BOSTON -- Is it possible to enjoy the finer things in life when
traveling with children in tow?
The Four Seasons Hotel Boston thinks so, and to illustrate this
point, the hotel created a menu of family-friendly services and
amenities designed to appeal to finicky travelers of any age.
"We are seeing more families and more individual travelers here
for leisure rather than just for business," said Thierry Kennel,
the hotel's manager.
"We are able to adjust our behaviors and attitudes to our
customers, [whether they are] families, romantic couples or
business travelers," Kennel said, adding that family pets also are
welcome.
On a recent visit with my three children -- ages 10, 11 and 13
-- we sampled the property's Let Freedom Spring family package and
found plenty of Four Seasons' trademark attention to detail served
up family-style.
The two-night plan includes accommodations in either two
adjoining deluxe rooms or in an executive suite. Both offer views
of the Boston Public Garden, elegant furnishings and -- as the kids
quickly discovered -- video-game hook-ups.
The suite features spacious lounging areas, which were put to
good use by the room-service staff, who made their first appearance
almost immediately after we settled in.
The two younger children received milk and homemade
chocolate-chip cookies, while the eldest got a bowl of popcorn and
a Coca-Cola, all served with a flourish.
The children also received a welcome toy, which is adjusted for
five categories of age groups; not only does the staff find out the
birthdates of your children to tailor the toys accordingly, they
keep them on file for future visits.
The package also includes breakfast and dinner from the
room-service children's menu or in the hotel's Aujourd'hui
restaurant.
A Five-Diamond Award winner for eight years running, Aujourd'hui
may be a little daunting for some young diners, but the hotel's
other restaurant, the Bristol, features everything from lobster
roll sandwiches to steak, served in a relaxed atmosphere.
Our next stop after dinner was the indoor, heated swimming pool,
which is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the
city. The pool area features plenty of tables and chairs for
parents as well as newspapers and magazines, fresh fruit and lemon
water.
Adjacent to the pool are the newly renovated spa and fitness
center, which feature treatment rooms and the latest equipment,
including plasma-screen televisions and headphones. The fitness
center is open 24 hours a day, the spa/pool area from 6 a.m. until
10 p.m.
The next day we joined a guided tour of the Freedom Trail --
tickets for parents and up to two children under age 12 are
included in the Let Freedom Spring package -- where we were
escorted along a portion of Boston's famous path by a costumed
guide from the Freedom Trail Foundation.
The program also includes tickets to the New England Aquarium,
the Children's Museum and the Boston Museum of Science.
For a break from all that sightseeing, parents can indulge in a
spa treatment -- available at the spa or in the suite -- while the
kids take advantage of the three in-room movies included in the
package.
As for price, Kennel said the hotel focuses not so much on
offering discounts but rather on value-added amenities and
services.
Kennel added that the property has not dropped its rates in
recent months and enjoys competitive occupancy levels.
The Let Freedom Spring package is priced from $1,850 for two
nights in the executive suite. The rate also includes welcome
amenities and valet parking. The same package in two adjoining
deluxe rooms costs from $1,675.
A We're Not Kidding version of the package, without the Freedom
Trail tour, is priced from $1,450 for adjoining deluxe rooms and
from $1,620 for an executive suite.
Both programs are available through Oct. 13. Taxes and
gratuities are included in the rates.
For additional information, contact the Four Seasons Hotel
Boston at (800) 819-5053 or (617) 338-4400, or visit www.fourseasons.com.
Get More!
For more details on this article, see Boston teems with spots for children.