Luxury, Comfort, and Elegance: Our Stay at Four Seasons Boston
Having decided that we would spend Christmas/Holiday and New Year in Boston, rather than spending our entire time there which might have been too long, I looked for somewhere within reasonable travelling distance and Boston seemed like the perfect choice. With direct flights from London’s Heathrow airport, and great daytime flight times, we decided that we would first spend a weekend in Boston, before travelling down to New York by train for Christmas Day and through until after New Year’s. You can read all about this itinerary, which is in two parts here and here. My train review of the Acela First Class service between Boston’s South Station to New York’s Moynihan Hall at Penn Station can be found here.
The iconic entrance of Four Seasons Hotel Boston, blending historic architecture with luxurious hospitality in a winter setting. ❄️🏨
Why Four Seasons Boston Was Our Choice for a Winter Getaway
There was a great choice of luxury five stars hotel available in Boston, so it was hard to narrow this down, but I’m always really pleased with Four Seasons properties anywhere we go, so the harder choice was to narrow it down to which Four Seasons we would stay at. There were pluses for both (and far less negatives of either) so it really was just a personal preference and I opted for the Four Seasons Boston (overlooking Boston Common) rather than the newer property of Four Seasons One Dalton. I thought One Dalton would win hands down on the wellness focus (and indeed they have an entire wellness floor, as well as treatments and therapies available) compared to the hotel we opted for where there was a pool but no treatments, but I must say the pool and steam/sauna/gym facilities at our hotel had a great atmosphere (when not overrun with families) and it was so much better than I was expecting from their portrayal of this on the Four Seasons website.
The festive holiday decor at Four Seasons Boston transforms the lobby into a warm, inviting winter retreat. 🎄✨
Why Book with The Private Traveller in conjunction with Fora Travel?
Experience the Best of a Selection of the Best Hotels in Boston with Exclusive Perks
Booking your stay with The Private Traveller through Fora Travel ensures you enjoy bespoke itineraries and enhanced perks. With access to benefits from a whole array of exclusive hotel programs, your stay becomes even more rewarding.
Typical Perks usually include:
Early check-in & late check-out
Room upgrades upon availability
Daily breakfast for two
Exclusive welcome amenities
Having booked one of the Four Seasons Preferred Partner rates with FORA Travel at the Four Seasons Boston, we enjoyed not only a complimentary upgrade to a Deluxe City View room, $50 each to spend on breakfast daily, as well as a $100 credit towards food and beverage. Having enjoyed a really comprehensive breakfast every day (read all about it below) and dinner on the day of arrival in Coterie, we’d expected to have to pay at least some top up, but everything was covered by the Preferred credits. This can really add value to your stay.
The elegant hallway at Four Seasons Boston welcomes guests with classic charm and timeless design. 🏨✨
Fast Facts for Four Seasons Hotel Boston:
Address - 200 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116
Website - https://www.fourseasons.com/boston/
Group website - https://www.fourseasons.com
TripAdvisor ranking - #26 of 96 hotels in Boston
Contact - https://www.fourseasons.com/boston/contact-us/
Instagram - @fsboston @fourseasons
Nearest airport - Boston’s Logan Airport (BOS) - 55 km or 34 miles (about a 45 min drive, traffic dependent)
Opened - 1985
Number of rooms / suites - 273 total including 63 executive suites & 12 speciality suites
Number of floors - 16 (the hotel occupies 8 floors) the remainder being residences
Bars - 1 (as part of Coterie)
Restaurants - 3 (Aujourd'hui [breakfast], Coterie Brasserie-style lobby lounge [lunch & dinner], & Sottovento Coffee Bar) plus The Sanctuary (outside, so weather-permitting)
Wellbeing - 8th floor indoor pool & whirlpool spa, 24 hour fitness room, treatments available on request in room
Visited - December 2024
A stylish entrance welcomes guests to Four Seasons Boston, featuring sophisticated decor and a warm ambiance. 🌿✨
Hotel Accommodation:
Refined Comfort Overlooking Boston Common
There are only four room types - Superior and Courtyard View, then Deluxe City and Garden View; along with the suites. The design and style wasn’t the newest but we loved the hotel from start to finish, and rooms were excellent, not least by having one on the top floor of the hotel (but not of the building) and the outlook over the Boston Common and Public Park.
“Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Boston is our luxury hotel retreat, set amongst the Victorian brownstone homes near the Back Bay neighbourhood and just steps from top attractions. Explore “America’s Walking City” by meandering through the Public Garden and Boston Common and shopping the renowned boutiques of Newbury Street before returning to your oasis in the city to settle into your serene guest room and our reimagined lobby and lounge.”
The Vault at Four Seasons Boston – an exclusive snack room offering treats and drinks in a whimsical, hidden setting. 🍬🍫
Facilities & Service at The Four Seasons Boston:
Unparalleled Comfort and Thoughtful Amenities
I’ve broken down the key facilities and services and shared my thoughts on what makes the Four Seasons a great place to stay:
Our Deluxe City View Room 809:
A big benefit of having booked myself through FORA, and being advised on check-in that we had been upgraded to a top floor Deluxe City View. Still a room vs a suite, this was really spacious and well designed.
