New GM on the Island

Jason Rodgers, the new General Manager at Four Seasons Resort Bahrain Bay shares his ambitions for the property, the key to creating memorable experiences for guests, and his love for travel.

With a career spanning 25 years at the Four Seasons, Jason Rodgers caught the travel bug and pursued his strong desire to see the world as a growing champion within the hospitality industry. From Malaysia and the United Kingdom to Mauritius, Qatar, and Bahrain, Rodgers’ roles at the luxury hotel’s various properties have seen him take on the positions of guest services management, hotel management, director of rooms, and now the General Manager of the iconic property in the Kingdom. An avid explorer of new cultures and places, Rodgers had a lot to share with us about his new role at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, his personal experiences, and more in this interview.

Congratulations on your appointment as the General Manager of this iconic hotel! What do you plan to achieve as the General Manager of this property?

I'm very lucky that great foundations have already been laid by my predecessors at the Hotel. I'm excited to continue that and along with the team, look at different ways to elevate the guest experiences at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay; whether it's from a product or a service point of view. We need to continue to stay relevant, not only in Bahrain but the region.

There's talk of new projects you're implementing with the team at the hotel. Can you give us an idea of what these projects are and how will they impact guest experiences at the hotel?

We've got some exciting things coming up later this year. One of them is a new restaurant concept down by the beach which will take shape in the third quarter of the year. This new concept will be built on the foundations of the successful Arabic pop-up.

How will you benchmark your success at this property?

The most important way to benchmark success is to measure guest experiences. Are we continuing to entice new guests with different services and product offerings? More importantly, are we attracting our existing guests and encouraging them to keep coming back again as they have been over the past few years?

What do you consider to be the biggest challenges and opportunities, facing the luxury hospitality sector in the coming years, specifically in Bahrain and the region?

Saudi’s rapid expansion is a significant opportunity in the region. Four Seasons has several properties that are going to be opening up over the next few years. Here in Bahrain, we’re focusing on staying relevant, innovating with offerings and attractions to entice new guests to stay with us.

Bahrain Tourism is doing a lot to promote the Kingdom, especially the UNESCO Heritage Sites that can be great attractions to encourage tourists to visit Bahrain.

What would you say goes into making a guest’s stay memorable?

Personalization is key. It’s important to treat each guest as an individual rather than adopting a cookie-cutter approach to hospitality. Listening to their needs, understanding their requirements and finding the best solution that creates those special moments for the guests are what set you apart. It’s those memorable experiences that make the guests want to come back again.

Can you give our readers or followers a particular example where you've gone above and beyond in your time and done something for a guest?

Recently, we had a family coming to stay at the hotel and they reached out to us because this was the first time that they were travelling internationally with their one-year-old child. This was also their first hotel stay with their child outside of the UK. We wanted to make this a memorable experience for the family. Little touches such as trivial amenities, personalisations, mini bathrobes for the child, and small surprises were woven into the all-around experience for the family. Fortunately, they left extremely happy and even wrote to the CEO of Four Seasons about their stay; saying that their son will never forget his first five-star Four Seasons experience.

Having lived in Bahrain for quite a long time now, what are some of your favourite places to visit on the island outside of the hotel?

Luckily enough, my family and I enjoy travelling and exploring. We try to go out and see as much as we can of what the island has to offer. We visited Hawar Island and Jarada Island. We’ve seen the Heritage Sites, forts, and the Pearling Path which we think are quite fascinating for the kids to learn about the country's history and culture. Then, of course, the souq which is a place everyone in Bahrain must visit.

If any of our readers were to go to a Four Seasons Hotel in the world (other than Bahrain), which one would you recommend?

I'm biased, but I'd have to say Mauritius. I opened that property and my youngest son was born there. The people, the warmth, the friendliness as well as the tropical, beautiful golden white beaches make it a destination you can’t get past.

What got you into hospitality, to begin with? What is your story?

I was either going to be in the army or I was going to be in hospitality. Both of my parents were in the Armed Forces in Australia and I grew up moving around quite a lot. That's where I caught the travel bug. I was looking at the Army as a career option as well. I went to a career fair and saw a hotel school opening where I lived in Australia at the time. It sounded like a fantastic opportunity and being able to travel, I thought it would be a great way to see the world. I was fortunate enough to experience working with Four Seasons. Once I graduated, they offered me a job in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the rest is history. I've managed to travel the world with them since. n