Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is set to expand its footprint in China with a new-build property in Suzhou slated to open in late 2023. 

Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou will sit on a private island surrounded by Jinji Lake, a popular attraction in the region. It will be connected to the mainland via a private bridge.

Spread across 22 acres, the property will offer 200 rooms, suites and private villas, as well as a spa and gym, a lakeside jogging track, lush grounds and gardens, indoor and outdoor pools, a Kids For All Seasons facility for children and a special venue for pet dogs. 

Dining experiences will include a premier Chinese restaurant with seven private dining rooms, an all-day dining restaurant serving a wide selection of international cuisine, a lobby lounge and lobby bar with a panoramic view of Jinji Lake, and an Executive Lounge overlooking the hotel’s private landscaped lagoon. 

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Sun Hung Kai Properties after our successful collaboration with the acclaimed Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, and look forward to building on our relationship with this landmark project in Suzhou,” said Bart Carnahan, president of global business development and portfolio management.

“China is an important market for us, and it is with great excitement that we expand our portfolio with this exceptional project in Suzhou, giving international and domestic guests a new and unique opportunity to experience Four Seasons in the region.” 

The hotel will offer access to Suzhou’s business areas, historic attractions and leisure activities. The city to the west of Shanghai is home to the Unesco World Heritage-listed Classical Gardens, which date between the 11th and 19th centuries, as well as pagodas, canals, stone bridges, museums and the neighbouring Jinji Lake International Golf Club. 

The property will also be half an hour by train or an hour by car from Shanghai.

Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou will be led by general manager Arthur Ho, a seasoned hotelier with experience in senior roles in Asia and Europe, including at Four Seasons properties in Hong Kong, Macao and Shanghai. 

Albert Lau, executive director of Sun Hung Kai Properties (China) Limited, which partnered with Four Seasons on the project, said: “SHKP has always been committed to developing premium quality projects. Our upcoming Four Seasons Suzhou will be one of the most inspiring luxury hotels in Suzhou and the greater Yangtze River Delta region, renewing a sense of glamour to this culturally rich destination, and providing an ideal choice for business executives, family holiday makers and cultural travellers interested in exploring dynastic history and the area’s artistic heritage.”

Tasos Kousloglou, chief executive for the hotel division of Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited, added: “We are very pleased to have Four Seasons managing our first hotel development in Suzhou. Our new luxury hotel will further enhance and diversify our hotel portfolio in Greater China and provide a range of unique experiences to discerning Chinese and international travellers.”