Four Seasons Hospitality Revolution Continues: Introducing Industry's First Fully Customizable Sleep Experience

- Global leader in luxury hospitality introduces new bed as preference for personalization grows

- New survey of travellers conducted by Ipsos for Four Seasons reveals secrets to a good night's sleep

- Twitter chats with Four Seasons Dream Team experts on March 13 and 14 mark World Sleep Day on March 14

- Four Seasons Magazine launches new online Signature Sleep hub with fun facts and useful tips about sleep

TORONTO, March 3, 2014 /CNW/ - A new survey indicates that the only thing we all have in common when it comes to a good night's sleep is that our needs and preferences are diverse, and for those seeking rest away from home, the demand for a personalized sleep environment is increasing. For the 92% of survey respondents who expressed distinct preferences on the firmness of a bed, there's especially good news.

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Introducing The Four Seasons Bed – the next evolution of the iconic Four Seasons sleep experience and the first fully customizable hotel bed, offering travellers the opportunity to effectively choose their own bed and personalize their sleep during every Four Seasons stay. With an innovative mattress system developed by Four Seasons in partnership with leading bed manufacturer Simmons, each guest can have their bed personalized to their unique preference in minutes. A choice of three different levels of firmness will be offered, along with a variety of pillows and bedside amenities for customized comfort.

"From the day we welcomed our very first guests for the night more than five decades ago, we have placed supreme importance on creating optimal sleep conditions, along with the intuitive service that has always been the hallmark of Four Seasons," says Chris Hunsberger, Executive Vice President, Product and Innovation. "This new research supports what our guests have told us - everyone has different sleep needs, but the desire for a good night's rest is a universal passion. That's why we're making it as easy as possible to fully customize the sleep experience when you stay with Four Seasons."

Four Seasons has long been known for its signature beds – a cult favourite that while never advertised, has been purchased by tens of thousands of happy sleepers wanting to replicate the perfect Four Seasons sleep in their own homes. With the introduction of the industry's first fully customizable sleep experience, Four Seasons continues to revolutionize the hospitality industry with innovations and creative approaches to enhance each guest's experience.

Director of Sleep Medicine for Meridian Health Dr. Carol Ash agrees with Four Seasons on the importance of a good night's sleep:

"Beyond benefits of increased productivity during business travel and maximizing enjoyment of a holiday, there are serious reasons to get the optimal 7-9 hours of sleep each night, even when travelling," notes Dr. Ash. "Sleep restores our brain to a baseline level of strength. It is essential for learning and allows us to strengthen our memories. Sleep is important to maintain critical thinking, judgment, spatial orientation, reaction times, and emotional stability. Lack of it impairs your ability to deal with stress, and strains your relationships."

Sleep Survey Highlights

The survey, conducted by Ipsos* in late 2013 among travellers from the US, Great Britain, Russia and China who have stayed in any hotel, shared insights on what helps them sleep well on the road. Highlights include:

• 92% of respondents expressed distinct preferences on the firmness of a bed. Only 7% of respondents had no opinion on the firmness of the mattress, with 50% saying they like medium, followed by 28% preferring firm and 14% soft.

• 30% said they have requested a room change or taken other action – a handful even opting to sleep on the floor or in the bathtub! - when their hotel bed didn't suit their needs. In general, travellers under 35 are the most likely to speak up, indicating an increasing demand for customization in the future.

• 44% said they wished they could make their bed at home the same way it's made in a hotel, and 31% have wanted to take home the bed or linens – a desire that Four Seasons will happily arrange upon request.

• Pre-bedtime rituals also varied widely, with Russians and Chinese favouring a hot shower or bath, the British tucking in to bed with a good book, and more than half of Americans saying they like to watch tv before sleeping.

• From a list of a dozen nighttime amenities, the favourites were bath salts and oils (23%), room scents (22%) and herbal tea (21%); desired bedside conveniences ranged from electrical outlets for personal devices and smart phones (56%) to a master switch for the window blinds (13%). Younger travellers were most likely to want an iPod dock.

• The one thing just about everybody has in common? 72% said they like to sleep on the same side of the bed they are used to at home.

For complete survey results, including what travellers like to have at bedside and what they like to do most before tucking in for the night, and a closer look at interesting regional variations, click here.

The Bed is Just the Beginning

Survey respondents also indicated that bedding was just one factor in creating their idea of a perfect night's sleep. Noise levels, the ability to adjust temperature, the availability of fresh air, the need to create a completely dark environment at any time of day, and the inevitable jet lag play key roles that vary by nationality, gender and age.

