Four Seasons Resort Marrakech

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 1999, 2003
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Assistant Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago

Employment History

• Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina; Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo; Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole; Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara; Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora; Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche (formerly a Four Seasons hotel); Sheraton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa, French Polynesia; Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris; Four Seasons Hotel Chicago; Hotel du Rhône Geneva, Switzerland

Birthplace

• Nancy, France

Education

• Hotel and Restaurant Management diploma, École Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland

Languages Spoken

• French, English, Spanish

Michael Mestraud has spent his career traveling the world with Four Seasons. Now, as Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Marrakech, he brings that global expertise to a city renowned for its gardens, cultural heritage, and vibrant creative scene. “Marrakech is a city full of energy, creativity, and inspiration,” he says. “I want our properties to be places where both locals and travelers can gather, discover, and enjoy moments together in a unique and vibrant setting.”

Set within 16 acres of lush gardens between the historic medina and the modern Hivernage district, the resort offers a perfect canvas for Mestraud’s vision. He has introduced innovative culinary concepts, immersive cultural experiences, and creative events in food, art, and storytelling. “Most resorts are so secluded, but here we can create a hub for food, culture, and storytelling,” he explains. “There are many opportunities to unlock the resort’s full potential and to draw on my experiences around the world to bring them to life.”

Mestraud also leans on Four Seasons core values to shape his leadership. “I coach more than I ever did before,” he explains. “Humility, vulnerability, authenticity, diversity, emotional intelligence, and positivity are key—ego has no place here. Four Seasons is about developing better humans as well as better leaders. For me, it isn’t about reinvention but about reaching meaningful milestones.”

Born and raised in northeastern France, Mestraud’s passion for hospitality began early, inspired by his mother, who loved welcoming guests with touches of hotel-style luxury. Summer jobs waiting tables revealed that he gets really excited making people happy.

After a serious accident in the Dominican Republic almost changed his path, Mestraud chose to study Hotel and Restaurant Management at École Hôtelière de Lausanne. His Four Seasons journey began in Chicago and Paris in the late 1990s, before returning in 2003 to contribute to openings in Provence and Bora Bora.

He assumed his first General Manager role at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole in 2015, followed by leading a transformative eco-luxury resort at Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. Prior to that, he served as Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara from 2012 to 2015, where he refined his operational leadership and guest experience strategies. Later in 2022, he was appointed Regional Vice President & General Manager – Hotels and Residential Operations, a role he continues to hold today.

Now settled in Marrakech with his family, Mestraud remains grounded in the same principles that guided him from the Midwest to resorts around the world. “I still never feel like I’m working; I’m creating memories,” he says. “Resorts have a magical rhythm, and seeing guests enjoy themselves is what drives me. That will never change.”