Page 26 - The Apple Experience

 Travel-Size Shampoo. Having grown up with three sisters, Sharp learned a

few things about women and their travel habits. He learned that they didn’t
like to wash their hair with soap, so they carried small bottles of shampoo.

The Four Seasons was the first hotel to put shampoo bottles in every room.

Would you expect anything less today, even from the lowest budget chain?

 Fitness Rooms. Sharp liked to exercise, and he knew that travelers would

need a revival, especially after long flights. The Four Seasons was the first
hotel to provide fitness centers. The next time you jump on the treadmill at

your hotel, you’ve got Sharp to thank.

 Comfortable Beds. Sharp’s first hotel in London catered to American
travelers, many of whom would fly overnight from the East Coast. Above all

else, those weary customers wanted a comfortable bed. Sharp searched
several countries in Europe before he found a bed that met his standard for

comfort. The Four Seasons offered the most comfortable beds of any hotel
chain at the time, and today there seems to be an all-out war among hotels

to see who has the best beds.

 Full-Service Spas. In 1986 a Four Seasons resort north of Dallas was the
first to introduce a full-service spa on the property. Anytime you get a

relaxing massage on your hotel’s property, you can credit Sharp’s vision. He
knew what travelers wanted even before they could express it themselves,

just as Jobs knew what Apple consumers would want before they knew it
themselves.

Sharp was responsible for many, many more innovations. “We initiated

many ideas to enhance customer appreciation,” said Sharp. “We introduced
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no-smoking floors. We anticipated trends in low-fat, low-salt haute cuisine.

We put shampoo, hair dryers, makeup mirrors, and bathrobes in rooms for

guests who prefer to travel light. Each room was slightly larger than our