On each room level of the hotel there was The Vault, a room stocked full of various chips (crisps for UK readers), popcorn, nuts and seeds, juices, jelly beans and boxes of Swedish Fish and various M&M’s. All complementary and available 24 hours just with your room card for access, this was a really nice touch. We could have been very indulgent, save for the fact (as I often find) that all the great candies (sweets for the UK!) tend to have a lot of artificial colours and flavours which always give me massive headaches.
Levels of Comfort:
So, so comfortable and with the squishiest and I think (probably ever) most comfortable huge bed. With twice-daily service including a nightly turndown, everything was always kept to perfection. It was incredibly cold outside when we were there, a massive fall of snow having just fallen as we landed in Boston, but the room temperature was perfectly adjustable and the whole hotel was neither too cold not kept overly warm.
Bathroom:
A really decent sized bathroom, and beautifully appointed. There was only one sink, despite the size that could easily have accommodated two, but a really nice space. At one end was a large walk-in shower cubicle and dual shower, all marble lined with a seat. Toiletries were all provided (shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner) in large reusable containers and all using a very convenient base to keep them in place.
Elegant marble bathroom at Four Seasons Hotel Boston, featuring a spacious walk-in shower with built-in seating, black granite vanity, and luxury amenities for a five-star stay. 🚿✨
Hand wash and body lotion were also provided, along with lots of towels and the bathroom was serviced (like the rest of the room) to perfection twice a day. Like the rest of the hotel, all perfect.
Breakfast:
Normally served in Aujourd'hui on the second floor, we only had this experience on our last day, as over the Holiday weekend there had been a special Teddy Bear event in that space. So on our first two days breakfast was in Coterie on the ground floor, and had a great selection of food. We (almost) opted for exactly the same breakfast each day, regardless of location, which started with a shared granola bowl with Greek yoghurt, summer fruits, and honey. Most days (though on the last day I mixed it up by having French toast too) I had avocado on sourdough with a poached egg and tomato, with ‘Mrs’ TPT having the French toast alone with a side of bacon, minus the fruit and maple syrup.
A beautifully plated avocado toast breakfast at Four Seasons Hotel Boston, featuring creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, microgreens, and a poached egg for a delicious start to the day. 🥑🍳
Service was excellent whether in the Coterie restaurant or the usual breakfast venue (Aujourd'hui), but it was nice to have the full second-floor view across the Park on our last day in Aujourd'hui and a change of scene.
Restaurants & Bars at Four Seasons Boston:
Dining Experiences to Complement Your Stay
I’d initially probably expected a hotel of this size to have had more dining options, but after our stay and on reflection I’d say now there was no need for more. You’re so close to a huge selection of bars, restaurants, and cafés within minutes of a walk, and with both Coterie for all-day dining, Aujourd'hui for breakfast, and of course 24 hour in-room dining (and the morning in-house coffee shop), I’d say the Four Seasons Boston has got it spot on.
The luxurious breakfast lounge with elegant décor and cosy seating, Aujourd'hui Four Seasons Boston.
Coterie Brasserie
After our flight in from the UK, and being slightly delayed with the snowy weather on arrival, once checked-in and unpacked, we decided to just eat in the hotel and Coterie was exactly what was needed. I’d thought this was just the bar that you could see from the reception area, but in fact there was another (dining) room to the left and it was also bigger than I’d thought and also more of a restaurant than just a bar.
Good food and great service, highly recommended.
Aujourd'hui
We only got to experience the second floor larger breakfast restaurant on our last day, and although the menu was the same, it had a much nicer outlook across the Boston Public Park and Common. This was much more spacious than Coterie for the breakfast service, and with tables right up against the window, a much better view.
Sottovento Coffee Bar
We didn’t actually ever use this, as the time we went to visit, we realised they only opened for the morning and closed by lunch. An in-house coffee shop, you could have complimentary coffee and pastries every morning, or have coffee delivered to your room or suite.
Spa & Wellness:
Wellness, Boston Style: A Closer Look at Four Seasons Facilities
The hotel website describes that there is the 8th floor indoor heated pool and whirlpool spa, as well as the 24 hour fitness room, but I don’t really think this did it justice. While it’s not a full-service spa with treatments etc. (albeit these can be organised within your room or suite), the facilities are really, really good. As well as what I would call a gym, which was full of the latest Technogym cardio machines, weights and free-weights, along with a whole array of other fitness equipment/facilities the changing rooms adjacent to the pool/whirlpool housed both a sauna and steam room in both the gents and ladies facilities.
Elegant 8th floor indoor pool at The Four Seasons Boston, perfect for a relaxing evening swim.
