Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore

I recently stayed at the Four Seasons Baltimore for one night while in the city for business, and I was disappointed by this hotel. While the Four Seasons has a great location in Baltimore’s Harbor East neighborhood right on the waterfront, and offers some nice facilities, I found myself repeatedly frustrated. The tired décor is not in line with most Four Seasons properties and, coupled with several poor service experiences, made for a particularly disappointing stay. The tipping point that ultimately pushed the experience from mediocre to poor was receiving a parking ticket afterward caused by the hotel’s valet parking of my car. Trip Planning: As I often do when booking a Four Seasons, I reserved through a Preferred Partner travel agent, which enabled me to receive complimentary perks. At no additional cost, my reservation included a room upgrade subject to availability, a $100 hotel credit, a $90 breakfast credit for the restaurant or in-room dining, and late checkout subject to availability. I also asked my travel agent to note that I would arrive early (around 8:00 am) and requested a quiet room on a higher floor. Both requests were accommodated, which I appreciated. Arrival: I arrived just before 8:00 am on a Monday morning, a quiet time for hotel arrivals, and the welcome when I pulled up in my car was professional and pleasant. The valet staff immediately offered assistance with my luggage, and throughout my stay I found the door staff to be friendly, attentive, and hardworking, even when the entrance got busy at times. I’ve considered staying here before as a long-weekend getaway, since I live within a couple hours of Baltimore by car, and rates are usually reasonable for a Four Seasons. However, we had never moved forward in the past because even in its marketing photos, the hotel looked drab. Walking into the lobby confirmed that impression. The lobby feels bland and dated, with an early-2000s aesthetic that carries throughout the property. I also found it odd that with a pretty large open space to work with, the lobby had very few seating areas, in favor of a lot of cold and blank space. There are so many missed opportunities to make this lobby more attractive and cozier, and it’s the first place where you can see evidence of the ongoing theme of the hotel feeling older than it is. Looking at the sleek glass exterior, you would expect a more modern interior, yet the hotel appears largely untouched since opening in 2011. I later learned that renovations are expected to begin later this year, which feels very overdue. The décor certainly looks like a “nice hotel” in a generic sense, but it lacks the refined, contemporary feel I associate with Four Seasons. Comparing it to the nearby Four Seasons Philadelphia, for example, it is difficult to believe they belong to the same brand. The Baltimore property feels more like a JW Marriott maybe, with a somewhat generic corporate aesthetic. Check-in was fine, and the front desk agent informed me that my room had been upgraded from the base-level City View Room I had reserved to a Fountain View Executive Suite (the fountain view is essentially a city view, but with a direct view of the fountain in the traffic circle outside the hotel). I was very pleasantly surprised by the multi-category upgrade. The room was understandably not ready at 8:00 am, but I was told it would be prioritized once housekeeping arrived. True to their word, I received a text at 9:20 am informing me the room was ready. When I returned a couple hours later for my room key, the front desk staff member I met that time was also fine, but I realized later that neither agent I met at the check-in desk really provided or offered any information about the hotel, and they didn’t go over or give me the letter they usually provide about the Preferred Partner inclusions in my room rate. I didn’t actually know the amount of the breakfast credit or other key details, which would come into play again at checkout. Room: Guest rooms occupy floors 5 through 17, with private residences above. My suite was on the 14th floor, a higher floor as I had requested. While the lobby felt dated, the hallways were even worse. The décor is heavily rooted in early-2000s design trends, featuring busy patterns, glittery wallpaper, curlicue flourishes, and a chocolate brown and turquoise color palette. The hotel clearly embraced trends of the time it was built, rather than aiming for a timeless design. I pulled up photos of hotels I had actually stayed at in 2011 just to compare, and there were plenty of hotels in 2011 whose rooms looked much more timeless than at this property. Despite the dated aesthetic, I greatly appreciated the upgrade. The Executive Suite offered more than 900 square feet of space and felt more like a city apartment than a standard hotel room. It occupied a quiet corner location with a separate living room and half bath, while the bedroom connected to a spacious bathroom and walk-in closet down a long hallway. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the suite, filling it with natural light. It felt a little bit like being in a fishbowl, since the office building next door was really close and I could see right into it (and I’m sure vice versa). However, it was still nice and I loved the abundant natural light. The bathroom was perfectly functional for me as a solo traveler, but it was somewhat small for a suite and surprisingly only had a single sink. The shower hardware also felt dated, though I appreciated having both a traditional showerhead and rainfall shower, although water in the shower took a little while to heat up. The room itself was comfortable and in good condition. It included all the touches I expect from a Four Seasons, including the excellent Four Seasons bed, and I slept very well. Nevertheless, the room shared the same dated feel as the rest of the hotel and lacked the modern luxury and sense of place I typically associate with the brand. I did appreciate that the hotel delivered a note on behalf of my travel agent to welcome me to the hotel, along with a plate of macarons and some bottled water. My dog often travels with me to Four Seasons hotels, but wasn’t there this time. However, it was really nice that they had a full dog set-up in the room too, including a dog bed, and some toys and treats for her. The anticipation of needs between Four Seasons stays was nice. Dining & Bars: I didn’t get a chance to properly try the dining options at the hotel, since I was out at work events during most meals during my stay. However, it did seem