Allen Smith has been appointed president and chief of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts following an extensive global search overseen by the private company’s long-term shareholders, Kingdom Holding Company, Cascade Investment and Triples Holdings.

While Peter the Great was known to prefer more humble accommodations, Catherine the Great certainly would have approved: nearly two centuries after its debut as the city’s most exclusive residence, the ‘House with Lions’ is reborn as Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg. Ideally situated next to St. Isaac’s Cathedral – and designed by the same architect – the edifice immortalised in Alexander Pushkin’s most famous poem gives way to glamorous new hotel accommodations, dining and drinking concepts, event spaces and soon, the city’s most sumptuous spa.

How do you choose a hotel? By the quality of service? The view? What your friends might think? How about the water pressure in the shower? Don’t laugh. Brodeur Partners looked into the heart of what really matters when it comes to online conversation about hotel choice and has come up with intriguing answers.

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has announced Kathleen Taylor will be leaving her role as chief executive. The privately held company, with the backing of its long-term shareholders Kingdom Holding Company, Cascade Investment and Triples Holdings, is focused on building on Four Seasons leadership position by accelerating execution of its existing strategy to drive global growth and expansion of its iconic brand.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is planning a new resort property in Cesme, near Alacati. The beachfront property, featuring 130 spacious resort suites and 16 private hilltop villas will offer extensive sport and fitness facilities to take advantage of the region’s many outdoor activities.

Conceived as a celebration of local Azeri art, the Blue Water exhibition at Four Seasons Hotel Baku was presented to invited guests at a special unveiling on November 27, 2012.