Through Our Eyes: Four Seasons’ Evergreen Appeal
"It's the service and the staff I love most about staying in a Four Seasons property. Knowing a guest by name, and offering that personalised level of care, is what sets them apart. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and it's the small touches in the room that stay with you."
Dana, Travel Designer
What does a stay at a Four Seasons hotel or resort actually feel like? Ask anyone who's experienced it for themselves, and you'll rarely hear quite the same answer twice. For our well-travelled Y Travel team and clients, the brand has long held a special place in the world of luxury hospitality, not simply for its legendary service, but for the way each property manages to feel unmistakably Four Seasons while remaining entirely of its destination.
From barefoot island escapes and jungle-fringed retreats to grand city hotels and culinary addresses worth travelling for, the experiences are wonderfully different, yet always bound by the same thread: thoughtful service, a deep sense of place, and the small details that stay with you long after checkout. So rather than simply telling you about these properties, we're sharing them the way we know them best, through the eyes of the people who've actually stayed. These are our favourite Four Seasons stays, personally experienced and loved by our Travel Designers and clients, alongside two new arrivals already on our radar.
Consider it our insider edit of a brand we know, trust, and love recommending.
Four Seasons Hotel Madrid
“I recently had clients return from Four Seasons Hotel Madrid and they absolutely loved their stay. They referred to it as an 'urban resort' in the middle of this beautiful, historical city, with a gorgeous sun-drenched rooftop terrace incorporating the Dani Brasserie, the wellness area, and a stunning glass-roofed indoor pool. Their room was spacious and beautifully appointed, and the warm, unobtrusive service was some of the most attentive they'd experienced anywhere in Europe”
Yvonne, Y Travel Founder
Housed across seven interconnected historic buildings in Madrid’s Centro district, Four Seasons Madrid has the rare ability to feel both grand and genuinely inviting. It’s the kind of place where a celebration feels entirely at home, but so does an afternoon tucked away with room service.
Upstairs, the rooftop opens to sweeping views across the city’s terracotta rooftops towards the Royal Palace, while downstairs, Dani Brasserie has become a destination in its own right. From chef Dani García, it brings a distinctly Spanish energy to the hotel and draws madrileños as readily as hotel guests.
It feels like Madrid distilled: elegant but relaxed, richly rooted in the city and entirely confident in its own skin. Luxury that doesn’t need to announce itself.
Y Factors: Artistry & Taste
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River
"The flower arrangements throughout the hotel are extraordinary, architectural, bold and designed as large-scale living works of art that mirror the sleek, modern lines of Jean-Michel Gathy's building. My room was equally impressive: spacious, full of natural light, with four-metre ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows looking straight out over the river. Then there's the bathroom, with its enormous freestanding oval tub. Pure luxury."
Linda, Assistant to Yvonne
Set along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok's Charoen Krung creative district, this is a very different take on the city. Rather than the familiar skyscrapers and shopping malls, the neighbourhood unfolds at a slower, more creative pace, with galleries, independent coffee roasters and a distinctly local energy.
Back at the hotel, the river becomes part of the experience. Boats glide past the infinity pools at golden hour, while restaurants such as Yu Ting Yuan and the glamorous BKK Social Club give even the most food-motivated traveller plenty of reason to linger. It's Bangkok with the volume turned down, but never the excitement, a lesson in just how quietly luxurious a city stay can be.
Y Factors: Taste, Wellbeing
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
"This was my first visit to the Maldives, and the quietly luxurious, barefoot feel of the resort, plus my overwater bungalow, completely won me over.
Nature and sustainability were front and centre too. We threaded coral onto a numbered frame that's dropped into the ocean and monitored, with a photo sent back each year showing how 'your' coral is growing. The property's turtle rehabilitation centre also rescues and rehomes injured sea turtles. Between that and the dolphins we spotted on a boat outing, it's rare to leave a resort feeling like you've actually left something behind."
Leora, Travel Designer
Two islands, connected by a short boat ride, create a world that feels wonderfully removed from everything else. Kuda Huraa is the resort island; nearby Voavah is reserved for private dining and sunset experiences that feel more like an invitation than an itinerary.
One of the earliest Four Seasons properties in the Maldives, Kuda Huraa wears its experience lightly. Overwater villas, a marine biology programme guests can genuinely take part in, and a thriving reef just steps from your door make the natural world the real star of the show, barefoot luxury without a hint of self-consciousness about the phrase.
Y Factors: Nature & Sustainability, Wellbeing
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An
“I was lucky enough to stay in a villa right by the beach, with an outdoor shower I looked forward to every single day, even at night. There’s something really special about showering in the open air!
The service was wonderfully polished, and the Four Seasons app made everything effortless. I could message my butler for anything, from pressing an outfit to pumping up my bike tyres, and he'd appear within minutes.
