In addition to an ideal location within walking distance of Boston’s main attractions, shopping, and dining, Four Seasons Hotel Boston strikes a perfect balance of luxury and location for family, business, and even solo travel.
We’ve stayed here a few times, so I was excited to check in after its stunning renovation. There are two Four Seasons in Boston and this is the one on Boylston Street, across from Boston Public Garden.
It’s very different from its sister hotel on One Dalton Street, which I’ve also reviewed. While smaller, I think it could be better for tourists thanks to its location, closer to major attractions. And it’s even a bit more kid-friendly. You’ll see why below.
Four Seasons Hotel Boston Reservations
Through me, you have access to Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits at no extra cost to you that include:
Full program details are below.
200 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
What I Love
- Views of Boston Public Garden
- The renovated public area decor
- Excellent dining
- Location near Chinatown, Freedom Trail, and other attractions
- Morning coffee at Sottovento (complimentary for hotel guests)
- The Vault pantries on each floor full of candy, snacks, sparking water
- Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits
Good to Know
- No spa (in-room massages)
- A la carte breakfast (no buffet)
- Has connecting room and suite sets
Four Seasons Hotel Boston’s Location
Four Seasons Hotel Boston is an easy 15-minute car ride from Logan International Airport and located downtown directly across the street from Boston Public Gardens (where the Swan Boats are) and Boston Common, two pretty public parks full of space for kids to burn off steam.
The Freedom Trail starts in Boston Common. You can walk to Faneuil Hall and beyond with young kids in a stroller. Boston’s compact size makes the city extremely walkable and easy to explore in spurts. Nothing is ever too far away.
We reached Cambridge by subway in about 15 minutes, but it’s also a short Uber ride. (See 5 Things to Do at Harvard University with Kids.)
Comfortable, Contemporary Rooms & Suites
Though there are 273 guest rooms (including 77 suites), the hotel feels rather intimate, likely due to the layout, incredibly attentive, and flawless service—nothing went wrong during our stay. Ambient noise is rarely an issue in a Four Seasons room or suite; this hotel is no exception. Once we were in our room, we felt at home.
All rooms and suites come with typical Four Seasons amenities that include:
- Complimentary WiFi
- Minibar
- Marble bathrooms
- Complimentary bottled water
- Twice-daily housekeeping (you can opt-out to be green if you like)
- Plush robes and slippers
- Pillow and topper menu available in the app
Guest Rooms
- Deluxe Garden View Room: 400 sq.ft., with one king or two double beds. Views of the garden. King rooms accommodating up to three adults or two adults and one child. Two double beds accommodates up to three adults or two adults and two kids.
- Deluxe City View Room: 400 sq.ft., with king or double beds. Offers cityscape views and similar accommodation capacity as the Garden View.
- Courtyard View Room: 400 sq.ft., one king bed, overlooking the courtyard. Suitable for three adults or two adults and one child.
- Superior Room: A bit smaller at 380 sq.ft. with a king bed and accommodating up to three adults or two adults and one child.
Suites
- Premier Garden-View Executive Suite: 625 sq.ft., king bed, with garden views. It has a sofabed or rollaway and a crib, suitable for up to three adults or two adults and one child.
- Garden-View Executive Suite: 625 sq.ft., king bed, with similar amenities and occupancy as the Premier but with standard garden views.
- Four Seasons Executive Suite: 625 sq.ft., king bed. Standard suite with a sofabed or rollaway, and a crib for similar occupancy.
We’ve also stayed in a Garden-View Executive Suite and tend to book these for families because the living room closes off from the bedroom. Ours had French doors, but the Four Seasons version has bifold doors that provide a full divide but might let in a little more noise than a traditional door.
Huge bay windows flooded the suite with light. They provided sweeping views over Boston Public Gardens and Boston Common to the gold dome of the Massachusetts State House, especially during sunset.
Specialty Suites
- Royal Suite: The grandest at 2,590 sq.ft. with a king bed. Suitable for three adults or two adults and one child, featuring luxurious amenities and expansive views.
- Presidential Suite: 1,700 sq.ft. with a king bed, offering luxury and space for the same occupancy as the Royal Suite.
- Garden Suite: 1,200 sq.ft., king bed, designed for relaxation and entertainment, suitable for families or small groups.
- State Suite: 900 sq.ft. with a king bed, sofabed, rollaway or crib. Offers a unique blend of comfort and style.
- Senator Suite: At 825 sq.ft. with a king bed, it’s a more intimate yet luxurious option, accommodating up to three adults or two adults and one child.
Also, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts have the best VIP amenities. Here are some of the treats that wound up in our room.
Dining at Four Seasons Hotel Boston
The renovation also introduced new dining concepts for the hotel. I used to write for the retired Taste by Four Seasons blog, so I was quite familiar with its former restaurants. But I love what’s on offer now.
In-Room Dining
Having come from an intense week of volleyball tournaments, we were using our time to regroup before traveling on to more volleyball. So, aside from breakfast, we ate a lot of room service. It’s available 24 hours.
I felt like a small treat was always included, like the little cannolis in the photo above. Do get the lobster roll.
Aujourd’Hui
This is the breakfast restaurant where an a la carte menu is served. It’s a gorgeous space, so they could use it for other meal services. But it is a nice place to have your morning meal. Classic menu items include avocado toast, eggs Benedict, acai bowls, lobster omelets, and more.
Coterie
I love the decor here. The Coterie and in-room dining menus overlap. One evening, I brought my computer to the bar for a drink.
Even if you’re a hotel guest, you need to make a reservation because the dining room isn’t large, and the brasserie menu is popular. You can order a burger, lobster roll, a seafood tower, and escargots, among other fantastic options.
