By now almost all of us are suffering from pandemic fatigue in some form or other. There is an alternative, however, to the distance travel that so many of us miss-the staycation! Why not stay in a nice hotel, eat delicious food and play tourist in your own city for a few days? And while you’re at it, why not enjoy being pampered at the same time?
If you are thinking of this close-by getaway, consider choosing the hotel U.S. News & World Report calls “The #1 hotel in Washington, D. C. and #6 in the country”: the Four Seasons Hotel. The Four Seasons offers plenty of appealing enticements. First is the location. Residing on Pennsylvania Avenue, it straddles Georgetown on one side with its charming shops and abundant restaurants, and downtown D.C. on the other side with the national monuments, historic landmarks and iconic memorials.
Because airline travel has become so restricted the Four Seasons has been offering a road-trip friendly “Staycation” package. Included in the offer is a guaranteed upgrade to the next room category (up to the Capital Suite), a bottle of sparkling wine, a 10% discount on all spa services, overnight valet parking, and late check-out until 3:00 p.m.
The Staycation is intended to invite guests to plan a getaway with a partner, a girls’ weekend, a bridal party get-a-way, or any combination one wishes. Families with children are also encouraged to visit. Parents of young ones who have stayed report extra touches aimed at delighting the kids, such as a kid’s meal tray replete with special candies and cookies, toys, etc. The hotel staff loves to see children and child-sized slippers and robes are included in their rooms. Kids may also enjoy surprises such as a glow-in-the dark sleeping tent. The Four Seasons will even allow you to keep your dog in your room.
Since the start of the pandemic the first priority of the Four Seasons staff has been to ensure the safety and health of staff and guests and they implemented an ongoing health and safety program called Lead With Care. It includes cleaning all public areas hourly and disinfecting rooms with EPA-approved products. Each guest room will be equipped with a Lead With Care Kit, a PPE kit that includes face masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizer wipes. Anyone entering the hotel will have their temperatures taken by staff and masks are required in all public areas.
The three-tiered Fitness Center and Spa at the Four Seasons has long been a destination not only for guests at the hotel but also for those living nearby who can purchase annual memberships. A guest entering the spa starts with a warm welcome by a hotel team member such as Jose, who will greet you as if you are his long-lost best friend. After a temperature check and filling out an informational form you are shown to the men or women’s locker room and then the individual treatment rooms. If you are lucky enough to have Georgi as your masseuse–although all are reported to be wonderful–don’t hesitate to ask him about his home country of Bulgaria and how his family is doing. Different massages last anywhere from 50 to 100 minutes and may include extras such as essential oils or shea butter, but all are guaranteed to leave you feeling limp with relaxation.
The hotel’s heated, saltwater pool is considered one of the best indoor pools in Washington. It is a lap pool consisting of two lanes and children are also invited to dive right in. The area is ringed with great photography on the walls. If you forget something like goggles or even a swimsuit the front desk will hook you right up! Currently the pool is available to in-house guests who must make a reservation ahead of time. Pool times are for 45-minute increments followed by a 15-minute cleaning for subsequent swimmers.
The weight area in the Fitness Center is comprised of two floors loaded with 30 pieces of top-of-the-line, Technogym equipment. Free weights and weight training equipment are also available in the gym.
When it’s time for dinner the Four Seasons doesn’t disappoint. Chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak is well-known in the area. It is not unusual to spot socialites, celebrities and politicians. Reviewers usually rate the restaurant four stars, and diners rave about the huge choice of cuts of American and Japanese beef as well as the flavored French Fries and crispy Brussels sprouts.
The Ranch at Bourbon Steak is the outdoor section decorated in a rustic, Western style now covered and heated. The staff added fire pits and doubled the size of the courtyard, including placing plastic igloos all at safe distances. According to manager Jason de Vries, “When the restrictions happened we had to learn to adapt. This made us stronger as an organization.”
The Four Seasons continues to emphasize the value it places on treating each guest as a star. “It’s been a hard year on everyone”, according to de Vries; “Our team miss their guests so much.”