- Life Update: Why I’m Living In Hotels Full Time
- Review: Thompson Hotel Dallas
- Review: Thompson Hotel Nashville
- Review: Hyatt Centric Fort Lauderdale Las Olas
- Review: Hyatt Centric Miami Brickell
- Review: Hyatt Centric New Orleans French Quarter
- Review: Thompson Hotel Chicago
- Review: Four Seasons Miami Brickell
- Review: Park Hyatt Beaver Creek
- Review: Grand Hyatt Denver
- Review: St. Regis Deer Valley (Park City, Utah)
Want to take advantage of Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
We’re living in hotels full-time at the moment. We’ve primarily been staying at Hyatts, and in a previous post I reviewed the Hyatt Centric Miami Brickell. For a slight change of pace from the typical Hyatt reviews, in this post I wanted to review the other hotel we stayed at in Miami (more briefly) — the Four Seasons.
In this post:
Booking the Four Seasons Miami
There are two Four Seasons properties in the Miami area — there’s the Four Seasons Surf Club in Surfside, which I reviewed last summer, and then there’s the Four Seasons in Brickell.
The former is an uber-luxury beachfront hotel with cutting edge design, while the latter is more of a corporate hotel located in a high-rise in the heart of Brickell, and it’s also much more affordable.
So we decided to book the Four Seasons for a few nights. When we were staying the rate was $410 per night with a third night free, so in the end we spent about ~$275 per night. It’s also worth noting that the Four Seasons is pet friendly and doesn’t even charge extra for pets, which is rare.
Ford booked our room through the Four Seasons Preferred Partner program, which offers the same rate, but comes with additional perks, and is absolutely the best way to book Four Seasons hotels globally. Note that Four Seasons Preferred Partner is generally combinable with promotions being offered directly through Four Seasons, like a third or fourth night free offer.
For booking through Four Seasons Preferred Partner, we got the following perks for our stay:
- A room upgrade, subject to availability
- A $70 daily breakfast credit, valid either for breakfast in the restaurant or via in-room dining
- A $100 hotel credit to use during our stay
You can’t beat getting all of these extra perks just for booking through an eligible travel agent. Ford is of course more than happy to help anyone book this hotel through Preferred Partner, and can be reached at [email protected].
Four Seasons Miami location
The Four Seasons is located just off Brickell Avenue, in the heart of Brickell. For those of you not familiar with Brickell, this is basically Miami’s business area — there are tons of high rise apartment buildings, offices, and great restaurants.
The Four Seasons is in a 70-story building, and it’s the second tallest building in all of Miami (after Panorama Tower). The building contains offices on most of the bottom floors, then hotel rooms are on floors 20-36, and then the residences are above that.
Four Seasons Miami exterior
Four Seasons Miami check-in & lobby
The ground floor of the Four Seasons has plenty of seating, and then several sets of elevators, depending on whether you’re going to the hotel, residences, or offices.
Four Seasons Miami ground floor lobby
The first set of elevators leads up to the seventh floor, which is where the hotel’s lobby is located.
Four Seasons Miami ground floor elevators
The lobby was huge and felt spacious. The concierge desk was straight ahead and just inside the lobby, while reception was inside and to the right.
Four Seasons Miami concierge desk
Four Seasons Miami reception
The check-in process was efficient and friendly. as I find to consistently be the case with Four Seasons. Within a few minutes we had keys to our room.
The lobby was pretty elegantly decorated, and had some Botero sculptures.
Four Seasons Miami lobby
Four Seasons Miami lobby
Four Seasons Miami lobby
Four Seasons Miami lobby
Four Seasons Miami lobby
The elevators between the lobby and the guest rooms were towards the back, so to get from the ground floor to your guest room you had to take two sets of elevators.
Four Seasons Miami elevators
Four Seasons Miami hallway
Four Seasons Miami bay view room
We were assigned room 2109, which was an upgrade from a city view room to a bay view room. The standard rooms here are advertised as being 500 square feet, so they’re on the large side as far as standard rooms go. The room had an entryway with the bathroom to the left.
