Highlights: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

•Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach is an exclusive oceanfront resort offering understated luxury and elegance with flawless service

•Beautiful guest accommodations feature classic Americana décor with subtle tropical colors and accent lighting, creating a true sense of elegance and grandeur

•Mobil Four-Star The Restaurant is an exquisite fine dining experience, featuring southeastern regional cuisine

•Magnificent furnished private terraces, in-room and poolside massages, and lovely al fresco dining overlooking the Atlantic Ocean are just a few of the amenities

•Located just minutes from three golf courses, polo facilities, and world-class shopping and dining on Worth Avenue

•Children of all ages are catered to with such special amenities as the Kids For All Seasons program

Amenities: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

• 210 rooms, 4 story. Pets accepted, some restrictions. Check-in 4 pm, check-out Noon. High-speed Internet access. 4 restaurants, 3 bars. Children's activity center. Fitness room, fitness classes available, spa. Beach. Outdoor pool, whirlpool. Tennis. Airport transportation available. Business center. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

The Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach is a lovely blend of understated elegance and tropical flair, offering guests a truly romantic ambiance in a tropical paradise overlooking the sapphire-colored Atlantic Ocean. The inspiring interiors are designed for comfort and luxury, with guest suites that offer lovely views of the garden areas, the pools, or the ocean.

The public spaces are sublimely elegant, yet light and airy with a sense of grace and charm. Large pots of magenta and white orchids offer spots of color throughout. A leopard-patterned carpet in The Living Room adds a whimsical touch to the otherwise formal atmosphere. Another “family room” connected to this area provides comfortable sofas and chairs, a flat-screen television, a variety of games for kids, and plenty of spots for adults to relax and read. The exterior of the hotel is lush, with an abundance of flowers and foliage, and several patio dining areas with breathtaking views of the ocean are scattered throughout.

Although this property seems geared toward the leisure traveler, those traveling on business will find it quite conducive for working, both in the rooms and in the business center. The hotel would be a great place for a romantic getaway, but it would be best to avoid a visit during school holidays or spring break--times when you can expect it to be filled with families.

Otherwise, there are many amenities for couples to enjoy, including a 6,000-square-foot fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment and a lovely spa that features an extensive list of services and treatments, including couple’s massages. Honeymooners receive the utmost in pampering, with such special treatments such as breakfast in bed, picnics on the beach, couples spa packages, and an evening in one of the hotel’s fine dining restaurants.

A great deal of attention is given to the younger set of hotel guests; offerings include child-size bathrobes, toiletries, children’s menus, video games, and toys. The hotel even provides complimentary diapers, bottles, cribs, and childproofing items. Best of all, the Kids For All Seasons program provides many creative outdoor activities for youngsters.

The elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites come in a choice of garden, pool, or ocean views, all designed to “bring the outside in.” Plush bed linens, state-of-the-art business accommodations, and luxurious marble bathrooms are standard in all guest rooms and suites. For those who want to fully take advantage of the ocean views and enjoy total grandeur, there are three large suites, which are also an excellent choice for families.

This Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach offers exemplary service in all areas. The staff was polite and attentive as well as knowledgeable. I found my in-room requests answered promptly, and laundry service did an excellent job, returning items in a timely manner.

(+) Elegant public spaces and guest suites with lovely terraces and views; exceptional amenities for children
(-) Couples seeking a private, romantic getaway should not book during school holidays

Guest Services: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

The Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach, offers very good service across the board. The uniforms are classic and traditional, and all staff looked very professional. When I entered the hotel, the front desk agent was very engaging, helpful, and thorough. Departure was also seamless and left me with such a wonderful impression that I looked forward to a return visit.

Laundry, housekeeping, and room service was excellent, and the attendants were very attentive to my needs. When I asked for a toothbrush to be delivered to the room, it arrived within three minutes and was presented in elegant packaging. This is a very efficient staff; they make the visit an enjoyable one.

(+) Excellent, detail-oriented service in all areas, from arrival to departure

Guest Rooms: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

The Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach has 210 elegant guest rooms, including 13 suites with furnished terraces. Some rooms have a whimsical tropical décor with garden or pool views, while others offer a more elegant, classical motif, featuring marble throughout and boasting multiple balconies with sweeping oceanfront views.

