Four Seasons Boston

For context this was our 21st Four Seasons property we’ve stayed at, we’ve also stayed at their other Boston property Dalton. This hotel is disorganised, really lacking in terms of dining provision, well located, individual staff friendly. Full detail below! Check in: We had to wait for cars ahead of us to unload before being allowed out of the car, feels easily solvable. Very friendly lady on check in who was lovely with children. However, we had booked an experience via the hotel which she said was on a different day, it wasn’t so we were late. We also requested an extra bed in our room as my son had surgery, this wasn’t provided until we phoned at 8.30pm. Rooms: Ours was fine, not large but comfortable. As others have mentioned they didn’t account for the number of guests in our room so only 2 towels etc. Housekeeping seem understaffed, again as others mentioned, no sign of them until we asked in the afternoon. Dining: This is the let down. There’s only one restaurant, the food isn’t good/wasn’t hot. Like a canteen. Service was minimal. They made stupid mistakes like sitting us right next to another couple in an otherwise empty dining room. The restaurant is open onto the lobby so it is cold. People were eating in their coats. Breakfast, there was a long wait to be seated, you get sat in a waiting area, we waited 45 minutes then gave up. Lots of people complaining; this really feels unacceptable, I don’t think I’ve ever had this. Maybe they are taking external bookings for breakfast? Guests should be prioritised and/or it should be made clear on check in that you need to book. Waiting for two hungry children, one in a wheelchair, to even enter breakfast really doesn’t feel up to the brand. Property/facilities It’s all got a soho home style decor which is sweet and warm. It’s very style over substance though, restaurant/bar layout is a real mess and cold. You have to walk through the (very limited) gym to get to the pool which feels awkward, the pool is in a kind of glass atrium which gets steamed up. Service Individually very sweet/friendly staff but it’s all disorganised and lacking management - see above in terms of requests not fulfilled, waits for meals, late housekeeping etc. Families This is probably the saving grace. There’s lots of little amenities kids will/do enjoy. Secret gift room on arrival, cookies all over the place, welcome amenity (ours was late!), the vault rooms with candy on each floor. Children welcomed and staff very sweet with them.

Immaculate and the staff was so accommodating.

Nothing

The Four Seasons on Boston Garden is as good as a large city hotel can get. From the moment we entered, everyone made us feel welcome and special. Hali in the Guest Services Team, was so welcoming and asked if we were celebrating a special occasion. I felt comfortable in sharing with her that my wife finished her cancer radiation in the morning and we were celebrating that milestone and our 60 years together. We were treated with sensitivity and kindness in response. We received a welcome note from the General Manager, and this morning there was a card under the door for my wife from many of the staff, congratulating her for her milestone and wishing her good health going forward. The rooftop pool was very clean and warm, the exercise machines were terrific and plentiful, the restaraunt was beautiful and the staff everywhere was terrific. I wish I could take our bed home. The nicest I have ever experienced. Everything about the Four Seasons on the Common in Boston was best in class, especially the people who work there!

Despite the fact that the interior spaces were a little disappointing and not what I usually expect from the Four Seasons, we had an almost perfect stay at this hotel. Upon arrival, we were pleasantly surprised when they offered to upgrade us for a small price to a suite. Though the suite was a bit tired looking and the view uninspiring, we appreciated the extra space. Also, for most of our stay, we enjoyed the great service. There were several unexpected nice touches (e.g., housekeeping left a Four Seasons bookmark next to my stack of books and an eyeglass cloth next to my glasses case). We also loved the coffee bar in the lobby, and we had good experiences with room service. The location by the Public Garden is spectacular. The big negative of our trip came after they lost a never-before-worn light sweater that I’d sent out for pressing. The rest of our laundry came back, but not the sweater, which I'd bought specifically to wear during this trip. The first few times I asked about it, I was met with a mixture of confusion and vague gaslighting (e.g., “Don’t worry — we can come up to your room and help you look for it”) and promises to get back to us that were obviously forgotten. The night before we were to check out, I called down to the front desk to ask yet again and was repeatedly told by the desk clerk, “We will look for it and, don’t worry, no matter what happens, we will get back to you before you check out tomorrow” — before she ended the call, confusingly, with “And if you don’t hear back from us, make sure you let us know when you check out.” We didn't hear back, so we did bring it up when checking out. In response, a smiling manager told us how sorry he was and offered to reimburse us for the sweater. Interestingly, he didn’t ask anything about the lost garment (such as whether or not it was replaceable). Fortunately, I had just bought this sweater from a store with an online presence, so replacing it wasn’t going to be a problem, and I did appreciate the reimbursement. Still, I felt odd about the manager's general lack of curiosity and about some of the comments he made as we were leaving, such as “The staff has spent the whole morning looking for your sweater” -- as if we needed to apologize for taking so much of their time. Perhaps that’s not how it was intended, but after all the effort we spent trying to get someone to listen to us, it seemed irritating that they wanted us to acknowledge *their* wasted time, especially since, after all, it was their carelessness that caused the problem in the first place. All in all, in every other way, the service at this hotel was fantastic, but the fact that they lost my sweater and the way they responded to the problem left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m currently planning another trip to Boston and, while I’m tempted to return to this hotel, especially because I’ve always loved the Public Garden, I’m put off enough by what happened that I think we will try the Four Seasons One Dalton instead.

Excellent. Completely redone and significantly more cozy. I am so glad they've turned this hotel into a place where I can bring my family that has the vibes of the old-school Ritz. Extremely sophisticated room management by a very intelligent staff. Not cheesy-fancy. Nice, respectable and lovely.

Exactly what you come to expect from the Four Seasons. Impeccable service, phenomenal rooms and great hospitality. The pool is awe for the kids and over looks the common. Loved the new lobby restaurant and if you stay for New years get a room that overlooks the common and you can watch fireworks from the warmth of your room! Will be back again and again.

Beautiful property, guest rooms and facilities were lovely, staff was exceptional!

Fabulous. Incredible staff, beautiful place. Great for kids too.