Four Seasons Miami king room entryway
The room featured a king size bed (I love Four Seasons beds — the mattresses and sheets are the best of any hotel brand, in my opinion), and across from that was a TV.
Four Seasons Miami king room
Four Seasons Miami king room
Then towards the back of the room was a chair with a side table, a desk with two office chairs (so that it could double as a dining table), and then more seating at the window.
Four Seasons Miami king room
Four Seasons Miami king room
Four Seasons Miami king room
Back near the entrance was a coffee machine, tea kettle, and a mini-fridge (I would imagine this used to be a minibar, but isn’t right now due to coronavirus).
Four Seasons Miami in-room coffee machine
Four Seasons Miami in-room mini fridge
Also waiting in the room was a PPE kit, which is a nice touch, because it’s something that some other hotels have cut pretty quickly. Some hotels have started to monetize PPE by putting vending machines in the lobby.
Four Seasons Miami in-room PPE kit
Speaking of amenities, we were also given a lovely welcome amenity consisting of a bottle of champagne and a fruit plate.
Four Seasons Miami welcome amenity
The Four Seasons isn’t quite on the water, though we did have a nice bay view.
Four Seasons Miami room view
The bathroom was well appointed, and had a sink, a proper tub, a walk-in shower, and a toilet in a separate room.
Four Seasons Miami king room bathroom
Four Seasons Miami king room shower & tub
Four Seasons Miami king room toilet
Toiletries were from L’Occitane.
Four Seasons Miami toiletries
Overall we thought the room was great. To be clear, obviously this isn’t the most cutting edge or visually stunning Four Seasons, but it’s priced accordingly. I did think the room was very thoughtfully designed for what it is — for example, I loved the proper desk, the office chair, and that there was even a second office chair, so that we could eat from there.
Wireless internet in the room was fast and free.
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak & Bar
EDGE Steak & Bar is the Four Seasons’ signature restaurant, and it’s open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant is just off the lobby, and has both plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak & Bar
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak & Bar
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak & Bar outdoor seating
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak & Bar outdoor seating
We loved sitting outside, and in the evenings there were even heat lamps when needed.
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak & Bar outdoor seating
Since we had a $100 hotel credit, we decided to have dinner at EDGE one night, which was excellent. You can find the EDGE dinner menu here. We had dirty martinis to drink.
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak dinner — dirty martinis
To start I had a caesar salad, while Ford had a sunchoke salad.
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak dinner — starter
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak dinner — starter
We each had a filet as our main, and then ordered a side of charred brussels sprouts.
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak dinner — main course
Four Seasons Miami EDGE Steak dinner — side
It was a very good meal, from the food to the service.
Four Seasons Miami breakfast
For booking through Four Seasons Preferred Partner we received a $70 daily breakfast credit, valid either at EDGE or for in-room dining. You can find the EDGE breakfast menu here. The Lavazza coffee was excellent, both hot and cold.
Four Seasons Miami breakfast
Four Seasons Miami breakfast
Over the course of our stay we tried the honey nut granola parfait, avocado toast, smoked salmon bagel, and two eggs any style, all of which we enjoyed.
Four Seasons Miami breakfast
Four Seasons Miami breakfast
Four Seasons Miami breakfast
Four Seasons Miami breakfast
The service at the restaurant really was top notch — the second day they already remembered our drink and milk preferences, so the attention to detail was appreciated.
Four Seasons Miami pool
I’m not a pool person, but the Four Seasons Miami has a gorgeous tree-lined pool deck, especially for a city hotel. It’s located on the seventh floor and is two acres, with awesome views.
Four Seasons Miami pool deck
Four Seasons Miami pool
Four Seasons Miami pool & hot tub
Four Seasons Miami pool
Four Seasons Miami pool
Four Seasons Miami pool
Four Seasons Miami Equinox gym
Four Seasons properties are usually known for having great gyms, though the setup here is a bit different. The Four Seasons has an Equinox on the fourth floor, so hotel guests can use it at no extra cost.
