If your vacation imagination tends toward thoughts of lounging poolside, experiencing the best in fine dining, and sipping a stellar cocktail or two in gorgeous surroundings, your destination doesn’t have to require a wait in an airport security line or enduring a long flight.
A Warm Welcome
The trek down I-45 from The Woodlands takes visitors to the Four Seasons in downtown Houston in less than an hour. There, friendly valets meet, greet, and share tidbits about the nearby jogging trails at Discovery Green and the Ambrosia Market right across the street, offering worldwide fare including exotic pastries, cheeses, olives, and a floor of wines and kitchenware.
The lobby, a stylish space that sets the mood, is reminiscent of a classic Sixties-era hotel. Interesting décor, bookshelves, sofas, and the Krigler Parfumeur immediately catch the eye. An accommodating staff makes checking in a breeze, and if you’ve booked a fourth-floor cabana room, you’ll unpack to breathtaking views of the city skyline.
Welcoming touches include a charcuterie board, generously stocked refrigerator, Enigma coffee maker, and a full room service menu. Kudos to the designers who make staycationers feel right at home with the ambiance of contemporary furnishings, carpeting, lighting, artwork, and the luxurious linens Four Seasons is known for.
Spa and Poolside Paradise
The fourth floor is a wonderland of amenities, including the pool which can be accessed directly from cabana rooms with semi-private patios. The hot tub, water wall, Pool Deck Cafe, and stunning outdoor lounge accommodations bring next-level opportunities to decompress and unwind.
For a pampering experience, the Four Seasons Spa offers relaxing massages, body treatments, facials, and nail services to make ready for an evening at the hotel’s restaurants or a night on the town.
Cuisine
Award-winning and beautifully appointed Toro Toro is a global pan-Latin steakhouse also located on the fourth floor. This light-filled restaurant draws dinner guests with fireplaces, panoramic views of the city, a large bar, and an impeccable staff. Chefs introduce special fare from the “suviche” bar (sushi & ceviche), including aguachile, flambé salmon rolls, and angry scorpion rolls of spicy tuna and crab. Amarillo and Peruvian ceviche are dramatically presented with activated dry ice. Shrimp cocktails float in a pool of savory and sweet spices with flavors that dance off the tongue.
The Chilean sea bass is light, deliciously seasoned, and served on a bed of spinach. Bone-in beef rib “al carbon” tastes like prime rib cooked to perfection and is designed to be served as a taco, but you might find the flavors too good to mix--the rub is superb. The wedge salad, too, is a hit and includes a fresh and healthy base of greens. Amazing sweet corn empanadas filled with Manchego cheese are served with chimichurri and avocado puree.
Crepes layer cake, yellow corn cake, homemade churros, and other confections beckon from the dessert menu. The La Bomba — yes, “the bomb” — is a perennial Toro Toro favorite with a chocolate half-sphere filled with ice cream, fresh berries, chocolate berries, caramel, and chocolate syrup drizzles, also presented with dry ice.
The Speakeasy
Bandista, an onsite 1920s-themed speakeasy, has an intimate yet social vibe. Guests feel like discreet party-goers at a private underground lounge, arriving in the latest Haute attire and bonding over creative mixology. Talented bartenders delight onlookers with a cocktail laboratory center stage show of classic and contemporary interpretations.
More Entertainment
There’s more than meets the eye at Bayou & Bottle, a bourbon bar and restaurant located on the hotel’s first floor. It’s home to the virtual fairway at Topgolf Swing Suites with two simulators and games. Or, go out and about to enjoy Houston’s notable sports venues, Minute Maid Park, the Toyota Center, and BBVA Compass Stadium — just a quick drive away. Performing arts at the Hobby Center and the Wortham Center also provide delightful day or nighttime shows and cultural experiences.