Four Seasons among best in the four corners

March 4, 2003 12 AM PT

Paul Clinton

Two travel magazines have listed the Four Seasons Hotel among the top

lodgings in the world.

In addition to making Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List of the

world’s top 700 hotels, the Four Seasons has also made Travel &

Leisure’s list of top 500 lodgings.

None of the 13 other hotels in Costa Mesa or Newport Beach made

the lists.

“What’s terrific about this is, it’s a survey of their

readership,” said Katie Mitchell, the hotel’s director of marketing.

“It’s a reflection of how our customers really feel about us.”

The Four Seasons is also the only local hotel that has achieved

the American Automobile Assn.’s Five Diamond Award, meeting the

group’s highest standard.

In Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List, published in the January

issue, readers responding to the survey praised the hotel’s

“spectacular business environment” and “responsive staff,” who “make

your work easier.”

The magazine also reported guests’ comments about the food, noting

that the hotel’s Pavilion restaurant “isn’t worth writing home

about.” Alluding to Fashion Island’s eateries, the survey suggested

that guests “wander across the street for some good restaurants.”

In one way, the hotel’s appearance on the list has become old hat.

It has made the list nine consecutive years.

But Travel & Leisure included the hotel on its “T&L; 500, the

Greatest Hotels in the World,” which was published in January for the

first time.

Appearing on the list brings additional tourism business to the

area and highlights Newport Beach as a desirable destination, said

Bridget Lindquist, deputy director at the Newport Beach Conference &

Visitors Bureau.

“It helps call attention to Newport Beach, which is great for all

of us,” Lindquist said. “People associate the Four Seasons with

luxury, quality and service.”

The Four Seasons, which first opened in 1986, offers 295 guest

units, including 83 executive and luxury suites. The Irvine Co.-owned

hotel also offers 35,000 square feet of meeting and function space.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at