After Sunset:
Reasons to Stay Up Late

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GOLDEN TRIANGLE, THAILAND

“The Explorer’s Lodge is a sanctuary of relaxation amid the beautiful bamboo jungles of the Golden Triangle. Sunsets are best watched outdoors with a cocktail in hand as the evening mood settles over the lush tropical landscape. We offer guests the experience of soaking in the outdoors with a private poolside barbecue dinner, followed by a screening of the guests’ favourite movie under the stars. Staying up late at night has its benefits here, as the sky is lit up by a carpet of stars and guests can enjoy stargazing through a telescope from the lamplit veranda.”

—Tobias Emmer, Camp Manager, Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle

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Cairo

“Cairo is a treasure trove of historic and modern wonders – from the iconic 5,000-year-old pyramids and the century-old Khan El Khalili market to the magic moments of the nightlife scene. There is plenty to explore during daylight, but there’s more to do after the sun goes down, from experiencing a picture-perfect sunset on a traditional felucca ride or watching an authentic tanoura show in old Cairo to ending the night on a high note at the Cairo Opera House or Bullona restaurant. I like to spend evenings behind my counter in Bullona creating special moments for my guests with a drink and a genuine smile.”

—Armando Sammarruco, Mixologist at Bullona, Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza

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Bora Bora

“I always recommend that guests stay up late in Bora Bora to view the magical starlit skies. Somehow they’re just as impressive as the turquoise lagoon in the daytime. From countless shooting stars to seeing the Milky Way and the Southern Cross, it’s simply stunning. All the while, the gentle lapping of the water, and the outline of Mount Otemanu looms.”

—Brice Rolin, Pastry Chef, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora

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Las Vegas

“Las Vegas’s nightlife has always been known for inventive restaurant concepts, buzzworthy shows and lively concerts. And while all of those are definite must-dos, the sundown experience at the top of my list is the Neon Museum. This open-air art installment showcases a vast collection of reclaimed neon signs that pay homage to the iconic lights of Vegas and the city’s rich history.”

—Marama Nengel, Concierge, Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas

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New York Downtown

“There’s a certain romance that appears after dark in New York City. The city reaches its truest form after hours and inspires fashion, love and adventure. Best experienced at night, our recently unveiled Empire Suite offers the ultimate New York City lifestyle experience. From the 24th floor, the suite offers unparalleled views across the city and is the perfect backdrop for an elegant dinner for eight. Be the star of your own party and revel through the night at the top of the world. You can catch up on your beauty sleep in the late morning.

Tara Cruz, Senior Spa Director, Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown

 

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Singapore

“Singapore does not sleep. Consider cycling at night around the world-famous Marina Bay Area on a guided tour, learning more about our heritage and history. Afterwards, satisfy late-night cravings with dim sum in Geylang or pratas in Little India.”

—Tham Tuck Wah, Guest Experience Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore

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Hawaii, Hualalai

“We are fortunate to have some of the darkest night skies on the island of Hawaii, and stargazing is always spectacular from all over the island. At Hualalai, our guests have the option of a stargazing experience with a cultural ambassador who not only understands the constellations but also can share how important navigation by the stars was to the ancient Hawaiian people.”

—Sebastian Hinch, Resort Manager, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Your Journey Begins Here

What will you discover under the night sky?

Overwater bungalows

Peace and Quiet in Las Vegas:
How to Unplug in Sin City

A closer look at Las Vegas, city of bright lights and infinite indulgence, reveals its softer side. We asked local Four Seasons experts where to unwind. Here, eight relaxing experiences to round out your next trip.

Cabana Fever

“Our Hotel in itself is an oasis,” says Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas’ Chef Concierge Patrick Ritschard. “We share a building with Mandalay Bay, so the casino experience is right there, but you can easily return to the sanctuary of the Hotel at any time.” The well-appointed poolside cabanas, complete with ceiling fans, sofas, chilled towels and dedicated servers, are a favourite hideaway for guests. “We don’t have loud music at the pool, so it’s a haven of quiet,” Ritschard says. “Lots of people spend the day there.”

Ohm, What?

For a good stretch with a lofty view, try yoga in the High Roller Observation Wheel. This futuristic Ferris wheel sends you soaring 550 feet (168 metres) above ground in a glass-walled pod with room for a small group to follow the peaceful poses of a local instructor. “We recommend doing it right before dusk,” Ritschard says. “Las Vegas has some amazing sunsets.”