Sottovento Coffee Bar
They’ll deliver coffee to your room if you’re willing to wait a little. It’s just as easy to walk downstairs. I expected complimentary morning coffee and tea, common in many Four Seasons, but was delighted to be handed a complimentary cappuccino.
It’s also nice to have a couple of grab-and-go breakfast options here, but it’s only open until 11 a.m.
In-Room Massages, Fitness Center, and Swimming Pool
It’s nice to end a day of touring by swimming in the indoor swimming pool with an amazing view of Boston Public Garden. In-room dining delivers to the pool, and there’s a phone there for you to place an order.
I noticed plenty of non-swimmers reading books in the lounge chairs near the windows while soaking up the tempered sunshine.
In addition to jogging maps provided by the concierge for runs along the Charles River, the 24-hour fitness center offers plenty of cardio and weight options.
One thing to note is that there is no full-service spa. However, the concierge can arrange for an outside service to come to your room for a massage. My daughter, having played a ridiculous amount of volleyball in the days prior, enjoyed a fantastic in-room massage. The therapist brought her own table, and it was charged to my room.
They’ve Always Been Kid-Friendly
One of my daughter’s favorite hotel memories is the room this hotel used to have, where kids could “raid the hotel fridge” for bedtime treats, including movie theater-style popcorn, candy, milk, and cookies.
The recent renovation took this to a new level that I love. There’s a pantry on every floor called The Vault. Enter with your room key to take your pick from a selection of complimentary snacks and beverages. We’re talking about popcorn, chips, movie-sized M&Ms and Swedish Fish, various nuts and dried fruit, flavored sparkling waters, and more.
Sure, the jelly bean dispensers are pretty great but I loved coming in for a little sparkling water here and there. Maybe some M&Ms. It’s just a nice value-add especially for families.
Kids can visit the Mystery Closet at check-in to choose a welcome amenity. My daughter loved this when she was little (except it was pick a stuffed animal out of a red wagon).
Why Boston for a Family Vacation?
There isn’t a better city in the world to explore the people and places responsible for the birth of America. With walkable and hands-on attractions like The Freedom Trail, Boston has a special knack for making history fun.
It’s a hip college town with some of the nation’s most prestigious universities—it can’t hurt for kids to fall in love with the city early—and home to hearty eats and seafood experiences that are hard to come by on the West Coast.
There’s theater, world-class museums, waterfront dining, ethnic neighborhoods to explore, and plenty of things to do with kids in Boston.
Logistics and Nearby Things to Do
Getting to the hotel: Four Seasons Hotel Boston can arrange transportation to and from the airport and anywhere else you need. Uber is a reasonably priced way to get around Boston, so that is usually what we rely on. It’s a quick 15 minutes from Boston Logan Airport.
Nearby conveniences: Plenty of convenience stores like CVS and boutiques are nearby. Four Seasons Boston is a short walk from Newbury Street shops and even Chinatown, where we had some fantastic hot pot.
Use the concierge desk: If you need advice before your stay, the concierge is available via email and the Four Seasons app to answer questions and help coordinate an itinerary in advance so you don’t have to worry about anything after landing.
Things to do within walking distance: This is an incredibly long list, and alone, it is a huge selling point, but here are a few highlights.
- Boston Public Garden, home to the famous Swan Boats
- Boston Common
- The Freedom Trail
- Luxe shopping on Newbury Street
- The theater district
- Dunkin’ Donuts (of course, it’s Boston)
- Copley Mall and Prudential Center (maybe 20 minutes or so)
Seasons: We were fortunate with temperate SoCal-like weather in the middle of July once and then unbearable humidity in July of a second trip. Summers are usually hot and humid with some rain. Sure, winters can be cold, but don’t let that stop you. Boston Common Frog Pond changes with the season from the ice rink in the winter to a water play area in the summer for the kids, and there’s a lot to explore indoors.
Four Seasons Hotel Boston Reservations
We can book you in using Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits that include:
- Daily breakfast for two in the Hotel restaurant
- Hotel/Resort Credit* (based on room category booked):
• Guest Rooms: USD 100 credit per stay
• Suites and Specialty Suites: USD 200 credit per stay
• Private Retreats: USD 200 credit per bedroom per stay - Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in**
- Welcome note at check-in acknowledging you and your travel agency and the benefits that are being extended
- Complimentary standard Internet in all guest rooms and premium Internet in all suites
*Hotel/Resort Credit may be applied to select incidental charges incurred at the Hotel or Resort. Must be used in conjunction with the initial stay and will be applied at check-out. May not be applied towards the room rate, taxes, resort fees, service charges, conference fees, or any charges from outside vendors. Exclusions may apply; contact the Hotel/Resort for more details.
When a suite is reserved in connection with another guest room or suite, the cumulative credit (based on room category booked) value applies.
The Private Retreats credit applies to Villas and Residences with a minimum average rate per night (before Resort fees and taxes) of USD 1,000.
**Category upgrade based on availability at time of check-in excludes Specialty Suites, Villas and the Private Retreats collection of Villas and Residences.
Why Choose THIS Four Seasons in Boston
As I mentioned, there are two fabulous Four Seasons hotels in Boston. This one feels a little more like a family-friendly boutique hotel near tourist attractions. It’s good for first-timers in Boston.
One Dalton Street is a high-rise with an outrageous award-winning spa. It feels a little more like a business hotel, likely due to its location near Prudential Center and similar complexes. It has bigger dining outlets and a breakfast buffet. It is also family-friendly but a little less so.
See also: My Four Seasons Hotel Boston One Dalton Street Review
