Observers of the Paris hotel scene noted that by
the 198as and 1990s, the George V, like some of its
peers, was coasting on its reputation. In December
1996, H.R.H. Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulazizal Saud purchased the hotel for $170 million. In November
1997, Four Seasons signed a long-term
agreement to manage the hotel. "We needed to be in
Paris," lohn Young, Executive Vice President, Human
Resources, explained. "We had looked at a new development,
but gaining planning permission for a
new building in Paris is very hard. Since we look for
the highest possible quality assets in the best locations,
the George V was perfect. It established us
very powerfully in the French capital."
In order to transform the George V into a Four
Seasons, however, an extensive amount of effort
had to be placed into both the tangible and experiential
service which the property and its people
could deliver.