Luxury hotel company Four Seasons, which is now majority-owned by Bill Gates' Cascade Investments, will continue its expansion in 2022.
The brand plans to open four new properties this year in Tamarindo, Mexico, and in three US locations: Fort Lauderdale, Nashville and Minneapolis.
These openings continue Four Seasons’ 2021 growth, which saw the debut of properties in Taormina in Italy, plus two US-based hotels in California’s Napa Valley and New Orleans.
In addition to secondary cities and leisure travel locations, the company's residential properties will take a front seat in 2022, with standalone residential communities, which are not connected to a hotel or resort, being a key element for the company in the next few years.
Global business development and portfolio management president Bart Carnahan said in a statement: "Our residential business, in particular, is a key pillar in our growth plans, with a five-year pipeline of $7 billion in gross sales value comprising more than 30 projects worldwide."
These residential properties will include locations in Dubai, Marrakech in Morocco, and Lake Austin in Texas.
The company has a total of 50 projects under construction or in the pipeline, which include properties in Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Colombia and Belize.
In addition to property expansion, Four Seasons is looking at a digital overhaul in 2022 to support its efforts to deliver personalised luxury service.
The company said it planned to optimise its customer relationship management (CRM) platform in 2022 and will also introduce a new mobile app and chat features, including mobile key and payments, as well as enhancements to the digital experience at its restaurants and bars.