Asia & The Pacific Archives - Page 17 of 36

Travel Easy in Southeast Asia

Posted on October 2, 2019September 19, 2024 by Brittany Johnson

No matter where you happen to be in Southeast Asia, you can seamlessly combine urban and rural experiences that showcase the region’s shopping, art, food, beaches and wildlife.

Designed by architect Jean-Michel Gathy, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River feels like a resort in the heart of the city.

Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui

Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River welcomes guests in the heart of Bangkok’s dynamic Creative District, channelling the area’s contemporary take on tradition.

Architect Jean-Michel Gathy’s forward-thinking design echoes the energy of the river, with a cascading structure of indoor-outdoor spaces arranged around green courtyards, delicate gardens and water features.

“The inspiration was urban resort,” Gathy says, “bringing the soul of the landscape, the outdoors, into a sophisticated Four Seasons hotel.” Many of the 299 rooms and suites have river views, and all have 4-metre [13-foot] ceilings for an airy aesthetic. Thai culture is referenced in the design details and the artwork Gathy chose.

Another aspect of Thai culture is easy to discover there. “Near the Hotel, both locals and tourists enjoy the scents and tastes of a variety of street foods,” says Chief Concierge Thanart Menbangphung. “Food stalls and restaurants can be found in almost every corner of the city, especially along Yaowaraj Road.”

Get to know Bangkok’s vibrant culture by exploring its street art and sampling the variety of street food found in stalls along Yaowaraj Road..

The long life of Northern Thailand’s fascinating culture makes a magic blend with its natural beauty. Discover the region with bespoke tours from Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. The Resort team can arrange a trip to the hilltop temple that houses an important relic of the Lord Buddha, a shopping excursion for local handicrafts or a deep dive into Chiang Mai’s famous coffee culture.

Learn more about the native elephants; trek past gushing waterfalls, terraced rice fields and hill tribe villages on a hike up Thailand’s highest peak. And new custom art tours give guests access to some of the area’s top galleries.

At the Resort, you’re invited to become a rice farmer for a few hours, or learn the secrets of local plants and flowers on a guided walk through its spectacular gardens. And the Resort has recently introduced a journey of well-being for guests who seek personal renewal. Spend two to seven customized days that incorporate yoga, cupping, massage, Thai herbal steams and personalized wellness cuisine.

The villas at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai offer serene, private sanctuaries surrounded by nature.

To the south lies your chance for laid-back island life at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. Consider a yacht trip to Angthong National Marine Park – 42 pristine and protected islands full of limestone caves, white sand beaches and colourful coral reefs. “There are many neighbouring islands around Koh Samui that you could visit for a half- or full-day trip,” says the Resort’s Boat Captain, Anuchit Chaisuk. “Whether your idea of the perfect holiday is to do nothing at all, anchor off a remote beach for a day of pure tropical relaxation, or head to the best snorkelling or diving spots in the Gulf of Thailand, there’s something for everyone.”

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui exterior / Yacht with kayak

At Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, your days can be filled with adventure, relaxation or a little of both.

Get a taste of Muay Thai – Thai kickboxing – at the Bill Bensley–designed Muay Thai “ring with a view.” In a one-on-one session with the Resort’s in-house expert Anuphong Deesamer (Kru An), guests can try their hand at throwing a few punches and honing the technique.

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi is perfectly positioned for uncovering the area’s the natural wonders.

Malaysia: Langkawi

The island where Four Seasons Resort Langkawi stands is home as well to fantastically diverse wildlife and one of the world’s most ancient rainforests. And there’s the water.

Kayaks, catamarans and windsurfing gear are available for those who want to explore along the island’s longest stretch of beach. The Resort is located within Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark, where Resort naturalists can take you on kayak tours through lush forests to spot pythons, otters, eagles and sleeping bats.

