Four Seasons Orlando

Full review atwww.isserbtravels.com[with pictures]

The lobby is exceptionally attractive. It's minimalist without being cold or new-age. It's pretty much marble, floor to ceiling. Upon walking in, you immediately get that feeling you get when you walk into a real nice five-star hotel: this is the life!

The lobby consists of three large desks. To your immediate right (upon entry), you have the concierge desk, Next up is the reception desk. Across from concierge and reception is what the Four Seasons calls the "Disney Planning Center."

The lobby was really, really dead. I saw less than 10 people in the lobby at any one time (including staff). I asked someone working there why it was so dead, to which she replied (and I'm paraphrasing here): "we overstaff the lobby and cross-train all lobby employees to be able to perform check-ins"..implying that the lobby was dead because the staff is just that efficient.

The Four Seasons team is acutely aware of lobby overcrowding issues, especially on check-in. This is a huge problem in big resorts, especially in a city like Orlando. Checking into a large Orlando resort is like checking into an Aruba time-share at high season or the Bellagio during a conference. In other words, it's a cattle call of epic proportions.

To alleviate insane-lobby-syndrome, they've cross-trained all their employees to be able to perform check-ins. So, if the reception desk is full, concierge can check you in. If concierge is full, the Disney Desk can check you in. They really are trying to make check-in as seamless as possible.

That being said, it's obvious that the lobby was so dead because the hotel was so new. Being that the top floors weren't even complete, and they're technically in a soft-opening phase, it makes sense the lobby was dead. While I'd be very impressed if the lobby stays as sedated as I saw this week, I'd wouldn't be surprised at all if they regress into the same type of lobby experience they're trying to avoid. I just don't buy that three desks and cross trained employees is not enough to keep a lobby calm.

It's worth noting that, while the hotel is marketing itself as a leisure destination, a large amount of this hotel is dedicated to meeting space and corporate functions. (Virtuoso is having their Southeast Regionals here in January 2015.) The left half of the hotel is almost entirely corporate space.

The lobby also contains an in-house coffee shop called Lickety Split. They serve small-bites, coffee, and gelato. It's a nice little nook with seating for a handful of people (most of the seating is outside). I'll take a small coffee shop like this any day compared to your run of the mill shop that "proudly serves Starbucks coffee."

They're not open yet, but the lobby will also contain two retail stores: Wardrobe and Fable.

One of the best features of the lobby: the late-departure lounge. If you have a late flight out of MCO and your late-checkout didn't clear, the Four Seasons has just what you need: a room to store your bags, take a shower, get a snack, and relax. Quite nifty, in my opinion. Like most things with this property: so long as they can keep it relatively calm, it's a huge perk to the guest.

The late-departure lounge felt exactly like an airport lounge, except a whole lot nicer. They don't serve finger food like most airport lounges, but they do offer a nice selection of fruit and iced beverages.

I think they did a pretty good job with the lobby. It's "Floridian chic": lots of beige, white, and teal; marble and tile everywhere; and views of the [well-manicured] grounds & swamp. Check-in staff was friendly and professional. So long as they can keep the lobby sedate, you're looking at an easy check-in process and a nice welcome to hot & swampy Florida.

The property consists of four types of non-suite rooms & seven types of suites.

Non-suite rooms:

Park View

Lake View

Golden Oak View

Four Seasons Room

Suite rooms:

Royal Suite

Presidential Suite

Grand Suite

Park View Deluxe Suite

Park View Suite

Lake View Deluxe Suite

Golden Oak View Suite

All rooms have balconies. The best rooms have balconies facing the rear of the property, i.e. the pools. Rooms facing the front of the property face a parking lot and a future Disney housing development. So, while your front-facing view may be unobstructed (minus the parking lot) in 2014, you'll eventually see a run-of-the-mill Florida subdivision in the coming years. I don't care if the homes cost $5mm a piece, you're still looking at a subdivision. This may or may not be a view you're interested in.

All rooms have a pull-out couch. The selling point here is obvious: two adults and two children can (in theory) fit in your entry-level room. That being said, it would be a very tight squeeze, and I'm not sure I'd ever tell a client that four people in a Park View is a good idea.

For those of you who can't peel yourself away from the television for 60 seconds, every bathroom has an in-mirror TV. You watch TV from the shower and the sink, but the real question is: can you watch it from the toilet? [Full disclosure: I'm not so sure I buy into the whole "having a TV in your mirror = luxury" argument.]

The Park View rooms are quality in both size and comfort. Really no complaints here. No wow factor, either.

Golden Oak Suite

The Golden Oak Suite comes in at 825 sf. The wow factor starts to set in a bit here, as there's a real luxurious feel to the space. [See two pictures down.] Having a walk-in closet and two bathrooms help, as does a soaking tub. The Golden Oak Suite has a genuine luxury apartment feel to it.

