PointsWise Picks: Spotlight on the Four Seasons Resort Whistler Premier Room (Part 3 of 4)

This post is a part of a 4 part series where we dig into the best luxury hotels in Whistler, BC. Check out the other posts in this series here:

1. PointsWise Picks: We Rank The Best Luxury Hotels in Whistler, BC (Part 1 of 4)
2. PointsWise Picks: Spotlight on the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Alpine Suite (Part 2 of 4)
3. PointsWise Picks: Spotlight on the Four Seasons Resort Whistler Premier Room (Part 3 of 4)
4. Pointswise Picks: The Best Luxury Hotel You Need to Stay at in Whistler, BC (Part 4 of 4)

Four Seasons Resort Whistler Premier Room Introduction

The Four Seasons Resort Whistler Premier Room will be the second half of a 3-part series covering the best hotels in Whistler, having previously reviewing an Alpine Suite at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Similar to the Fairmont, we booked the stay through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts (one of my favourite benefits of the American Express Platinum Card), with rates in the $300/night range during the shoulder season.

Rates at this hotel vary wildly, with standard rooms often reaching $1,000 per night during peak ski-season. Keep in mind that booking through American Express comes with a lot of added value, including daily breakfast, late checkout, and a $100USD Spa service credit (which I don’t find as valuable as a food and beverage or property credit, as there isn’t much available for $100 at a Four Seasons spa).

Brittany and our friend Steph joined me and Brad on this trip, so I booked two Resort Rooms (the most basic room category) and banked on some upgrades due to the low occupancy in the off-season. On our last stay I was introduced to one of the front desk managers, who invited me to contact her prior to our next visit to take care of any special requests. While I didn’t have any on this trip, I did notice the spa would be closed for annual maintenance and emailed to inquire if any alternatives were being offered for the American Express Platinum amenity. Unfortunately, she didn’t respond (not sure if she was off for the season – but an out of office email would have been more professional).

Arrival

Brad and I had a bunch of running around to do, so we didn’t leave Vancouver until well after 2pm. By the time we arrived at the hotel it was nearly the regular check-in time, so we thought for sure the room would be ready. The Four Seasons Resort is located in the Upper Village, a couple of properties down from The Fairmont Chateau Whistler. As mentioned in that review, I actually prefer this location despite it being a 10-minute walk from the village, as I find it more upscale and less crowded/noisy. This property has a Mercedes-Benz car service on a first-come, first-served basis for trips within the village. The hotel is still fairly new, and the exterior is one of the nicest in Whistler.

We were greeted by the doorman and asked if we needed any assistance with luggage. He directed us inside for check-in, only after petting our dogs for a couple of minutes. The Four Seasons Resort Whistler is very pet-friendly, and doesn’t impose cleaning surcharges for dogs (a practice most Four Seasons Hotels employ, in my experience).

Unlike the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, the lobby of the Four Seasons feels much smaller, but in a cozy boutique sort of way. Rich woods and high quality furniture create a comfortable ski-resort atmosphere, and I really appreciated the fresh flowers and unique artwork throughout the space.

By the time we arrived at the front desk it was 4pm, with only a couple of people being checked-in. Just like the Fairmont, I heard the dreaded words being mentioned to both parties in front of us: ‘housekeeping is just working on the final touches and the room should be ready soon’.

Sure enough, I was delivered the same line, but was informed both of our rooms had been upgraded. One was going to be in a Deluxe Four Seasons Executive Suite (a room we have previously stayed in), and the other would be a Premier Room, the highest category non-suite room (the room that will be reviewed for this stay). These were very generous multiple category room-upgrades, and much appreciated. Unfortunately the room wasn’t ready for nearly 45 minutes after the published check-in time, with the front desk staff doing a very poor job at managing expectations. More than once I asked if the room was nearly ready, only to be told the same line ‘housekeeping is just putting the final touches’. I would be much happier if they just said it would be an hour, at which point I would take my dogs for a walk. The Four Seasons Whistler has a great complimentary wine tasting everyday between 4 and 5pm, and unfortunately we missed it this time due to the delay getting settled in.

Four Seasons Resort Whistler Premier Room

Both of our rooms were on the 6th floor and faced away from the mountain for slightly less desirable views. The hallways at The Four Seasons are starting to show their age, though they have been maintained well given the ski traffic that passes through them each year.

While the Deluxe Executive Suite is larger, I decided to use the Premier Room as a point of comparison to the Alpine Suite at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler because it’s more comparable in size and function. at 580 square feet, the room is quite large for a non-suite, and features an open concept design with king bed and sitting area in one space. There is also a large stone bathroom with deep soaking tub and walk-in shower, in addition to an outdoor patio with seating. Most rooms at The Four Seasons Whistler come with a fireplace and patio, which are only reserved for high-end rooms at the Fairmont, and is a big plus for this property.

The room opens up into a foyer with a huge walk-in closet on the right and spacious bathroom on the left.

The main living area of the room is large, with a comfortable king bed and seating area. The rooms feature a gas fireplace, outdoor patio with seating, minibar with a selection of local wines, television, and of course, one of the most comfortable king beds in the industry.

