A big thanks to the Four Seasons Westlake Village for hosting our stay so we could write this detailed review of our experience.
If you receive my weekly newsletter (sign up for free here), then you know that my family and I drove 40 miles north of LAX to attend the Wild Kratts Live 2.0 show in Thousand Oaks. Since the show was at 6:30pm and we had meet-and-greet tickets for after the show, we decided to get a hotel to avoid a late-night drive home.
My wife and I have wanted to check out the Four Seasons Westlake Village for years and we finally had a chance. The hotel was just three miles from the theatre, which made it an ideal place to stay. The hotel didn’t disappoint and I only wish my son hadn’t fallen ill with strep throat (it was going around at his school), so we didn’t get to appreciate everything the hotel has to offer. However, if you have to be sick and stuck in a hotel room, our gorgeous room was certainly the place to do it!
Despite our son’s illness, we did get a feel for the property and here are some of the main things we loved about the Four Seasons Westlake Village:
Location
The hotel is ideally situated within walking distance or a short drive of most anything you might need. The Shoppes at Westlake Village is across the street from the hotel (about a 1-mile drive) and you’ll find a Target, an In-N-Out and other shops. Trader Joe’s is just 1.4 miles away and the Westlake Urgent Care (where we had to take our son) was just 1.6 miles away and was across the street from a CVS and a Vons grocery store.
Friendly and efficient valet
When you arrive at the hotel or when you need to leave, there’s always an army of valets. One of my biggest pet peeves at hotels is when there’s not enough staff (especially at the front of the hotel like at the valet and front desk) but this was definitely not the case here. There were plenty of staff to help arriving guests check in and everyone was very friendly.
Amazing car- and people-watching
Speaking of the valet, if you have a swanky car, like many of the guests at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, then it will be parked right outside near the entrance. I think they do this for a couple of reasons: One is probably to keep a close eye on them and another is to show off their clientele. When I asked if the colorful sports cars (mostly Lamborghinis) were the hotel’s or belonged to guests, the valet told me they were guests’. Since it’s a Four Seasons and given its proximity to Los Angeles (it’s only about 25 minutes outside of Malibu), you will definitely enjoy some great car- and people-watching. According to workers I spoke with, lots of celebrities either stay, dine or use the spa here.
No long lines at the front desk
As one would expect from a luxury hotel, there were multiple agents working the front desk when needed so you don’t have to wait in a long line. Even at the 12pm checkout time, there was no line and it was a Sunday. Everything ran smoothly and effortlessly while we were there.
Manicured grounds and gardens
If you take a walk around the 12-acre property, you will see that the landscapers do a fantastic job keeping the grounds perfectly manicured. I loved the sound of the beautiful waterfall out back, which really masked the surrounding street noise.
Beautiful rooms
The Four Seasons Westlake Village has 269 guest rooms and 39 suites. We were fortunate to be staying in a spacious one-bedroom suite. Measuring about 850 square feet, it had plenty of room for our family of four and in true Four Seasons style, was impeccably furnished and decorated. The stand-out feature is the upholstered patterned headboard on the cloud-like bed.
With a comfy pull-out couch and ocean-colored, jewel-toned accessories, the living room is a pretty and peaceful space.
Marble bathrooms
The same goes for the bathrooms. The deep-soaking marble bathtub fills up quickly and there’s a small TV by the vanity if you want to watch something while you relax. There’s a large, standalone shower with two shower head options. To conserve water, they are low-flow shower heads but the water pressure from the handheld is much stronger.
Large TVs with Chromecast
Our room had two large TVs but they’re not Smart TVs so you can’t log into Netflix or other streaming platforms. Instead, they use Chromecast so you can cast shows from your phone or tablet to the TV. If you don’t want to deal with that, they have live TV and on-demand movies (including, surprisingly, adult films) for a fee.
Cans of water
There’s a noticeable effort to reduce plastic on-property, which is great. Guests are offered water in aluminum cans, which they replace during turndown service around 4pm.
