Trip Report: Four Seasons Jackson Hole (December 2010)

We needed an extra itinerary on Delta to ensure our 2011 benefits, and decided to pair it with a three-night stay at the Four Seasons after reading various comments on the flyertalk.com forum and news reports about the projected effects of La Niña. Soon our segment run turned into a longer family ski vacation in mid-December. My in-laws were able to join us for part of the trip, and we extended our stay to five nights given the "Ski Free" promotion. Since our dates bordered the traditional Saturday kick-off to the season, the FS was not completely up to speed in regards to consistency, but we had a fantastic time and hope to return. The hotel was beautifully decorated for the holidays, rooms were clean and well stocked, and the exercise facilities were a bonus on days I did not ski.

Flights

We were scheduled to arrive into JAC mid-day, but had weather-related flight issues coming from the east coast. Once in ATL, Delta had to split us on separate flights (one seat available through SLC and one of us would have to go all the way to SEA to connect), with only one of us arriving in JAC the same day. Not quite the way we had hoped to start the trip! We moved to a different sky club location to pass the time and checked with an agent one last time to see if any new seats were available. We soon found ourselves running to another terminal in order to catch a SLC flight and ended up in first, next to each other no less. I mention the flights only to say when faced with flight irrops (irrop = irregular operations; airline speak) - don't give up! Our return flights were uneventful; the direct JAC-ATL flight started that day which made travel less cumbersome.

JAC Airport Transfers to Four Seasons Jackson Hole

Based on research last December, the most economical options for transferring from the airport to the hotel in Teton Village (about a 30-minute drive) are by taxi or shuttle.

Taxi: Taxis in the area all have the same set rate to hotels in Teton Village ($55/one-way for up to two people); the hotel recommends a taxi service called "A Black Car Service" and their number is 307-413-2572. We went with the Four Seasons recommendation, which was fine.

Shuttle Service: All-Trans operates a shuttle service ($47 round-trip per person), but the prices online are non-refundable if flights are delayed/canceled and they may make other stops for passengers; their number is 800-443-6133.

Check-in and Room Description

We booked a standard room category since we did not expect to spend much time in our rooms. Thanks to our travel agent, David Ourisman, both parties received a three-category upgrade on arrival to an Executive Suite, complimentary breakfast, one lunch, and welcome amentities. The Executive Suites, made up of a separate bedroom and living room, were exactly as described and shown online, so I did not take any room photos. Overall the room sizes are small, but adequate when spending the day outside. (And on par with what we have grown to expect at ski destinations.) The "powder room" next to the entrance is actually a second full bath since it has a shower. I can't recall if we even used that room since the main bathroom was so spacious, including double sinks and a private water closet.

The coat closet next to the front door was especially helpful to keep our damp ski clothes separate from our other items in the bedroom. The room was in excellent condition and remarkably clean during our stay.

On arrival, one suite had a basket of fresh fruit with beverages and the other had a bottle of wine with jerky and dried fruit as the welcome amenity.

The online room descriptions mention "high-speed Internet access" and make no mention of a fee, but they plan to charge you. I had work I needed to wrap-up and they agreed to give me one 24-hour time period for complimentary access, and then we used their business center when it came time to print boarding passes. Given the reasonable rates we were paying for our rooms, I did not press the issue, but I continue to be perplexed by high-caliber hotels who pride themselves on service and amenities, but then charge extra for Internet access.

Balcony/View from Executive Suite (there is better view of some mountains in the distance to left, just outside the frame):


Dining

The one place where the Four Seasons faltered was during our meals. Thankfully, this was not a surprise since I had read CMV's trip report on flyertalk.com, but it was disappointing that nearly a year later they continue to have the same issues. The service was painfully slow and inconsistent. When the slopes are beckoning out the window, we are willing to take time for a hot breakfast or lunch, but do not expect such meals to take over an hour and a half.

For breakfast, the Huevos Rancheros entree was disappointing since it lacked flavor (which is typically why one orders such a spicy dish) and tasted like mediocre hotel fare. Omelets were fine. Highlights included their fresh juice offering (which rotated daily), yogurt, and the banana bread (which tasted homemade, exactly as CMV described). On our last morning, the official ski season debut, a full spread breakfast buffet was offered. This was a definite step up in quality and offerings, and it no longer took so long to eat breakfast since we were not ordering from a menu and subject to a slow kitchen. Also, we had a delightful and efficient waitress, Bridget, who we didn't see until that last morning.

Lunch was nothing memorable and was even slower than breakfast, so after our first lunch at the Westbank Grill, we switched to eating lunch at Il Villagio Osteria most days.

We were trying to decide where to eat for dinner one evening and I went by the concierge desk to glance at the two on-site restaurant menus. The woman I spoke with (whose name I forgot to note) was the only negative employee we encountered all week. She said the menus had changed with the launch of ski season, so she did not have any copies at the desk. Seemingly too put out to do anything about it, she told me to go by both places to look at the menus. This was not an inconvenience normally worth mentioning, but she was curt and I thought it was odd at a Four Seasons to send a guest on the hunt for copies of the hotel's restaurant menus.

My in-laws praised their meal at the lobby bar the night we were delayed, and we had an okay meal at Peak later in the week. Peak had been transformed from what was shown online to more of a casual Western theme. The night we went was was their first night open for the season, so everyone - hostess, servers, waitress - seemed a bit tentative, but this was coupled with an air of enthusiasm and they were quite hospitable.

The in-room dining information mentioned picnics for guests who were returning to the hotel (since it included baskets and utensils), and we were interested in a disposable option we could take with us on our day of departure. We called room service to see if it was possible to get a picnic lunch packed for our flights so we didn't have to rely on airport food. Mark must have caught someone who was new or who was not used to going off script for these types of requests, so after an awkward exchange we didn't press the point and just grabbed something else during our travels.

Off-site we found ourselves at Il Villagio Osteria more times than I can count for lunch and dinners. I must give another hat tip to CMV, who was spot-on in his review of this restaurant. Located in Teton Village, it was a quick walk from the Four Seasons and fresh fare seemed to be plentiful here. My favorite was their seasonal soup, created with homemade stock.

Ski Concierge/Base Camp

Our rooms were conveniently located on the same floor as the base camp, which was mere steps from the lifts. The service is just as CMV described, so I will not repeat every detail here.

On arrival to base camp, we logged into a computer and they fitted us with skis. This was my first trip down a mountain since a tendon injury a few years ago, which rarely flares up. Unfortunately after just one run down the mountain, just below my ankle was throbbing in pain. Something about the ski boot angle seemed to aggravate the exact spot of the former injury. Inside I was slightly panicked that my ski days might be over before they ever got going, but I calmly went back into the base camp to see about switching boots. Since it was the beginning of the season, there was some confusion among employees about what was included in the "Ski Free" package so they were debating back and forth my request. I interjected that I didn't mind paying more for the next step up in boots, I just wanted to try something else. They immediately fit me in another pair, which thankfully solved the problem! (Later in the week someone mentioned that all levels of ski equipment were covered, which might be helpful to know for future travel.)

I have read several reviews online this winter about the ski concierge service not being on par with previous years. I do not have anything to compare it to, but we had an incredible experience - I've never had this caliber of personal ski service. It may have been because the mountain was at low occupancy, but the staff were eager to meet any needs and often went above and beyond. For example, before we came to Jackson Hole, I ordered a pair of gloves to pick up at one of the ski shops in Teton Village. After we were fitted with our skis, I asked Kyle if he could tell me where the shop was located so I could head in that direction. Instead of giving me directions, he insisted on walking me there himself and I learned a great deal about Jackson Hole from him during the quick errand. Everyone was prompt and courteous getting our gear set up. And at the end of the day, it was a treat to have someone help you with your equipment when needed. If you come into the hotel for lunch, your boots are set up on warmers so your feet are warm and toasty when you go back out for the afternoon.

Other Amenities (Gym, Hot Tub, Après-ski)

The gym was extremely well stocked considering it included yoga mats, medicine balls, free weights, and large exercise balls in addition to traditional equipment. Unlike CMV's visit, an attendant did not circulate with cool towels, but again I think this is likely due to the timing of our visit.


(I had to blot out a few strangers who were on equipment above; figured they might not appreciate their photo online.)

There were other things that are mentioned on the website as activities (i.e. yoga classes), but on arrival we found out they did not start until Saturday. With the rates we were paying this was fine, but they would do well to make the information clear in their marketing materials. Mark and his Dad enjoyed the hot tub service. By the last few days of our trip, they had really stepped up the afternoon service and had a lot more to offer guests. The s’mores were a highlight.


One thing I forgot to mention in the room description, but also applies to some common areas, is that the fireplaces are gas with one exception. When it comes to winter and sitting next to a fire, I prefer the crackle and warmth of an authentic wood-burning fire. Thankfully there is one wood-burning fireplace near the entrance that goes through to both sides. On the backside (the larger lobby side with windows overlooking the ski base), there are two club chairs that can be turned around to read next to a fire without the busy atmosphere you might find in the main entrance on the other side. You can't see them in the picture below, but this is the side of main lobby overlooking the ski base:


There is also a game room for guests to use during their stay and Christmas decorations were up throughout the hotel:




Check-out was quick and efficient. There were a few problems with our bill, but they were quickly corrected when pointed out.

Overall

In regards to the Four Seasons, our first experience with their brand was quite disappointing (SFO), but Jackson Hole exceeded all our expectations. It was a positive representation of the brand, and reflects the reputation I read about on this board.

In reading over what I have written, I realized I forgot to mention two other employees who were most helpful during our stay: Michael at the concierge desk and Nicole who was supposedly "training" at the front desk (but she modeled hospitality seen in seasoned professionals). My mother-in-law had an issue with her eye during our stay; they quickly booked an appointment for her with an eye professional in town and provided assistance in arranging transportation.

In regards to Jackson Hole as a ski destination, it tops our list.



Having spent our previous ski vacations in Colorado, I normally spend a day or two with altitude adjustment symptoms in some locations (Copper Mountain in particular), which was not the case here at all. The rate we received will be tough to replicate on our next trip since we caught Jackson Hole with record snowfalls early in the season. On our day of arrival, the ski mountain report read, "As of today, Jackson Hole is reporting 172 inches of total season snowfall (base depth of 62 inches)." We were told by Four Seasons staff that during this same week in 2009, you could still see green on the mountains.

I am indebted to the flyertalk.com board for teaching me to better monitor my flights/airline status and for the information on Jackson Hole since we normally stay in Colorado. Both insights led to our discovery of a new favorite ski destination, and we made wonderful memories with family.