Best FS Properties
 

Hi, I'm a fan of the FS brand as I know many of the people in this forum are. They are consistently among the best (if not the very best) at whatever location they're in.

However, some properties are just good in a predictable way while others are truly spectacular and unforgettable experiences. Would people be kind enough to point out which ones from their extensive list are truly noteworthy?

From my own experience, London PL and Hampshire, Gresham Palace, and Sultanahmet have left quite an impression.

Great thread.
My favorite FS properties:

• FS Koh Samui: One of my favorite tropical resorts in the world. Almost Aman-like service and gorgeous forest setting
• FS Sayan: I know this property is not very popular on this board, but I prefer it to both Amandari and Chedi Club. Too bad for recent slip in food quality, though
• FS Landaa Giraavaru (and to a lesser extent FS Kuda Huraa)
• FS Florence

In my opinion:

Noteworthy

Four Seasons George V Paris
Visited for afternoon tea. Beautiful property. Refined service.

Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus
Was room guest. Very beautiful property with Bosphorus views, though a taxi ride away from the city centre. Fantastic pool and spa facilities. Outdoor patio and pool area have marble floors! Wonderful variety and service at breakfast. Standard rooms are rather bland. Expensive rooms are much more impressive.

Four Seasons Florence
Was restaurant guest (Sunday brunch). Very beautiful property and interiors. Fantastic brunch and good value for the quality. Peaceful setting, but a walk from the city centre.

Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest
Was room guest. Very beautiful property in a historical building. Good value for the quality (a reflection of the location).

Very good but not noteworthy

Four Seasons Park Lane London
Dined at the Italian restaurant - good but not particularly memorable. Used the spa - beautiful views from the 10th floor, excellent treatments, fantastic service.

Four Seasons Istanbul at Sultanahmet
Dined there. Ideal location. Historical building. Somewhat dated hard product at that time.

Just good

Four Seasons Seattle
Went for drinks. Good service. Property is rather corporate-bland.

No intention to try

Four Seasons Vancouver
I looked across from Rosewood Georgia :)

I am not a fan of Four Seasons properties. The company is too formulaic in its approach to luxury; too many properties are too fuddy-duddy in style, as if they were decorated by my doily loving babushka.

Having said that, I must now admit that I am presently staying at Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach and am loving it. It's such a restrained, tasteful property for Dubai. While other hotels love to wallow in over-the-top Arabian decor, there are only lovely hints of it at the Four Seasons, just enough to give one a sense of place. My room suffers from the FS belief that washed-out beige is a decorative morif; nonetheless, it is supremely comfortable. The service has been consistently exemplary, which certainly sets the FSJB apart from Dubai's other luxury properties.

Now, what other Four Seasons properties have I liked? Hmmm...let's see. The FS San Francisco has adequate service but the decor induces a severe case of ennui. George V? An American executive's idea of a Paris palace hotel. New York? Nice views from the tasteful rooms but that lobby is reminiscent of an abandoned train station (with nicer flower arrangements) and there's no longer a proper restaurant. Las Vegas? Yeah, let's stay at grandma's place with the pitifully small bathrooms while in Vegas (though in fairness, I have to say that the service was wonderful and the views were extraordinary). Hong Kong? I know people love it; but, for me, it was no different from a JW Marriott or a Conrad. Prague? Classic Four Seasons, which is not a good thing (see first paragraph).

I don't voluntarily stay at a Four Seasons hotel (except for this one in Dubai) so perhaps it was not wise of me to post on this thread.

Vaterland, thanks for your thoughts.

Aman aside, do you think other luxury chains do a better job in being less "formulaic": Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Waldorf-Astoria, St Regis, Rosewood?

First off, I totally love what you're saying and I'm been making these types of comments for years on this board and really haven't found any traction. But, like McDonalds, the consumer is correct.

I think Aman is highly formulaic. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you do two straight weeks it gets boring. And the decor just strikes me as cheap.

I honestly think the FS in Las Vegas is horrible, and not even a top 10 choice for me there.

Having said that, I loved the FS Golden Triangle despite the lack of culinary detail and sheer cheapness of what drinks are included. This is blue cheese, oh what kind, it is blue sir. Barton's Vodka (or the like) is the standard there. I've had better free cocktail hours at airport Ramadas.

Sometimes fuddy duddy is cool--I like hotels that are different from how we decorate our house, so places like Le Bristol, Iniala, Aman, W.--places that I'd never decorate my house like, are fun, and part of the travel experience, whereas the Four Seasons seems to use a cheaper furnishing line than Ethan Allen in some of their newer hotels, which I've found is a good crowd pleasing option for our house.

The best thing about FS: Its culture and people. Hard to beat that but you're welcome to try.

Example: I struck up a friendly conversation with a spa attendant at FS Park Lane last weekend. He saw me later at the 10th floor lounge, said hello and we chatted for another 15 minutes. Great service culture from the bottom to top of the house.

This is so true and the reason I spend a month or so per year in their hotels and resorts. Looking forward to my upcoming stays at NYC Downtown, Punta Mita and Florence. FS is a great hotel operator.

florence >

https://issuu.com/gruppoeditoriale/docs/psdg_fshf

fourseasons.com/florence/accommodations/suites/gallery_suite/
fourseasons.com/florence/accommodations/suites/renaissance_suite/
fourseasons.com/florence/accommodations/suites/frescoed_executive_suite/
fourseasons.com/florence/accommodations/suites/presidential_suite/
fourseasons.com/florence/accommodations/suites/royal_suite_della_gherardesca/

fourseasons.com/florence/accommodations/suites/garden_suite/ (detached villa, historical)

george v = saudi owner bought from sir rocco forte
FS corporate is/was canadian, bought by saudi/US

offtopic stereotyping and over-generalizations are not helpful (vs "best")
few here choose hotel based on furnishing (which dont make "best" hotel)

I am partial to the FS in Boston and the Bricknell FS in Miami. Would not return to FS Seattle. Confess I would be hard put to consider an FS abroad, other than the Florence property which has been on my wishlist forever.

Hard.... Never had really a bad stay at a FS (don't book the bad ones;)).

Perhaps my favourites:
Fs Florence
FS Hong Kong
FS Seychelles

Looking forward to Cap Ferrat next month, will be interesting.

Among my favourites...
FS Beijing
FS Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
FS Tented Village Golden Triangle
FS Gresham Palace Budapest

With regard to generalizations, even in travel: unavoidable and often useful. If we're not going to discus the best in however a subjective sense, what's the point?

I am very conscious of furnishings which is why I adore Le Bristol in Paris and avoid Amans anywhere. Furnishings absolutely go to the experience evaluation. Which speaks to one of the upsides of the FS experience (in general); furnishings most often are a comfortable blend of contemporary and traditional.

Why, yes, I do stand in the fuddy-duddy corner yet can appreciate some contemporary settings. Especially when the seating doesn't require me to lower my nether regions beyond the gravity point.

Both Rosewood and Belmond avoid the cookie-cutter. Again, in general. I have not experienced many MO's or Peninsulas but the ones I do know are very much in their corporate mode and therefore not at the top of my list. For example, the Pen in Beverly Hills is delightful but I prefer by far the The Beverly Hills Hotel which is organic and historic to its location.