Marriott and IHG each announced Monday their latest expansion plans in Europe. Marriott set its sights on adding nearly 100 hotels by 2026, while IHG signed a deal to add more than 100 in Germany.
27.03.2024 - 07:51 / skift.com / Sean Oneill
Four Seasons revealed on Tuesday the first itineraries for its new brand, Four Seasons Yachts. The hospitality company also shared the first renderings of its maiden vessel, which it has yet to name.
Here are five facts that stood out.
When the Four Seasons Yachts brand begins service in January 2026, its first vessel will cruise to the Caribbean for weeklong trips among the islands of St. Barths, Nevis, the Grenadines, St Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Curaçao, and Aruba.
In March 2026, the yacht will cross the Atlantic and begin trips that stop at ports in Croatia, Gibraltar, Montenegro, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. Several itineraries will feature stops in Greece, including Athens, Ios, Santorini, and Milos.
Four Seasons Yachts is a brand that belongs to a new generation of cruise ship offerings known as superyachts. These commercial vessels are bigger than a private yacht but smaller than a cruise ship.
An advantage of superyachts compared to typical cruise ships is that they can visit ports of call ordinarily only with the infrastructure to support small private vessels.
This agility will let the first Four Season Yacht visit more than 130 spots in over 30 countries and territories in its first year alone. A sample stop could let guests easily explore Martinique’s volcanic coral reefs and lush rainforest landscapes in a way they couldn’t if sailing on a traditional large luxury liner.
Other brands in the category include the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which already has ships at sea, and Orient Express Silenseas, which intends to debut in 2026.
The 14-deck luxury vessel is inspired by Aristotle Onassis’ iconic yacht Christina O, according to Four Seasons and its partner Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings and shipbuilder Fincantieri.
The ship will have 95 guest suites created by the brand’s creative director, Prosper Assouline, along with Tillberg Design of Sweden.
The first vessel from Four Seasons Yachts promises to have “50% more living space per guest” than what’s available on the , the first ship to debut from rival player Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Suites will offer floor-to-ceiling windows, double vanity bathrooms, and large private balconies, as just-shared images reveal.
The largest suites range from 2,981 to 9,975 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space.
Marriott and IHG each announced Monday their latest expansion plans in Europe. Marriott set its sights on adding nearly 100 hotels by 2026, while IHG signed a deal to add more than 100 in Germany.
Guests at a Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills can now access in-room concierge via hologram.
With swimmable harbours in Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki and across Denmark’s cities, not to mention plenty of ways to enjoy the sea, from kayaking to urban fishing, there’s often a seaside air to Nordic cities in summer, and especially in Oslo.
The summer travel season is just around the corner, and Virginia Beach is poised to welcome visitors to its sunny shoreline with a packed opening weekend of festivals to suit a variety of entertainment themes. A pair of brand-new events build on the destination’s arts and music scene paired with the return of a top international action sports competition and a spotlight on the city’s patriotic personality. Add some sizzle to a summer vacation plan with a visit to enjoy any, or all, of the events planned for the first weekend in June:
Four Seasons plans to expand its high-end hotels and resorts portfolio with a luxury 222-guest cruise ship.
Most people will only know Four Seasons for its range of luxury hotels around the world, but the firm also hosts travel experiences with the help of its own private jet.
Spirit Airlines and Airbus have agreed to defer all its aircraft expected to be delivered in 2025 and 2026 to 2030-2031 as the airline seeks to improve its financial position following its failed merger with JetBlue.
These oft-bypassed towns have all been, at some period in history, influential if not necessarily powerful; wealth-creating though hardly opulent; and vital to the nation’s wealth and security while never fully rewarded for it. Communications and trade once gave some urban centres the edge over others. Churches and marketplaces were social magnets. Today a brand-name art gallery, celebrity residents, or media chatter are most likely to generate appeal, however specious. What if estate agents sold houses using poetry, memories, polyglotism, ruins and rust?
The magic of hospitality is staying in a place that isn’t anything like home. A castle, a treehouse, a farm, a yurt: all such places promise an escape from the every day, especially when combined with luxury flourishes that boggle the mind. I am still wondering how ice showed up in the Gobi desert at the Three Camels Lodge in Mongolia or how blueberries came to be served at breakfast at the Explora Lodge on Easter Island. Or, in the case of the Four Seasons in Madrid, how a hotel combined seven historic properties into one sensational art destination.
Having expanded the hotel brand to include residences and private jets, the Four Seasons is now looking to conquer the seas with its new yacht collection. Last week, Four Seasons Yachts unveiled renderings of its first vessel—built in collaboration with Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings Ltd and the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri—which is set to launch in 2026. The first voyages will take passengers throughout the Caribbean and will soon expand to destinations along the Mediterranean. The 14-deck vessel (inspired by Aristotle Onassis’ Christina O) will feature 95 suites, a saltwater pool and al fresco dining.
Kimberly Raphael brings extensive experience in corporate sales management to downtown boutique hotel
Lemongrass is expanding its global portfolio of hotels, tourist boards, wellness retreats and tour operators.