My personal highlight, though, was the aerial yoga each morning, a rare find even at dedicated wellbeing retreats, and I loved every upside-down minute of it.”
Yvonne, Y Travel Founder
Recently refreshed villas, three cascading infinity pools and a beautiful stretch of the East Sea set the scene, but it's The Nam Hai's sense of place that stays with you. Three UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the atmospheric ancient town of Hoi An, sit within easy reach, while the resort itself feels quietly connected to its surroundings.
From local flavours and thoughtful touches to an excellent cooking school and staff who remember your name, nothing here feels overdone. The luxury is in the details, and in having the freedom to spend your day exactly as you please, aerial yoga by the beach included.
Y Factors: Culture & Community, Taste, Wellbeing
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris
"I have a client who's stayed at a few luxury hotels across Paris over the years, and the Four Seasons George V is now the only one she wants to return to. For her, it's the epitome of French glamour and chic, from the stunningly beautiful floral arrangements the moment you step inside, to the old-world Parisian charm of the rooms themselves.
Other than the beauty of the hotel itself, it's the attention to detail and level of service that keeps her coming back. The front desk greets her by name the moment she arrives, the spa always knows her preferred therapist, and the team at La Terrace welcomes her with a sunny 'Bonjour' as they escort her to her table.
She often travels on her own, and always feels totally comfortable, welcome, and at home whenever she stays there. She's actually said to me that George V is her 'happy place'!"
Yvonne, Y Travel Founder
Located in the heart of Paris's Golden Triangle, within easy reach of the Seine and the flagship boutiques of Avenue Montaigne, Four Seasons George V has been one of the city's most storied addresses since it first opened in 1928, its Art Deco and Regency-inspired interiors still very much part of its enduring appeal. Some of that history is unmissable the moment you step inside, not least the extraordinary weekly floral installations by celebrated florist Jeff Leatham, whose towering, sculptural arrangements have become as much a signature of the hotel as its architecture.
George V is also home to not one but three Michelin-starred restaurants under a single roof: Le Cinq, holding three stars for its French gastronomic cuisine, L'Orangerie, awarded two stars for its plant and seafood-led menu, and Le George, its one-starred Italian-Mediterranean restaurant. Beyond the table, guests can arrange a private visit to the nearby Galerie Dior, or take in an evening at the Paris Opéra through the hotel's own patronage, while rooms with a view over the rooftops towards the Eiffel Tower offer one more reason George V guests rarely stray far.
Y Factors: Artistry, Taste, The Unexpected
Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, Mexico
“Our family spent six nights at Tamarindo and never once felt the need to leave the property, it's that beautiful, and there's that much to do. Architecturally, it's spectacular, the reception sits right at the cliff's edge, opening onto a vista of the dramatic cove on one side and a magnificent golf course on the other. With two golf-obsessed sons, and a husband to match, they thought they'd died and gone to heaven!
We especially loved having our three suites, each with its own pool and hammock, together in a little enclave, and we were all mesmerised by the glorious sunset views from our terraces every evening. Our days fell into an easy rhythm: a lazy breakfast overlooking that same view, then deciding between a cooking class, golf, a bike ride, spa treatments, or simply lying by the pool, because that's what you do on holiday!”
Yvonne, Y Travel Founder
Set along Mexico's pristine Costalegre coast, Tamarindo trades Puerto Vallarta's built-up energy for something much wilder: jungle-backed beaches, a private cove, and architecture that seems to rise straight out of the cliffside rather than sit upon it. Even the welcome gift, a chocolate shaped like a cactus, is a small, well-considered nod to the landscape around you.
The sheer range of activities on offer makes Tamarindo a natural fit for a multi-generational holiday: sport and adventure, aquatic pursuits, spa and wellbeing, stargazing evenings, and beach bonfires all sit comfortably alongside a cooking class or an afternoon spent cycling its winding paths. Look a little closer, and its real character comes through in its own working farm, where eggs are collected daily for breakfast, goats roam the grounds, and sustainability practices quietly shape much of what lands on your plate.
Y Factors: Adventure, Nature & Sustainability, The Unexpected
Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
"I had the most beautiful massage at the Geo Spa, set amongst forested limestone cliffs. We also loved the local experiences on offer - a mangrove tour, local fishing trip, batik painting workshop and a proper Malay cooking class."
Leora, Travel Designer
"I loved Langkawi’s location, the layout of the rooms and the beautifully authentic Malaysian style throughout. Riding push bikes around the property is a highlight I still remember fondly, and the food was a standout too, along with what might be one of the best massages I’ve ever had."
Dana, Travel Designer
Set on its own private beach on Malaysia's Datai Bay, with rainforest behind and the Andaman Sea stretching ahead, Langkawi is one of those rare resorts where the setting alone could justify the stay. Monkeys move through the canopy, hornbills make regular breakfast appearances, and the beach stretches far enough to feel wonderfully untouched.