On land, sign up for a guided rainforest walk, which will be accompanied by plenty of birds. For more adventure, the Resort can arrange a guided trek to Gunung Mat Chincang, the island’s second-tallest mountain, to traverse the rocky terrain near the famous Seven Wells waterfall. Or channel your inner Alex Honnold and scale a 40-foot natural limestone outcrop with the guidance of the Resort’s Adventure Team.

People on small blue boat on river under small rocky mountain, with eagles flying above

Explore the Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark with expert guidance from Four Seasons.

At the far end of the Resort’s pristine beach, time stands still. Spend the afternoon with the Adventure Team at Rumah Ikan Fish House, a traditional fish house suspended above the Andaman Sea. Experience an old-school method of fishing, a fascinating process that involves a structure of wooden splints. Afterwards, join Pak Din, a local fisherman, as he uses his sharp eyes and fast hands to harvest the freshest lobster from the Andaman Sea. The Resort’s culinary team will turn his catch into an ocean-to-table dining experience.

The breezy, open-air lobby of Four Seasons Resort Bali Jimbaran Bay immediately sets the tone for your visit.

Indonesia: Bali and Jakarta

Further south at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, there’s no time like mealtime. “Bali has a cultural and culinary mix like nowhere else on Earth,” says Executive Chef Phillip Taylor of Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. “Like other areas in Bali, including Jimbaran, Uluwatu, Seminyak and Canggu, the Ubud dining scene has evolved in the last few years and offers world-class restaurants and high-profile local chefs as well as international names who now call Bali home.”

Sample dishes from across the Indonesian archipelago at Ayung Terrace at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan.

Less than two hours from Bali by plane is the bustling city of Jakarta, and within the city stands its urban oasis, Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta. “The city is full of hidden gems,” says Rizky Pratama, Concierge Supervisor. He recommends visiting Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, “Indonesia’s Beautiful Miniature.” This green space in East Jakarta celebrates the archipelago’s heritage with 34 traditional house pavilions, one for each of Indonesia’s provinces, displaying its traditions.

Jakarta skyline and Four Season Hotel Jakarta exterior

The all-suite Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta is the the centrepiece of award-winning Capital Place, putting you right next to some of the city’s best dining and shopping.

“Pay a visit to the biggest Chinatown in Indonesia,” says Administrative Assistant Vera Catherine. “While you’re there, don’t forget to check my favourite coffee in town, Kopi Es Tak Kie at Pecinan, Glodok.”

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Get Fit With Four Seasons

Posted on September 12, 2019April 9, 2024 by Scott Masters Pierce

Fitness guru Harley Pasternak’s innovative approach to efficient and effective full body workouts has earned him a notably large celebrity client roster. Now, as Global Fitness Advisor to Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, he’s sharing that sought-after knowledge with guests.

In addition to reimagining the brand’s fitness facilities, Pasternak has designed a workout video series to help with five of the most common fitness challenges experienced by travellers. His Total Beach Body video provides a pre-vacation toning strategy, including how-tos for 10 simple gym exercises. Once you arrive at your destination, you can hit the gym and follow his strength-focused Out of Office Fitness routine or get a burst of aerobics with his Hotel Fitness Favourites video, which mixes strength exercises with intervals on the elliptical and treadmill.

Can’t shake your jet lag? Pasternak has some suggestions. His Jet Lag Rescue video offers straightforward advice: Get outside and get moving. He recommends hiking, jogging, doing repeats on stairs, and walking, running or combining the two.

“You don’t have to do an intense boot camp,” he says. “A nice walk will do the trick. If you’re in an urban city, go explore. If you’re at a beach resort, walk on the sand.”

Equipment-free exercises like planks, lunges, hip thrusts, push-ups and supermans can be done in the comfort of your hotel room, outdoors or at the gym, he says. As added motivation, Pasternak created the #FitWithFSChallenge, encouraging guests to share their workouts on social media.

Here, Pasternak shares his gym innovations, gives tips for creating a travel-friendly approach to fitness and reveals his own secrets for staying fit on the road.