Turndown service
These days, most hotels don’t even offer daily housekeeping but the Four Seasons Westlake Village has doubled down on it as they even have turn down service. It’s nice to have someone tidy up the room for when you return to your room for bed, especially when you’re staying at a luxury hotel like this.
Motorized curtains
You’re sure to appreciate that you don’t have physically open and close the curtains yourself. Just press a button for either the blackout shades or the sheer. Another touch of luxury.
Mini bar
Our room had a fully stocked mini bar. Like in many Las Vegas hotels, the fridge has sensors so if you even pick up a can or bottle, you’ll automatically get charged. We used the fridge frequently to store milk for the kids and every time a can moved when we took the milk out another charge racked up. When you check out make sure you check the bill so you aren’t charged.
Free newspaper
There was a door tag on the table near our room’s front door. I originally thought it was a Do Not Disturb sign. I was wrong. Rather, it was for free newspaper delivery. One side is for the LA Times and the other is for USA Today. In today’s digital world, newspapers feel like a unique amenity but a nice one. And if you don’t want to be disturbed, just press the button on the wall near the door.
Kids’ robes
If you have little kids, they won’t feel left out when you’re wearing a robe after your luxurious bath in the deep-soaking tub. Here, they provide kids robes that are so soft, snuggly and comfy, my kids begged me to take them home.
Kids’ room
Speaking of kids … the hotel caters to the younger set with a play space for little kids that has toys, an interactive mat, a play kitchen, books, puzzles and more.
Just down the hall is an arcade for teenagers that has ping pong, foosball, retro video games …
… and two billiards tables just outside that room.
Gym
The full-size gym has state-of-the-art machines and is open 24/7.
Indoor pool
Next to the gym is one of the hotel’s three pools. The indoor pool is a beautiful oasis with glass ceilings and warm water. My daughter loved that they had pool noodles. There wasn’t a lifeguard on duty so it was disappointing when a rude guest came in and started listening to a podcast on speaker while he did laps. I was going to say something but didn’t want to cause a scene in front of my four-year-old but I have to say, I was pretty shocked by how inconsiderate some people can be.
The Cove
The resort’s grand pool is outdoors, set against a backdrop of the Santa Monica Mountains. There are also three jetted spas and a bocce court for guests to enjoy.
Guests can relax in the terraced lounge chairs, private daybeds or swaying hammocks. There’s also a restaurant and bar but unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience any of this since my son was sick and it was a little chilly outside on the one free morning that we had.
Spa
There’s an adults-only pool for spa guests, which a lot of locals have memberships to. I was blown away by how nice the spa is. There are 18 treatment rooms and it’s very stylish. There are snacks in the waiting areas made up of mini date and mango bars and a bowl of mini chocolate chips and banana chips. There’s also a salon where you can get hair and beauty services done as well as a barbershop for men. Check out the spa and salon menu here for more details.
Restaurants
Since my son was sick for most of our stay, we unfortunately weren’t able to eat in the hotel restaurants, which are popular with guests and locals alike. On Friday night, Coin & Candor was buzzing, not surprisingly, thanks to the sleek and stylish bar, but we opted for a quiet night with room service instead.
We had pizza, pasta and the tomato burrata salad …
… and for breakfast the next morning, my wife and I split the French toast and egg burrito.
We had a quick breakfast at Coin & Candor before leaving the hotel on Sunday morning.
Open from 6am to 5pm, guests can also grab a coffee, bakery items, gelato and other quick bites at the gourmet coffee shop Stir Coffee Bar in the main lobby across from check-in desk.
Called “the wellness retreat capital of America” by Conde Nast Traveler, The Four Seasons Westlake Village is so much more than just a luxury hotel. It’s also a wellness sanctuary with a Center For Health & Wellbeing at its core. While we didn’t have a chance to explore that side of the property, we hope to return one day to participate in the rejuvenation and restorative programs that the hotel is so well known for. Book your stay at the Four Seasons Westlake Village here.
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