FTers and Four Seasons Hotels
 

Are they any Flyertalkers who stay regularly at Four Seasons hotels and not worry that they dont' give any miles or hotel loyalty programmes?

Not regularly - just occassionally! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

When business permits, I will gladly take a Four Seasons, Peninsula or similar stay in lieu of points.

I agree, but add that I will also do this on non business (ie. pleasure) trips.

Four Seasons hotels might perhaps be the finest hotel chain group in the world. Loss of points is small price to pay for the privilege of staying at one of their hotels.

Yep. Same with the Ritz. Anytime I can. BTW most individual Four Seasons properties have their own version on an "elite" program although miles are not involved.

J-

As I think auh20 is saying, each property does a great job of tracking and rewarding your loyalty to that location. So, in addition to great facilities and service, you're getting a lot of the benefits of formalized programs.

I don't think there's any tracking across the Four Seasons properties though, and I'm not quite sure why that is.

Ah, yes... as auh2o points out, lets not forget the Ritz properties. The Ritz in Singapore is on of my favorites... great place to stay.

I'm another person who uses FS on occasion. I do not actively participate in any one frequent guest program and I base my lodging decision on location, price, services, etc. Points are incidental. Consequently, I never seem to accumulate enough points for a free stay anywhere http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

To go one step further, I would be hard pressed to give up a ride in a G IV or G V over the miles, assuming my fellow passengers were not abominable.

Four Seasons Hotels are unquestionably head and shoulders above the other chain properties.

I stay with them as often as possible, although the rates can often be nose bleed inducing. I've had good experience in getting suite upgrades through the Amex Fine Hotels program which softens the blow when the bill is presented. With a product like this, miles or points are unimportant.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm also a stockholder in FS.

[edited to add disclosure]

[This message has been edited by dealerjack (edited 01-17-2002).]

There ARE more things in life than miles. Exceptional hotels are in that category! FS, Peninsula, etc. will ALWAYS get my business when they are available.

Depends on the circumstances. If price permits, generally yes. Points are far from everything.

However, if there is a good SPG hotel in the city for a similar rate, where I know I will get not only points, but good treatment, then I generally will stay there.

Will stay @ Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel next month for work.. I actually had a brain hemmorage for a moment and looked up Starwood properties in the area, but nothing was close to where I needed to be -- so, darn, I'll forgo miles.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The Ritz in Naples, FL is wonderful.

While each Ritz recognizes loyalty to its own hotels, I haven't seen it across their chain. I've stayed in a BUNCH (Naples, Tysons Corner, DC, etc.) of RCs over the past two years and never had it acknowledged.

Each hotel in the Ritz chain does recognize loyalty. I've had everything from consistent club level upgrades to free corkscrews and other trinkets of thanks. But it is a shame they don't do it across the chain.

I believe there is a new St. Regis resort close to the RC Laguna Niguel but I can't tell you anything about it. I do highly recommend the RC there.

The Park Hyatts will also track your loyalty to a given hotel. At the one in Tokyo (where I have stayed a number of times) I always get a "Welcome Back" gift of some kind, be it some candy or chocolates, plus recognition from the check-in staff. Have used AMEX Platinum FHR program a number of times to land some niiice corner rooms at reasonable (for the Park Hyatt Tokyo, that is) rates.

The St. Regis Monarch Beach is across the street from the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel (about a five minute walk).

[This message has been edited by J0HN (edited 01-18-2002).]

I have also stay at Park Tokyo for about ten times in the last three years but did not get upgrade to corner room. I have candy only once, all other times were chocolates, actually I like the chocolates better. I am staying there in mid Feb. after visiting the snow festival up in Sapporo. How much did you pay for the regular/corner room? Or did you pay for the regular/Park rooms and upgraded to corner room? I always do my booking through Hyatt, may need to dig up the AE Plat. booklet for the PTS number.

The Four Seasons is my favorite of all the chain hotels. The services I get usually outdo any benefits gained by earning points. I have posted some trip reports about my stays at FS.

[This message has been edited by amazing nj (edited 01-18-2002).]

I've gotten chocolates, candy, sembei, otsumame, and crackers as welcome gifts. I go through PTS for this one. Last time was over Christmas break, where I paid 45,000 Yen per night. For that, they gave me a corner room, the bathroom facing Mt. Fuji, and the bedroom facing Yoyogi and inside the Yamanote loop. The best rate Hyatt had quoted me 52,000 for the same (and not for all the nights I wanted), and did not include breakfast for two (about 3,000 x 2 Yen or so), which the PTS rate did. I've paid as little as 35,000 Yen for the same room when not during vacations.

My Park Hyatt experience at the Stanhope in New York did not do anything for me.

I am a Platinum in the Hyatt program and stayed at the Park Hyatt for one week out of every month for almost 9 months and nada.

The concierge staff always remembered me and took really good care of me but hotel management could care less.

Out of frustration I finally quite staying there. You spend $25k in one hotel you would expect something. Alfred--

Overall, I love FS. I am only now drifting into hotel points. Previously always just stayed at properties I liked. That said, I am not impressed with either the FS in PHL or DCA, but that could be because in my opinion they look like 5 star dormitories.

I have found this to be true as well.

For example, just staying in the FS in Vegas gets you to the top of the building (which it shares with some other hotel - forgot the name), affording the best views, and entry to a special area by the pool, and, best of all, concierge services such as last minute tickets to (supposedly) sold out concerts in the showroom (like The Three Tenors).

