Industry Interview: Yvette Thomas-Henry

As a female-owned company with an all-female team, The Local Foreigner has a penchant for seeking out the stories of the powerhouse women who make this industry great. So when we learned that the new management team at the Four Seasons Nevis is now run by two women — General Manager Yvette Thomas Henry and Resort Manager Ruby Garcia — we knew we needed to learn more. We recently sat down with Yvette to talk about her accidental path to the travel industry, her love for New York, and her new life on a tiny Caribbean island.

Tell us your story – your home, your background, your passions, and how you got into the hospitality industry.

I was born in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and raised in St. Croix. After high school, I moved to a small college, Wooster College in Ohio, before eventually making my way to New York City where I studied Speech Language Pathology at Pace University. My initial interest in hospitality stemmed from my needing a job to help with expenses while completing my degree. My desire to work in an environment that was fun, flexible and filled with interesting people led me to hotels. I was fortunate enough to walk by the The Plaza Hotel while they were in the midst of hosting a job fair. With glamorous thoughts of meeting famous celebrities flooding my mind, I popped in and was hired as a front office agent. From there, the rest is history… I worked my way up to an assistant manager position there, after which my career in the hotel industry took off. Prior to joining the Four Seasons family more than 12 years ago, I held leadership positions at the property level with brands such as The Waldorf Astoria, Conrad Hotels and The Ritz-Carlton.

You have a special connection to New York — our home town! What do you love most about the city?

Yes! I spent many great years in New York, studying for my undergraduate and graduate degrees, starting my first hospitality job at The Plaza, and finally as the Director of Rooms for the Four Seasons New York. I love the diversity of the city. From Harlem to Chinatown to Little Italy— there is just something so special and enriching about being in a city that has a place for so many cultures. I also fell madly in love with Broadway.

After working for Four Seasons in New York, Washington DC, and Atlanta, what was it like switching gears to a Caribbean resort?

While still the General Manager in Atlanta, I became a Regional Vice President and for just over a year I oversaw two of our Caribbean resorts, the Four Seasons Resort Nevis and the Ocean Club in the Bahamas. That experience provided me the insight into what being back in the Caribbean would be like after departing over 30+ years ago. By that time, I was ready. I now had the maturity to appreciate the richness of the Caribbean life, the beauty of the culture and the people as well as enjoy a slower pace that would give me and my husband more quality time together. I love being surrounded by the beauty of the island, finding time to exercise daily, making friends with the locals, returning to and embracing the culture.

I’m excited by the prospect of seeing how I can bring value to the property, especially being the company’s only regional RVP of Caribbean descent. Now, having come back to the region after many years working and living in the United States, I can personally identify with the resort’s positioning as a modern embodiment of the spirit and soul of the Caribbean. While never expecting to have to deal with a global pandemic, closed borders, or restrictions on travel, I am grateful that this happened while on an island paradise surrounded by beauty, open spaces filled with nature, and the Caribbean Sea steps away from my office.

You’re a US Virgin Islands native. Was moving to Nevis somewhat of a homecoming for you? What do you love most about the island?

Yes, definitely. My mother was born and raised on Nevis’ sister island of St. Kitts, where her mother was born and raised and where I started primary school, so moving to Nevis is certainly a kind of homecoming.

In the six months I have been living here, what I’ve come to love most about the island is the natural beauty, the many beautiful flowers across the resort and the island, listening to birds chirping in the morning and seeing the stars light up the sky at night. There are some really special treasures that await the lucky traveler. I also adore the island fruits; I recall so many of them from my childhood and feel incredibly blessed that I now have access to them when they are in season. Most of all, however, the people are the secret sauce that makes this island special. They are kind, warm, generous and filled with pride. I really enjoy getting to know them and my husband and I have been blessed to be warmly welcomed by many of them.

The Four Seasons Resort Nevis recently underwent a top-to-bottom renovation. What are some of your favorite aspects of the newly remodeled resort?

When I officially came on board as RVP and General Manager of Four Seasons Nevis at the beginning of January, it was right on the heels of the completion and launch of the final phase of the resort’s enhancement, which over the past two years saw a multi-phase unveiling of re-envisioned guest rooms and suites; the opening of delicious new dining outlets; a beautiful new space for the Kids for All Seasons kids club; a stunning new pier to welcome guests upon arrival; and a new signature infinity edge pool at the heart of the resort. I am excited and honored to have the opportunity to lead such an incredible team at such a great moment in its history.