Refresher Course

What better way to wind down the day and recharge for the evening than with a proper tea? Afternoon tea at the Hotel’s poolside Veranda restaurant is an hour-long escape from hubbub, with finger sandwiches, scones and pastries prepared by French chef Jean-Luc Daul and his team. Every weekday in December, guests clad in holiday sweaters can sip a complimentary glass of Champagne paired with seasonal sweets like eggnog crème brûlée.


Red Rock Canyon

Stretch your legs at Red Rock Canyon, just west of the city.

Desert Aces

Vast canyons, vermilion sandstone peaks and spiny desert flora fill the Mojave Desert surrounding Las Vegas. Two spots to stretch your legs and breathe in some fresh air: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a 15-minute drive west of the city, and Valley of Fire State Park, an hour to the east. At Red Rock, take in the scenery on horseback, a bicycle or your own two feet – or with the top down on a 13-mile scenic roadway. Ancient trees, petroglyphs and otherworldly arches are among the treasures at Valley of Fire. Enhance either trip with a picnic lunch courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas.


Seven Magic Mountains

Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains is set among desert scrubland in a clearing off Las Vegas’ Interstate 15.

Fine Art

“You can really get lost in the beautiful art experiences in Las Vegas,” Ritschard says. “James Turrell’s experiential exhibit, Akhob, inside the Louis Vuitton store, is all about light and space, and it’s by reservation only so it’s never overly crowded.” Another compelling installation: Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains, a series of three-storey towers composed of vibrantly painted boulders, set among desert scrubland in a clearing just 10 miles (16 kilometres) south of the Strip.

Schuss It Out

“A lot of people don’t realize there’s a ski resort here,” Ritschard says. In fact, Lee Canyon, 50 miles (80 km) from Vegas, offers 24 downhill skiing trails, plus a snow-tubing course and snowshoeing trails. “There are some beautiful hikes you can do there, year-round. And mountain-biking trails, too.”

Photos courtesy Lee Canyon

Nurture by Nature

Set smack in the middle of Las Vegas, the non-profit Springs Preserve nature centre traces the city’s history while serving up sustainable ideas for its future – all via interactive exhibits fit for all ages. Stroll through the serene butterfly garden as the sprightly creatures fly freely around you, or wander the meandering botanical garden trail alongside hundreds of varieties of native plants.

Your Journey Begins Here

Unplug with us.

Explore

The Best Art You Haven’t Seen in Miami and Bogotá

Galleries on the verge. A Cindy Sherman right in your hotel. You can brave the crowds (and the parties) of an international art festival or schedule around it, but don’t overlook the galleries, museums and installations that keep these art capitals abuzz year round. We’ve gathered insider tips on how best to explore the scene from Four Seasons team members on the ground.

If you examine the original architecture of the storied Surf Club, now part of
Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, you might spot some similarities to the Bass, Miami’s cutting-edge contemporary art museum. Though both have been expanded and renovated, their original structures were designed by acclaimed art deco architect Russell Pancoast in the 1930s. The parallels don’t end there. Much of the art on display inside The Surf Club was created by artists whose work appears, or has appeared, at the Bass.

 

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“The primary exhibition for this season is from Italian photographer Paola Pivi, who has two pieces on display,” says Gabriela Navarro, the Head of Creative at the Hotel. “One of them, an alligator roaming through whipped cream, was actually conceived of here.” Last year, the Bass exhibited works by Ugo Rondinone, and a painting from his Target series remains on display in the Hotel’s Marybelle Penthouse Suite. “We have a fabulous collection of contemporary art at the Hotel,” Navarro says. “I don’t think very many people know this, but we have a Sterling Ruby and a Cindy Sherman as well.”

Several prominent private collectors in Miami have art on view in spaces open to the public. “You have the Rubell Family Collection, the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse and the de la Cruz Collection,” Navarro says. “ICA, the Institute of Contemporary Art, where multiple collectors display their works in one space, opened last year.”

Or you could take a boat tour, she says. “Some collectors have large pieces from prominent artists displayed in their gardens on Indian Creek Island, right across from The Surf Club. So if you’re water bound, you’ll see beautiful works from artists like Richard Serra, Ugo Rondinone and Alexander Calder.”

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Both Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá and Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina offer exclusive passes to BARCÚ (Bogotá Art and Culture), a festival in the city’s La Candelaria neighbourhood that’s an ideal complement, or alternative, to ARTBO. (The two take place concurrently every October.) Four Seasons guests get a private tour guide and VIP access to exhibitions and workshops that span art, music, dance, film and food.

 

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Widely considered the art capital of Latin America, Bogotá is home to more than 100 galleries. In addition to the renowned art festivals, devote a day or two to browsing the city’s San Felipe, La Macarena and Quinta Camacho neighbourhoods. One gallery in particular not to miss: FLORA ars+natura, which offers studio space and residences to artists creating works with themes of nature and the Earth. It was established in 2015 by José Roca, a former curator of Latin American art at the Tate in London, who returned to his hometown to open it.

 

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“It’s an independent space for contemporary art in San Felipe,” says Paula Gamboa, Four Seasons Director of PR and Marketing Communications. “The area is known for its working-class roots and mechanical engineering businesses; it had no galleries at all prior to the arrival of José Roca.” Back at either hotel, your art tour continues: Both properties feature modern art from Colombian artists like Leyla Cárdenas and Vicky Neumann.

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

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Cityscape

The Ultimate Los Angeles Road Trip

Los Angeles tends to be the beginning, or the end, of many a memorable adventure. It was the launch pad and the landing strip for Hunter S. Thompson’s “fear and loathing” – and at least a million less famous trips. But LA and its sunny sprawl can play host to an idyllic, self-contained road trip.

It might already be known as a driving city, but such functionality has no place in your vacation mindset. No matter where you’re starting from – east or west, the Valley or downtown – you and your car (and whoever you take along) can make more than just a day of it, particularly with three Four Seasons outposts to call home base. Here, the local spots our knowledgeable staffers say should most certainly have a place on your itinerary.

Silverlake Map

The provenance of hipsters and the creative class, these East Side neighbourhoods are the perfect foil for, or respite after, a day of culture.


Scenes of Silverlake LA

EAT

Dinette

Gareth Kanter’s breakfast window (1608 1/2 Sunset Blvd) is the perfect place to start your day – on the go. Try the scrambled eggs on toast, served with a sprinkling of Parmesan and delicate shaved ham. The pastries are tops, too. We recommend taking your snack, or even just your coffee, a couple of blocks south, where you can picnic on the banks of Echo Park Lake.

VISIT

Cactus Store

What Cactus Store’s (1505 1/2 Echo Park Ave) name doesn’t convey is the Zen-like atmosphere of this tiny piece of the desert that’s been transported to Echo Park Avenue. Pick up a zero-effort plant, or just browse the needles of hundreds of unique cacti sourced from around the globe. And yes, these plants travel – that is, they ship.

DRINK

The Friend

This cotton candy-coloured spot (2611 Hyperion Ave) is cosy yet playful – an unexpected blend of 1950s diner and French cafe decor. Cocktail titles draw upon Los Angeles characters like The Dancer and The Artist and served alongside pinball machines.

Arts District LA Map

Los Angeles is home to some of the country’s best endowed, and best curated, museums. By all means, check out the Broad (pronounced “brode,” as in it rhymes with “road”) and LACMA, but don’t miss the Arts District, a section of LA’s former industrial home that was recently settled by contemporary galleries and has since been redeveloped with them in mind.


LA's Arts District

EAT

Bavel

Ori Menashe and his wife, pastry chef Genevieve Gergis, brought fine Mediterranean dining to LA’s Industrial District with the incomparable Bestia. But they may have bested themselves with their new homage to Middle Eastern cuisine (500 Mateo St). Menashe and Gergis mined their family backgrounds – Israel, Morocco, Turkey and Egypt – to devise dishes like a duck nduja hummus, oyster mushroom kabobs and a tagine with braised Wagyu beef.

Mariscos Jalisco

Aren’t feeling like a whole sit-down situation? Want the best taco in town? Jump the river to Boyle Heights and find Mariscos Jalisco (3040 E. Olympic Blvd). Just a humble food truck, it’s the source of the most celebrated fried shrimp taco in Los Angeles, maybe the world. Food critics flock here; there’s nothing else like it.

VISIT

Night Gallery

Part of the ground level for Los Angeles’ once burgeoning, now established contemporary arts scene, Davida Nemeroff’s expansive Arts District space (2276 E. 16th St) hosts riveting exhibits from some of the industry’s most exciting artists, like David Korty and Anna Rosen. While you’re in the area, stop by Hauser & Wirth’s outsize East Third Street location – on the Arts District’s most developed strip (coffee shops and boutiques galore) – which hosts more established names, like Alexander Calder.

Beverly Hills LA Map

The most famous zip code. If you can pry yourself away from the legendary pool at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, or want to do something with all the good energy you picked up at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, this neighbourhood is a perfect jumping-off point for some of the best shopping, recreation and sightseeing LA has to offer.


Scenes in Beverly Hills LA

VISIT

RTH

The twin shops (537 N. La Cienega Blvd) that René Holguin, the son of a bootmaker, built on this strip of La Cienega have come to embody a whole modern Western lifestyle, not just a look: There are unisex ponchos and shirting and roughshod leather laptop cases and palo santo for days. It’s not simply where you’ll find something for the person who has everything, it’s where you’ll find something for everyone.

Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation

You have to book your tour ahead of time, but it’s well worth it to view Weisman’s private collection in an astounding 1920s villa (265 N. Carolwood Drive). It includes work by modern masters like Giacometti and Rauschenberg, as well as a trove of abstract expressionist works: de Kooning, Rothko and Frankenthaler. . . . The pop gods are here too, including Warhol and Lichtenstein. This is a museum-worthy collection, on view just for you and yours.

DO

Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple

Don’t be misled by the word “temple.” Reservations are required to discover this place to chill (17190 Sunset Blvd). Waterfalls. A lake. Fountains. Flower beds. Walking paths. Aren’t you feeling better already? Founded by yogi Paramahansa Yogananda in the Pacific Palisades, a quick drive from Beverly Hills, this relaxing spot (a favourite of Elvis Presley) is on your road to wellness. “It’s a quiet oasis” to wander around or just sit and meditate says Kisha Franklin, Concierge Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles.

Malibu CA Map

Gorgeous, unending beaches; the freshest food going straight into the finest cuisine; vineyards upon vineyards: Malibu is California dreaming. And for guests of
Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, set in the Santa Monica mountains, it’s just a stone’s throw – or a car ride – away.


Scenes from Malibu, CA

EAT

Taverna Tony

“Tony will come around and fill your plate with food,” Franklin says. “It’s a true Malibu local restaurant.” The thing about Malibu is, while luxurious, it’s low-key. And this is the kind of spot (23410 Civic Center Way) that draws the residents: fresh, lively Greek food – saganaki cheese served flaming, baby octopus straight from a charcoal grill – a beautiful terrace, and loads of charm.

VISIT

Point Dume State Beach

“A lot of people will go to Paradise Cove, but Point Dume (Cliffside Drive and Birdview Avenue) is a little further out and more private, more local, and just beautiful,” Franklin says. Take in the views of Point Dume’s cliffs and bluffs, and the solitude you might enjoy even more. It offers all the stunning beauty of the California coastline, but with fewer tourists.

DRINK

Cornell Winery & Tasting Room

A highlight of Malibu is its proximity to the rolling hills of wine country. Nadine Jurchynsky, Chief Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, recommends Cornell Winery (29975 Mulholland Highway, Agoura Hills) and its unbelievably charming tasting room, with vintages sourced from local wineries. Another option is Malibu Family Wine, where you can look out over the 1,000-acre Saddlerock Ranch estate while you sip.

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Take us with you wherever you roam.

Beverly Wilshire hotel

Four Seasons Pop Down London:
A Fantastical Underground Playground


Elements Of Pop Down Party

Left: whimsical touches at the fifth Four Seasons Pop Down;
right: Anne-Sophie Pic, the first female chef in the world to receive three Michelin stars

A bar reimagined as a moving carousel. Giant playground swings. A chic white bouncy castle. These were among the magical elements of the world I stepped into at Four Seasons Pop Down London, held October 3 and 4 at the spacious Hawley Wharf Basement in the city’s Camden Town neighbourhood.


Bartender Serving Drink Here And Now

Mixologist Valentino Longo of Le Sirenuse Champagne Bar
at Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club, Florida

With an “Underground Playground” theme, 15 Four Seasons chefs and mixologists from around the world – seven of them Michelin-starred – created boundary-pushing dishes and drinks inspired by their childhood memories. As the backdrop to their gastronomic creativity, Four Seasons staged a make-believe world offering an unexpected journey of the senses.


Whimsical Atmosphere Here And Now

Left: a ferris wheel adorned with treats; right: the all-white carousel bathed in a purple hue

This being a Four Seasons event, the whimsical mood was seen through a sophisticated lens. Here was Ivan Arena, bar manager at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, concocting a cocktail composed of marshmallow-infused tequila, balsamic vinegar, blackberry and almond, topped with cotton candy. Here was Michelin-starred chef Anne-Sophie Pic of Le Dame de Pic at Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge, whipping up pasta parcels filled with gruyère, vacherin, mushrooms, woodruff, sobacha and hazelnuts. And here was Sophie Larrouture, mixologist at Le Bar des Bergues at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, conjuring ginger ale and sloe gin cocktails paired with sour strawberry and tarragon lollipops.


Bartender Phillip At Carousel Bar

Mixologist Philip Bischoff oversees the beverage program at the forthcoming
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

Deftly placing a skewer of cotton candy atop a cocktail glass, Arena told me that his signature drink, Forever Young, was inspired by the balsamic vinegar that he’d “drink from the bowl” as a child in Sicily when his mother made a salad. He infused the cocktail with sweet blackberry and almonds to evoke his grandmother’s homemade jams. Arena’s idea is that those sipping the unique creation would “go back in time.”


Dj Fat Tony Chef Vito Mollica

Left: DJ Fat Tony; Right: Vito Mollica, Executive Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

Over the booming bass of UK veteran DJ Fat Tony’s set, Chef Pic said that her dish was inspired by berlingots – pyramid-shaped hard candies that she ate as a child in France. “I wanted to have a very unique dish in relation to childhood, with a lot of flavours that are very important to me,” Pic said.


Sophie Larrouture Once Upon A Time

Sophie Larrouture, award-winning mixologist at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva,
concocting a sloe gin and ginger ale cocktail paired with strawberry and tarragon lollipops

Candy was also the touchstone for mixologist Larrouture in creating her Once Upon a Time cocktail. “The inspiration is a candy that I used to eat when I was a kid: slightly sour strawberry candy. So I made this lollipop,” said Larrouture, who was holding court from her bar at the centre of the gently rotating carousel. “The flavour is strawberry, but for an adult palate, you have a tarragon flavour also. You suck the lollipop and are back in your childhood, and I meanwhile make you a drink that is slightly spicy – sloe gin and ginger ale.” The idea, she said, is to play and experiment with this fusion of tastes that are sweet, sour and pleasantly surprising.

Larrouture marvelled at her fellow creators’ craftsmanship. “Everybody has really looked inside their childhood memories. We are all adults now, but everyone has inside them the childlike passions that we are sharing today.”


Troy Truong Lollipops And Play Time

Left: Tony Truong, Chef at Mei Ume at Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge; right: the popular bouncy castle

Each Four Seasons master craftsperson delighted the senses in their own inimitable way. Tony Truong, head chef at Mei Ume at Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge, was crafting what looked like miniature ice creams but were in fact savoury red bean waffle cones filled with strips of pork ribs and topped with carrot and wasabi. Truong took his cue for the dish from the spare rib “lollipops” that his mother made for him as a child in Vietnam, where she had a restaurant. “My mum was in despair because I couldn’t hold a chopstick properly,” said Truong with a grin.


Edm Disclosure And Crowd

British duo Disclosure provided the soundtrack to a memorable evening

Guests continued to sample the dishes of one master creator after another, as the atmosphere picked up a notch when EDM duo Disclosure took to the decks and crowds flocked to the dance floor.


London Popdown Event

Guests letting out their inner child in London’s “underground playground”

The following night, the same venue was transformed again, into an immersive cinema showing the Tom Hanks film Big, sending us on a nostalgic trip to the 1980s. Four Seasons elevated the cinema experience to a luxurious heights with leather armchairs and deck chairs draped with cosy blankets under clusters of silver and white balloons. The concessions were special, too: Food carts served up the dishes and sips that the Four Seasons chefs and mixologists had debuted the previous evening, and waiters in boater hats were on hand with trays of classics such as popcorn and ice cream.

The perfect sweet end to this two-day feast for the senses.


Watching Big As A Finale

Pop Down guests watching the 1980s comedy classic Big