Reviews Vancouver Four Seasons Hotel

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
May 2009
Customer Service is King here.

Came on a company trip, and was fortunate to stay at the Four Seasons. The hotel is situated right next to the City Centre Mall and actually has a direct entrance to the mall.

Located conveniently in the Downtown area, you aren't more than 15-20 minutes away from any of the "districts" in the Downtown area by foot.

The only drawback is that some of the rooms have an unfortunate view of the massive construction going on in around town.

I had a slight mishap in my room and after letting the manager know of the small problem, we were upgraded to a mini suite. Everything about the Four Seasons says elegant and comfort, from the plush carpeting to the flat screen TV's to the infamous beds.

This is the only hotel I've seen with 3/4 of a shower door. Sort of an art deco touch but a nice one at that.

I would definitely stay here again and highly recommend it.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
May 2009
I love this hotel. It is very special to me because I stayed there for almost a year of my life and loved it. Of course there were no buildings covering the back of it so you could see the water and it was breath taking. The people that work there are some of the nicest you can ever meet. The restaurant is also very nice. The rooms are incredible and huge. I love everything about this hotel.
 

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Apr 3, 2009
We went to Vancouver in december and could not make it up to whistler because of the snow storm, the first hotel we thought of to spend Christmas eve and Christmas day was the four seasons!
I love this hotel, the service is outstanding the food great and fantastic location!
We have stayed here many times and I must say that the first time we stayed about 5 years ago the rooms were a bit shabby but, the service was still fantastic!
Now the hotel has had an overhaul and the rooms are really lovely! I visit Vancouver twice a year and would not even thick about staying anywhere else!1
of course if you have been to any four seasons you will know how great they are with children, gifts milk and cookies and great kids menu!

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Mar 24, 2009
Having stayed at the Four Seasons Vancouver a few years ago , we were looking forward to returning to the newly refurbished hotel. Service remains excellent and fully up to Four Seasons global standard. The new Yew restaurant is light years ahead of the old one in every respect and we very much enjoyed breakfast and dinner there. Our Premier Executive Suite had been recently made-over .

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Feb 7, 2009
Stayed for three nights in April with my wife and two children (12 & 9). We had interconnecting rooms. The hotel lobby was being refurbished so we had a great rate.

The hotel is in a great location and the restaurant for breakfast was excellent. Rooms were very big and well decorated. Nice touch of welcome cookie with milk with each child's name on it upon arrival.

We had a lovely stay and are looking forward to returning this year.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Feb 3, 2009
Outstanding service, excellent restaurant with 'tastings' program, whereby any bottle of wine may be opened and sold in quarters of the bottle price, rather than lesser wine by the glass. In this way, some stupendous world wines may be sampled without being gouged, or the necessity to purchase the entire bottle (although after the flavours of my first quarter struck me, I certainly did).
Food, service, ambience, location, view, amenities and room comfort, this hotel is certainly the best I've ever stayed at in North America.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Jan 23, 2009
Nothing special for a FOUR SEASONS, they only want your money. You can get better rooms and service for less money at other 4 stars downtown hotels. This is not a 5 stars hotel at all.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Jan 5, 2009
I booked this hotel with a 3rd night free promotion which came to about 150US per night ,at this rate it is a bargain. If you are expecting a luxurious room you're at the wrong hotel, the rooms are more like a Hilton as far as the amenities go. The restaurant was very good and looked like it had been remodeled, the food was pricey but very good as was the service. The bathrooms are tiny, I stayed on the top floor and when I raised my hand to put deodorant on my hand hot the ceiling in the bathroom and I am only 5"11". If you're pay Four Seasons prices you will be disappointed.
 

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Dec 4, 2008
Stayed here for two nights while in town on business. Location is good, right downtown and connected to the Pacific Centre Mall. As other reviews will confirm the rooms are dated but clean and well maintained, and the service is excellent. While I was upgraded to a suite at no charge, the bottom line is that I never felt comfortable. Since then I've been to Vancouver twice and chose to stay elsewhere.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Nov 23, 2008
We spent one night at this hotel in a 1 bedroom suite.

Service, restaurant and food were outstanding. The location is good. The room was spotless.

The problem with this hotel as has been stated before is the very dated rooms. Our room smelled very old and musty. Small TVs, small bathroom, old furniture. Very disappointing. The bellman told me that most people are very unhappy with the hotel. Management knows about it and are in the process of renovations. Unfortunately, they still charge the same price as updated, current Four Seasons.