How do you combat the effects of flying?

“Sitting on a plane for a long time is tough on your body. Try to get up at least once an hour and walk the length of the aisle. Stay hydrated and avoid salty food, caffeine and alcohol. Whenever possible, bring an extra pillow to make your lower back and your neck comfortable for the ride.”

What is the easiest way to keep up a fitness routine on the road?

“It’s a lot easier than you think: Walk. You can do it anywhere, any time, even in dress clothes. I don’t use the word ‘cardio.’ I don’t use the word ‘aerobics.’ I use the word ‘movement.’ We all need to move our bodies. I tell people to set a daily step goal, whether it’s 10,000 steps or 14,000 steps a day. Hit those steps and you’ll start to lose body fat.”

Harley Pasternak’s Favourite Outdoor Workouts

Fs Fitness Harley Pasternak Imagery Outdoor Montreal 1

“Whenever I stay at Four Seasons Hotel Montreal, I head to nearby Parc du Mont-Royal. At the corner of Peel Street and Pine Avenue you’ll find the Mount Royal Stairs, 400 steps that transport you from downtown up the mountain into nature.”

Fs Fitness Harley Pasternak Imagery Outdoor 2

“The Concierge at Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina has sent me on some amazing hikes. The trek up Diamond Head is a favourite. If I want more of an adventure, the 1.7-mile round trip hike to Lulumahu Falls is a 40-minute drive away.”

Fs Fitness Harley Pasternak Imagery Outdoor 3

“Paris is one of my favourite walking cities. From Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, I go on a croissant-tasting tour of the area’s best bakeries. I’ll easily walk 10,000 steps, which justifies the pastries.”

For someone who is vacationing at the beach and wants to take advantage of the setting, what exercises translate to sand?

“Running on sand absorbs the pounding that would otherwise go to your joints, and it challenges your body’s muscles differently than when running on a hard surface. Try doing repeats of sprinting for 15 seconds and then walking for 30 seconds. In between sprint intervals, add a jump squat. The sand is a great natural cushion to absorb the shock of the landing. Last but not least, try planking on the sand. What a great thing looking out at beautiful views of the ocean.”

What are some of the innovations you’ve introduced at the gyms across
Four Seasons?

“As I revamp the gyms across the brand, I’m introducing the most state-of-the-art equipment, like HOIST Fitness ROC-IT weights, Lemond Series and Peloton bikes, Hydrow, which is like the Peloton of rowing machines, and Woodway Curve Trainers, which are essentially self-powered treadmills. Some of the changes are subtle, like swapping out traditional dumbbells for hexagonal dumbbells that won’t roll on the ground. At the forthcoming Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palma I’ll be introducing exclusive boot camps.”

How have you streamlined the gyms so that workouts at Four Seasons are more intuitive?

“I think a lot about flow and layout. I design my gyms so that guests will never have to wait to use a piece of equipment. We have stations set up so you can hop from one piece of equipment to the next and seamlessly complete a circuit. There are always options. For example, one pull-up machine might have seven variations to choose from. The Torq Power Cage is a favourite piece of equipment that allows you to do so much, from Olympic lifts to TRX exercises.”

Gym Innovations From Harley Pasternak

Fs Fitness Harley Pasternak Imagery Gym 1

At Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, Pasternak created a stretch of grasslike turf to echo the green views outside. Guests can use the space to do sprints and push a weighted sled.

Fs Fitness Harley Pasternak Imagery Gym 2

When Pasternak renovated the indoor-outdoor gym on the 4th-floor terrace of
Four Seasons Resort Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, he swapped out the old dumbbells for hexagonal, polyurethane-coated weights that don’t roll and can hold up to the elements outdoors. He also installed Peloton bikes.