nice that there are at least four restaurants within or attached to the hotel, plus many others in walking distance in Harbor East or the Inner Harbor more generally. The one meal I did experience was in-room dining breakfast, which was excellent. Michelle, who took my order, was particularly warm and friendly, and the staff member delivering the meal was equally gracious. I tried the Maryland crab eggs benedict, and while pricey at $42, it was worth every penny. It was an absolutely great dish with the eggs prepared perfectly, and the crab was delicious. I breakfast item including Maryland crab while in Baltimore is a great example of creating a sense of place and tying in the location to the stay. I also tried the croissant waffles, and they were also very good. My only comment would be that the $90 Preferred Partner credit for in-room dining breakfast was a little low to actually cover breakfast for two through in-room dining (particularly if each person gets an entrée, coffee, and juice), and my charges went quite a bit over. Other Amenities: The key hotel amenities include a spa, fitness center, and outdoor pool that are all located together on the 4th floor. I didn’t have time to use any of these amenities, but I did stop by to take a look at them. The laminate flooring in the entire hallway area near the gym and pool was in poor condition and actually coming up in several spots, so the first impression wasn’t great. However, the facilities themselves were nice. The gym was a light, bright space that looked to be well equipped, while the outdoor pool is a main draw of this hotel. It’s an infinity pool with perfect views directly overlooking the harbor, and what seemed like a good number of lounge chairs around it. It’s a very nice setup. There’s also a poolside restaurant and bar, so you have the option of a seated meal or full food and drink service laying by the pool. One thing I did find odd was how limited the pool hours are. The pool didn’t open until 10:00 am during my stay, and you cannot access it before then, as the door to enter the pool deck is locked. Just from my own experience traveling with a toddler, it’s often nice to at least have an option for early pool time with kids, and plenty of adults like to swim laps early in the morning. I understand if poolside service doesn’t start until 10:00, which is reasonable, but completely preventing guests from using the pool before then is an odd choice. I understand that the hours get a bit longer once it reaches true summer, but I didn’t understand the need for such restrictive hours when I visited in May. Location: The Four Seasons really does have a prime location in Downtown Baltimore. Beyond being right on the water, the Harbor East neighborhood is full of dining and shopping options. It’s one of those neighborhoods where it’s clear that all of it was built at once as part of a redevelopment project, so it’s a little devoid of true character, and the buildings largely all look the same. However, it’s still objectively very nice. You can easily walk to plenty of areas with a bit more character, including Fells Point nearby. Departure Experience: I wasn’t particularly happy with my departure experience in a couple of respects. Ideally, I needed a late checkout to have the room until about 2:00 pm, so I could return from a work meeting, get changed, and get on the road without having to be fully packed up and out of the room before then. When I asked about late checkout night before, they tried to just defer any decision to the morning, and told me I should check in with the front desk on the morning of my departure. I found this response to be annoying. If I’m asking at 9:00 pm the night before I depart, what could possibly be changing overnight that you can’t provide an answer now? When I pressed them on it, they offered 30 extra minutes, so I could check-out by 12:30 pm instead of 12:00 pm. Not super helpful. Particularly when booking through a Preferred Partner, I virtually never have a problem getting a late checkout at a Four Seasons property, so I was surprised by the response here. The next morning, I checked again as directed, just to see if anything had changed or opened up, and the answer was still a firm no on extending checkout. I specified that even though I had asked for 2:00, even 1:00 would be really helpful, and the answer was still that 12:30 was the latest they could give. On one hand, late checkout isn’t guaranteed, and they could simply have been busy with a lot of departures that same day. I know that everyone can’t have late checkout. On the other, letting me have the room until 1:00 instead of 12:30 hardly seemed like it would be a major imposition or prevent them from still getting the room ready for someone else with enough time. I just couldn’t tell why they were being so tough about it, and it didn’t feel aligned with Four Seasons service I’m used to, where the staff are usually more than willing to be accommodating. I ended up checking out early and storing my bag with the front desk, which was ultimately fine. At that time, I stopped by the front desk to get my final folio to review. The main thing I was checking for was to see if the credits included in my rate had been applied properly, as this has been a recurring issue at Four Seasons properties. The credits had been applied, but I saw that only about half of the $100 hotel credit had been used to cover excess breakfast charges, and half had gone unused. The only other charge on my account had been the $55 valet parking, which was still showing up as a charge, rather than applying the remaining $50 to it. I asked why the credit hadn’t been applied to also offset parking, and was told that the hotel credit can’t be used for parking. This was not the same as many other Four Seasons properties we’ve visited, and had not been disclosed to me at an earlier point in the stay. When I told them I hadn’t been informed of the restrictions on the hotel credit, they pulled out a copy of the Preferred Partner welcome letter to show me, and it did actually state that parking was excluded from the hotel credit. The problem, however, was that I had never received that letter at check-in. I absolutely would have made sure to spend the credit on something else if I had known. I told the front desk clerk this, which was the truth, and she kept reiterating that the credit cannot be applied to parking, so there was nothing she could do. After pushing again, she very begrudgingly agreed to apply the credit to the parking charge as a “one time exception”. Her tone was poor and it was clear that she didn’t offer