I was apprehensive about this at first given that indoor gyms aren’t exactly ideal with coronavirus, but I was pleasantly surprised both by how quiet the gym was, and also by the fact that everyone was wearing their mask correctly in the gym (which is perhaps the only place in Miami where that’s the case?). So we were able to work out while consistently staying 10+ feet from anyone else.
Equinox Brickell (Four Seasons Miami gym)
Equinox Brickell (Four Seasons Miami gym)
Four Seasons Miami service
Service at the Four Seasons was phenomenal, as I consistently find to be the case at Four Seasons properties around the world. Where do we even start?
- I find Four Seasons employees to be friendly and professional, but not in an overly scripted way, as I often find to be the case at Ritz-Carlton properties in the US (for example, I don’t need to be addressed by name in every single sentence)
- The attention to detail was excellent — that includes them remembering our orders at breakfast, them always picking up within a few rings when we called, the prompt texting service for any requests, etc.
- The mask enforcement was excellent, and everyone in the hotel was wearing their masks correctly; I find that Four Seasons is a brand that’s committed to delivering on its promises, and actually put policies in place to ensure that (in the case of this hotel there was someone at the seventh floor elevator who both took temperatures and kept an eye on masks)
Bottom line
We had an excellent stay at the Four Seasons Miami, and it was quite a contrast to the Hyatt Centric. Admittedly you’d kind of expect that, though it’s not like this hotel was that outrageously priced — we paid an average of ~$275 per night, and we got a $70 daily breakfast credit, and an additional $100 credit once during our stay.
It goes without saying that this isn’t the most exciting Four Seasons in the world, as it’s more of a very nice business hotel than anything else. However, the service really feels differentiated compared to most other places in Miami. I’d absolutely consider staying here again.
If you’ve stayed at the Four Seasons Miami, what was your experience like? Anyone else generally as impressed by Four Seasons as I am in terms of the consistency of excellent service?
Want to take advantage of Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
Read Four Seasons reviews: Athens, Boston, Cap-Ferrat, Costa Rica Peninsula Papagayo, Denver, Desroches Island, Florence, Fort Lauderdale, Geneva, Hualalai, Kyoto, Lanai, Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, Los Cabos, Madrid, Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Maui, Megeve, Miami, Napa Valley, Naviva, Nevis, Oahu at Ko Olina, Paris, Punta Mita, San Francisco at Embarcadero, Scottsdale, Seychelles, and Surfside
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Nice to read your post. It’s a solid property for sure. But I really do prefer the Mandarin – even shunning my FS Elite benefits (which are exactly what you get booking the Partner Program) – for the better location, an actual sandy faux beach, and La Mar restaurant which I love. It’s also usually less expensive and the rooms have balconies. Thanks for sharing with us.
This place brings back memories. I remember having a Fever Tree GnT at the bar here for the first time in 2010. That was back when Fever Tree was very hard to find.
I stayed there last month. I agree with someone earlier that the Mandarin is much nicer. The staff at Four Seasons is lovely and the room is nice, but the Mandarin had a much more luxurious feel. Also, annoyed I didn't get a welcome amenity like you even though I booked through Amex Fine Hotels.
@FNT Delta Diamond--ironically, we've stayed within the past few years at both the Hyatt Regency Singapore (thought the duplex suite was great) and the Hyatt Regency Guam. Genuinely curious--how you remember the color of the wood and why did you use those two particular hotels as examples?
For what it's worth, we have also stayed at the JW Marriott in Miami, which we still remember because it was our first experience with the tv...
@FNT Delta Diamond--ironically, we've stayed within the past few years at both the Hyatt Regency Singapore (thought the duplex suite was great) and the Hyatt Regency Guam. Genuinely curious--how you remember the color of the wood and why did you use those two particular hotels as examples?
For what it's worth, we have also stayed at the JW Marriott in Miami, which we still remember because it was our first experience with the tv hidden in the mirror in the bathroom (room on the executive floor).
You had a much better experience than I did. I stayed around February 21 which was about the time of the snow storms so they were actually quite busy. I booked through Amex Fine hotels and got better amenities than the Preferred Partner. We never did get a welcome amenity even after some mixup in which they attempted to deliver someone else's to us. We did not see anyone monitoring masks or taking temperatures and...