Fs Fitness Harley Pasternak Imagery Gym 3

Pasternak outfitted the gym at Four Seasons Hotel Montreal with HOIST Fitness ROC-IT Fitness equipment in a custom black finish to match the Hotel’s sleek design. LeMond Series bikes and a Torque Fitness power cage are cleverly arranged so guests never feel crowded.

How does your gym design reflect the setting of each hotel?

“I think about aesthetics a lot. Four Seasons Hotel Montreal has a sleek, sexy design, so I chose to have all of the gym’s weight equipment done in a custom black finish to reflect that look. At Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, I added a stretch of grass-like turf to echo the green views outside. Guests can use the space to do sprints and push a weighted sled.”

How do you ensure you get a good night’s sleep?

“No caffeine in the afternoons is really important. You shouldn’t be reading stressful emails before you go to bed. Shut your technology off at least an hour before you turn in. In order for me to sleep well, I need to tire my body out, and I do that by walking or hiking. When you travel, request a blackout room in advance as well as your preferred style of mattress and pillow. I use a sound machine. Having ambient sound can help people relax and block noise that might wake them otherwise.”

Photography of Pasternak courtesy Megan Spelmen

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Where will you get #FitwithFS?

Four Seasons By Design

Posted on September 5, 2019April 9, 2024 by Scott Masters Pierce

Over the past decade, the aesthetic of Four Seasons has evolved from a more traditional design language of flower patterns and chintzes to a contemporary, clean-lined look that evokes serenity.

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

The catalyst for the shift: Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. Toronto-based firm Yabu Pushelberg eschewed excessive colour and pattern when designing the Hotel in 2002 and instead embraced Japanese minimalism. The clean sensibility of the rooms created a feeling of calm that resonated with travellers seeking home-away-from-home comfort.

Four Seasons Hotel Toronto

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

In 2013, Yabu Pushelberg drew on that minimalism when it masterminded the look of Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. The room was deeply restful – rich in materials, quality and execution – with a neutral palette. That Hotel was the continuation of a design journey to create the room of the future, something that speaks to all guest needs.

The design team consulted scientific research to better understand how a guest feels in a room, and used that information in a thoughtful interpretation of luxury. The traditional rectangular desk was replaced by a round activity table with two chairs, because most people now work from laptops or iPads while lounging in their room.

A master light switch was placed beside every bed so that a guest wouldn’t have to get up out of bed to turn off lights. Each guest room would feel like a sanctuary – a place to rest and recharge – whereas public spaces, such as restaurants and bars, would energize guests and encourage conversation.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

To likewise enliven its space, the lobby bar at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail was moved from a corner hidden behind the concierge desk to the centre of the lobby in the Hotel’s main entry. The move transformed a rarely used space into a social hub, not just for guests but also for the community.

The New Four Seasons Private Jet

Renderings courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Illustration courtesy Sylvain Mariat

Similarly, the new Four Seasons Private Jet, a custom-outfitted Airbus A321neo, will offer its 48 passengers the energy of a standing social area where guests can connect with one another as well as with a rotating crew of mixologists, chefs and other experts. On a flight from Geneva to Paris, for example, a master sommelier could introduce guests to rare vintages from the regions on the itinerary.

Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

The design ethos today is more minimal, but it’s far from cold and spare, and a high priority is a sense of place. Set atop the 1,121-foot (341-metre) Comcast Technology Center, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center has been a fixture of the city’s skyline only since 2019.

Designed by Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, the Hotel reminds guests of the city’s long-standing reputation as a hub of art and ideas. Extending across the ceiling and up the stairs, artist Jenny Holzer’s For Philadelphia is a moving installation of nine electronic displays; the words of poets, architects, visionaries and children express the spirit of the city and flow colourfully throughout the space. In the vast atrium is the largest public art commission by British artist Conrad Shawcross, Exploded Paradigm, in which the artist explores the pyramid-shaped tetrahedron and its possibilities.