And, I have stayed at the Laguna Niguel RC property over Xmas and it was very well decorated, just delightful. It is very comfortable and nice, both upstairs and downstairs.

I hate having to stay in a hotel, doing my best to stay with friends, or in B&Bs, anything to avoid a hotel stay, but an opportunity to stay in a FS (or RC) always makes me break this rule.

[This message has been edited by lisamcgu (edited 01-19-2002).]

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[This message has been edited by Marin 1K (edited 01-19-2002).]

I too like to stay at places that award points. I have stayed at a number of Four Seasons though. I stay at the Las Vegas FS on about 80% of trips to LV. Sometimes they offer rates of only $150 during the week. That is a lot in LV standards, but not FS. They sometimes will give an upgrade to a higher level room (Not a suite) Also once I stayed at FS Maui, and was upgraded to the FS club floor (Their standard rooms cost more than suites!) Also in Singapore they have a nice place (I like Ritz better, but want to stay with FS) For about $160 USD you get a room and buffet breakfast. I believe the breakfast is valued at $60 SGD! Whether you stay once or 20 times you must experience FS service once in your life. For Laguna Niguel if you have time check out the FS Newport beach, the outside is not much to see, but inside and the pool is awesome. But at the prices I normally stay at the Westin..

Dup post

[This message has been edited by ryan754 (edited 01-19-2002).]

FS is among my favorite chains, but not in the US. I never avoid an opportunity to stay in the FS, Kuda Huraa, Maldives.

I don't mind not getting miles for stays at 4S. It's like not getting miles for stays at Amankila, Amanpulo, Amanpuri, The Mansion on Turtle Creek or any of the Orient-Express properties in Italy.

However, it is interesting that Mandarin Oriental has ties with UA Mileage Plus and Peninsula Group has ties with AsiaMiles.

I am looking forward to my upcoming stays at FS at Maldives as well as at Jimbarayan Bay in Bali. In special resort places like there as well as in the Caribbean, I just can't think of staying at Hyatts or Starwoods. For that matter, I am also a big fan of some of the Aman resorts, where points and awards just don't come into my mind, but I just charge everthing on my AAdvantage Visa card. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

We spent 10 days at Kuda Huraa on our honeymoon; it has to be the best tropical resort in the world!

Amen. And the service there is truly amazing.

Personally, while the service was terrific, and the water villas provide great ambiance, I found the FS Kuda Huraa to be a let down after a week at the Soneva Fushi. It was not that the hotel did anything wrong, and it does do many things very well, but it lacks the same sense of privacy.

wigs, I agree that Soneva Fushi is more private, but as I recall it was situated on quite a large island, and when cruising the atoll, I remember it took at least several hours by speedboat to get to that area from Kuda Huraa. Probably a helicopter is the way to do it.

When were you there (FS on KH) last? IMO, the best season is the 'shoulder' in May as the Maldives head towards the low season during the monsoons. The room rates at FS fall to US$4-500 or so, but better yet, the occupancy rate drops to almost single digits. For all that, you just have to put up with perhaps a 20-minute shower in late afternoon.

The FS Kuda Huraa was not initially built as a Four Seasons property. It was only 'converted' by name only a few years ago and now managed by FS. The property is independently owned by a Singaporean company.

UAL Traveller,

I was there over New Years (last year), and the resort was definitely full. The difference in terms of privacy that I was trying to allude to was subtle, and may simply reflect the relative lack of vegetation along the beach bungalows.

By no means do I mean to denegrate the resort; it offers everything that makes the Four Seasons such a terrific hotel chain. And I would definitely use the hotel again, which is the ultimate complement I can offer.

My wife and I stayed at the FS Jimbaran Bay for our honeymoon, and I believe it was the finest hotel experience I've ever had. Unfortunately, I had a significant letdown when I stayed at the FS Wailea last summer.

Incidentally, just came back from a week at the Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru - Maldives, fantastic - not quite as refined as the service at FS Jimbaran Bay, but very much a completely relaxing, spectacular vacation (trip report will follow). Went on the excursion to the tourist "trap" island adjacent to the FS Kuda Huraa - hard to tell anything from the outside, but seemed quite big.

Also stayed at the Peninsula - BKK - fantastic river view room for $145 (including car one way) - amazing deal and the Peninsula amenities/service are fantastic.

Greg

This is something that we did notice too, some of the beach bungalows were much less private than others. We found that the sunset side bungalows (especially those with pools) had much more vegetation and privacy - that is the side we were on, and we probably would have felt simalarly if we had been on the other side.

Our bungalow was quite secluded, and had a little nook carved out of the vegetation at the edge of the beach - perfect for a couple of chaise lounges. Having said that, the service was perfect, the diving great, the seafood fantastic. It is also close to Male and the airport.

We can't wait to go back.

I can also second the comments about Wailea; it is a bit of a letdown, I'd skip Maui and head to the FS resort at Hualali.

My wife and I are planning to spend our fifth anniversary -- three nights at FS in the Maldives and four nights at FS Jimbaran Bay. For those of you who have been to the area, we are going in August, and I know that is the rainy season in the Maldives, but we can't move our anniversary! For anyone who has been there in August, how rainy is it? So much, that its not worth going or just occasional showers? We will be staying in the water bungalows at FS Maldives. Are these private or would we be better off at Soneva Fushi's water bungalows or some other resort? FYI -- we spent our honeymoon at PSV, which was the ultimate in privacy. Any advice appreciated, thanks!