Leveraging Expertise: The Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh At Kingdom Center "Business travellers account for the largest percentage of our guests and years of experience have made us experts in anticipating and fulfilling their unique needs."

"Business travellers account for the largest percentage of our guests and years of experience have made us experts in anticipating and fulfilling their unique needs," says Rolf Lippuner, the newly appointed General Manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Center. The opulent property is situated pretty advantageously -near the city's commercial hub and close to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's diplomatic quarter- and regularly acts as the home away from home for visiting businesspeople and dignitaries alike. "We've had several large-scale conferences this year such as HP World 2015, the Economic Forum for the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, and the Riyadh Travel Fair Exhibition, among others. One very notable conference that we are proud to host every year is the Global Competitiveness Forum, organized by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). This yearly three-day forum of activities is the only event of its kind in the Kingdom, and it's attended by top private and public sector leaders, international political leaders, the heads of NGOs, and selected intellectuals and individuals who share a common interest in global competitiveness."

The property's whopping 80% ratio of business clients means that the hotel specializes in corporate needs, and one way they demonstrate that is through their Executive Business Package developed exclusively for those on business visits. "The Executive Business Package offers remarkable value to business travellers visiting the city; it includes luxurious accommodations, complimentary daily breakfast for up to two guests, SR300 dinner credit per night, laundry service for two items per day, one round-trip airport transfer per stay, and complimentary premium high-speed Internet access. All of these inclusions promise a heightened level of comfort and consideration sought out by business travellers."

Having worked previously at the Four Seasons Washington, D.C., Lippuner has suitably moved from one property hosting a bevy of international business travellers and political dignitaries, to another property with the same main type of clientele. "Frankly, there is little in the change from Washington D.C. to Riyadh. Many may find this response incredible, but it's intrinsically true. Yes, there is a cultural change and adaptation that one does need to go through, but this is not dissimilar to any change of country or city that I have experienced, in the many moves I have made. In fact, D.C. was an incredible training ground for me considering the magnitude of Middle Eastern guests that frequent it, [and] interestingly enough many of them Saudi."

Recommended By The GM: Rolf Lippuner's Executive Picks

EXEC STAY "Our Presidential and Royal Suites, located between the 38th to 46th floors, feature spectacular views of the capital, and comprise sleek, spacious comfort perfect for CEOs and presidents. Outstanding features include generous living rooms, dining areas, private offices and separate King bedrooms. To ensure that we remain in-step with the ever evolving needs of our guests, we strive to understand how our guests spend their time, and we then tailor our service approach to their individual needs. We do this by offering convenient, time-saving services such as our one-hour pressing, 24-hour room service, in-room technology, and house cars equipped with wireless internet access."

CONFERENCE CAPABILITIES "The meeting conference rooms and facilities at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh are the best in the city, and our recent win at the Middle East Hotel Awards 2015 for Best Conference and Banquet Facilities proves just that. With four separate meeting rooms with foyers for each, we have the requirements and technology available for all types of meetings from small to big scale. Our hotel's business center also provides two boardrooms for more intimate meetings of eight to 10 people, private workstations, laptop and desktop computers, printers, scanners, hi-speed email and Internet access and translation services."

CONNECTIVITY "One of my favorite perks which has also been very appealing to our business guests is the luxurious and convenient travel experience with the hotel's limousine fleet offering complimentary Wi-Fi en route. Whether heading to or from the airport, to a corporate event or business meeting, busy executives on a packed schedule are able to stay connected and be productive all through their commute. Advanced audio-visual and lighting technology is the standard throughout [the hotel], with expert, friendly support from our own highly trained technicians, and the latest in high-tech audiovisual equipment is always available for impactful presentations. Our state-of-the-art equipment include items such as teleconferencing, LCD projectors, plasma TVs, screens, flipcharts, easels and marker boards, and wired or wireless internet access in meeting rooms."

MUNCH "It's hard for a GM to absolutely single out one specific outlet in a grand hotel, where there are so many incredible options, but -and there is always a but- the pasta in ROSSO is exceptional. Fettuccine Alfredo with mushrooms and Bresola… Bellisimo! Beyond that, our Friday brunch is a gastronomic fantasy world and a must. Seriously."

DOWNTIME "For guests who would like to explore the city, and are looking for ways to immerse themselves in the local culture, we have developed with the hotel's concierge team, tailor-made cultural packages that will deftly work around their business commitments and schedule, to allow them to experience a historical site, visit an art gallery or discover an unknown side of Riyadh city. For a few hours of downtime in a business traveler's hectic schedule, I'd suggest a dining experience at one of our elegant dining venues such as Elements restaurant offering international cuisine with an Arabesque and Asian twist, or ROSSO, our authentic Italian venue or The Grill restaurant which specializes in grilled cuisine offering the best steaks in town. Stressed executives can also burn off steam at the hotel's fitness center, racquetball, squash or tennis courts, or pursue other relaxing activities at our newly refurbished men's-only Spa and Wellness Centre."