Four Seasons Private Residences Fort Lauderdale

Rendering courtesy Tara Bernerd & Partners

The Fort Lauderdale and Los Cabos properties, as well as the restored hotel in Athens, are now the standard-bearers for fusing the new design vision with roots in place and history. Longtime Four Seasons interiors collaborator Meyer Davis has been tasked with bringing Athens’ landmark Astir Palace back to its 1960s heyday.

British designer Tara Bernerd was chosen to design Fort Lauderdale for her ability to engage the guest with beautiful yet surprising, quirky touches while hitting all the notes of functionality. Since Fort Lauderdale is the yachting capital of the southern United States, Bernerd drew on nautical inspiration as a framework. The coastal area is set to become Miami’s Riviera, and the design scheme for the building has to be timeless.

“We harkened back to the golden age of Chris-Craft yachts and capri pants, where we sought to evoke the elegance and sophistication of the era,” Bernerd says. “This led us to choose a patterned travertine floor with exquisite polished joinery details paired with mid-century furniture and a calm, fresh palette. However, the key here is not to be too literal with any of our influences, so that the design feels more organic, as if it has been there forever.”

Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

The new Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas feels like a natural extension of its surrounding landscape and respectfully reflects Mexican architectural tradition – no terracotta tile roofs or plaster walls. “All of the work draws from a distillation of the building culture – especially the materiality and integration of plantings and colour,” says Scott Glass of Guerin Glass Architects. His team used geometry and texture to harness the local landscape and the views of the sea and mountains, deliberately keeping the scale of the buildings small to better integrate with the topography.

The goal is for the design to enrich the travel experience. At Four Seasons, every hotel and resort is designed with intention, anchored in place, comfortable for guests, effortlessly luxurious and seamlessly wired for the modern traveller.

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Discover a new world of design.

A New Season in Napa: Fall Fashion
Inspired by Wine Country

Posted on August 24, 2019June 3, 2025 by Alycee Byrd

California’s Napa Valley is ideally suited for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes: The region offers a sunny, warm climate; good drainage; and volcanic soils that add an earthy, rich complexity to its wines. At the new Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, where the vineyard is protected by the Palisades mountains and oak-covered hills, world-class winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown and his team at the on-site Elusa Winery have carefully designed and planted it to intensify the grapes’ flavour. Take part in the winemaking process, from harvesting grapes to blending and ageing the wine, or learn about Calistoga’s unique terroir during a tasting session – the Resort provides the most complete grape-to-glass experience in Napa.

“The moment guests step foot on the property, they are welcomed into an extraordinary wine country oasis,” says General Manager Mehdi Eftekari. “Awe-inspiring views of the vineyards and Palisades Mountains are an idyllic backdrop to enriching experiences at TRUSS Restaurant + Bar and Elusa Winery. In guests’ suites, the vines are mere inches from their terraces and balconies.”

The dramatic scenery of North America’s wine capital – and the Resort, set to open later this year – also provide an idyllic background for the season’s most stylish new fashions. The looks pair perfectly with the Resort’s natural colour palette, rich textures and easy elegance.

Explore Napa Valley with Four Seasons

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The Resort spreads across 22.5 acres (9 hectares), offering dramatic scenery and viticultural discovery at every turn. It’s a natural hideaway for relaxation and indulgence, framed by picturesque forests and majestic mountains.

Left to right: On Julia: Genny top and skirt; Alexander McQueen boots. On Miki: Reem Acra dress. On Breanna: Valentino gown, Sethi Couture earrings.

Make the most of Napa’s idyllic setting with a swim in the Resort’s two outdoor pools – the adults-only pool overlooks the vineyard, while the Resort Pool features shallow splashing areas that are perfect for families. Or celebrate the sunshine with elevated Napa cuisine at the modern TRUSS Restaurant + Bar or Cal-Mexican favourites at open-air Campo Poolside.