Fill in the blank: Travelers probably don’t know that they can ____________ at the Four Seasons Nevis.

…also enjoy access to more than 50 luxury rental homes as part of our Private Retreats program, offering the ultimate Caribbean escape. Located in our exclusive enclave, these homes provide space and privacy to connect with family or friends as well as complete access to the resort facilities. Whether you’re seeking a home away from home or a quiet place to work from home, our dedicated team ensures every moment of your stay on our island sanctuary is tailored to your individual needs. 

If you could craft the perfect day in Nevis, what would it look like? 

Offering a captivating combination of adventure, discovery, serenity, and recreation, there is truly so much to do at Four Seasons Resort Nevis that it’s hard to craft just one perfect day. But if I had to narrow it down, I would try my best to incorporate a bit of all of the different sides of Nevis:

In the morning, I would recommend getting an early start to the day with breakfast in the comfort of your guest room, suite, or villa. If in a villa, you can enjoy the privacy of your world being interrupted by a visit from chirping birds (there are approximately 156 different species on the island). If you are in a guest room, I encourage you to meditate to the sound of the waves as they wash upon the sand. 

Next you would head out on an island tour with any of our talented taxi tour guides. At just 36-square miles, the island can be circled in just about an hour, but it is jam packed with history and culture, such as sugar mill ruins from the island’s once bustling sugar trade; U.S. Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton's childhood home; the Caribbean’s oldest Anglican Church; and much, much more.

Upon your return to the resort, I would recommend an al fresco lunch with your toes in the sand at our Kastawey Beach Bar, which serves up traditional Nevisian fare like jerk BBQ chicken, spicy rotis, and the freshest fish you can find. From there, enjoy an afternoon of relaxation under the sun at our new signature Limin’ Pool.

After time in the pool, I would take the walking paths along the golf course to see a few of our  communities in our Private Retreats rental program, while keeping an eye out for the monkeys that are often out and about the resort. Be prepared for some spectacular views of our sister island of St. Kitts.

In the evening, head to our Resort Pier to catch the spectacular Nevisian sunset and unwind with a glass of wine or a cold beer and fresh shucked oysters. Then, for dinner, head over to our new On the Dune restaurant, which serves a delicious Caribbean-American menu with a relaxed yacht club style atmosphere. Finally, after dinner, walk just a few steps over to the On the Dune bar for one final moonlit nightcap, while enjoying live, late night entertainment right on the beach. If time permits, head back to the pier after dark to view the aquatic life all around the pier while gazing at the star filled sky.

You were the first African-American female GM of the Four Seasons Atlanta and Four Seasons Nevis and the first African-American female Regional Vice President for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. What advice would you give to women who want to follow in your footsteps?

My advice would be to make sure that you are changing the game. Take some risks, take some chances. Do things differently. Allow for the opportunity that someone else's idea is better than yours and give them the freedom and the opportunity to run with it and then give them the space to be supported and applauded for it. There is nothing like creating a space where employees feel empowered, where they feel supported, where they feel they have all the tools and all the support or resources around them to be their best, most creative selves. Leave a mark, a body of work that creates a legacy that raises the bar. Use your voice and your position to engage, motivate and inspire others. Above all, be prepared to do the hard work, to make the tough calls, to lead with your heart and your head. Be a leader that others are inspired to follow.

Being a General Manager is an all-consuming job. What do you like to do when you’re off the clock? We hear you’re quite the roller blader!  

You’re absolutely right about rollerblading… After honing my skills in Central Park, it’s been my preferred method for navigating short distances and getting in a little exercise. Now I look forward to ending my day with long walks around the challenging walking paths along the golf course with my husband, swimming in our pool, discovering the unique treasures on the island, making friends in the community, walking along the beach, and waking up to various birds in our backyard. We also love to visit St Kitts, which is a short ferry ride from Nevis. Outdoors is the best place to be here and there are endless things to do, in the water and out. Life in paradise has been special.

Where do you go when you need a vacation? Are you a city slicker, or beach bound?

When boarding a flight, my passport is likely to be stamped with a destination that’s tropical. I love going someplace where I can spend quality time with my family or going on distant getaways with my girlfriends. My husband and I have agreed to visit many of the nearby Caribbean islands over the next few years. We also plan to return to Cartagena, Colombia as soon as it is safe to travel again. We fell in love with that city when we visited to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We also fully expect to explore places we’ve never been to. Life is definitely about the next journey for us.