Frommer's Review
Deciding between the hyperluxe Mandarin Oriental or the equally luxe, albeit somewhat museum-like (the artwork in the lobby, including originals by Fernando Botero render most guests as silent as if they were examining the Mona Lisa) Four Seasons is almost like trying to tell the difference between Ava and Zsa Zsa Gabor. There are some obvious differences and some similarities, but they're all kind of subtle. Flip a coin and decide where you prefer to stay, because they are both spectacular in their own rights. While the architecturally striking Mandarin is located on the semi-private Brickell Key, the equally striking, albeit in an office-building kind of way, 70-story Four Seasons is located on the more bustling Brickell Avenue, the thoroughfare of business transactions. Both have water views that are spectacular. The 221 rooms and 39 suites are luxuriously appointed, and, like the Mandarin, service here is paramount. It's much quieter here at the Four Seasons, the favored stay of camera-shy, agoraphobic celebrities and business moguls. Most rooms overlook Biscayne Bay and while all rooms are cushy, thanks to the hotel's signature "untucked" beds, the bland decor leaves little to be desired, really. The best rooms are the corner suites with views facing both south and east over the water. The hotel's restaurant, Acqua, serves fantastic, surprisingly affordable, Italian fare, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the pool area, but has yet to surpass the excellence coming out of the kitchen at the Mandarin's deservedly lauded Azul. The 50,000-square-foot spa and Sports Club/LA here is inimitable, but if you prefer a spa that's not as sprawling and a bit less harried, the Mandarin's got it beat. What the Four Seasons has over the Mandarin, however, are two more pools -- a total of three gorgeous pools spread out on over 2 acres (this explains why the Mandarin Oriental recently debuted its sprawling beach club, an amenity the Four Seasons does not have). Bahia, the Latin-American influenced pool bar is the scene for young, upscale movers and shakers. A phenomenal kids program makes the Four Seasons more desirable than the Mandarin, where kids are typically bored. It's hard to choose between the two überluxurious properties, but one thing that remains consistent at both is that you won't be deprived of the lavish, luxe treatment that you're paying so dearly for. A celebrity clientele including Tom Cruise and Britney Spears is hard to spot because the hotel keeps them a well guarded secret!
Facilities:
2 restaurants; martini bar; outdoor bar; 3 outdoor pools; Sports Club/LA fitness center; full-service spa; outdoor Jacuzzi; concierge; 24-hr. business center
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
