservation to go for a drink, but you do not have to pay anything extra to access the terrace.
Azotea del Four Seasons
What does the Four Seasons offer that other luxury hotels in Madrid don’t have?
The truth is that we have had a permanent and very strong evolution during the last ten years to update ourselves. Our goal has been to maintain luxury, but not a traditional luxury, but one adapted to the new times. And how do you get that? Well, with the concepts we offer as modern restaurants, with fun and contemporary music, with workers who transmit feelings … We want each tenant to be free and to be able to express what they want within a certain amount of elegance, but always without ceasing to be themselves. .
What are the company’s plans for Spain?
There is intention to do business in Mallorca and Marbella, right now.
Do you have any plans in the event that there is a new confinement of the population?
Clear. We have to think of all the possibilities and that is why we will make strong decisions if the situation calls for it.
What is the magic of the Four Seasons that you talked about earlier?
Well it is simply transform the concept of luxury -or what people sometimes think is luxury: gold, diamonds … – in a feeling. Luxury for us is an emotion created by the way they treat you so personalized. It is a luxury not so focused on the material but more on the personal and that is only achieved through the fantastic team that we have.
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