it because she felt she should, but rather because she had to in order to get rid of me, which was frustrating. Service: Service was unfortunately not something that stood out in a positive way at the Four Seasons Baltimore. The entire way that my checkout was handled is a great example, both in the rejection of a later checkout, and then the fight to adjust the bill. It felt like holding strictly to hardline policies was more their goal than actual guest satisfaction. Even beyond that, it was the tone and delivery in these situations that made things worse. They weren’t apologetic about not being able to offer late checkout or for having caused billing confusion. Instead, there was a strong implication that I was an annoyance or imposition on them. This simply isn’t the service level I’m used to at most Four Seasons properties, which tends to be much more guest-centric. I will say that most other staff members I encountered, such as in-room dining and the staff at the front door, were wonderful. I also seemed to often run into the bell staff who were assisting with luggage for other guests in the elevator, and they were always really friendly, and would strike up a pleasant conversation. It seemed like those guys were just truly very nice and eager to interact with guests, and I appreciated it. Another poor area of service, however, was the Four Seasons app chat function. I use the app frequently every time I stay at a Four Seasons, and it’s typically always such a quick, reliable way to ask questions and get requests satisfied. However, it was a really weak point in Baltimore on not just one, but numerous occasions. Early on in my stay, I submitted a request on the app where I received a response that they would look into the item and get back to me, but I never heard back. When I actually followed-up, I received no response at all. Almost the exact same thing happened again the next day too. This is not what I’m used to, so I hope this can be fixed. The app being a reliable way to communicate with staff is, in my view, a standout and standard feature of the brand, and that was totally missing here. Post-Departure: If departing the hotel didn’t leave enough of a bad taste in my mouth, about two weeks after my stay, I received a parking ticket in the mail at home from the company that runs the parking garage in the building. The ticket claimed that I had improperly parked in the hotel garage without paying, and was seeking payment of the full parking charge, plus a $50 fee. I had valeted my car, so this issue had to have been caused by the hotel. A guest should never receive a parking ticket related to the time that the hotel staff was in control of the car and valeting it in its own garage, point blank. I was perplexed at how this even happened in this situation, but called the hotel to see what could be done about it. The person I spoke with apologized, and said the guest experience team would help take care of this. He said he would email me right after our call and I could share a copy of the ticket. Frustratingly, he never emailed me, and I had to reach out again. I called the next day, and this time was given the email address for the proper internal contact, and ultimately connected with Duncan, Assistant Guest Experience Manager. Duncan was kind, apologetic, and very responsive, getting back to me very quickly even on his day off, and then setting up a call the next day to make sure my concerns were addressed and he could strive to make me satisfied. He remained responsive and helpful throughout. On my call with Duncan, I learned that the parking issues I encountered are not unique. While I’m not sure how often it occurs, they’ve had other guests receive parking violations while using valet parking, and they have a process set-up with their parking management company to resolve these tickets. While it was great that he expressed confidence that the ticket could be resolved very quickly (and it was – the parking company cancelled it within 24 hours), the fact that the hotel hasn’t figured this out with their own parking garage partner in the building is bizarre. At the end of our call, which also included going over the other issues with my stay, Duncan offered me a complimentary night to return to the hotel in the future as compensation for all of the inconvenience, which is a nice offer. I told him that since I don’t have any plans to return currently, it would simply be easier to have a refund of the night I just completed. In my mind, it should be treated the same: a complimentary night is a complimentary night, whether it’s in the form of a future stay or a refund of a past stay. Duncan said he didn’t think this would be a problem, but that he needed to check with upper-level management. I received an email later that day stating that management was only offering a 50% refund if I accepted a refund instead of a future free night. This was frustrating, and takes me right back to the same feeling I had about other issues during my stay. There seems to be a short-sighted view of what guest service should be, as compared to what I’ve seen at other Four Seasons properties. Hearing that even upper-level management didn’t have an instinct to simply provide the best possible service in the situation was frustrating, and helps explain the culture at the property, where unnecessarily giving guests a hard time seems to happen from the front desk all the way to the top. In the end, we’re talking about a couple hundred dollars difference in total, and when I spend thousands each year at Four Seasons properties, management should have been much more willing to be accommodating immediately. When I pushed back, they did relent and offered a full refund on my recent stay, which was ultimately a resolution I was satisfied with, but wasn’t their instinct to offer. Overall: Overall, a combination of service missteps, a very dated property, and unnecessary hassle after checkout left me wanting a lot more from the Four Seasons Baltimore. While the hotel is in a great location, and an upgrade to a suite was a high point of my stay, failing to deliver on what I view as Four Seasons’ bread and butter, updated rooms and great service, is a problem. Despite all of that, I won’t be surprised if I do stay here again. It’s in a perfect location for where I needed to be for business, and it is likely the most luxurious property in the city. I might even give it a chance for a leisure stay once it’s renovated. However, I do think the Pendry in Fells Point looks great and fresh, so that is another option I would consider as an alternative in the future.

