Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2024
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Current

Employment History

• COOLINC, Riyadh; TATEL (Aura Group), Doha, Qatar; Caluana, Madrid; Starbucks, Madrid; Gastrobar Champagne; Grupo Arzábal, Madrid

Education

• Master in Marketing, Commercialization & Revenue Management; Master in Hotel Management & Direction, CESAE; Degree in Asia & Africa Studies, UAM (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

Birthplace

• Colombia

Languages Spoken

• Spanish, English, Italian, French, Arabic            

From the historic neighbourhoods of Madrid to the sleek, modern skyline of Riyadh, Kelly Villarreal’s journey through hospitality has been shaped by discipline, grace, and the pursuit of deeper connection. Her path is not one of sudden leaps, but of intentional growth—a quiet layering of skills, languages, and cultural insight that has led her to one of the most dynamic roles in Riyadh today.

She began her career on the floor, leading shifts, resolving problems in real time, and learning what it meant to meet the needs of guests in a fast-paced, high-touch environment. Those early years instilled in her a core belief, that true hospitality isn’t performative, it’s perceptive. It lives in the details, in the pause before a response, in the ability to sense what someone needs before they ask.

Villarreal’s academic foundation is as robust as her field experience. With a master’s degree in hotel management, a second in marketing and revenue management, and a degree in Asia & Africa Studies, she cultivated a unique perspective on service, blending operational precision with cultural literacy.

Before arriving in Saudi Arabia, Villarreal had already shaped her career through rich experiences in both Madrid and Doha, cities that sharpened her operational edge and deepened her cultural fluency. Yet Riyadh felt different. The pace was electric. The ambition was palpable. And Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, where she took the role of Restaurant Manager at Obaya Lounge, offered the kind of platform where her philosophy of leadership could fully come to life.

Obaya Lounge is not just a venue; it’s a statement. Tucked into the soaring hotel’s lobby, it is a space that balances elegance with cultural identity. Under Villarreal’s leadership, it has also become one of the rare fully female-led environments in regional luxury hospitality. That distinction is not treated as novelty; it is approached as a mission.

“Obaya is more than a lounge, it’s a message. My goal is to create a space where knowledge meets experience, and where something as simple as a genuine smile can shift someone’s entire day.”

Her leadership style is defined by calm authority. She leads from the floor, not from behind a desk. Her expectations are high, but her presence is grounding. For her, success is measured not only in guest satisfaction and revenue, but in how her team evolves, how they grow in confidence, skill, and emotional intelligence.

Outside the hotel, Villarreal finds focus in physical discipline. A dedicated bodybuilder, she spent years training toward professional competition, drawn to the sport not for vanity but for what it revealed about process, patience, and resilience. “You don’t always see the results right away,” she has said of the sport. “But you show up, you trust the work, and eventually, you change, sometimes in ways you never expected.” It is a philosophy she carries into every aspect of her work.

In a world of endless options and constant noise, Villarreal’s approach feels quietly radical: slow down, pay attention, and let presence be the luxury. At Obaya Lounge, that’s exactly what she offers, one meaningful encounter at a time.