Left image, left to right: On Julia: Stella McCartney dress and boots; JYE ring (index finger); Sethi Couture ring (middle finger); Guess bag. On Miki: Gucci cardigan, jumpsuit and sandals; Wolford undergarments; Alexander McQueen clutch; Fabergé necklace and rings. On Breanna: Alyson Eastman dress; Chelsea Paris shoes; Tiffany & Co. necklace; Grace Lee ring (index finger); Katkim rings (ring fingers); Vhernier pink gold and jade bracelet; Sethi Couture bangles (near hand); JYE bangle (near sleeve). Right image: On Breanna: Reem Acra dress; JYE earrings.

Taste the Flavours of Napa

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Elusa winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown is celebrated for his non-interventionalist approach, letting the vineyard’s character shine. It’s a style that has paid off: Renowned wine critic Robert Parker Jr. has awarded him 23 perfect 100-point scores for his Cabernet Sauvignon projects over the past decade.

Left to right: On Breanna: Chloé coat, skirt, top and boots; Adeam earrings and ring. On Miki: Chloé poncho; Partow dress; Michael Kors Collection skirt; JYE ring (right hand); Vhernier ring (left hand). On Julia: Chloé jumper and skirt; Brunello Cucinelli boots; Sethi Couture necklaces, rings and earrings.

Savour Napa Valley wines

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Spa Talisa celebrates Napa’s rich vineyard heritage with treatments incorporating grape seeds – long recognized for their potent antioxidants and skin-pleasing polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins. Try an exfoliating scrub of sugar and grape seeds to give your skin a soft, luminous glow. “Spa Talisa is rooted in Calistoga’s 150-year history as a wellness destination,” says Eftekari. “Guests can enjoy holistic treatments and private patios, or head to the steam decks for a locally-inspired steam experience.”

On Breanna: Gucci jacket, vest and trousers; Tory Burch ring.

Relax at Spa Talisa

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Century-old olive trees dot the Resort, adding character to the rustic yet elegant ambience indoors and out. Acres of vineyards, farmhouse-chic villas and romantic private terraces: It’s California wine country at its finest.

Left image: On Breanna: Brunello Cucinelli dress and cardigan; Katkim earring; Sethi Couture band (left hand) and stacked rings (right hand); Tiffany & Co. ring (middle finger). Right image, left to right: On Breanna: Dolce & Gabbana jacket, skirt and earrings; Akris top; Dior sunglasses. On Julia: Prada dress, top and stole; Tory Burch necklace; Katkim earring and rings (index and middle fingers); Grace Lee ring (index finger); Aaron Basha ring (right hand) and beaded bracelet; Vhernier gold and carnelian bracelet; Dior pearl necklace worn as bracelet; Stella McCartney sunglasses. On Miki: Altuzarra dress; Tory Burch top; Dior scarf; Max Mara head scarf; Dolce & Gabbana earrings; Alexander McQueen sunglasses.

The Resort’s Vineyard Barn – with lofty beamed ceilings and prime views of the vines – is a coveted venue for weddings and events. Say “I do” in the vineyard, or gather with friends and family for a dinner party in The Cork Room, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the winery.

Left image: On Miki: Chanel coat, boots and earrings; Grace Lee ring (index finger); Sethi Couture rings (middle finger). Right image: On Julia: Harry Winston earrings, necklace, brooch, ring and cuff; Marina Moscone pajama shirt.

Photographer: Eric Ray Davidson

Stylist: Julie Matos

Assistant Stylists: Alyson Eastman and Johanna Houska

Makeup: Karina Moore

Hair: James Harris Jr.

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Where will you explore next?

Taking Our Time:
A Father-Son Journey Through Asia

Posted on August 21, 2019June 3, 2025 by Eric Gordon

As the father of two teenage boys who have thoroughly assimilated personal tech into their lives, I often struggle to find ways to expand their horizons beyond their Retina displays.

Time keeps slipping into the future, after all, and my sons will only be under my direct guidance for a few more blink-and-you’ll-miss-them years.