The Golden Oak Suite is a nice space, perfectly suitable for a small family. Doors close in between the Master Bedroom and the Living Room making it feel like two separate living spaces. Want an even bigger space? You can connect two Golden Oaks [or Park View Deluxe Suites] by closing your exterior double doors [see below]. Nifty!
Connecting two rooms via double doors

Park View Deluxe Suite

The Park View Deluxe Suite was the third and final [and biggest] suite I saw. It's also the largest suite currently available, as the top two floors of the hotel are not yet open.

The Park View Deluxe Suite also has a wine cooler and a dining room table. I didn't attach pictures because we all know what a wine cooler and a dining room table looks like.

A note on upgrades. One of the Virtuoso amenities is a one category upgrade, subject to availability. So, if you book into a standard room (Park View) and an upgrade was available, they'd put you in a Golden Oaks room. This is a true upgrade in terms of space (500 sf verses 825 square feet). That said, if your Park View room faced the pools, and your "upgraded" room faces the parking lot, some may not be happy with that upgrade. It's probably best to let your travel advisor know which you prefer: more space or a better view.

In addition to the in-house coffee shop [Lickety Split], there are four major dining options on property.

1. Capa - a contemporary Spanish steakhouse

2. Ravello - the lobby level restaurant where breakfast is served. The restaurant is huge.

3. PB&G - the poolside Southern smokehouse, rotisserie, and BBQ joint

4. Plancha - Cuban-American

In addition to the restaurants, you also have Ravello Bar, which looks and feels like the most adult-oriented section of the whole hotel. It's a really nice space. One of the classier hotel bars I've seen.

Public service announcement to those guests looking to avoid all things Disney: in Ravello, they host "character breakfasts" on Thursdays and Saturdays. You read that correctly...character breakfast. At the Four Seasons!

Full disclosure: I ate at none of these restaurants. With the exception of Lickety Split, they were all completely devoid of people. That's not the reason I didn't eat at any of these places - but it was a common theme while I was at the property. I'm pretty sure in a few months time the place will be absolutely packed.

The Four Seasons has two pools - one adults-only infinity pool, and one pool for those under the age of 21 [the "family pool"]. It's worth noting, for the foreseeable future, cabanas at both pools are absolutely free. So if cabanas and lounging by a pool are your thing: get to the Four Seasons Orlando, and get there quickly. Within the next month or two, the same cabanas will have a reservation fee of $200 per day.

I think they did a good job designing the adults-only pool. It feels very inclusive & small. Considering how big the hotel is, there is definitely an enclave vibe to the area, and I think that's what they were going for. While the pool feels pretty small, it's actually quite long, coming in at 92 feet (!). Furthermore, not that you'd need it in 105 degree heat, but there is a jacuzzi adjacent to the pool.

Right now, the pool is as calm and sedated as the lobby.

On the other hand, the family pool is enormous [the pool itself comes in at over 7,500 square feet]. I'm not even sure if the word "pool" adequately describes the nature of this space -- I think "water park" is a more apt descriptive.

For those who are wondering how the Four Seasons will "handle" the kids, or how they'll "adequately keep the pools separate" -- this is how:

1) Adult pool & kid pool are separated by two bridges/walkways.

2) Adult pool is gated.

3) The pool staff is "strictly enforcing pool rules" - in this case, under 21 = no access.

4) Management is betting that the family pool is big enough, interesting enough, and has enough to offer that families will, essentially, not want to leave.

What kind of family pool enhancements will be exciting enough to keep kids there for the day? Well, the family pool isn't just a pool. There's also the "Splash Zone," the "choreographed interactive fountain...that launches blasts of water 30 feet into the air" and "the Mansion, with curtains of water, fog nozzles, and other special features." [All of this is very reminiscent of the Bellagio, in my opinion. Of course, you can't swim in the Bellagio's fountain.]

In addition to the Splash Zone, you have the options of a Lazy River and a 242-foot water slide. [The Ritz Carlton also has a lazy river, which apparently is quite popular with adults.]

Again, it's pretty apparent what the Four Seasons is doing here: they're giving kids enough things to do whereby they'll leave the adults alone.

Speaking of leaving the adults alone, the Four Seasons offers a Complimentary Kids Camp. So, if even the thought of being at the pool with your kids is enough to drive you up the wall, drop them off here.

The Four Seasons has two fitness centers. Both were completely empty when I visited [not a single person in either room]. Both are adult-oriented. There's really no reason for a kid to be here, as the Fitness Center is located at the far end of the hotel.