I would stay at the Westin Vancouver next time and save a lot of money.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Nov 10, 2008
Multiple stays at the Four Seasons for business and one romantic weekend getaway. Great location. Hotel is a little bit dated, however, best service I have ever had at a hotel. Great gym and pool.

My only other reference in Vancouver is the Metropolitan (opposite the Four Seasons), so where possible I will compare the two.

Rooms: Little bit dated, however, all the rooms I've had have been large and spacious. Decent desk to work from and easy chair. Bathrooms have bath/shower combo. Not as nice as the Metropolitan's bathroom, but not too bad. I've always had a great view of the city from my room.

Service: By far the stand out feature of the hotel. What impressed me when I first arrived was that when I got to the check in desk, the receptionist seemed to know my name. It took me a while to work it out, however, when I arrived by taxi, the bell boy looked at the luggage tag on my bag and called reception as I was on my way to them. The Four Seasons has a staff policy to make sure that they always greet you with your name at any contact. Sounds silly, but it works to be appreciated. Great concierge. Nothing ever seems too much trouble (e.g. coming in at 2-3am and getting your shoes picked up for shoe shining before your meeting in the morning).


Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Nov 10, 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Four Seasons hotel. The room was very large with two double beds, a full sitting area and a desk. The bathroom was very large and fully stocked with amenities including the great white bathrobes.
Service was superior; whether it was room service or the front desk everyone was very helpful and willing to add the additional 'wow'.
Gym amenities were adequate with a wonderful outdoor/indoor pool. Change rooms also include sauna and lockers. Free coffee and water are available in the sitting area. Gym is very large open concept with a view to the outdoors. Great place to read your morning paper after a run.
Location is excellent - connected to Pacific Mall right in the heart of downtown Vancouver all sites are close including Gas Town, Stanley Park and Yaletown.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Oct 20, 2008
Vancouver is a fabulous destination. It has world class parks, attractive beaches and yacht harbors, urban amenities, outstanding restaurants and great people. What it lacks is a Four Seasons hotel. This property just does not make it when compared with other FS city hotels and resorts. As mentioned in several other posts, the big problem is the building itself. It is dated in both design and operations. At night we could hear elevators, heating and plumbing.

A year or so ago we stayed at the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. It’s in an urban setting, but the moment you step inside you immediately feel that it’s a welcoming retreat from the city outside. Not so at the Vancouver property. Part of the problem is awkward architecture, as the entry level (for taxis or when you’re walking) is a barely welcoming reception area. You need to take an escalator to the main lobby, which might not be a problem except that the main lobby is also cold, and on the night of our recent arrival, extremely noisy, as it is adjacent to, and almost part of the Yew restaurant and bar. This a structural problem, but not related to the age of the building. Yew has just been substantially renovated, and in fact it's a great restaurant and bar. It’s just not properly separated from the lobby, which should have been done at the time of the renos. The reception clerks have to speak quite loudly to make themselves heard over the din.

There were also a couple of minor service issues. The hotel was obviously not at capacity, and the reception clerk offered an upgrade, but stipulated a price of an extra $100 per night. I turned it down. I should have been more direct and demanded a free upgrade but I was pretty surprised that there was a proposed charge, and didn’t feel like haggling (in necessarily raised voices) in the lobby. Over the years we have stayed at FS properties elsewhere, including Los Angeles, Hualalai and Lanai. This weekend was our 17th and 18th nights with Four Seasons in the past 12 months. We have received upgrades in the past, without ever being requested to pay more. The way I see it, if you have an empty suite and a good customer, why wouldn’t you offer a free upgrade? Apparently that’s not the way the FS Vancouver looks at it.

Another, also minor, service issue was that I phoned the concierge to get a local radio station frequency. She didn’t know and said she would phone back. She didn’t. When I called 10 minutes later, she had the information, but said she had forgotten my room number.

The room itself, a “deluxe” king, was not of FS quality. Closet, bathroom and dresser were small. The desk features a spaghetti-like tangle of electrical cords underneath, in full view (admittedly a bit like my office, but I don’t rent my office out by the night). Non-flat screen tv. I was also appalled at the windows which can be opened at floor level. This is a high rise building, and there is no balcony, so this window would lead to a multi-storey drop. I haven’t seen those in hotels in 20+ years, and would urge anyone with small children not to book one of these rooms. Those windows are a tragedy waiting to happen.

As mentioned, Yew restaurant and bar was excellent. Our guests were Vancouver residents, but had not yet tried the FS’s new restaurant and were very impressed. Food, drink and service were excellent. It’s an expensive night out, but you definitely get what you pay for.

