Alastair McAlpine Moves to Japan as Pre-Opening
GM of Four Seasons Hotel Osaka
(03/01/24)
Alastair McAlpine has returned to Japan after a
hiatus of 23 years, joining the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka
as pre-opening General Manager.
A Four Seasons veteran with more than 30 years of
luxury hospitality experience, Alastair has moved to Japan from Lanai island in Hawaii, where he served as
GM of the Four Seasons Resort Lanai and Sensei Lanai, A
Four Seasons Resort.
Originally
from Northern Ireland, Alastair graduated from the Scottish Hotel
School at Strathclyde University, then started his career as a
trainee sommelier at a luxury hotel in Scotland.
In 1996, he
joined Four Seasons as a management trainee, rising up the ranks
from Assistant Director to Director of Food and Beverage across
iconic locations such as Hong Kong, Maldives, Tokyo, Washington,
DC and New York.
In 2005, Alastair was appointed Resort Manager
at Four Seasons Resorts Lanai, where he spearheaded the opening of
both properties on the island after a rebrand under the Four
Seasons flag.
From there he went on to hold General Manager roles in
Maldives, Seychelles, Langkawi and Hangzhou.
Alastair has a long-standing love affair with Japanese food
that began during his first stint in Tokyo at
a tiny robatayaki restaurant, where he sampled “the greatest onion
ever — a feat unmatched by most Michelin chefs!”.
“We are thrilled to expand our presence in Japan
with Four Seasons Hotel Osaka, which is poised to become the
city’s premier luxury lifestyle destination. We have an
opportunity to make a statement of excellence in this emerging
destination and I’m honoured to lead the effort. Plus, I’m getting
to build a team from the ground up, which is incredibly
fulfilling,” Alastair said. “The Dojima area, where
we are located, is dotted with small cafes and diners, hidden bars
and fascinating historical sites. Guests can enjoy the neighbourhood’s relaxed local feel while still being just minutes
from Osaka’s main transport and business hub.”
Spread over
ten floors of the high-rise One Dojima Project in the commercial
centre of Osaka, the new-build hotel is scheduled to open in August 2024.
Highlights of the hotel include 175 rooms and
suites; a dedicated Japanese-style floor
with tatami rooms and suites; wellness facilities, as well as
six F&B outlets including: sushi restaurant Sushi O; signature
Chinese restaurant Jiang-Nan Chun; drinking destination Bar
BOTA; Jardine, an all-day French bistro; Cha, the tea lounge; and
Farine, the bakery.
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