You had a much better experience than I did. I stayed around February 21 which was about the time of the snow storms so they were actually quite busy. I booked through Amex Fine hotels and got better amenities than the Preferred Partner. We never did get a welcome amenity even after some mixup in which they attempted to deliver someone else's to us. We did not see anyone monitoring masks or taking temperatures and that was the main issue of my complaint. All those nice comfy sofas were occupied around dinner time by hoards of people, none of which who were wearing a mask and all of which you had to walk past in order to get to the elevator for the rooms. So unavoidable. We also had no service at breakfast- despite being the only table in the restaurant, it took 15 minutes for someone to just bring us a menu. I have also stayed at the SLS Brickell and will say that the Four Seasons was by far a better choice if you need to stay downtown.
@Ben. Thanks Lucky great review. Agree with other comments that the Mandarin is better all things considered---and often a better value. It's getting a *tad* dated too, especially in some of the common areas and the pool is underwhelming, but it's my go-to in Miami for staying in the city. Are you going to review the Mandarin in Brickell any time soon?
How are you guys getting around? Rental car, or do you have a car in Florida?
I’m a big fan of Four Seasons, but I’m glad I’m not the only one who was a little underwhelmed by the photos of this property. With the exception of the pool, it looks dated and bland and like any convention center hotel.
I am curious to check out the Mandarin now.
Interesting that people are fixated on the bathroom. It's actually a fairly standard looking one for many Four Seasons properties. Dallas and LA are nearly identical as an example with the same finishes. While they are a bit 1990's I still find them to be ok. Agree though, L'Occitane products are very meh. But they seem to be getting phased out - with Miami being one of the few that seems to still have them.
This is the only Four Seasons I've ever stayed at - got deal when I attended what is now the Miami Open tennis (when it was still in Key Biscayne) in 2010. I thought it was lovely and service was excellent.
@Ben
What is up with the large white plates they served you on? In the first two photos of the breakfast items, the dark marks on them look like they could be a plate design.
However, in your photo of the filet (which is tiny and stupidly presented with random, undressed mixed greens) it looks like a plate you would get from a cheap cafeteria that has been washed too many times and the...
@Ben
What is up with the large white plates they served you on? In the first two photos of the breakfast items, the dark marks on them look like they could be a plate design.
However, in your photo of the filet (which is tiny and stupidly presented with random, undressed mixed greens) it looks like a plate you would get from a cheap cafeteria that has been washed too many times and the white of the porcelain has rubbed off.
The same in the last breakfast photo of the poached eggs with potatoes and tomatoes. Again, random black marks on the plate. Usually, if it’s a plate pattern, they are much more consistent, and don’t make it look so unappetizing.
Either they are using disgustingly old plates, or someone made a terrible choice in ordering those. Either way, unacceptable for any hotel, let alone FS, IMHO.
That, and I agree with others’ comments about the room and the bathroom. It looks like an old Marriott, and I find it hard to believe that room is actually 500 square feet. Looks more like 300-350, max.
Glad I'm not the only one unimpressed by the decor and room style. The Mandarin in Brickell is definitely much nicer
The room looks very dated
Sorry Ben, have to agree with the others on the comment on what is defined as luxury - to me this is just dated and does not even fit into the classic deco. However the pool area is indeed well done and does give a nice tropical/relaxing feel.
Four seasons is an embarrassment of luxury hotels.. really L'Occitane ??!!
Is the carpet at reception for real? That would be fun to walk on after a few drinks. I recently read about a hotel that installed a similar carpet to stop kids from running in the hallways.
The room pictures look like taken from a holiday inn...
Ben, OK, one more general question too. You mention the $100 hotel credit for this hotel. Some sort of hotel credit also seems to be common with Virtuoso, Hyatt Prive, others probably too. But using Four Seasons as an example, do you need to spend at least $100 before they credit you $100? If you only spend $80 will they credit you $80?
I would have thought this a stupid question but within the last...