As frequent Four Seasons guests, this property was unfortunately not up to the standard we've come to expect from the brand. The rooms felt quite dated and in need of a refresh. While most of the staff were friendly and helpful, the service was inconsistent and lacked the polished, anticipatory feel that usually sets Four Seasons apart. The pool area was just okay. It was very crowded during our stay, the lounge chairs were not particularly comfortable, and service was slow. Food and beverage offerings were average at best, and we experienced long waits. One of the biggest disappointments was the lack of family-focused amenities. We travel with our children often and have come to appreciate the thoughtful touches Four Seasons typically provides, such as welcome gifts or stuffed animals for younger guests. None of those details were present here. Breakfast was especially underwhelming. I had to request a high chair twice before receiving one, and when I asked about a children's menu, our server told me they didn't have one. As someone who stays at Four Seasons properties regularly with kids, I found that surprising and disappointing. Perhaps she was new, but the overall experience was not what I would expect from this brand. We did not dine at the hotel for dinner, so I can't comment on that experience. One positive was the location. It's an easy walk to the aquarium, and the front desk was very helpful in assisting us with purchasing tickets, which we appreciated. Overall, while the hotel has a great location and some strong staff members, it did not deliver the level of accommodations, service, or family experience that we typically associate with Four Seasons. Given the price point, I did not feel it offered good value and would likely choose another property on a future visit to Baltimore.

I had the ultimate experience staying at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. From the moment I arrived, the staff made sure I had everything I needed for an exceptional stay. DeVictor, Antonio, and Lindsey went above and beyond to provide outstanding customer service and hospitality. Their professionalism, attentiveness, and warm personalities truly made my visit unforgettable. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a luxury experience with a staff that genuinely cares about their guests.

Our first hour there was a little rocky but they more than made up for it the rest of the trip. We must have arrived at a very busy time because no one greeted us upon arrival or helped with luggage which is definitely not typical at Four Seasons, and then there was a little snafu with some pre-ordered room treats to surprise my family. That said, I’m giving them five stars because they more than made up for it after the first couple of hours. Four Seasons Baltimore is definitely worth coming back to!! Service was friendly and excellent! They also sent in a make-up sweet treats plate to make up for the other one and helped us celebrate something extremely important and special. I loved the doorman, he was friendly, funny and always took care of us. The room was immaculate and housekeeping staff was fast and friendly! Room service presentation was nice and the delivery staff are friendly and professional. Definitely recommend a harbor view. From our window, it reminded me of our time in Sydney. Extra bonus: we are from SF and are SF Giants fans. The team happened to there while they played the Orioles! I’d be happy to stay here again and highly recommend it.

I honestly think it's hard for an already great hotel to get better--the spaces and facilities are what they are (and they are awesome here). The only variable that has true movement is the guest experience. From check in through check out, every staff member I came into contact with made me feel welcome, and taken care of--in a very personal and informal (non-scripted) way. Everything I experienced from the front desk to housekeeping to the spa to room service was seamless and integrated. While I think (emphasis on 'think)' the hotel was quite busy (with weddings and the like), it did not, at all, 'feel' this way to me. Examples being--the arrival staff making sure my car was quickly handled, despite a true traffic jam at the front of the hotel when I got there, or the front desk making sure I was happy with my accommodations, or the spa attendants consistently checking the amenities, or the room service server making sure my unique order was properly filled. These may seem like trivial details, but for me, it is what separates the good from the great luxury hotels, especially when one flows seamlessly into the next. I am a huge Four Seasons fan, and I maintain that this property is the hidden gem in their portfolio. Despite being a city hotel, the feel in the summer is resort-like ( a great pool area overlooking the Harbor), and in the non-summer months, the Water Experience at the spa easily compensates. But it is the staff that makes the difference, and I'm happy to say, from years of experience here, that just keeps getting better.