Four Seasons Washington D.C. Rating: 5.0 Pearls

Georgetown, Washington, D.C., United States

The lobby

Located 1.4 miles from the White House on the opposite end of Pennsylvania Avenue in the historic, rarefied neighborhood of Georgetown, the 211-room hotel emerged in January 2009 from a $40 million renovation that included the lobby, upgrades to rooms in the West Wing, the opening of Bourbon Steak from two-time James-Beard-Award-winning-chef Michael Mina, and a $15,000-a-night Presidential Suite replete with bullet-resistant glass. It's that kind of place -- where power players come to make things happen. The driveway is perpetually clogged with black Escalades with tinted windows and Benzes with diplomatic plates; and men with earpieces scan the public spaces with purpose. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was in residence during my stay.

Rooms are what you would expect from a Four Seasons in D.C. -- comfortable, luxurious, but a bit bland, even with the help of fine art on its walls from the hotel's impressive collection. The bathrooms are hard to top, though, with huge sunken tubs, separate showers, and almost enough space to set up pins and bowl.

But it's the service, more than the rooms, that makes this property stand out. Twenty-six employees have worked at the hotel since it opened in 1979, which means not just an experienced and well-trained staff, but a devoted one as well. All six concierges are members of Les Clefs d'Or, the elite concierge organization with just 3,000 members worldwide. (The most junior member of the concierge staff has worked at the hotel for seven years, and is considered the "baby." The most senior has been there since the hotel opened.) What this means is that the hotel is run like a fine-tuned machine; nary a thread, a leaf, or a staff member's tie is out of place.

Other notable features include the tri-level fitness center, which blows away the one at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, a few blocks down the street; and the hotel's restaurant, Bourbon Steak, from award-winner Michael Mina, where the butter-poached steaks can cost $50 a pop -- not that the patrons are counting dollars or calories.

The Four Seasons is an all-around great stay, but planting yourself in Georgetown is a matter of taste and preference. You're close to some of the city's best shopping -- and steps away from the charming Rock Creek Park, which is a great place to jog -- but you're definitely not close to the major monuments. If you're not married to Georgetown, consider the newly renovated Jefferson or the Hay-Adams, where Obama stayed during the inauguration. Both are located near the White House, and significantly closer to the Mall and other major tourist sites.

With highly personalized service from a staff that consistently takes initiative -- and genuinely cares about its guests, VIPs or not -- it's tough to top the first-class treatment at the Four Seasons. A bellman had my bags out of the trunk before I'd even paid the driver. And even though I arrived early, my room was ready and check-in took mere minutes. Virtually every single staff member I encountered asked, "Is there anything else we can do for you, Ms. B___?" When I called the front desk for toothpaste, not only did they respond promptly (within 10 minutes) but also delivered it in a white paper bag.

The top-notch service extends well beyond energetically responding to requests. Every concierge is a member of Les Clefs d'Or, the prestigious concierge organization with just 3,000 members worldwide that certifies professional concierges. The most junior member of the staff has worked for the Four Seasons for seven years, and the most senior has been there since the hotel opened in 1979. They genuinely know the city inside and out, can get tough reservations at the last minute (in my case, at the Blue Duck Tavern in the Park Hyatt where the Obamas had their anniversary dinner), and genuinely look after your interests.

• 24-hour expert concierge
• 24-hour room service
• Nightly turndowns
• Choice of morning newspaper(s)
• Free overnight shoeshine service

View on a Larger Map

Located on the edge of the wealthy, historic neighborhood of Georgetown. Cobblestone streets, charming rows of two- and three-story brightly colored brick rowhouses, and historic, treelined C&O Canal, make Georgetown one of the most beautiful areas of the city. Despite being sandwiched between the Whitehurst Freeway and the busy Rock Creek Parkway, the hotel is still surprisingly quiet. It's also just a few minutes' walk from the heart of Georgetown's shopping and restaurants. The downside of Georgetown is that it is not part of D.C.'s fast and efficient Metro subway system.

• Located off Pennsylvania Avenue, just steps to M Street, Georgetown's main shopping and restaurant drag
• Charming, historic neighborhood along the Potomac River with cobblestone streets and two- and three-story brick rowhouses
• 20-minute walk to Georgetown University
• 15- to 20-minute walk or five- to 10-minute taxi to Dupont Circle
• 20- to 30-minute walk or five- to 10-minute taxi to sights like the White House
• Two and a half miles to the Smithsonian Institution
• Two miles to the center of the National Mall
• 15- to 30-minute cab ride ($15 to $20) to Union Station
• 20- to 30-minute cab ride ($20 to $25) to Reagan National Airport
• 45- to 60-minute cab ride ($55 plus) to Dulles International Airport

A Premier Room

Rooms pack in the luxury you'd expect from a Four Seasons -- marble bathrooms with huge sunken tubs, supremely comfortable beds with feather-topped mattresses, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, and unique pieces of art from the hotel's bona fide collection. (They don't get points for creativity, however; this is a very traditional version of luxury.) Standard guest rooms start at 350 square feet, but there are only 16 of them -- so guests are more likely than not to get bumped to a premier room, which gets you an additional 125 square feet of space and a significantly more spacious bathroom with dual sinks and a massive sunken bathtub. Rooms are spread across two wings, East and West, which are connected by a glass-enclosed walkway. Rooms in the West Wing were renovated in January 2009, the East Wing in 2005, but they're all immaculately maintained.

