Markus Iseli, General Manager
Swiss-born Markus Iseli is a graduate of the Hotel School in Lucerne, Switzerland, with over 25 years experience in the hospitality industry. He moved to the Seychelles as the Resort’s pre-opening General Manager in early 2008, following three years as the pre- and post-opening GM of Four Seasons Hotel Damascus.
From the capital of Syria to the capital of Sudan, the game reserves of Kenya to the United Arab Emirates, Iseli has led teams in many diverse environments and cultures. At the heart of his success lies his unswerving positive attitude and determination to fully embrace all aspects of his role; he makes direct guest interaction a priority and strives to maintain close contact with each and every member of his team.
Having moved from the company’s 300-room Hotel in Damascus – with banqueting for 800 people – to just 67 villas in the Seychelles, Iseli is relishing the new opportunity to interconnect with and really spoil his guests; it is an experience that takes him back to his days at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet, a retreat of just 65 rooms and suites in the heart of Istanbul: “The Seychelles brings its own challenges,” he explains, “but our team is very well educated in the expectations of the Four Seasons guest and the intimate size of the Resort enables us to really maximise the service we can offer.”
True to his Swiss roots, Iseli is an outdoor sports enthusiast. Together with his wife, Christine and teenage daughter, Tiffany, he is enjoying indulging his love of hiking and mountain biking in the Seychelles, as well as finally learning to dive. Mahé’s strong local art scene is also of great appeal to Iseli and the creation of an Art Gallery within the Resort is one of the ways in which he hopes to promote the island’s diverse cultures, as well as encourage exploration of the wider area: “The site of our Resort is so secluded and beautiful that it has the feel of a private island,” he explains, “yet we have the added bonus of easy and inexpensive access, just a 30 minute drive from the airport and within close proximity of many intriguing natural and cultural attractions.”
Iseli first joined the company in June 2000 as Hotel Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet. Prior to joining Four Seasons, he held a number of positions with Hilton International and Ceylan Intercontinental in countries including Switzerland, Germany, Kenya, Sudan, UAE, Turkey and Portugal.
