Four Seasons Hotel attracts locals through luxury dining experiences

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has become increasingly popular with those looking for a taste of luxury.

Michael Schmid, the new general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul [PARK SANG-MOON]

[INTERVIEW]

An overnight stay at a Four Seasons hotel may not fit everyone's budget, but the 29-story glass tower in central Seoul has become increasingly popular with many looking for a taste of luxury.

These days, the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul lobby not only booms with hotel guests but also everyday locals wanting to relish the hotel's considerable dining options.

Four Seasons Seoul has eight food and beverage (F&B) outlets — the most offered by any hotel in Korea. They reportedly generate about half the hotel’s total revenue.

“F&B is accessible and often the first touch point for many of our guests,” the hotel’s new general manager Michael Schmid, told the Korea JoongAng Daily last month at the hotel in Jongno District.

Charles H. Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul [FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SEOUL]

Schmid, a Swiss-born hotelier, has never worked in the Asia Pacific before but is a veteran well-versed in the industry.

He started his hotelier career as the restaurants, catering and banquets manager at the Four Seasons Hotel Berlin and is looking to bring that expertise to Seoul.

“We want to provide an even more elevated experience in our food and beverage locations for both our guests and the Koreans who come,” said Schmid.

Schmid sees Seoul as one of the most sought-after gastro destinations in the world right now.

“I see a lot of international travelers who come here and they want to dine, and this is why people travel here now,” he said. “It’s important that we step up our game and be there to meet these demands."

Michael Schmid, the new general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul, speaks to the Korea JoongAng Daily last month. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Four Seasons Seoul’s Italian restaurant, Boccalino, recently appointed Ivan Spadaro from Italy as its new head chef. Incoming Head Chef Kwok Wai To from Hong Kong helms the kitchen at the hotel's Chinese restaurant, Yu Yuan.

Four Seasons Seoul is also preparing for Korea’s much-hyped bingsu (shaved ice) season.

“I’ve already had the chance to taste, and those mangos were so juicy!” he said, recalling his first-ever encounter with the hotel’s summer staple, Jeju mango bingsu.

Chinese restaurant Yu Yuan at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul [FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SEOUL]

But behind every delicious dish are people working to deliver the experience.

“What is on the plate and in your glass are obviously important things, but a big part is also how this employee makes me feel,” said Schmid.

Four Seasons Seoul, however, is not an exception when it comes to the labor shortage. Shortly after Covid-19 ended, many of the employees did not return, including staff at their restaurants.

“It’s a round-the-clock job and not for everyone,” he said.

It has since been adapting to the shifting realities of the industry’s labor market.

The hotel expanded its staff size by 25 percent by the end of last year compared to 2019 before the pandemic. It now has nearly 600 employees.

“We looked at part-timers and different ethnicities, and hired people without a background in the skills that before, we requested but instead had the right attitude,” he said.

“If you never worked in a restaurant but have the right attitude, we’ll give you a chance and teach you.”

The exterior of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul [FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SEOUL]

Four Seasons employees are also allowed three-day weekends where workers can work slightly longer hours in exchange for an extra day off.

This push for change in hiring and working conditions is also driven by the flood of demand that Four Seasons Seoul experienced toward the pandemic’s tail end.

The hotel in 2023 saw one of its most successful financial years, and its current average room rate exceeds that of pre-Covid times.

“Korea is benefiting from Japan’s travel market, which is exploding right now, and a lot of people either come here and go back, or then combine their trips with Japan,” he said.

He added, “Korea on its own is a hot spot as well.”

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]