True story.
I arrived at the Four Seasons Whistler and was graciously welcomed and generously ushered into my suite. The airy room was, naturally, of the highest quality, befitting a brand as monumental in scale and scope as the dramatic mountains outside my window. I hadn’t personally booked my reservation, and as it was my first visit to the resort town’s preeminent resort in many years, I was viewing the property with eyes as clean and fresh as that week’s first-of-the-season snow.
I warmed my travelers bones with the gas fireplace, checked email with the complimentary high speed wifi, and unfurled my dress for the evening’s annual Big Guns Dinner at Araxi Restaurant, the gastronomic highlight of Whistler’s Cornucopia festival. I took tea on my mountain view balcony, contemplated making use of the extensive spa (the eucalyptus steam room, glacier rain shower and outdoor whirlpools earned its ranking as one of the top in Canada), and ordered a tasty snack from the 20-minute or less room service menu. Basically, I stretched out and made myself at home. I even started getting my game face on for the wine dinner, thoroughly enjoying the thick terry robes, cushy slippers and l’Occitane bath products. It wasn’t until I went back to the bedroom to fetch my dress that I noticed the large closed doors, opening them to reveal a huge master bathroom, dwarfing the size of my kitchen at home. Oh—I had been using the “guest” washroom the past couple of hours, not realizing that I had choices to pick from. And truly, I hadn’t even tasted any wine yet that day!
My suite encapsulated a perfect micro-summary of the Four Seasons Resort Whistler. Everything you need is at your fingertips, even if you don’t know what you need. Staff at this modern alpine resort appear able to handle the minute details and needs of guests in all 273 rooms (plus 37 residential suites) with an effortless smile and on a moment’s notice. My salt-addiction goaded me to ask if there was any popcorn (unlisted) available, and before clicking through my inbox there was a knock at the door with a large bowl of spiced, just-popped salt vessels for me.
The friendly valets and door team were helpful with my direction queries, and efficiently ferried me to and from the Village in the hotel’s Mercedes SUV. Though a fresh 15 minute walk to Whistler Village center is easy and well lit, the resort’s car service is complimentary to guests, and runs on demand until 11pm. Nightly hot chocolate in the lobby, and s’mores by the firepit were delivered with a grin and more than once dogs outnumbered guests in the hotel lobby.
Though I had a lengthy and extravagant working wine dinner in the Village to head off to, I couldn’t help but linger over the menu for Sidecut, the resort’s steakhouse restaurant. There Chef Tory Martindale serves up a wide variety of regional meats, including Canadian prime beef from Alberta and BC fallow venison loin, cooked on a 1,800-degree infrared grill (which promises to cook meat evenly while retaining its natural juices).
Naturally, a busy wine festival weekend means you’ll find me in the hotel bar late evening for non-wine nightcaps, and I did spend some quality downtime in Fifty Two 80’s super comfy chairs enjoying a well composed barrel aged Negroni (or few). Next time I return, I’ll make time for Chef Tory’s locally sourced cuisine and one of 30 wines by the glass. Or rely on the ski concierge for insider recommendations. Or attempt to find balance in the 24-hour fitness center. Heck–I’ll even try and find all of the rooms in my suite! It’s easy to see why the Four Seasons Resort Whistler was just named one of the Top 100 Best Hotels in the World by Travel + Leisure readers. The attention to service and details is of the highest degree–now if only that attention to detail would rub off on guests like me.
I can’t wait to go back again to experience the same fantastic time I had this time around. My friend has just visited Whistler and has just been on a whistler zipline and said how good it was, so I think I’m going to have to book that during my stay as well!
*Note: Whistler Blackcomb is opening EARLY this year, with opening day moved up to Saturday, November 16. More here.
Four Seasons Resort Whistler || 4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler || fourseasons.com/whistler
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