The 1970s began with a defining moment – the opening of a hotel in London, England. This hotel set the tone for the future direction of the company and pioneered many of the signature Four Seasons services now delivered worldwide. Within a few years, the company’s portfolio also included 10 hotels across Canada, and its first US management contracts, in San Francisco and Chicago. By the close of the decade, Four Seasons had entered the US market under its own brand name in Washington, DC.