Aesthetically speaking, the fitness centers were quite stunning. I also liked that, unlike a lot of gyms, they weren't blasting obnoxiously loud music in the background. They also didn't have a million TVs taking up every iota of wall space available.
Fitness Center
Fitness Center

Other fitness oriented amenities:

1) An 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Fazio - a golf course that, somehow, was designed on a certified Audubon sanctuary; and

2) Three tennis courts [they'll set up singles/doubles matches on request]

The property is also home to a nice sized spa. I didn't get to see the treatment rooms, because all 18 were full, but the spa waiting area was crisp, clean, and smelled ridiculously good. That said, it was a little bright for me - I expect a calming experience upon entering a spa, not a tiled room so bright you think you mistakenly walked into the cosmetics section of Bloomingdale's.

Stats: 18 treatment rooms; 4 couples rooms; 2 "water side" treatment rooms; and a salon.

This property makes no secret in the fact they're actively trying to be the un-Disney of Disney World resorts. No less than three times I heard some variation of: "we're not associated with Disney" -- "we're not on Disney property" -- "Disney has wanted us for years" I'm paraphrasing here, but you get the gist. Four Seasons Orlando is marketing to those who are avoiding the Disney experience.

All that said, you'd have to be an ignoramus to think the Four Seasons doesn't want Disney business. After all, they're called the Four Seasons at Walt Disney World Resort. And they're located a stones throw from Disney. And they sell Disney tickets. And provide transportation. And so on and so forth.

To handle all things Disney, the Four Seasons has a designated Disney Desk, whereby all your needs and questions can be dealt with at one desk in the lobby. This desk was staffed with two individuals

What's the point of the Disney Desk? To handle all things Disney, of course. Think of it as a really good looking information booth. The desk has access to Disney's ticketing system, thereby having the ability to sell tickets to the parks. They can also arrange Fast Passes, plan your daily schedule, book dining reservations, create VIP experiences, and answer any and all Disney questions you may have. They also arrange transportation: instead of using the Disney bus that services the other on-park resorts [Waldorf; Hilton; Wyndham; etc], the Four Seasons has a luxury Motor-coach pick up guests every half hour.

Hard Product

As far as hard-product is concerned, this is your best bet for a luxury hotel at Walt Disney World. In my mind: this property is a step up from the Waldorf-Astoria.

From an interior design standpoint, there's no denying the place is stunning. It's simple without being cold. It's luxurious without being stuffy. It's chic without being kitschy. Get it? It seems they're doing a lot of things right and props to their design team.

In general, I think the rooms are well-appointed, nice sized, and luxurious. Just like the lobby, they're distinctly Floridian in design: lots of whites, beiges, and teals. Tile and/or marble adorn almost everything. The carpet is lush and comfortable. All in all, I think they did a good job in designing the space. With that said, I do think those hardcore Four Seasons fans looking for a more traditionally designed room will be a tad let down. While the bedding, floors, and master bathrooms are beautiful, I think there is room for honest criticism regarding some of the furniture [especially the in-room couches and chairs]. I thought it was great, but to each his/her own.

Rooms feel very Pottery Barn-ish. That's not necessarily a knock on the hotel or their design team, but upon walking into the room, you feel like you're in an upper-middle class furniture advertisement.

I do think the exterior is quite the bore. Stucco is cost-effective [we all know that], and I know it fits in with surrounding construction, but I'm disappointed the property chose to go this route. From the outside, it looks like any other "I'm too lazy to think outside the box" high-rise. Put this thing in Daytona Beach and it would fit right in. Exterior design was an afterthought.

Soft Product

Too soon to tell. I will say that the staff looked and acted like they were genuinely excited to be there. It didn't seem like staff was being nice out of mere formalities, or because of training [although I'm sure they've had plenty of that]. Staff remembers names. It's quite obvious that there is an excitement in the air, which I'd assume is quite common with hotel openings of this nature. I didn't try the food, so I can't comment on that either. As with judging soft product anywhere, time will tell.

The Biggest Question of Them All: Can the Four Seasons maintain a truly luxury environment in the heart of Disney World?

This is a tough one. On the one hand, they've definitely laid the ground work for distinguishing between "adult space" and "children space." Adults-only pool vs. family pool. Disney desk vs. concierge desk. Family dining vs. adult dining. On the other hand, did they do enough to truly warrant the luxury label?

There are parts of the hotel that are obviously adult oriented. Some areas, i.e. the spa, fitness rooms, even the late-departure lounge, are areas where you'd be shocked to see someone under the age of 16 walking around. Other areas are fair game for a family style environment.

I tend to think the Four Seasons did a good job finding a middle ground between Disney environment and adult environment. The adults-only pool is a truly separate experience. The family pool is far enough away, and interesting enough, to keep children and families occupied for days at a time. The kids camp was more than just a room with a TV, and even the camp was separated from the hotel [as opposed to being an extension of the hotel]. The spa, fitness center, and retail were also built with a "separate experience" in mind.

It gets to the point where there's really not much more the Four Seasons can do to make it anymore adults-oriented than it already is.

Here's to hoping the Four Seasons can keep up the classy environment I witnessed this week.

Final Grade: B+