Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale: Escaping Cold NYC For a Luxury Weekend
Every winter, we like to trade the post-holiday winter chill of New York City for the warm breezes of South Florida. To start 2025 off right, we packed our bags and headed to the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale for a luxurious birthday weekend getaway. I won’t tell you how old my wife was turning.
Just a quick flight from NYC and a fast ~30-minute drive from the airport to the hotel, Fort Lauderdale offers a perfect blend of accessibility and escape that makes it ideal for a long weekend retreat. Especially with kids, it’s an easy option when we’re desperate for sunshine.
We stayed for three full days, and I documented all of it. Our adventure was centered around the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, where we basked in the beauty of an oceanfront room, indulged in great food, and enjoyed the classic Four Seasons service. But we didn’t just lounge by the pool (though we certainly did some of that) – we explored the famous Sawgrass Mills outlet mall, dined at local hotspots from casual Ukrainian delis to upscale restaurants, and compared notes with our previous stay at the nearby Conrad Hotel.
If you’re considering a similar escape from the Northeast winter or just wondering if the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale is worth the splurge, join our family of three (including our enthusiastic three-year-old master shopper) as we break down everything from the $60-per-room breakfast credit through Chase Travel rewards to the best times to hit Sawgrass Mills without battling crowds. Let’s dive into our Fort Lauderdale luxury weekend!
The Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale Experience
The Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale delivers what we’ve come to expect from this luxury brand – exceptional service, beautiful facilities, and meticulous attention to detail. Located right across the street from the beach, the hotel offers one of the most accessible beach experiences we’ve encountered at a luxury property. There’s no need to trek through mangroves or parks – you simply cross the street, and you’re on the soft, luscious sand.
Keep in mind, however, that this also means you can hear the traffic from the Four Seasons’ beach chairs. And the beach is public, not a private Four Seasons enclave.
The property features multiple pool options, including a dedicated adult pool area, perfect for when you need a break from the beach. While we only spent short bursts at the main pool because our son often demanded to hit the beach for sandcastle building, the pool area is well-maintained and offers a quintessential resort experience. It’s a relatively small pool deck, however, and if you’re an adult looking for a fun poolside bar, the one at The Conrad Hotel next door is probably better.
Our King Accessible Ocean View Room
We stayed in what the hotel classifies as a “King Accessible Ocean View” room, which provided stunning, full-frontal views of the ocean. The floor-to-ceiling windows made us feel like we were on top of the water.
We had not requested an accessible (ADA-compliant) room, but this didn’t affect our stay. Apart from the shower with a pullout chair, it was not very noticeable that the room was accessible.
It featured a comfortable king-sized bed that all three of us shared, with convenient nightstands on each side equipped with light controls. The sweeping ocean views were truly the highlight, especially from the desk area, which provided a perfect workspace while looking out at the turquoise blue water.
The bathroom offered a single vanity with generous counter space, a separate bathtub across from the sink, and a toilet in its own area (which my wife always appreciates). The rainfall shower was excellent, though we did note that the shower curtain was dirty when we first arrived – an issue the staff quickly remedied when we brought it to their attention.
One small frustration with the room was the Bluetooth charging station, which would inexplicably turn off shortly after starting to charge our devices. These are the kinds of minor technology hiccups that you don’t expect at a Four Seasons price point.
Little Touches That Matter
But the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale excels like its sister properties – it focuses on little touches that matter. From bringing my wife a complimentary birthday cake on our first night to giving our three-year-old the chance to pick a complimentary “stuffy”, the attention to detail at this property is top notch.
These small gestures made a big impression on us, especially our little one. He still carries around his frog, “Snapper”, to this day. These little touches, exemplified through thoughtful service, separate this luxury hotel from most competitors.
Dining Options
The Four Seasons offers several dining venues, including Evelyn’s where we enjoyed our breakfast most mornings. The property’s $60 per room breakfast credit through Chase Travel rewards was appreciated, though it doesn’t stretch very far when ordering the full buffet (which was about the same price per person). So dad here used up the entire credit before anyone else could eat!
