The Best of Both Worlds: Four Seasons City-Country Pairings
Experience the energy of a city and the calm of the country with these Four Seasons destinations.
For many of us, selecting the ideal vacation destination means entertaining competing temptations. Will it be a city, packed with possibilities for experiencing arts, culture and fine dining? Or will it be a quiet respite in the country, surrounded by nature—a place that provides a break from fast-paced lives? Fortunately, Four Seasons has some remarkably easy city-country pairings that allow guests to indulge in the best of both worlds, including Vancouver-Whistler, Denver-Vail, London-Hampshire and Buenos Aires-Carmelo.
From the Sea to the Mountains
Surrounded by bays and inlets, and shadowed by the huge mountains of the Coast Range, Vancouver is a modern metropolis wrapped in natural beauty. Here you can mountain bike in stately Stanley Park, appreciate First Nations art, find reminders of the city’s British-accented origins and paddle a rented kayak on placid waters, sizing up skyscrapers and mountains simultaneously. Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver sits at the centre of this diverse destination and offers elegant guest rooms with city, garden or mountain views. Make an excursion to the galleries of Granville Island, or take a stroll to the hippest new Japanese restaurant on Robson Street—the Hotel is equally well situated for both.
Less than a two-hour drive up the Sea to Sky Highway, Whistler awaits. The destination encompasses both Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain, ski mountains that stand side by side with four villages at their base. Whistler beckons in summer and fall with hiking for all abilities, zip lining through forests and opportunities for wildlife spotting. You’ll also find restaurants that rival the best kitchens in Vancouver. At Four Seasons Resort Whistler, in Upper Village, the guest rooms are classic comfort zones, with gas fireplaces and mountain views—perfect cocoons after a day outdoors.
From Urban Sophistication to Mountain Recreation
The gateway to Rocky Mountain splendour, Denver is an enticing destination in its own right. The city has witnessed an urban revival, and today, four pro sports stadiums, 10 popular city parks, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver and a new wing on the Denver Art Museum are among the city’s urban attractions. Four Seasons Hotel Denver sits across the street from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and is the ideal base for exploring plentiful shopping and dining opportunities in LoDo (Lower Downtown), the 16th Street pedestrian mall and Larimer Square.
Just a 90-minute drive from Denver is the recreation playground of Four Seasons Resort Vail. Skiers and winter sports enthusiasts can take advantage of the Resort’s in-house rental shop and deluxe slope-side ski concierge service, not to mention Vail’s well-groomed slopes, long runs and famous Back Bowls. Summer in Vail overflows with outdoor pursuits, including mountain biking, fly fishing, horseback riding and hiking, and guests of Four Seasons Resort Vail have special access to Red Sky Ranch Golf Club. Summer also means cultural arts, with music festivals, concert series and culinary events from spring through fall.