There was a gym/pool attendant (with long braided hair) and whenever she was working things were exemplary. She was always tidying, cleaning, filling up towels/water etc. and offering cartons of water or towels in the gym - clearly took massive pride in her work, and kept everything so tidy. What I would say though about the pool is that it could be an experience of two halves. We loved spending time in the steam room first (and the changing facilities were excellent with cold towels, water, robes, and loads of towels etc.) then relaxing by the pool and whirlpool where there were two loungers, and lots of other seating around. It could be lovely and relaxing (and we had this twice) but it could also feel chaotic when it’s overrun with kids, and their parents oblivious to the fact that they were allowed to scream at the top of their voices when playing, or have no awareness of cleanliness when there were walking around the pool with outdoor footwear.
Design & Architecture:
Sophisticated Interiors That Reflect Boston’s Spirit
You never tend to see many photos of the outside of the hotel, other than the entrance, and I can kind of now see why. It’s not the most photogenic of hotels, being built in the mid-1980’s in a slightly brutalist red-brick style. The inside is certainly at odds with the exterior, being much grander and stylish throughout.
The stylish Four Seasons Boston lobby blends classic elegance with modern luxury, featuring velvet seating, marble accents, and stunning chandeliers. ✨🏨
You could perhaps call this Beacon Hill Residential style, with colour schemes in a neutral palette with soft golds and blues. The rooms and suites were stylish and relaxing, beautifully appointed and exuding quality and style. The building was designed with attention to the area’s historical aesthetic. The exterior features a clean, symmetrical design with stone and brick elements that reflect Boston’s architectural traditions.
What about the Boston Location?
Explore Beyond the Hotel
Having visited Boston a couple of times before, but so long ago I couldn’t get my head around exactly where this was, albeit I knew there would be views of Beacon Hill and across the Boston Public Garden and Boston Common from the front of the hotel.
The Four Seasons Boston really was a perfect location however, but so too would the Four Seasons One Dalton further up towards the Prudential Center and Copley Place. As it was, the Four Seasons Boston seemed to be a short walk to just about everywhere, and we did lots of steps here going between the Downtown area and to Quincy Market, we walked to North End, the SoWa district, and of course it was just a stroll from all the up-market shops starting from the Newbury Hotel.
Things to Do Nearby in Boston:
Things to Do Nearby in Boston: Explore Shopping, Culture, and Seasonal Festivities
Festive indoor Christmas market with twinkling lights, artisan stalls, and holiday cheer at the Boston SOWA Winter Festival.
This review is just a snapshot! For an in-depth guide to activities, check out my separate ‘Travel Diaries’ blog where I dive into the following for much more detail:
Shopping
Downtown
Newbury Street
Snowport - Boston Seaport
Food & Drink in Boston:
Boston’s Dining Scene: A Foodie’s Paradise
Check out my Travel Diaries post for Boston to find out more about some of the restaurants, bars, and cafés we visited during our stay.
Highlights of our stay:
There were countless highlights during our time at the Four Seasons Boston, but here are just a few of the standout moments that made this stay unforgettable:
Location - absolutely spot on, central view great outlook
Easy to get from the airport and back to the train station, everywhere seemed so accessible
Food - whether breakfast or dinner in Coterie or Aujourd'hui
Room - a really good space and very well proportioned, so comfortable
Daily servicing of room - always perfect every single time
Pool/gym attendant - excellent service and kept the whole facility in tip top condition
The Vault - a really nice idea, just a pity (or was it a saving grace!?) about the artificial colours and flavours so I couldn’t indulge
Nice Holiday/Christmas touches throughout with decorations and the daily hot chocolate trolley in reception, candy canes available for the kids from a Santa’s sleigh
Cash ATM on site which was really handy - just ask to be let in behind reception
Great staff throughout
The Four Seasons app - always a great way to get hotel information, and a very easy way to make contact with the hotel staff direct for any requests and queries
Areas for improvement:
While every hotel has its high points, there's always room for improvement. There really isn’t much to add here other than one point where I think Four Seasons Boston could elevate the experience even further:
Pool times for kids / adults only - it was a wonderful facility when quiet, but parents seemed to take no responsibility whatsoever for their kids behaviour and when busy it could be furthest from relaxation as possible
Maybe just consider some candies with natural flavourings and colours, but I know this is just a general US v UK/EU difference
Would I Stay Here Again?
I’d recommend this to anyone (very, very highly) and if I was back in Boston I’d love to stay there. That said, not least the other Four Seasons property there at One Dalton, I always like trying out new hotels and having new experiences, so if I did go back I’d probably look to stay somewhere else, but only to have a different experience.
Enjoy stunning winter views from the lounge at Four Seasons Boston, where comfort meets luxury. ❄️☕
My final thoughts on the Four Seasons Boston:
We’ve now stayed at quite a number of Four Seasons properties, and while not owned but managed by Four Seasons, there is always a high level of consistency over (very high) operational standards. The Four Seasons Boston was no different, and it was an exemplary stay from start to finish.
Relax at the luxurious indoor pool at Four Seasons Boston, perfect for a peaceful escape in the heart of the city. 🏊♂️🌊
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Discover the elegance of Four Seasons Boston, a luxury retreat overlooking Boston Common. From exquisite dining to exceptional service, our in-depth review shares why this iconic hotel was the perfect choice for our winter getaway.