CorpComms Magazine

Luxury hotel chain Four Seasons has given its website a $15 million makeover adding social media features which it hopes will bring a smile to its tech-savvy customers.

Users browsing the site will now be able to see what people are saying about the hotels in real time on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, and also travel website TripAdvisor. When users click on the 'Reviews at a Glance' box on the new site, they can land directly on The Four Seasons' Facebook page, Twitter account or TripAdvisor reviews.

The new site will send recommendations to the user based on preferences indicated in their profile. Other new features include guests' photos, information on local experiences and 'why you'll love it' features. The site, which is fully optimised for mobile devices, will soon launch on Google+.

Susan Helstab, marketing chief for the hotel chain, told USA Today: 'You take your chance with the good and the bad [reviews]...It really does require that incredible sense of confidence that says we deliver our promise', adding: 'There's no room for smoke and mirrors in today's socially networked world.'

A recent survey conducted on behalf of Four Seasons found that 33 per cent of guests rate TripAdvisor as 'very to extremely influential' in their selection of a luxury hotel.

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