Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh wins Employer of the Year award at Saudi Sumit

The Hotel's win came after it successfully demonstrated how it had put into action a number of dynamic measures aimed at looking after the welfare of its employees as well as interacting with the community at large through a series of social initiatives.

A major factor behind the victory for Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh is the fact that the Hotel recently completed a total refurbishment of its employee accommodation facility, known as E-Hotel.

This involved a number of enhancements, including the construction of a new internet room called Globe Zone, providing free 24-hour access, the installation of wireless internet throughout the building, refurbishment of the convenience store, the Prayer Room and the gymnasium, as well as an all-day entertainment facility, The Box Office, which shows movies and electronic games.

Moreover, the Hotel has introduced the Palms staff dining facility complete with LCD screens and a lounge, plus new staff transport to and from the hotel; it has also instigated a comprehensive employee programme of team-building activities and has plans to kit out the staff bedrooms with brand new furniture.

In terms of HR development, the Hotel was able show that Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh's extensive training programmes for all level of employees contributed to its recent win as Best Business Hotel in Riyadh at the prestigious Business Traveller Awards 2009, held in Dubai in May.

In addition, the Hotel impressed judges by offering evidence of its commitment to social responsibility through its involvement with the wider local community. To this end, the Hotel recently invited a group of 25 students from the King Saud University for Travel & Tourism, offering them a tour of the hotel and its facilities and a mini-presentation on the current state of the hospitality market. An additional example of this kind of community outreach programme was the welcome that the hotel extended to the 100 orphans who it hosted during the month of Ramadan.

The 249-room Hotel is situated on the 30th to 48th floors of the upscale and visually distinctive Kingdom Centre, and offers spacious guest rooms, plus 32 suites and 20 long-stay residential suites.

All the accommodation is light and airy, and the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh's elevated location ensures that every room offers spectacular views over the Saudi capital.