The connection to the island runs deeper than the view, too. The resort works with the local UNESCO Geopark on guest education, sources much of its kitchen produce from nearby farmers and fishermen, and has supported community initiatives including Langkawi's Terry Fox Run for cancer research. Luxury delivered by nature first, with a commitment to community woven quietly through it.
Y Factors: Generosity, Nature & Sustainability, Wellbeing
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Kona, Hawaii
"I recall the food being absolutely exceptional - the Y Factor of Taste truly excelled here! Kona is also a wonderfully holistic island, which I wasn’t expecting. What really struck me was the resort’s commitment to the land itself, from planting tens of thousands of native koa trees to offering carbon-neutral villa stays. Sustainability never feels like an afterthought here."
Bill, Travel Designer
On the Big Island's Kohala Coast, Four Seasons Hualalai has the rather clever trick of feeling sprawling and intimate at the same time. Low-rise bungalows sit amongst lava fields and botanical gardens, while ocean-fed pools, a coastline-hugging golf course and the famous King's Pond snorkelling lagoon give you plenty to fill a week, or absolutely nothing to do at all. Beyond the pools and fairways, there's tennis, paddleboarding, outrigger canoeing and deep-sea fishing to keep the more active guests occupied, alongside a spa built for the opposite instinct entirely.
It's also a favourite with Hawaii regulars for good reason. The resort has planted over 50,000 native koa trees through its Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative partnership, offers carbon-neutral villa stays, and employs its own team of marine biologists to care for King's Pond and its resident sea life, the sort of place that lets you slow right down, knowing the island itself is being looked after too.
Y Factors: Generosity, Nature & Sustainability, Wellbeing
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
“What I love about Four Seasons Seoul is how light and airy it feels. The rooms are beautiful, and after a day exploring Seoul, it’s wonderful to come back to somewhere so calm. I also love the little things - the flowers throughout the hotel, Akira Back,the Japanese restaurant, and the speakeasy-style bar, which is very popular so I’d definitely book ahead! And for a city hotel, facilities such as the golf simulator were such a fun surprise.”
Yvonne, Y Travel Founder
Location is a real part of the appeal here. Set in Gwanghwamun, the hotel is just a few blocks from Gyeongbokgung Palace and close to Seoul’s historic neighbourhoods, while still sitting within the city’s central business district.
Inside, Korean influences meet contemporary design, with more than 160 works of art throughout the hotel. The light-filled rooms are among the city’s largest, with floor-to-ceiling windows, Italian-marble bathrooms and iPad Minis for seamless in-room controls. Then there’s the impressive breadth of facilities: a Pilates studio, Korean sauna, indoor pool and Golf Experience with five 3-D screens.
For dining, Akira Back brings modern Japanese cuisine with a Korean twist, while Michelin-starred Yu Yuan offers refined Cantonese cuisine. And what could be more clandestine than a hidden bar within a hidden bar? H.Bar is an intimate and innovative eight-seat, eight-course cocktail experience (bookings essential) tucked within the Charles H. Bar - a glamourous establishment on the hotel's lower level inspired by American author, bon-vivant, and cocktail connoisseur, Charles H. Baker.
Y Factors: Culture & Community, Wellbeing, The Unexpected
New Arrivals We Cannot Wait To Experience
Two new Four Seasons properties have joined the collection this year, each bringing a distinctly different expression of place.
Danieli Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel
Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel reopened in the summer of 2026 after an extensive restoration of the historic palace on Venice's Riva degli Schiavoni, one of the city's most storied addresses, having welcomed everyone from Charles Dickens to Coco Chanel over the past two centuries. French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon led the reinterpretation of the interiors, drawing on the colours of the lagoon itself, and the hotel now sits, quite literally, on some of the most coveted real estate in Venice.
Y Factors: Artistry, Taste
Four Seasons Mykonos
Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos opened this same summer above Kalo Livadi Bay, on the island's quieter southeastern coast. It's a considered response to Mykonos's reputation for excess, all whitewashed, village-inspired architecture, private plunge pools, and four restaurants that lean into the island's Mediterranean roots rather than its nightlife. We suspect it'll change a few minds about what a Mykonos stay can actually look like.
Y Factors: The Unexpected, Wellbeing
Eleven incredible Four Seasons properties, eleven entirely different moods, and one constant thread running underneath them all. For us, that's the enduring appeal: the consistency of the Four Seasons standard, without ever sacrificing the character of the destination.
We've stayed in these rooms, eaten at these tables, and experienced these places firsthand, and we know that the right Four Seasons can become much more than a beautiful place to stay. It can become part of the story of a journey.
If you've never experienced the Four Seasons difference, or simply can't wait to return, our Travel Designers are here to help. Because the best luxury is personal, and the right Four Seasons is the one that feels unmistakably yours.