High-speed Internet is available in all guest rooms. Plush bed linens and marble bathrooms are standard amenities, as are the double vanities, deep soaking tub, and signature Four Seasons toiletries. Given the warm climate, the beds were appointed with all-white duvet covers rather than thick goose down. The elegant Floridian-style décor featured yellow walls and khaki-and-white carpets; an Asian/safari influence was evident in the armoire and side chairs of dark wood and lovely burnt orange fabrics with soft palm leaf prints.

For guests seeking a larger space with a sense of grandeur, the hotel offers the Gardenia, Orchid, or Hibiscus suites, which have elegantly appointed living and dining rooms, two bedrooms, and lovely furnished terraces with spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean. The Hibiscus Suite’s very elegant décor includes a baby grand piano, as well as a living and dining room that seats four people. The Jasmine Suite offers two bedrooms and is decorated in a more whimsical tropical fish theme. For families of four or guests who enjoy entertaining, the hotel features two Oceanfront Suites, which are designed in a classic Americana style featuring pale blue and auburn tones with wood accents. These suites offer large balconies with full ocean views.

(+) Rooms are spacious and stylish, with lovely terraces to enjoy al fresco dining and ocean views

Facilities & Activities: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

There is no end to the water sports and other outdoor activities available to guests staying at the Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach, including windsurfing, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling. There are also many boating options on luxury liners, riverboat replicas, or motor and sailing yachts, as well as deep-sea fishing. Guests who are not interested in water sports have several options, such as enjoying a game of tennis on one of the hotel’s two courts or playing a round of golf at one of three golf courses just minutes away; these include the Atlantis Country Club, Abacos Golf Club, or the Polo Trace Golf Course. Just a short drive from the hotel, guests will find some of the most exclusive designer retail stores, art galleries, and cafes on famous Worth Avenue.

For relaxation and rejuvenation, the hotel has a large fitness center and spa facility, which features many Ayurvedic treatments and special massage packages, including a couple’s massage. Massage services are also available in guest rooms or poolside in one of the hotel’s private cabanas.

The hotel offers a heated freshwater swimming pool facing the Atlantic Ocean, with attentive pool attendants who pamper guests with towels, lemon water, chilled face cloths, and an occasional Evian spritz or Mango mist. During my visit, the poolside staff was very efficient, even when very busy, and always handled guests' requests with the utmost courtesy. The pool provides a fun atmosphere for kids but can get a little crowded for guests seeking a more private experience, in which case there are no alternatives other than the beach.

(+) Several options for leisure activities on hotel grounds as well as golf and shopping destinations just a short drive away
(-) Pool can become very busy and crowded at times

Dining & Lounge: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

Dining at the Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach, is a culinary delight, with several options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for fine dining or a meal al fresco by the pool or on a lovely patio overlooking the ocean, all restaurants offer a unique, romantic ambiance and excellent cuisine. The Ocean Bistro features a menu with fresh local ingredients and a casual environment under large canopies overlooking the pool and ocean. The Atlantic Bar and Grill is a great garden patio café serving poolside fare, and the Mobil Four-Star The Restaurant is the hotel’s signature fine dining option, offering southeastern regional cuisine with an opulent dining room ambiance. Guests may also enjoy a light menu of cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres, and desserts in the Living Room, the hotel’s lobby lounge, which features an outside patio, an indoor fireplace, and a private library, as well as nightly entertainment.

The breakfast menu provided many interesting options aside from the usual fare. The Japanese Breakfast featured salmon teriyaki and oshitashi as well as other Japanese dishes, and there were many health-conscious selections to choose from as well. The food was fresh and appetizing, and the service was very good, but once we were served it seemed to become less attentive.

An extensive fine-dining menu is available for in-room service, which can be enjoyed on the lovely furnished terraces. My room service experience was exceptional. The table service was comparable to a fine dining restaurant, and the server was professional and very knowledgeable of the menu and wine selections.

(+) Excellent cuisine in very ambient environs, whether fine or casual dining; exceptional room service
(-) Breakfast service lacked attentive service once food was served

Business Services: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

The Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach offers the business traveler 24-hour in-room business and multilingual concierge service, the latest audiovisual equipment, and high-speed wireless Internet access. During my visit, the business center attendant was very helpful in assisting me with my needs and made every effort to solve my technical problems and answer my questions.

There are a variety of meeting rooms and conference rooms, and an executive boardroom on site, as well as larger event spaces for business or leisure purposes and special celebrations, including the decadent 6,000-square-foot Grand Ponciana Ballroom and Flagler Ballroom.

(+) Business travelers are offered the most current technological amenities, with plenty of meeting space