Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2004
• First Four Seasons Position: Assistant Director of Purchasing, Four Seasons Resort Exuma at Emerald Bay (formerly a Four Seasons resort)

Employment History

• Four Seasons Hotel Boston; Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel; Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca; Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris; Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail; Four Seasons Hotel Denver; Four Seasons Resort Seychelles; Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane; Four Seasons Resort Exuma at Emerald Bay (formerly a Four Seasons resort); Hotel Buyer, London; Decathlon Internacional, London

Education

• Diploma of Higher Education, Business Administration and Sales Development, Université d’Angers, France; Graduate Certificate in Hospitality Management, Resort Management and Operations, University of West London

Birthplace

• Saumur, France

Languages Spoken

• French, English

“I know the perimeters and I try to be on the edges,” says Jerome Arribas of the boundaries of ultra-luxury hospitality he is ready to push at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail. As General Manager of the world-class address in the heart of Vail Village, Arribas is on a mission to make the property “the most entertaining and elegant place it can be. I have support from ownership to be creative, and I draw inspiration from my international background and experiences.”

Every detail of the Resort’s guest experience is ripe for embellishment, he continues, noting cocktail glassware, portion sizes at restaurants, fresh flowers in the lobby, and staff uniforms among attributes of the guest experience that he promptly touched up with elegance upon his appointment in fall 2023. And what about fun? “We’ve turned the pool deck into a real scene, with cocktails and a cool DJ and beautiful complimentary amenities,” he says, adding, “we want to give our guests Four Seasons with a vibrant vibe.”

He likes the staff to be ready to perform. A soccer fanatic since childhood who once hoped to go pro, Arribas takes a team sports approach to leading the Resort’s 450-member team with 30 nationalities between them. “I’m obsessed with teamwork and team spirit – every day is like a big event,” he explains, adding that achieving both is not an overnight process. The key is sticking with it. “I have high expectations, but also patience. I know that people can make mistakes.”

Hailing from a small village overlooking the Loire River in western France, Arribas followed study in sales with a spin selling satellite phones. His territory was Africa, where he “always ended up alone in a hotel bar” and became intrigued. After a gap year spent traveling through South America, he returned to France ready to explore with two passions: writing and hospitality.

When he couldn’t get into school for the former, he made a play for the latter. “I probably did everything upside down,” he remembers of entering hospitality school at age 29 and then the industry with no experience beyond the classroom. After entry-level positions at a few hotels in London, a friend of a friend recommended him for a turn with Four Seasons in the Bahamas.

When Arribas expressed interest in becoming a general manager for the brand, he was told there were three paths to get there: rooms, food and beverage, and finance. “Apparently, very few people go through finance, but I was competitive. So, I landed in purchasing and kept pushing myself.”

That push included experiencing operations on frequent travel and task force assignments to sister hotels while rising through Finance at Four Seasons properties on both sides of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Along the way, he sought exposure to operations from every angle: for instance, as part of a program to aid arriving guests at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris. “I’d sign up and spend hours studying the lobby and the people in it. It was a city within a city with everyone taking in the moment in their own way.”

Meantime, Arribas first got a feel for the potential of Four Seasons in Vail as part of Resort’s opening team. He thinks it’s “super cool” to be back managing the property now, especially considering the great welcome he received from the team, the community, and ownership.

Now right at home in the Colorado Rockies, Arribas satisfies he undying love of the sports with skiing in the winter, fly-fishing in the summer, and soccer according to the schedule of the Resort team. “I also like to calm down with cooking and books,” he adds with a laugh. “They’re the best ways to wind down on days that don’t seem to end.”