For fine dining, the hotel’s signature restaurant, Maass, provided the perfect setting for my wife’s birthday dinner. The interior is beautifully designed, and we were seated at a booth next to the bar with a full view of the kitchen. The food is creative and playful, incorporating exotic ingredients like foie gras. While portion sizes are on the smaller side (typical of many fine dining establishments), the execution was excellent. For example, my lamb dish was perfectly cooked to medium rare, and they even let me select a special knife with a design of my choice – a unique touch that enhanced the experience.
Value Consideration
While the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale delivers on luxury and service, it comes at a premium price point. When comparing it to nearby options like The Conrad Hotel (located next door), we found ourselves questioning whether the significant price difference was justified. The Conrad Hotel offers larger rooms and comparable amenities at a lower price point. This isn’t to say we didn’t enjoy our Four Seasons stay – we absolutely did – but for future visits to Fort Lauderdale, we’re planning to give The Conrad Hotel another try for better value.
Adventures around the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale
Beyond the beach and the nearby offerings at The Conrad, we also went to our local favorites like Sawgrass Mills for luxury shopping and explored new attractions like the Hard Rock Hotel (the Guitar Hotel). We often go to Sawgrass when visiting South Florida because it’s one of the best outlet malls in the country. Although I must say, the pricing has definitely increased over the years, with some of the higher end designer stores like Loro Piana offering pricing that’s more on par with their main boutiques.
The Hard Rock Hotel was a pleasant surprise. We thought it would be more geared toward adults given it’s also a major casino and events space, but they were very welcoming for families. We enjoyed some drinks and snacks at the Hard Rock Cafe inside while our son napped. And nobody got after us walking through the casino with a stroller (although we were respectful and didn’t stop to gamble – the birthday girl ran off to do that herself!).
Another local favorite of ours is down in Sunny Isles – the Kalinka Euro Deli. There’s a large Eastern European and Russian population in South Florida, and if you’re a regular reader of mine or subscriber to our YouTube channel, you know we love traveling to Eastern Europe and enjoying the food (banitsa!). Kalinka has great salads, smoked fish, breads, pastries, and sweets. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re into Russian salads and the like, but be prepared – it can get very busy and chaotic.
Friends of ours in Fort Lauderdale introduced us to a different culinary destination – Shuck n’ Dive. This Cajun Cafe offers fresh fish and classic Southern dishes like gumbo. I think it was my first real gumbo – delicious and deep with flavor.
We also explored the Aventura Mall for the first time (at least for me). I was shocked with how luxurious it was. Not sure what I was expecting, but I was surprised to see high end boutiques like Hermes (they don’t put boutiques just anywhere!). The reason we went to the Aventura Mall was not for Hermes, however. It has probably my wife’s all time favorite store, which we visit anywhere it’s located, from London to Boca Raton: Bimba Y Lola.
Happy wife, happy life.
A great escape from cold NYC
Fort Lauderdale can get a bad rep sometimes because it’s wedged between two major luxury South Florida destinations: Palm Beach and Miami. But the proximity of its high end hotel district, and particularly the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, to the airport and the surrounding area (Sawgrass Mills, etc.) makes it an ideal cold weather destination. I’m not sure if we would visit during the hot and sticky Florida summers (also hurricane season), but when it’s cold up north, there are few better options that are only a couple hours by plane.
As I said above, we’ll probably give The Conrad Hotel another try during our next stay in Fort Lauderdale, but I have few negative things to say about the Four Seasons. It’s luxury through and through, with the little touches to make you feel special and appreciated. It has top class amenities and great rooms that make you feel like you’re on top of the water and far from any cold weather.
With great food, beaches, and shopping to keep us entertained, it’s one of our favorite places to spend a long weekend. We’ll see you again soon, Fort Lauderdale!
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