• Tech amenities in all rooms include a 32-inch LG flat-screen TV with about 200 channels, including HBO and music channels, a Zenith DVD player, Tivoli radio with universal jack to connect an iPod, and an electronic safe big enough for a laptop. The hotel also has a DVD collection of about 50 titles, including a selection for children.
• Beds are super luxurious with feather-topped mattresses, 200- or 300-thread-count Rivolta Carmignani linens (the higher thread count linens are in the newly renovated West Wing), down pillows, and duvets.
• Bathrooms in the premier rooms are significantly larger than those in the superior rooms, which only come with a shower and single sink. Premier room bathrooms come with dual sinks and deep soaking tubs large enough for two. All come with L'Occitane toiletries and plush robes.
• Rooms in the West Wing tend to be slightly larger than those in the East Wing, and primarily look out onto 29th and M Streets, whereas those in the East Wing have views of Rock Creek and the C&O Canal. Some rooms in both wings have courtyard views. It's more preference than anything else.
• Both wired and wireless Internet are $10 or $15 a day, depending on speed.

The pool

The hotel's massive, three-story fitness center and spa with a two-lane saltwater lap pool and Jacuzzi is enough to set the hotel apart from most in Washington. Add in the Kindles that are available during breakfast at Seasons, and the free Internet and printing in the business center, and it's almost possible to overlook the silly $10 or $15 (depending on speed) Internet fees to access Wi-Fi.

• The tri-level spa and fitness center is one of the best in the city. One floor is devoted to cardio, with over a dozen Precor and Life Fitness machines with individual TVs, a second to strength training equipment, and a third to a two-lane saltwater lap pool and Jacuzzi.
• In addition to the traditional fitness areas, there's also a tranquil room set aside for yoga and aerobics.
• The only thing that's missing is 24-hour access -- the gym is open only from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; fruit, tea, and fruit-infused water are free.
• The spa offers a full range of massages, facials, body treatments ranging from $85 for a 25-minute massage to $2,250 for a package of six signature treatments with Kate Somerville products.
• Adjacent to the spa is George at the Four Seasons, which offers full-service hair and nail treatments.
• Internet costs $10 or $15 per day, depending on speed.
• The business center is open 24 hours and has three computers, including one iMac; Internet access and printing is free.
• The hotel offers Kindles to those dining at Seasons restaurant so they can read any paper they want in any language; only one was in experimental circulation when I visited, but it's been so popular that management has since added more.

Pets under 15 pounds are welcome for no additional charge. Guests checking in with their pet must sign a waiver saying they will not leave the animal alone in the room, but dog sitters (and cat sitters) are available for hire.

The Premier room is comfortable for families

With Premier Rooms with two queen beds, a modest-size lap pool, children's menus, DVD players in all guest rooms, and an extensive DVD library with children's titles -- plus a staff that will bend over backwards for any person, big or small -- the Four Seasons is a top luxury pick for families.

• Superior rooms come with two twin beds, but a better option is a premier with two queens or a premier with a king and a pullout sofa.
• Adjoining rooms are available.
• Cribs are free.
• Rollaways are free, but only fit into a grand premier room or higher.
• Welcome amenities include chocolate chip cookies with children's names on them.
• Free baby and children's toiletries
• Child-size bathrobes
• Magazines, books, and age-appropriate toys upon request
• Children's menus at Seasons and Bourbon Steak
• Pool located in the fitness center, though it's better suited for laps than splashtime, and there's no lifeguard

From the gleaming lobby to the immaculate guest rooms, there's nary a thread, a leaf, or an accent pillow out of place, especially after an extensive $40 million renovation completed in January 2009.

Bourbon Steak

Included in the hotel's recent $40 million renovation was the addition of Bourbon Steak, the fourth outpost of the popular steakhouse from two-time James-Beard-Award-winning-chef Michael Mina. It's a welcome addition to the already established Seasons, known as one of the places where the D.C. machers come for their early morning power-breakfasts. Bourbon, which was designed by starchitect David Rockwell, is known for Mina's butter-poached steaks and duck-fat French fries -- both of which live up to the hype.

• Located on the mezzanine level, Seasons is open only for breakfast (and brunch on Saturdays); prices range from $16 for a Belgian waffle to $28 for a Chesapeake skillet with jumbo lump crab.
• Bourbon Steak is open only for dinner and fills up fast; make a reservation in advance or eat at an off hour; most steaks are more than $40, side dishes not included.
• 24 hour room service from Seasons