David Murdock seemed a little frustrated when talking about the first anniversary of the hotel and spa complex that sits near the headquarters of his Dole Food Co. in Westlake Village. “We’re just getting going here,” said Murdock, the billionaire owner of Dole in an interview before sitting down for lunch with 16 invited guests Nov. 30 to celebrate the first anniversary of the huge center targeting upscale travelers as well as executives who want to de-stress or get complete physicals and detailed instructions on practicing a healthier lifestyle. “There’s a slow growth. We’re growing from the people who come here,” said Murdock, 84, a huge advocate for healthy living and a person who looks 20 years younger than he actually is. He conceived and invested in the idea for the complex. The 700,000-square-foot Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village and California Health and Longevity Institute is Murdock’s vision of a place that consolidates “the best wellness programs, the best spa services, the best cuisine, the best accommodations, the best medical science and the best meeting facilities” under one roof. Despite a little frustration that the Four Seasons occupancy so far is only about 55 percent and the fact that many are not even familiar with the existence of the facility, Murdock sees growth in 2008. “It’s not that far off from my expectations,” Murdock said. “We’re not near the ocean.” He added that “some people say we’re a little too fancy.” In the past year, those involved in Murdock’s project have been focused on getting the word out that a Four Seasons does indeed exist in this part of suburban Los Angeles. Most of the hotel’s customers have been from Southern California, according to Shelby Taylor, Four Seasons director of public relations. The hotel complex has done a huge business in the past year putting on small corporate gatherings and events such as weddings and bar mitzvahs, according to Taylor and Thomas Gurtner, Four Seasons regional vice president and hotel general manager. Gurtner added that, overall, the hotel is meeting expectations for the Four Seasons chain and it takes a while for a property that is not near a resort location such as an ocean to find its clientele. The hotel does offer some of the largest meeting spaces in the area the 11,600-square-foot ballroom can hold 900 people and there are 10 smaller meeting rooms. Other featured spaces include a television studio and 7,000-square foot sound stage. The spa is the largest (40,000 square feet) of any of the Four Seasons pampering centers, according to Taylor. The Health and Longevity Institute is a 16,000-square-foot building formerly called the California Wellbeing Institute that provides complete programs and experiences in healthy living. It features physical monitoring, fitness programs and life balance and nutrition counseling. Clients can check into the hotel and take advantage of the institute’s offerings which help people maintain a healthy lifestyle including learning how to cook healthy meals while still producing food that tastes good. “We want people to go home and duplicate what we do here,” said Paulette Lambert, director of nutrition at the institute.
