After spending a few nights at the Mandarin Oriental Boston, we decided to spend a couple of nights at the Four Seasons Boston, which is just a few blocks away. I thought it would be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison of the two brands in the same city, to see if there was a…
Continue reading: Review: Four Seasons Boston Back Bay
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
"To start we shared the mezze platter, and then for our mains we had the roasted halibut and the braised beef short ribs."
From your pics, looks like you had a third main as well?
I want to drop a polite observation that, if mid-range hotels were $600+, it would appear to be a golden opportunity to use hotel points. Were there no 60K Hilton ($300) or 60K Marriott redemptions ($450)? What about IHG? What about Hyatt at 20K ($300)? Maybe a Wyndham 27K? What about Choice from Citi at 2:1? As a reader, I can say it would have been more exciting to see you flex your points muscles at a time like this. Perhaps it helps Ford’s booking business to have reviews like these, and so I can see the business case of de-emphasizing the use of hotel points. But it sure is disappointing as a reader. Are the type of people who drop $999 on a hotel night also reading a miles/points blog? You spent like 10% of my annual salary to visit Boston for a week.
There was a big restaurant and bar on the main floor, and it's currently under renovations - you won't believe it, but there's a massive wall on the first floor that's totally temporary, that looks 100% real and permanent.
Interesting and seems as if FS is testing out some new concepts for other properties. I have not stayed here since the reno…it was getting tired before. But surprised the lobby bar and dining is gone…it was the best part of the original and popular with locals. I personally love the new Dalton property though.
You've said a couple of times that you don't value a spa that much in a city hotel. I've found a great use case for spas in city hotels - after a long day of meetings ending say at 4 PM, a spa treatment from 5 pm to 6 or so is a great way to unwind before dinner out in the city. I also have used that time for a swim, steam room, etc. Also spas are good to use for weekend trips to cities.
So what gets you in the vault? I think I’d end up binging the Swedish fish and popcorn.
Aujourd’hui used to be one of Boston's best restaurants, it was open to non-guests, and it definitely was not located in a second floor conference room. It used to be located just inside the lobby to the left in a beautiful dining room. Is it possible that it was closed for renovations or something and this was a temporary restaurant so that hotel guests had a place to eat?
Ben, thanks for the reviews, and I am glad you liked Boston! For someone who likes walking, it's a really great city.
A couple of geography comments:
1. The park with the swan boats is The Public Garden. Boston Common is the park across the street from it, visible in your bedroom view photos.
2. Back Bay usually refers to the area west of the Public Garden, starting at Arlington Street. So while Mandarin Oriental is in the middle of Back Bay, this Four Seasons is not. Fun fact - Back Bay cross streets are named in alphabetical order east to west: Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, etc.
Room underwhelming, but everything was top-notch. Impressed. Especially like the coffee bar and movie snacks. How cool.
And now the pic of the filet mignon is gone...wonder what that is all about...
Agree. I just cannot justify paying these prices at US city hotels for discretionary/leisure travel (OPM is another matter entirely, of course). I do think the Sanctuary is cool, though.
The Wiliam Kovel-led Aujurd'hui sadly shuttered in 2009. IMHO it was *the* best restaurant in Boston in the early 2000s. Indeed, the best soup I've had in my life was there, and I didn't even order it: the chef sent it out with compliments to accompany my wife's salad (I wasn't particularly hungry and skipped the salad course, to the obvious displeasure of the kitchen). The name lives on, but I assure you it could never be confused with what once was there.
Always loved that hotel ! Use to go all the time to the Bristol lounge which was on the first floor to the left . I guess it’s called something different now .
And if I see 1 more picture of avocado toast, I'm going to SCREAM!!!!! Lol. Ugghhh.
Now that's a hotel! Love to stay there in the future. Use to stay at the Four Seasons LA / Beverly Hills and it was always top notch. Might have to do a Boston weekend once the Bruins start to play again.
"Virtually all the drinks are complimentary for hotel guests. So whether you want a cappuccino, espresso, or iced coffee, it won’t cost you anything. This might just be my single favorite hotel amenity ever, as the coffee was also exceptionally good."
When you think about it for a high-end property this ought to be a no-brainer. It's a great way to get excellent press as well as repeat guests ... the actual cost of coffee drinks are relatively minimal and the return on the hotel's investment is huge.
Gotta love the extreme level of pomp in the comments - Anthony a shining example.
Don’t take this the wrong way as I’m not hating - I truly like to hear that others enjoy the finer things in life. A nice massage and rub n tug before dinner is excellent.
It's not correct to call this Four Seasons Back Bay since the Four Seasons Dalton St is also located in Back Bay.
My only somewhat catty comment is that you seem to have given them a pass on the coffee shop opening at 7am ... nearly lunchtime for you! 😉 whereas with the Mandarin, you gave them points off for opening at 6.30am. Personally, I'd rather have free coffee at 7am than $10 coffee at 6:30am. Actually, now that I think about it, I want coffee when I wake up, and I'll probably pay whatever they want.... maybe you aren't complaining about it because you had acclimated to the timezone by the time you arrived here and the 7am opening time worked for you ? Hmmmm.... Either way, I enjoy your blog and your reviews, so thank you!
The premium Boston hotel rooms can command is... insane. That said, as alternatives to the Four Seasons and the MO, I've had good service experiences at both The Langham and the Beacon XV:
Nice hotel. It's funny that the little amenities that are complimentary, we take as a nice gesture. But when paying $1,000 per a night, it's almost nuts when those level of hotels don't offer a house car, snacks and water/snack stations. I used a house car recently. But it was at the Andaz in Scottsdale lol at a fraction of the Four Seasons price. Funny how and where certain amenities are offered.
Also, if in Boston again, try out the Encore. Classy spot with nicer rooms than FS imo. Albeit, a resort casino with a non walkable location.
Cannot show too many of the FS travel agent freebies during the sponsored reviews!
'Complimentary' or 'free' is overused a lot on here, considering the room rates paid.
But it is obviously a smart tactic from the hotel, since people are not reasonable decision makers and prefer the feeling of receiving freebies over sound accounting & financial decisions. You should drink an awful lot of 'complimentary' coffee to justify that $1000 / night rate being a good deal...
The property is actually across the street from the Boston Public Gardens, and not the Boston Common.
When I stayed at the FS Boston the 'vault' was always empty save for a few boxes of nuts and cups for drinks. I asked the operator and they said they were all out of stocks of snacks and had been for a few weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if some kids raid it like they are at home - which to some extent is probably what FS Boston wants - but a few boxes of candy meets a 8 year old.....literally kid in a free candy store.
Is that a massive error on the restaurant menu? They have a list of Starters, then a list of "Entres" which look rather like main courses!
In American restaurants Entres are main courses. This is standard throughout the US.
I really love the 4S in Back Bay with the exception of some of the furnishings, which seem just tacky and cheap.
I'm laughing for a different reason. A "long day of meetings" on a business trip for us mere mortals doesn't end at 4pm and leave time for a massage and an expensive dinner on the town. The day ends at 5 or 6pm, followed by a quick dinner and more work because things don't stop back in the office. Not sure what Anthony does for a living but it's not the life of most of us exec who travel.