Four Seasons Hotel Boston

"Life doesn't need to be so hard," the Four Seasons Boston seems to whisper. From the moment guests arrive at the hotel, beautifully situated across the street from the Public Garden and surrounded by luxury stores, their needs are anticipated. Thirsty? Someone is already handing you a bottle of water. Need a ride? The concierge is more than happy to arrange for the house car to take you.

Everything, from the in-room flat-screen plasma TVs to the upscale comfort food at the Bristol, is just a little bit better -- a little easier to operate, a whole lot tastier -- at the Four Seasons, and yet, the hotel's charms are subtle. It doesn't have an opulent lobby like the Fairmont Copley Plaza (though the Four Seasons' spacious lobby impresses with stunningly glossy black-and-gold marble floors, plush periwinkle velvet couches, and modern floral arrangements) or strikingly modern guest rooms like the Mandarin Oriental, but it does have the best service in the city, a classic restaurant, and a gorgeous pool with floor-to-ceiling views of the Public Garden. About that pool -- it's not the average indoor hotel swimming pool where you do laps amid the unpleasant scent of chlorine. This is an indoor pool of a different ilk, a relaxing spot to grab some free coffee and fruit in the early morning, perhaps even put on a robe and slippers as guests are urged to do by the considerate attendant. It's a place to wile away the morning reading on a lounge chair.

The Four Seasons' elegant design strives for a sense of timelessness, not big thrills. But ultimately, it's the hotel's thoughtful, unfailing service that elevates it above its competitors. The service creates a remarkably consistent, relaxing experience. If only life outside of the Four Seasons could be so easy.

Four Seasons Boston is located directly across the street from the Public Garden, a beautiful park featuring a lake with swan boats in the summer and ice skating in the winter. The hotel is centrally located on the edge of the Theater District and Back Bay, an upscale commercial and residential area where skyscrapers tower above centuries-old churches and expensive brownstone homes. The Back Bay is a popular area for business travelers -- the Hynes Convention Center is here -- but it also has some of the city's best shopping, from quaint Newbury Street boutiques to the massive Shops at Prudential Center mall. Major attractions, like the Public Garden, the Boston Common, and the start of the Freedom Trail, are within a few blocks; other tourist hot spots, like the North End and Faneuil Hall, are 15 to 20 minutes away via public transportation. The Stuart Street Playhouse, an art-house movie theater, is a short walk from the hotel, while the Theater District has a number of restored theaters that host acts ranging from comics to indie rockers. The South End, a more lively bohemian area with trendy bars and eateries, is a 15 to 20-minute walk away.

• One-minute walk to Boston Common, the country's oldest park and the start of the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile path that passes through 16 historical Boston landmarks
• Three-minute walk to the T (Boston's subway system) at Arlington Station (Green Line)
• Five-minute walk to Newbury Street, a lovely brownstone-lined shopping and dining corridor
• Nine-minute walk to Copley Square, a pretty public square with an interesting mix of architecture that's the site of the Boston marathon finish line
• 10-minute drive to Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox
• 12-minute walk to Back Bay Station
• 15-minute T ride to Faneuil Hall, a historic marketplace and modern-day mall
• 20- to 25-minute T ride to Harvard Square, across the Charles River
• 15- to 25-minute drive to Boston Logan International Airport

Four Seasons offers spacious rooms and suites that are traditionally designed with features like striped wallpaper, floral carpeting, and heavy window treatments. The rooms offer classic, understated luxury -- they may strike guests as somewhat dated, or even borderline fussy, but all 272 rooms are expected to be fully renovated by early 2017. Pre-renovated rooms are still, nonetheless, exceedingly comfortable, with flat-screen plasma TVs, digital music players, free Wi-Fi, bathrobes and slippers, mini-fridges, minibars, and work desks. And renovations to all of the bathrooms were completed in 2015: bathrooms feature black marble floors and vanities, marble-and-glass showers, modern lighting and fixtures, and magnifying mirrors. Some rooms have separate soaking tubs (again: marble). Upscale L'Occitane toiletries, hairdryers, bathrobes, and slippers are provided. 

Starting at 380 square feet, the entry-level rooms, called "Superior," are slightly smaller than the entry-level rooms at the Mandarin (400 square feet) and the Ritz-Carlton (425 square feet). However, the hotel has just 11 Superior Rooms; the majority of its guest rooms are 400-square-foot Deluxe Rooms (34 of which are Deluxe Garden-View Rooms -- though views from regular Deluxe Rooms are enhanced by a thoughtful roof garden planted atop the low-level building they overlook). Superior Rooms have one king bed, while Deluxe Rooms have either one king or two double beds; beds are wonderful with Frette sheets, down pillows, and duvets.

Rooms are effectively soundproofed; our reporter couldn't hear any street noise, even from a Garden-facing room. Turndown service with bottled water and twice-daily housekeeping are included with all rooms, and babyproofing and playpens are available upon request. Connecting rooms available in a variety of room types. The hotel can provide cribs and rollaway beds for children for free (rollaways for adults cost a fee). Room service is available 24/7.

With a beautiful top-floor health club offering impeccable service, and a pool with beautiful views of the park, the Four Season's standout features elevate it above the competition. The eighth-floor fitness center has elliptical machines, treadmills, stair climbers, and bikes, all with individual TVs and printouts of the channels available. There's also a great selection of free weights, medicine balls, fitness balls, and weight machines, plus a stretching mat, both bottled water and fruit-infused water, chilled towels, and apples. The Four Seasons' beautiful, 44-foot-long pool has floor-to-ceiling windows along one wall with incredible park views (and no nasty chlorine smell). Free coffee, tea, and fruit are offered around the pool, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be ordered poolside throughout the day. The health club, which is the combined pool and fitness center area, has lovely locker rooms with saunas, steam rooms, and massage rooms. (There's no full spa on-site, but a variety of massages, from Swedish to Reiki, can be arranged via an outside therapist.) The entire area is kept immaculate by diligent attendants (who provide guests with robes and slippers) and is a serene place for guests to relax year round.

The Four Seasons has just one bar and restaurant on-site, but it's a pretty great one. With its clubby, heavily wooded decor (including handsome coffered ceilings), the Bristol is a classic place to grab cocktails and delicious upscale comfort food, like grilled steaks, seared fish, and raw bar selections. Don't miss the crab chowder, which gives the city's best clam chowders a run for their money. A kids' menu features items like turkey clubs and mac 'n' cheese. The Bristol Bar serves specialty cocktails like basil mojitos, favorite dishes from the restaurant, and plates for sharing, plus hosts regular weekly events like "Burgers & Burgundy," a special that pairs the Bristol's notable burger with Burgundy wine tastings.

The free 24-hour business center in the lobby has three computer stations (including one Apple), a large printer/copier, bottled water, and two boarding pass printing stations. The lobby is also the site for free coffee, espresso, tea, and pastries each morning. Other freebies include car service within a two-mile radius, daily newspapers, and loaner bikes. The hotel also offers dog biscuits and pet beds, plus supervised kids' activities, like cookie-making classes.