Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, California

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2014
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Four Seasons Hotel Baku

Employment History

• Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills; Four Seasons Hotel Montreal; Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel; Four Seasons Hotel Baku; Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur; Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong; Ritz-Carlton Laguna Beach, California  

Education

• Hotel and Catering Management, Scottish Hotel School Trust House Forte, London

Birthplace

• Carnoustie, Scotland

Languages Spoken

• English

“We want locals to feel like they’re returning to a familiar haven, and guests to find us as the perfect, conveniently positioned getaway from Los Angeles.” That’s David Wilke summing up the experience he leads and inspires as General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. The property has become Southern California’s escape that embodies wellbeing and Wilkie’s goal is to continue tempting guests with the best in the health and wellness space. “Our property has the most knowledgeable staff in expert care and transformative therapies,” he says. “Every experience here at our retreat is designed to nurture your mind, body and spirit, creating a path to true wellbeing.”

The team is right behind him, and with nearly 600 pros covering every detail of the operation, Wilkie notes that his management style is to encourage them along. “I like being the coach, staying behind the scenes while showing the way and making sure that everyone learns from mistakes and grows from challenges.” His method, he adds, is “to apply gradual pressure relentlessly so that we’re always moving forward.”

Wilkie’s route to Four Seasons started in the small but legendary golfing town of Carnoustie in northern Scotland. He left home at age 17 to work in some of the UK’s finest restaurants, knowing from the start that he was better suited to the front of the house than the heat of the kitchen. He quickly developed a passion for excellence at details small and spectacular alike. “You learn that the root of quality service lies in fundamental things. If I could master flambéing a fish tableside at a Michelin two-star restaurant, I knew I was adding value and taking offerings to the highest level.”

While Wilkie’s bosses included celebrity chefs, he eventually realized he’d gone as far as he could in restaurants and switched to hotels to see the world. He started with Ritz-Carlton in the Caribbean and California, and then moved on to Mandarin Oriental in Asia where he gained an appreciation for marketing.

He finally joined Four Seasons in 2014, first as a Director and then as Hotel Manager in Baku in Azerbaijan. From there, he spent two-and-a-half years at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel before being promoted to General Manager in Montreal. His career then took him to Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, where the Hotel is renowned for catering to many of the entertainment industry’s brightest lights.

Now leading a property known as a leader of wellness within the Four Seasons brand, Wilkie is relishing the opportunity to elevate services and experiences across the operation. He points in particular to the Hotel’s spa, the largest within the brand, as well as The Cove, one of California’s largest luxury pool concepts. “It’s no stretch to say that we are redefining what it means to reinvigorate, rejuvenate and renew.”

Away from his myriad responsibilities, Wilkie finds balance in family life, encouraging his three children to fully embrace the vibrant spirit of Los Angeles. “My two boys are passionate about soccer and baseball, while my eldest daughter loves singing in the choir.” As for his own downtime? “I enjoy golfing and riding my Harley Davidson through the canyons of the city. Only on Sundays, though – when the traffic is just right.”