Ben, OK, one more general question too. You mention the $100 hotel credit for this hotel. Some sort of hotel credit also seems to be common with Virtuoso, Hyatt Prive, others probably too. But using Four Seasons as an example, do you need to spend at least $100 before they credit you $100? If you only spend $80 will they credit you $80?
I would have thought this a stupid question but within the last couple years I had a Westin Kauai stay that included a $75 on-site credit. I spent $62. They would not credit me the $62, it was all or nothing. So I had to go down to the convenience store and buy a couple jars of peanut butter to get my tab over $75. And then I had to throw them away since you can't bring them through TSA. This seemed so silly.
Ben, do you know what the hotel's written policy is regarding someone who may exceed the temperature scan? Are you not allowed to go to your room? Are you allowed to go and retrieve your things but then forced to check out? Does a hotel employee go to your room and pack your things while you wait in the lobby and then they force you to check out? Do they force you to get a...
Ben, do you know what the hotel's written policy is regarding someone who may exceed the temperature scan? Are you not allowed to go to your room? Are you allowed to go and retrieve your things but then forced to check out? Does a hotel employee go to your room and pack your things while you wait in the lobby and then they force you to check out? Do they force you to get a PCR test and then sequester in your room until the results are back? Do all these things also apply to a travel companion who may have a normal temperature?
And if none of those things, then this is really just someone sticking their hand in your face every time you want to enter. And what is the purpose of that exactly?
While the US won't throw anyone in detention for suspicion of being infected, I'd like to have guarantees from the hotel that I have full access to my belongings regardless of what some useless medical test says. I really can't wait for these temp scans to get relegated to the dustbin...in case that wasn't clear :)
I'm sorry but the hotel lobby is not elegant. It's tired. It looks like it has not been refreshed in a major way, except for perhaps some art, since about 2005. It looks very much like some of the older Hyatts with all that light-colored wood. I'm thinking the Grand Hyatt in Singapore. Also, the guest room is very plain. It also has that light-colored wood; just like the Hyatt Regency in Guam. It could...
I'm sorry but the hotel lobby is not elegant. It's tired. It looks like it has not been refreshed in a major way, except for perhaps some art, since about 2005. It looks very much like some of the older Hyatts with all that light-colored wood. I'm thinking the Grand Hyatt in Singapore. Also, the guest room is very plain. It also has that light-colored wood; just like the Hyatt Regency in Guam. It could be a nice Marriott or an average J.W. Marriott somewhere forgettable. Outside the huge TV, the guest room is also very outdated with almost no accessible outlets or USB outlets, except the outlet box on the one nightstand. Clearly, the room is about 5 years overdue for some updates. Maybe add some color. Too many buffs and browns between the guest room and lobby. The bathroom looks like an older Ritz-Carlton bathroom.
I mean for $200 this is okay. But it's hardly what I expected of the Four Seasons. I think I will stick with the J.W. Marriott, which has fresher rooms. The J.W. Marriott Marquis is as tired as the Four Seasons. It also has that same buff and brown decor.
@Ben if Ford is booking for you, isn't he getting an agent rate on top of the other Preferred Partner perks? Not a criticism and I know you're always transparent, just curious.
@ Peter -- He could have probably gotten some sort of travel agent rate, but we intentionally didn't do that. He booked it in my name, and I don't even think they had a clue he was staying with me.
The pictures of the lobby and room remind me why I don’t miss business travel much. It looks utterly, utterly generic.
The moment when you wheel your luggage into a dark room, the door clicks and you flick on the lights to the same room, desk, chair...emptiness.
It's a solid property for sure. But I really do prefer the Mandarin - even shunning my FS Elite benefits (which are exactly what you get booking the Partner Program) - for the better location, an actual sandy faux beach, and La Mar restaurant which I love. The Brickell property really could be a FS that's anywhere. But the Mandarin just feels like Miami without having to deal with the SoBe nonsense. It's also usually less expensive and the rooms have balconies.
That pool is gorgeous and so was the shot you took. The room looks very nice, and the grounds look stunning. And I loved that Botero sculpture in the lobby. Wow. Nice review.
I guess Botero is "unique art"... but I don't think that's what you meant.