Tag Archives: Four Seasons

Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire

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The Four Seasons Beverly Wilshere feels instantly luxurious. The moment you hand over your car keys to the valet you know you are in safe hands. Located moments away from Rodeo Drive, it is the perfect place to stop after a tiring morning of shopping, or window-shopping in my case.

The spa is found a few floors up, a quiet oasis of calm, away from the buzz of the city. This sanctuary offers a range of indulgent treatments using the renowned Barcelona brand, NuturaBisse. I was lucky to experience their 90 minute Diamond Rose Facial, a thoroughly cleansing and moisturising treatment, with visible results. My therapist Sanam was also a trained masseuse and incorporated this into my facial to relax and remove tension from my shoulders, neck and face. The facial combined a variety of specialist techniques and unique products to brighten and polish the skin. As she applied different serums and creams from the Diamond range, I could smell the delicious and exotic scents from the products. I was almost asleep when she finished the treatment, feeling totally refreshed and revitalised. The 90 minutes of pampering had a visible effect on my previously tired skin, a moisture boost that continued to benefit my face days later.

For a sophisticated dining experience, the BLVD restaurant on the ground floor is the perfect place to sit back and enjoy a meal of casual classic dishes. When I visited on a Saturday evening, the eatery was full and consequently service was slow. Apologetic for the delays, the waiter ensured my glass of Moet & Chandon champagne remained topped up at all times.

A jazz quartet played standards in one corner of the room, which created a lovely atmosphere in the bar and restaurant area. Many guests seemed to be visiting just for cocktails and snacks before going out on the town. We skipped starters and tasted a few of the meatier mains. My lamb (with potato & eggplant “cannelloni”, marcona almonds and carrot purée) was an unusual combination. I found the plate of food too dry, the chunks of lamb had a nice depth of flavour but the log of cannelloni was unsuccessful in my opinion. The generously-sized 28-day aged “four story hill farm” rib-eye was presented clumsily on a plate. It was a tasty steak with a rich peppercorn sauce and thick homemade chips, but I expected more from a Four Seasons restaurant, especially considering the price tag.

We finished our meal with true American-style doughnuts, and the Chocolate Experience (sacher torte, warm fondant with vanilla ice cream, peanut milk chocolate parfait and crème brulee), which was a delicious sweet treat, cooked to perfection with a very gooey centre – it didn’t last long on our table.

With new Executive Chef Thomas Belle recently joining the kitchen at Beverly Wilshere, I hope he will reinspire the menu and add some extra sparkle in the coming months.

More information about Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire here.

Four Seasons Beverly Hills

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When you need a break from busy city life in Los Angeles, the Four Seasons Beverly Hills provides the perfect refuge. Leave your car with the valet and say hi to Marilyn on your way in (there is a statue of the film goddess by the entrance). In the extravagant lobby I noticed the prestigious Krigler perfume shop, where guests can personalise their own scent or choose from one of the famous fragrances.

It was Sunday morning and I was here to try the spa and Cabana restaurant. LA locals get their nails done every week, but for me a manicure and pedicure was a very special luxury. I was the only guest in the nail bar and my therapist worked meticulously on my hands and feet to ensure I left looking like an LA girl.

From their huge selection I chose two Essie colours, a pretty shade of pale pink (‘Hi Maintenance’) for my fingers and a punchy shade of coral (‘Tart Deco’) for my toes. With a cappuccino in hand and my feet soaking in warm bubbly water I felt completely relaxed. After an hour of pampering my nails looked very neat and professional – carefully trimmed cuticles and perfectly painted nails. After a few minutes letting them dry by the pool I headed to the leafy al fresco dining room for lunch.

The Cabana eatery offers casual poolside dining. We enjoyed refreshing homemade fruit juices before ordering a range of summery dishes. The food is simple and nicely presented, the menu features international favourites such as BLT sandwich and seasonal additions like the burrata, peach and tomato salad. Unfortunately the food looked better than it tasted, particularly unsuccessful was the very plain Parsley and Kale Superfood Rigatoni. However, the new dish of crispy crab cakes was better, an appetising soft texture and deliciously seasoned.

For dessert we indulged in their decadent ice-cream sandwich. Chewy (slightly stale) cookies cemented together with creamy homemade ice cream. It was a childish but fun pudding, ideal in the lunchtime Californian heat.

Four Seasons Beverly Hills is a temple of luxury to escape Hollywood. Though I can’t recommend the uninspiring Cabana restaurant when there are so many great restaurants on the streets of LA, the spa is a great place to treat yourself to a luxurious weekend mani-pedi.

More information about the Four Seasons Beverly Hills here.

Four Seasons St Petersburg

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When I heard about the new Four Seasons opening in St Petersburg I knew it was reason enough to visit Russia. The Lion Palace, as it is now known, was built in the 19th century for the royal family in the neoclassical style. The grand main entrance is marked with an eight column portico and guarded by two white marble Medici lions by Italian sculptor Paolo Triscorni. Like many of the Four Seasons hotels, an historic building has been transformed into a luxurious place to stay, eat and relax… embracing its former features and adapting where necessary to ensure guests have everything they could require.

The hotel is located in the Admiralteysky district, close by to the Hermitage Museum, Nevsky Prospekt and Mariinsky Theatre, perfect for tourists hoping to see all the sights. There are 183 guest rooms including 26 suites; we were in a lovely terrace room with a balcony overlooking the magnificent St Isaac Cathedral. The room was subtly decorated in sophisticated shades of cream, brown and pale blue, with a huge plush king sized bed, a dark wooden desk for business needs and an armchair for relaxing. Thick white curtains concealed the cold outdoors. The bathroom was spacious and indulgent, clad in marble with a huge bath, power shower and ‘his and hers’ sinks. The toiletries were of a really good quality and smelt wonderful, coming all the way from Lorenzo Villoresi in Florence.

The food at Lion Palace will satisfy the palates of the prestigious guests and also wow visitors who are not staying at the hotel. We sampled the fine Italian restaurant, Percorso which is headed up by acclaimed chefs Andrea Accordi and Valerio Andrisani who create modern creative Italian dishes. This eatery is impressive especially in comparison to St Petersburg’s other fine dining establishments. We indulged with delicious cheeses, top quality meat dishes and authentic desserts. I can still recall my tender roasted lamb with pumpkin, pecorino, mint and Avola almond.

We also ate in the Tea Lounge where breakfast is served. This gorgeous open plan parlour is decorated in bright pastels – yellow, green and pink. It is the perfect place for a tea party. We tried lots of intriguing Russian specialities here, including the tasty little Sirniki (farmer’s cheese pancakes) made with cottage cheese or ricotta. I can also recommend the French toast dusted with icing sugar and accompanied with caramelised baked apple segments.

For the ultimate relaxation there is the four storey Luceo spa, with a small pool, eight treatment rooms and a VIP couples suite – the talented therapists here look after you from head to toe. We had massages on the final day, a relaxing conclusion to three days of frantic sightseeing! Walking in such cold weather definitely builds up tension in the legs but I felt the knots melt away with the masseur’s skill and warm aromatic oils.

Russia can be a daunting place, and knowing where to start is tricky. Four Seasons St Petersburg will be your guide, your friend and your concierge, guiding you towards the sights which make this city so special. It was a palatial home for us for three days and I breathed a sigh of relief every time I stepped from the cold street into the lovely Lion Palace lobby.

More information and book a room here: www.fourseasons.com/stpetersburg/