Monica Eisen

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2006
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Intern, Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

Employment History

• Four Seasons Hotel Madrid; Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris; Four Seasons Hotel London at Canary Wharf (formerly a Four Seasons Hotel); Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

Education

• Diploma, Swiss Hotel Management, Les Roches Marbella International School of Hotel Management; Master Certificate, Hospitality Management: Focus on Revenue and Finance, Cornell University

Birthplace

• Madrid, Spain

Languages Spoken

• Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, basic Italian

“I’m excited about this new chapter of my life at Four Seasons Hotel Prague. The city’s enchanting beauty, family-friendly ambiance, and welcoming spirit is also what brought me here,” says Monica Eisen, who moved with her family from the buzzing city of Madrid to take up the position of General Manager in 2024. “With its rich history and vibrant culture, Prague offers an inspiring backdrop for both professional growth and personal fulfillment, and I look forward to contributing to its legacy alongside the dedicated team at Four Seasons."

Eisen is seeing this new opportunity as a fusion of her past experiences. “Recently, I went through a new hotel opening. Prior to that, I spent years managing our existing historical property in Paris. Consequently, I view Prague as a hybrid of both scenarios.” She adds, “I’m excited to witness a team eager to elevate the Hotel's historical legacy, expertise, and reputation to new heights."

Good communication with creative department heads is key. So, too, is leading by example: For instance, taking off her jacket to help housekeepers carry a new bed into a room, as demands may require. She has done plenty of things like that, and she’ll do them again, she says. “I really believe in being there and present, talking to the team, and letting everyone know they can talk to me about anything.” That includes their thoughts on how she is doing her job. “Those conversations are actually the most important of all.”

International from the Start

Eisen grew up in a multicultural environment at home and school in Madrid. The ambiance made her want to travel and experience fine hospitality along the way. “My family has a natural gift and loving for the art of service, and they passed it along to me,” she says, recalling her youthful excitement at dining in fine restaurants and learning to properly fold napkins at eight.

“I love to welcome guests and to help them discover and develop a close feeling for the city, its particularities, and its people.”

She left Madrid to study hospitality, and joined Four Seasons as an intern first in Lisbon, later in London. Following graduation, she joined the George V in Paris and stayed for a dozen years, gaining wide-ranging experience with positions in Food and Beverage, Guest Relations, Sales and Marketing, and the Rooms Division. Her career then took her to Madrid as part of the opening team for the brand's new hotel, where she held the position of Hotel Manager for four years.

The bouncing around built her business acumen, but it also created close relationships with team members and helped her see how hotels operate from different perspectives. Every department is part of the experience, she says. “The magic starts when it all comes together.”

Connection is Key

Eisen believes strongly in connecting with guests, international and local alike. “Given our integral role in the city's history, fostering strong ties with the local community is crucial. Additionally, I want people to recognize that this is not just a destination to check off their bucket list,” she emphasizes.

Four Seasons has a strong network of travellers who enjoy its hospitality around the world. “When they’re with us, we need to know all we can about how they spend their time elsewhere so as to better relate and establish a great connection for them. Luxury is an emotion, a feeling of incomparable pleasure derived from how people connect and treat you.”

She recalls a maxim of Four Seasons Chairman Isadore Sharp: That time is one’s most valuable asset, and those spending it with Four Seasons give the company an opportunity to shape how they make use of it. “I believe it’s an honour that people choose to spend their time with us and, in Prague, we want to be at the top of their list.”

Asked what she likes to do with her free time, Eisen insists she would spend “every second of it traveling” but for one thing. “I have two young children, and they are my life now. Hopefully one day they will go everywhere with me.”