The bed featured the same high-quality linens and pillows found at other Four Seasons properties around the world, and the mattress was incredibly comfortable. There were bedside tables on each side which provided some storage, an alarm clock/iPhone docking station, notepad, and telephone.

One of my favourite features of the room is the outdoor patio space, which is something I really miss when I stay at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Although it can be a bit chilly, there’s nothing better than sitting outside in a plush robe enjoying the beautiful mountain views!

The living room had comfortable seating for a family, with two chairs, a sofa, and coffee table with a selection of magazines. There is a flatscreen television in the corner with a good selection of cable channels, and a DVD player, which seems a bit antiquated.

On our last stay we had a bit of an issue with housekeeping not being up to standards, and it looks as though not much has changed. While the room certainly seemed clean, we found a dollar under the sofa cushions when turning down the pullout. While I was excited to find a dollar, it did make me question why it wasn’t noticed by staff when they (presumably) checked the sofa bedding….

While I appreciate the amount of technology being incorporated into new rooms, sometimes I prefer simple controls for heating, such as on/off and fan settings.

Shortly after arriving we were surprised with a nice note from the Director of Operations welcoming us back, along with an amenity consisting of some fruit, chocolate and bottled water. Little touches like this make me appreciate The Four Seasons – they are really good at making each guest feel loyal and appreciated, despite not having a loyalty program for frequent guests.

Each room at The Four Seasons comes with a spacious minibar, with Nespresso coffee maker, a selection of local wines (for purchase) and an empty mini-fridge, which can be used for personal storage or filled on request. They even provide a small menu with prices, which weren’t obscene considering the venue ($35CAD for a 6 pack of domestic beer more reasonable than $9 each at most luxury hotels).

I’m always shocked that luxury hotels still have water for purchase in the room, since you can literally get as many complimentary bottles from housekeeping as you like. Someone must be drinking them….

Room storage is very generous, as it should be given how bulky ski jackets are, with a large walk-in closet with lots of storage. There’s also an ironing board, in-room safe, and plenty of shelving.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love a good bathroom? This is an area where The Four Seasons never seems to cut corners (though I don’t think they cut corners anywhere, to be honest). Even the most basic guest rooms features a full bathroom, with large walk-in shower, soaking tub, double sink vanity and partitioned toilet. This is in sharp contrast to the newly designed Fairmont Alpine Suite bathroom which features a shower only and an exposed toilet. Amenities are by L’Occitane, which is my only complaint (I realize it’s subjective but I really dislike the products). Kind of like The Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale, I wasn’t crazy about the finishes, though they did work well for a luxury mountain resort.

Amenities And Dining

The Four Seasons Resort Whistler is a true mountain getaway. In addition to the stunning rooms, they also offer a luxurious spa (though unfortunately it was down for maintenance on this visit), a delicious steak house, Sidecut (full review can be found here), and one of the nicest outdoor pool spaces the village has to offer. It was freezing cold on our stay, and I appreciated the little touches like the towel warmers for a hot, crisp towel when getting out of the pool!

I was slightly annoyed that our property amenity through American Express was a spa service credit that couldn’t be used, and that the manager I tried to contact failed to reply prior to our stay (I assume she no longer works there given there was no out of office response). I voiced those concerns after our stay, and the Front Office Manager quickly issued a refund equivalent to the spa credit, along with a sincere apology for the miscommunication and spa closure. While I would have preferred to get a facial, this was a very nice gesture and one of the reasons I love The Four Seasons service culture.

Breakfast was included with our room since we booked through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, and we decided to have the buffet at Sidecut. Like previous stays, the food selection was great, with a wide variety of hot and cold items, in addition to an omelette station.

Four Seasons Resort Whistler Premier Room Bottom Line

The Four Seasons Resort Whistler is fairly tough to fault, and is easily one of the best hotels in Whistler. Considerably smaller than the neighbouring Fairmont property, this hotel offers all of the luxury and amenities you would expect at a resort with service that feels more personalized than some of the competition.

Even though we were staying in the shoulder season, service was great, with any issues quickly addressed by management. I do wish the spa would have been opened to take advantage of the welcome amenity, though I do realize it only makes sense for them to perform annual maintenance during their slow season.

Things that I loved about this hotel:

• The location in the Upper Village
• Seamless and professional service
• Participation in American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Incredibly pet friendly (no fees)
• The pool area

Things that I didn’t love about this hotel:

• Spa credit instead of property or food/beverage credit
• Can get very, very expensive during peak season
• Housekeeping could be better
• L’Occitane bathroom amenities

Despite the minor service issues, this is easily one of the best options for luxury accommodations in Whistler. Is it the best though? Find out soon as we rate various aspects of each property and choose a winner!

Have you stayed at The Four Seasons Resort Whistler? Tell us about your stay in the comment section below!

This post is a part of a 4 part series where we dig into the best luxury hotels in Whistler, BC. Check out the other posts in this series here:

1. PointsWise Picks: We Rank The Best Luxury Hotels in Whistler, BC (Part 1 of 4)
2. PointsWise Picks: Spotlight on the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Alpine Suite (Part 2 of 4)
3. PointsWise Picks: Spotlight on the Four Seasons Resort Whistler Premier Room (Part 3 of 4)
4. Pointswise Picks: The Best Luxury Hotel You Need to Stay at in Whistler, BC (Part 4 of 4)