I will also add that the Vancouver FS is in an excellent location, which is one reason I have gone back several times since the 80's. But it’s in a very competitive market and there are excellent hotels close by, for example the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and the very nicely renovated Hyatt.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Sep 8, 2008
We have stayed at many FS properties across the world and truly appreciate the brand. I knew from other reviews that this would not be a five star location. Let me state that the property was clean, everything was in working order, and it was well located. The reason that I booked this hotel is that I hoped that the staff would make up for any shortcomings of the facility. Upon arrival I knew that I was right.

I do not know where they find such great people. The staff was able to make us overlook the "1970's Marriott style building" and made our stay feel pretty close to a five star Four Seasons experience. The front desk, concierge, bar, and valet staff were all wonderful! It is not their fault the building is showing it's age although they seem to work a little harder to maintain the high standards and make sure that we had a great experience.

Look at some negative reviews on Trip Advisor. It is typically the hotel employees who ruin an experience for a guest. Most low reviews are from travelers who expected something that was not delivered by the hotel staff. That said, this location actually improves my opinion of the FS brand. If the price is correct I will tolerate mediocre (but clean) decor as long as it is met with caring, talented , and hospitable individuals who excel at their jobs.

Someday soon I am sure that the company will make the investment and upgrade the rest of the building. (They just finished the bar and dining room) At that point it will be back among the best that Vancouver has to offer. Until then enjoy the reasonable rates, great service, and convenient location in a great weekend city.

Here are a few insider tips! Find out when B.C. days are and book that weekend. We happened to be there on this three day weekend in August 08 and had a blast. There were concerts, fireworks, and activities everywhere!

Book the Premier room for a great view and a little extra space! It is worth a few extra dollars.

Happy travels!

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Sep 5, 2008
As many other reviewers have commented, the public areas of this hotel are new and very attractive. Unusually for a city hotel, there is also an indoor/ outdoor pool with a little garden. The Yew Restaurant is good; the service is also excellent and absolutely up to the usual Four Seasons standard.

The rooms, however, really let the hotel down, when you consider what one expects from a Four Seasons. We had booked a suite, which had 2 "full" bathrooms. Not only was the decor very unappealing and circa 1980 (floral and plaid) but the condition of the suite wasn't great: the ceiling coving was dirty-looking, the air conditioning unit looked like it was built in 1960; a picture had slipped inside its frame; the hotel's main computer was crashing making Internet access impossible for most of my stay.
The worst though are the bathrooms. They are tiny and only just fit a bath tub (with shower inside) plus single basin and cramped toilet. The bathroom is what you would get in a 3 star airport hotel - and unlike any other Four Seasons I have stayed in (quite a few).

Staff at the hotel told me that a large refurb of the rooms is on the way but unless they knock the walls down, I can't see how this hotel will be able to improve its accommodation that much.

Having said that, I still enjoyed our stay as we were there to sightsee and had never planned to spend much time in our room. The other point to note is that - when I checked - the Four Seasons suites were chaper than the Pan Pacific, which indicates they have taken the lack of modernity into consideration in pricing.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Aug 25, 2008
This was a couple of years ago, but I thought that I could include it. My dad was able to book this hotel through some air miles points, so we got it free. We stayed there for two nights. I was very pleased by the service. The children got a glass of milk, a giant m &m cookie with their names printed at the top with icing, and a drink container each. The service was great and all, and as an extra bonus, the hotel was connected to a mall! The one minor problem that I had with this trip, was one of the staff at the recreation centre. The pool was very nice - half of it was indoors and the other half was outdoors, and there was a gym next to it. The outdoor half was in this oasis garden, with flowers and mini cascading waterfalls. One of the staff that was in charge of looking after that area was incredibly rude. While our kids were in the pool (they were quite big - they were in Gr. 4, Gr. 12, and Gr. 8), he kept watching them, although we were keeping an eye out at them. In addition to that, he told my mother to get off the treadmill for no apparent reason - it wasn't spoiled or anything like that.

Other then that, this hotel was extremely relaxing and I would totally go back there again!

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Aug 25, 2008
Great place!
Loved both restaurants, the pool and the suite was lovely, adjacent to the Pacific mall which has great shopping, lovely four seasons staff! Great place!

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Aug 23, 2008
We just spent a week there and was totally satisfied with what we got. All the staff are very friendly and helpful. I cant really think of a bad point except maybe the lack of tea making facility in the room but having said that if you go to the lobby floor before 8am there is free coffee/tea ready.

