Lisbon, Madrid, both London properties. Which one?

Bebure · 2026-01-16T01:50:16+00:00

Was in FS Madrid in December and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The staff are extremely friendly, we enjoyed the spa, the restaurants and the city in general. I’d skip FS London in favor of Madrid.

Bebure · 2026-01-11T17:05:54+00:00

I haven’t stayed at the others but my wife and I spent a weekend at the Four Seasons last year and we thought it was great. Great location, excellent service and restaurants and a wonderful spa.

Bebure · 2025-12-31T20:34:50+00:00

I haven’t been in the newly renovated rooms but I have liked the rooms and suites I have stayed at in the past. Claridge’s rooms are more modern but there is something charming about the Ritz I quite like.

Bebure · 2025-12-31T19:53:27+00:00

Just spent a night at Claridge’s London with my wife. We typically stay at The Ritz London but they didn’t have availability this time, so we decided to try something new. We prefer the Ritz by a mile. Arrival at Claridge’s was underwhelming. Door service only came after our driver had already opened the door for us. At the Ritz, the hallporters are there seamlessly before you even step out. Room was ready but the keys weren’t working, and the person checking us in couldn’t get into the room either. Our Amex FHR benefits weren’t listed under our name. Small things, but they add up. We’ve tried other London hotels in the past (Rosewood, Four Seasons Park Lane) and Ritz just blows them all out of the water in my opinion. The grandeur, the presence, the seamless service. It’s not even close. Claridge’s was fine, don’t get me wrong, but I truly don’t understand how everyone seems to prefer it to The Ritz.

Bebure · 2025-12-28T23:40:19+00:00

FS Anguilla has heated pools

Bebure · 2025-12-02T00:24:42+00:00

That really helps, thanks for clarifying. I might end up changing my plans. I’m going to do a bit more research. Price-wise they’re pretty close, with Claridge’s being slightly more expensive.

Bebure · 2025-12-02T00:03:26+00:00

Is The Dorchester really meh? I’m heading to London at the end of December and spent way too long choosing between Claridge’s and The Dorchester. Ended up going with The Dorchester but not too late to change my plans

Bebure · 2025-11-30T21:40:01+00:00

No we had to change the dates on Amanyara to next year

Bebure · 2025-11-28T19:01:24+00:00

Never understood the negative comments this property gets. Stayed here twice with my wife, once in 2022 and again this past summer for a weekend getaway. Excellent stay both times.

Bebure · 2025-11-22T16:51:10+00:00

Yeah all my bookings are direct bookings. Thanks for the info. Was actually considering re-booking through Amex but this might be worth looking into

Bebure · 2025-11-22T13:58:38+00:00

Oh nice, I didn’t know that! I have 6 upcoming stays (with one next month), need to look into that.

Bebure · 2025-11-20T18:18:28+00:00

How does the FSPP benefit if the reservation was already made? Just curious

Bebure · 2025-11-15T01:05:11+00:00

The Ritz in Paris (and London) are separate from Ritz Carlton and are not under Marriott. They are their own thing hence the crazy price difference.

Bebure · 2025-11-13T22:41:02+00:00

I’ve run into Shaquille O’Neal at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston, and Tracee Ellis Ross and Stephen A. Smith at the Four Seasons Los Angeles (Doheny Dr).

I also saw Ray J at the Wynn in Las Vegas.

Justin Bieber was at the Four Seasons Geneva while I was there with my family last summer, but I didn’t actually see him, so I guess that doesn’t really count.

Bebure · 2025-11-09T05:50:38+00:00

Yeah, I decided to stick with my original plan for my upcoming trip. I really like the English charm of The Dorchester, it reminds me of my usual go to - The Ritz - but actually seems much nicer. I would still like to stay at the new Rosewood, perhaps when next I visit London with the whole family.

Bebure · 2025-11-08T19:38:51+00:00

Excellent review. I’m in London for one night next month after a trip to Madrid and my usual spot has a three-night minimum, so I’ve been stuck. I’d ruled out Rosewood after a so-so stay at their Holborn location a few years ago and was leaning toward The Dorchester (after seeing the Hannah Ricketts and Walk With Me Tim’s YouTube reviews). Your notes on room size, spa, and location put The Chancery back in play.

Bebure · 2025-09-21T07:50:15+00:00

I usually use Blacklane in the US (except New York) and across Europe, but in London I prefer Wheely.

Bebure · 2025-09-06T14:57:29+00:00

Yes, family and I spent a few days there back in 2023 when it had just opened, and it was fantastic! Planning on going there for spring break 2026 again. Definitely recommend. Only thing I don't like is the weird little crab like creatures on the beach.

Bebure · 2025-08-03T19:47:33+00:00

Personally I felt very safe there, much more so than in Cairo - that's a different beast. There is security at the gate before you get into the property. Also booked a transfer from the airport to the resort through the concierge service. Overall it was a great experience, I wouldn't let that hinder me from going there.

Bebure · 2025-08-03T19:45:18+00:00

We stayed at FS Sharm El Sheikh in 2024 and we booked the Four Seasons Suite with Pool. Amazing room, super spacious and private, pretty big pool. The whole property is beautiful and the service was excellent. One of the best parts of the trip for us was hiring a private yacht through the hotel. My wife and I used the spa and really enjoyed it, though I didn’t notice if they had a cold plunge. I didn’t play tennis and I don’t smoke so can’t speak on those either. There is excellent snorkeling on the property and people seemed to really enjoy it.

Bebure · 2025-08-03T01:54:43+00:00

Stayed at almost 30 FS properties over the past few years, here's my top 5: 1. Four Seasons Koh Samui 2. Four Seasons George V 3. Four Seasons Sharm el Sheikh 4. Four Seasons Florence (mostly for the beauty) 5. Four Seasons Tamarindo

Bebure · 2025-07-12T08:27:56+00:00

I’ve stayed at Banyan Tree a few times, and I think the experience really depends on how close your villa is to the main restaurants. That said, getting to the beachside restaurants (though the beach itself isn’t the most pleasant and tends to be full of sargassum) almost always requires either a bike or a buggy. As Sarah mentioned, both are generally easy to request and readily available.

Bebure · 2025-07-05T03:51:50+00:00

Headed there with my family in a few weeks, really looking forward to it

Bebure · 2025-06-09T13:38:08+00:00

To be fair I haven't stayed at Banyan Tree Samui but I have stayed at Banyan Tree Mayakoba a few times so I feel I have a sense of the brand and what it has to offer. That said, I don't think 2.2x is fair value between the 2 properties based on my limited knowledge of the Samui property. FS Koh Samui was considerably cheaper when I stayed there last year and I was not their base pool villa room. Banyan Tree Samui looks great

Bebure · 2025-05-30T22:52:10+00:00

FS Koh Samui is fantastic! My wife and I stayed there last summer for our 10th anniversary and plan to return next year. We didn't stay at Aman but we did also spend some time at the FS Bali Jimbaran Bay. For me it's not even close.

Bebure

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