Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco

100   Recommended
Executive Suite
September 21, 2006 by EXPERT

 Map | 2 Reviews | 50% Recommended
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Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
 Map | 2 Reviews | 50% Recommended

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Executive Suite

Liked:
Location
Service
Food
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Room
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Room
Executive Suite

This stay was a complimentary stay graciously offered to me by the Hotel Manager after feedback from a rather poor stay I had at the hotel in 2005. The report from that stay is HERE

Rather than add to that existing thread I thought I would start a new report mainly because of the remarkable improvement the hotel has undergone since my last visit.

For those who have read my St. Regis SFO report, the FS night was immediately following the St. Regis stay.

This was a complimentary night based upon a poor stay I had in 2005 at this hotel. We were confirmed in a Deluxe room for 2 people but were upgraded to an Executive Suite at check-in.

Check In

Despite it only a short walk from the St. Regis to the Four Seasons with luggage it was a bit of a hassle. Since I didn't trust the St. Regis Concierge anymore I asked the Four Seasons Concierge if a taxi would even take us that short of a distance. Bonita, the Chef Concierge at the Four Seasons, informed me that they would send the hotel courtesy car to pick us up since it was free at the moment.

While checking out a nice silver BMW 750iL arrives and loads our luggage into the trunk. As I walk out, the Four Seasons driver greets us with a warm smile and says, "Welcome back home to the Four Seasons, Mr. Luxury!!" A nice way to start the 2 minute drive to the hotel.

As soon as we arrive, an army of staff come to greet us, take our luggage and show us upstairs to the Lobby. Check-in was quick and efficient. While the suite was not yet ready the hotel offered to call me on my mobile once it was ready. It was not a big deal since we had plans for lunch at Slanted Door followed by a 3-4 hour tour in an Audi A8!!

Room

The Executive Suite was on the 9th floor with a view of the Marriott nearby. The decor is classic Four Seasons, not too chic but not too old-fashioned. Very comfortable, warm and welcoming.

As you enter the room, there is a small corridor opening up to the living room. By the door is the minibar and adjacent to that is a closet with iron, ironing board, fabric stiffner, and pillow/blanket set for the sofabed. The living room has a sofa, two comfortable arm chairs, glass table, old style CRT TV with DVD and stereo system, as well as a work desk and chair. Double doors leads to the twin bedded bedroom where another armoire held another old style CRT TV again with stereo. Off the bedroom was a large dressing area and walk in closet followed by the large bathroom with single vanity, deep soaking tub, stall shower and a separate enclosed WC.

As per my profile, room temperature was set to 21 celcius, Diet Pepsi stocked in the mini-bar, and Bulgari toiletries supplied in the washroom. At turndown, they seem to know I sleep on the right side of the bed so mens slippers were placed on that side, with sheets untucked, foam pillows, and a bottle of water on the bedside table. Perfection.

Service

The Concierge service was a highlight this time. I was introduced to Bonita, the Chef Concierge, via e-mail and we communicated quite a bit in preparation for the trip. In typical Four Seasons style they took care of all of our details while suggesting things we had never considered. Bonita being a fellow Vancouverite and knowing other Concierges I happen to know well ensured we got along very well. She is a most capable and wonderful Concierge. She and her team got us into Gary Danko, Ame (though we cancelled at the last minute), Slanted Door, Yank Sing, Postrio and Levende Lounge (most highly recommended says my sister) with little or no notice and at virtually the times we wanted. Kudos to the Concierge team!!

Dining

The F&B were a highlight of our stay. We were quite tired after a 4 hour tour of the city (covering the Lower and Upper Haight, Castro, Twin Peaks, Pacific Heights, Presidio, JapanTown and Fillmore, across the Golden Gate to Sausalito, etc) so we cancelled Ame at the St. Regis and ordered room service. I had the sirloin burger done medium with parmesan-truffled fries and the San Francisco chowder. My sister had a chicken club sandwich with garden salad to start. We had the apple pie and chocolate cake for dessert.

The chowder had big pieces of crab meat, shrimp and lobster in a white cream based soup. Very tasty -- so much so that I forgot to share with my sister. The sirloin burger was probably the best burger I have had in a very long time and the parmesan-truffled fries were absolutely heavenly. My sister ate half of them.

The chocolate cake was dense but moist and very filling. It was a huge piece. My apple pie, however, was a disappointment with the pastry crust rather heavy and not light and flaky as it should be. The apples tasted canned and not fresh. Room service did remove the pie from the bill without my asking -- I only noticed it at check-out.

Breakfast the following morning in Seasons was also fantastic. The American breakfast I ordered (called the Market breakfast) had everything cooked to perfection. Tea service used tea leaves instead of your standard tea bags. My sisters fruit smoothie and steel cut irish oatmeal were generous in portion and excellent in taste. Service was attentive without being obtrusive.

We had drinks and snacks at the bar the next evening and it was outstanding. The Asian appetizer sampler and the pizza's were fantastic. The drinks were stiff and well made with many unique concoctions. The live piano music was nice, though it was weird to hear James Blunt and the Eagles covers being played on a piano!!

The F&B product here is amongst the best I have had at a hotel in North America.

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