Bill Taylor has learnt something about putting together a memorable guest experience during 16 years with Four Seasons, and it’s surprisingly uncomplicated. “At the end of the day, everybody wants to be tended to by people who care about them and are genuine,” says the general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Boston. “It doesn’t matter, your net worth or your background. When it comes to that intangible service element, we’re all looking for the same thing.”

Taylor’s talent in Boston has been providing an environment in which his 400-plus employees can do just right by their guests. Ideas are encouraged and appreciated under his watch, and everyone has an opportunity to shine.

The son of a local doctor in Newcastle, England, Taylor secured his first job as a dishwasher at age 16. When he revealed to a career counsellor that he enjoyed the esprit de corps of restaurant work, the wise fellow recommended hotel studies, which Taylor pursued in London.

His hotel career went from the ground up, then down and then back up again, starting in food and beverage,  proceeding to rooms and then landing him an entry-level spot behind the front desk of The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) before he worked his way up to general manager in Boston. “It took me a while, but I’ve learned to surround myself with people who are very creative,” he notes of his current managerial talent. “Taking that creativity and making it work is key in the hotel business.”

An avid skier and frustrated yet fanatical fan of the Newcastle United Football Club, Taylor spends his downtime with his three young children or working with several local charitable organisations, including The Greater Boston Food Bank and the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Cancer Leadership Council. Along the way, he tries to instill the spirit of giving back in his employees, who, he reports, truly seem to enjoy their commitment to the community. Perhaps they’re just trying to impress the boss? Nah, he says, “it’s genuine.”