Short answers, pulled from the story.
Isadore Sharp, a Canadian businessman, founded Four Seasons in 1960. While working as a young architect for his father, he designed a motel for a family friend; its success led him to open the Four Seasons Motor Hotel in Toronto in 1961.
As of January 2022, Cascade Investment, controlled by Bill Gates, owns 71.25% of Four Seasons, while Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal's Kingdom Holding Company owns 23.75%. Gates and Al-Waleed acquired majority control in a $3.8 billion buyout in 2007.
Four Seasons operates hotels on behalf of real estate owners under management contracts, earning roughly three percent of gross income and about five percent of profits from each property. Property owners also contribute separately to marketing, reservations systems, and renovations.
The first season of The White Lotus was filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Maui in Hawaii, the second at the Four Seasons resort in Taormina, Italy, and the third at the Four Seasons in Ko Samui, Thailand. HBO took over the Maui resort for thirteen weeks in 2020 during COVID-19 lockdowns.
The first Four Seasons yacht, named Four Seasons I, was floated at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Italy in January 2025. It made its maiden voyage on the 20th of March 2026 through the Mediterranean, coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the first Four Seasons hotel opening.
Michelin has awarded a total of 29 stars to 20 Four Seasons restaurants. Properties in Hong Kong and Paris each have three Michelin-starred restaurants, while Beijing and Florence each host two.