The location is perfect for exploring the city, our other hotel choice was the pan pacific but after walking down there to get to the sea front we were glad we chose not to stay there as the walk was pretty long. The four seasons is located 1 block from the busy street of Robson where there are loads of shops/restaurants. The hotel also has a shopping mall underneath it.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Aug 18, 2008
We stayed here in June. We normally stay at the Fairmont Waterfront, but thought we would give this a try after reading the mixed reviews posted here. My other half loves the Four Seasons so it was on her head if it went wrong. Well I cannot fault the service, the location and although the room was not the most modern it was extremely clean with a nice bathroom and a bed which was one of the most comfortable we have ever slept in .It compared favorably with the Fairmonts . My only gripe was it did not have the view the Fairmont has , but we were further downtown away from the water so what can I expect. all in all a great hotel, we will definitely stay here again.

Guest Reviews of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Aug 8, 2008
After reading so many mixed reviews, we were somewhat skeptical heading in, so bar wasn't set as high as at other Four Seasons we've stayed at. But we always are impressed w/ the great service and this was no disappointment.

The hotel staff were great, the concierges very knowledgeable and gave us excellent suggestions. One real differentiator is their patience in changing reservations since travelling w/ kids requires flexibility.

The rooftop pool was a real hit w/ the kids and having the gym right there at the pool enabled us to work out while they swam.

The rooms were a decent size, but the bathrooms were not up to Four Seasons or 5 star quality.

I agree w/ many of the other posters, that the physical attributes of the hotel are dated and unspectacular, but we learned that the entrance and lobby have been renovated, and there are other updates coming, so hope this will once again be a tier one hotel.

Lastly, we ate dinner at the lobby restaurant "Yew" and found the staff, food quality and selection and ambiance very good. Would definitely give a go.

We also had dinner at a local restaurant Salam Bombay (Indian food) that was quite good.
 

Jun 8, 2008
My husband and I stayed here for one night before our Princess Alaska Cruise Tour. The price was exorbitant but well worth it, as this hotel had, very possibly, the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in. All of the front desk/concierge/bell staff were friendly and helpful, and the hotel Hotel Location was ideal as it was an easy walk to the Gastown area as well as being part of the Pacific Centre mall. One thing I will say is that even for a Four Seasons, the food--especially the room service and the dinner at the main restaurant--was ridiculously overpriced. We stayed at a Renaissance Marriott in Seattle at the end of our trip and the room service prices were literally half that of the prices at this hotel. All in all though, due to the comfort of the room, the Hotel Location of the hotel, and the staff, our stay at the Four Seasons Vancouver was a great one.

May 9, 2008
We loved our 8 day stay at the Four Seasons Vancouver. Their service was impeccable, from the front desk to the concierge to the bellman. We visited with our 1 year old daughter, and they treated her like a princess. They equipped our room with baby soap, shampoo, lotion, baby powder, a diaper pail, outlet covers, a highchair with a padded mat beneath it, and a beautiful brass crib with yellow gingham linens of top quality. When we entered our room, we were greeted with a cookie they had baked with pink and purple M&Ms in it and her name written across it in frosting, along with a sippy cup of milk on ice. I have never experienced service as attentive as this!

The Hotel Location is excellent. It is close to public transportation and the concierges are extremely helpful. They gave us coupons for the Stanley Park Aquarium, made change for the buses, and recommended some top notch restaurants. We really enjoyed our stay. The hotel is very upscale and sophisticated, but they really went out of their way to make our baby feel welcome. We probably won't be staying at such upscale hotels like this once she is a little older, because the noisiness of typical toddlers/kids wouldn't really be appropriate for this place, but since she is a quiet/well-behaved baby, it really worked out for us this time.

May 6, 2008
I stayed at the hotel for one night in April 2008. The hotel is in a good Hotel Location, but I felt it was way overpriced for what we got. Staff were friendly enough and the room was clean, but we could have stayed in most other area hotels (with a clean room and friendly staff) for 2-3 nights for what we paid here. Having travelled extensively for business in the last few years, I have come to realize that the service in most moderate hotels (ie. Holiday Inn) has improved greatly in recent years and the "upscale" hotels charging very high prices will need to reconsider what they are offering for $300+ per night in order to remain competitive.

Apr 26, 2008
I was not told the hotel would be under construction when I was there and this made a huge differnce to the quality of my stay. Noise, mess and overal feeling of things a mess did not make for a pleasant stay. The Hotel Location of this hotel is great but, was disappointed in hotel's appearance during my stay.