"One of the interesting findings in the survey is that the younger the traveller, the more likely they are to have specific preferences, and to say so," says Dana Kalczak, Four Seasons Vice President, Design. "As we create new hotels and continually review all our properties, we have a detailed checklist that includes everything from headboard placement to technologies that are intuitive and easy to figure out, silent light switches, and sealing doors to block light and noise from the hallway."

Kalczak, who is also a trained architect and interior designer, notes that the development of every new Four Seasons hotel includes creation of an offsite model guest room early in the process, and every possible scenario is tested to anticipate guests' every need.

"We lie on the bed to make sure it's in the best position to enjoy views and watch tv; that there's good light for reading; and that everything a guest might need is within easy reach," she says. "Frankly, we are obsessed."

The Four Seasons Bed: Details

Features of the new Four Seasons Bed include:

• A system of revolutionary mattress toppers engineered specifically for Four Seasons that offers guests three choices to customize their bed: Signature, Signature Firm, and Signature Plush.

• A topper that can be switched in minutes; those returning to a Four Seasons location will find their favourite topper already in place when they arrive.

• Gel Touch Foam Center technology that absorbs extra heat, ensuring maximum comfort throughout the sleep.

Where to find The Four Seasons Bed now:

The Four Seasons Bed is already in place in several locations in the US, and will replace beds at all Four Seasons locations over the next few years as part of the normal course of upgrade. Travellers can contact individual Four Seasons properties in advance of their next visit to inquire about the availability of the new bed.

The Four Seasons Bed will also be available for purchase along with a full array of pillows and bed linens through local Four Seasons locations as they are installed in each hotel and resort.

Let's Talk About Sleep

In celebration of World Sleep Day on March 14, 2014, Four Seasons will host Twitter chats Thursday, March 13 at 9:00 pm EDT and on Friday, March 14 from 3:00 pm EDT. Participants will include a Dream Team of Four Seasons sleep experts as well as Dr. Carol Ash and dream guru Kelly Sullivan Walden,

Join the conversation on Twitter via #inbedwithFS, and for more undercover tips, content and more, follow @FourSeasons on Twitter and Instagram and visit Four Seasons Facebook and Pinterest communities.

For more articles and interviews about all aspects of sleep including fun facts, useful tips, sleep stories from the road and an interactive tour of a Four Seasons room, visit FourSeasonsMagazine.com/SignatureSleep.

About Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continual innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. From elegant surroundings of the finest quality, to caring, highly personalized 24-hour service, Four Seasons embodies a true home away from home for those who know and appreciate the best. The deeply instilled Four Seasons culture is personified in its employees - people who share a single focus and are inspired to offer great service. Founded in 1960, Four Seasons has followed a targeted course of expansion, opening hotels and residences in major city centres and desirable resort destinations around the world. With 92 properties in 38 countries, and more than 60 projects under development, Four Seasons continues to lead the hospitality industry with innovative enhancements, making business travel easier and leisure travel more rewarding. For more information on Four Seasons, visit http://press.fourseasons.com and follow on Twitter at @FourSeasonsPR.

Note to Media: Selected Four Seasons now have a sample Four Seasons Bed for review. To inquire, contact your local Four Seasons representative.

*These are findings of the research conducted by global research company Ipsos. The research was conducted on the "G@52"wave between December 4 and 18, 2013. The monthly Global @dvisor data output is derived from a balanced online sample in 4 countries via the Ipsos Online Panel system: Great Britain, the United States, Russia and China. For the results of the survey presented herein, an international sample of 3,148 adults who have ever stayed at a hotel aged 18-64 in the US, and age 16-64 in all other countries, were interviewed. Approximately 1000+ individuals participated on a country by country basis via the Ipsos Online Panel with the exception of Russia, where the sample is sample approximately 500. The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility interval. In this case, a poll of 1,000 is accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and one of 500 is accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points in their respective general populations. In countries where internet penetration is approximately 60% or higher the data output is weighted to reflect the general population: such is the case in the United States (78.1%) and Great Britain (83.6%). Samples in Russia (47.7%) and China (41%) reflect a somewhat more urban/educated/income than their fellow citizens due to these lower Internet penetration rates and are often referred to as "Upper Deck Consumer Citizens."

Contact Info:

Laura Zanzal
212-299-8955
[email protected]

SOURCE: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

http://press.fourseasons.com

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