So how to open their eyes to the truth that typing IRL (“in real life”) implies you do, in fact, have a real life? A life that the social media networks of the world may still be part of, but hold much less power over?

Experience has shown that teaching two boys the same thing separately requires less time and effort than attempting to teach them that same thing together. This approach has served me well and led to some memorable one-on-one outings.

None more so than a recent trip to the Far East with my younger son, Jack. Embracing my 15-year-old’s love of travel, I decided to make this particular excursion a little more, as we Gen Xers used to say, extreme.

I wagered that living unfiltered lives for three weeks in Singapore and Tokyo would reveal the important difference between seeing videos about a place and actually experiencing it.

The journey of 1,000 miles may begin with a single step, but our journey of 25,000 miles began with a long-haul flight from Denver to London. If you’re going to explore the other side of the world, why not take the long way around?

Because I’d previously stayed at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane on business, Jeremy Dawson and James Birkett (the Hotel’s Assistant Manager and Valet Supervisor, respectively) immediately recognized me and went about initiating Jack into the fraternity of world travellers. That project culminated with a jaunt in the Hotel’s Rolls-Royce for a meal with friends at Gymkhana.

We were both immediately taken aback by the scale, scope and sensory overload of the Jewel Changi Airport.

Our first proper stop on the other side of the world was Singapore, where we were both immediately taken aback by the scale, scope and sensory overload of the Jewel Changi Airport complex – which includes a 130-foot-high waterfall, the largest indoor water feature in the world. But as the point of this trip was not simply to stand in different spots and take selfies as proof of our escapades (although we certainly did that), I decided to enlist some help.

In this case, help came in the form of Gladys Lim, our Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. After explaining to Gladys that my goal for this trek was to help Jack tangibly connect with the wider world, she knew just who to call – Natalie Chai, who would become our trusted tour guide and Jack’s confidant. But first, we fuelled ourselves on Hainanese chicken rice, a famous local dish at the modern Asian brasserie One-Ninety.

Natalie, as you would expect any good tour guide to be, was a fount of information. But while certainly interesting and perspective-expanding, the facts she imparted paled in comparison to the impression she herself made on Jack.

Somewhere among the city-state’s famed hawker stalls, possibly after a round of chili crabs at Chijmes, Jack and Natalie became friends. IRL friends. And while they will stay in touch via technology, it is the bond they formed on the streets of Singapore that will forever tie them together – even if, eventually, only in each other’s memories.

That was the beauty of this trip. Those small (but not really) moments of personal interaction when a smile or Google-translated phrase was enough to cross all manner of cultural barriers. Little shots of human connection and personal humility that can only come when, say, you find yourself and your 15-year-old man-child in a YouTuber-endorsed dive of a noodle shop, eating more sesame pasta–based carbs than even a marathon runner could manage.

Fs Father Son Journey Asia Shanghai Final

Or welcoming the unrivalled calm of the immaculately manicured Imperial Palace grounds – an island of introspection after the whirlwind, ramen-based adventures of Tokyo Station’s underground mall.

Or savouring orange and apple marmalade at Motif, set within Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, and then lingering in the Four Seasons farewell when concierge team members Mari Oshitani and Mami Kumoda stood and waved goodbye until we boarded our train for the airport.

Because of these moments and dozens of others, the Jack that’s upstairs in his room as I write this is not the same Jack I boarded a plane with. Is it a big change? Not especially. Not yet. But the idea was to redirect the way he views the world and his place in it. To that end, score one for Dad.

Your Journey Begins Here

How will travel change you?

Explore

Destinations: Asia & The Pacific

Travel Easy in Southeast Asia

Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui

Malaysia: Langkawi

Indonesia: Bali and Jakarta

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Get Fit With Four Seasons

Harley Pasternak’s Favourite Outdoor Workouts

Gym Innovations From Harley Pasternak

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Four Seasons By Design

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE