Off-Season Is the New On-Season

People who live in popular tourist destinations like Tokyo and Paris know that autumn is the best season. Spring is when the crowds begin; summer, when they peak; and winter is festive but at the whim of Mother Nature. Fall, though? That’s when they get their streets back. If you enjoy your vacation on the quieter side, it’s a perfect time to visit.

Below, we’ve rounded up four Four Seasons destinations to consider booking off-peak. Open sidewalks and friendly locals await. 

We may be biased, but autumn is the best time of year to visit the City of Light—and Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, the best place to stay. Let us count the ways: It’s housed in a gorgeous Art Deco landmark building. It’s located in the Golden Triangle neighbourhood of the 8th arrondissement, just off the Champs-Élysées, steps from world-class shopping. Some suites have jaw-dropping views of the Eiffel Tower.  

Oh, and did we mention the property has a trio of Michelin-starred restaurants (between them, they’ve won six stars)? Three-starred Le Cinq by Christian Le Squer—considered one of the world’s most exquisite examples of French dining—is a restaurant that foodies plan entire vacations around. Two-starred L’Orangerie offers refined French cuisine in an airy conservatory setting. And Le George specializes in Mediterranean flavors and sustainable sourcing.  

From mid-September to mid-November, you’ll have the opportunity to book a So Chic, Darling! experience with a local fashion insider, who will take you on a chauffeured tour of must-visit boutiques and ateliers. At tour’s end, recharge with a stop at a café for pastries and drinks.  

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

Experience Paris in autumn.

Discover more

For a getaway that combines foliage viewing with sophisticated dining, look no further than Montreal, where you can get your fill of gourmet bagels, next-level smoked meats, flaky French pastries, and, of course, poutine, Canada’s national dish. One of only two North American cities to crack the top 10 on Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Food Cities in the World list for 2024 (Vancouver shares the honour), Montreal is a must-visit for those with big appetites and discriminating palates. 

Foodie travellers will want to consider aligning their Montreal visit with MTLàTABLE (October 30 to November 16), the popular annual event where diners enjoy prix-fixe options at more than 150 participating eateries. A postprandial walk along the trails at Mount Royal Park for a dose of autumn colours and crisp air is a must. The forest-like park, initially laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted (who designed New York City’s Central Park), is known for its city skyline views. 

Once you’ve had your fill of fall foliage, retreat to Four Seasons Hotel Montreal, where, naturally, there’s a stellar restaurant on-site—world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Marcus Restaurant + Terrace—in case you’re still hungry. Looking to detox after all the indulging? Book a luxurious treatment at the hotel’s Guerlain Spa, one of only five spas in Canada to be rated five stars by Forbes Travel Guide. 

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

Experience Montreal in autumn.

Discover more

Tourists may think of Tokyo as a futuristic city of skyscrapers and neon lights, but it’s also filled with plenty of ways to engage with nature. In fact, according to a recent survey, Tokyo ranks No. 1 on the list of cities with the most green spaces in the world—all of which makes it a great destination for fall foliage viewing. 

When it comes to a place to stay, you have two standout options: Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi and Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. Otemachi is the newer, larger property, boasting 190 guest rooms and suites and occupying the top floors of a 39-story high-rise in the financial district. In addition to its award-winning bar, Virtù (one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024), and Michelin-starred restaurant, est, the hotel’s most-buzzed-about feature is its jaw-dropping views. When the elevator doors open into the lobby, guests are wowed by the panorama of the city and, best of all, the grounds of the Imperial Palace below, right next to the building. 

For a more boutique, street-level experience, consider the Marunouchi hotel, which has just 57 guest rooms and suites and is located next door to Tokyo Station. The accommodations are currently undergoing a renovation (to be finished by March 2026), but the hotel’s spa and prized restaurant, Sézanne, recipient of three Michelin stars and winner of Best Restaurant in Japan on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, remain open. Headed by chef Daniel Calvert, the elegant restaurant interprets Japanese ingredients through the lens of French cuisine. 

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi

Experience Tokyo in autumn.

Discover more

Ask locals in any traditional ski town their favourite time of year, and you may hear a surprising answer. While winter is when they can enjoy their beloved snow sports, autumn is when they get to experience nature the way it’s intended to be experienced: without lines. 

Visit Vail in the fall, and your encounters will be more colourful (think yellow and orange and red)—and potentially more rewarding. No, you probably won’t be able to ski or snowboard, but those mountains hold other opportunities for fun. Biking, hiking, trail running, fly-fishing, and horseback riding allow you to fully engage with the majesty of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. 

Another reason to book an autumn stay in Vail: Oktoberfest. Thanks to its Bavarian-inspired village center, Vail has become one of the best spots in the U.S. to celebrate the iconic brews-and-bratwurst festival. Extra credit: Come dressed in your lederhosen or dirndl, and enter the costume contest for bragging rights. 

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail, just steps from the high-end restaurants and shopping at Vail Village, is the ultimate luxury basecamp for your fall vacation. After a day spent outdoors, it’s time for après-ski at the resort. After all, après-ski isn’t just for the winter months; it’s an attitude—and a year-round pursuit. 

Four Seasons Hotel Vail

Experience Vail in autumn.

Discover more