Four Seasons Hotel: Fort Lauderdale has a devoted following of admirers. Consider Evelyn Fortune Bartlett, a well-known painter, art collector, and socialite from South Florida who is regarded as the city’s grande dame.
In 1931, Evelyn Fortune married the widowed Chicago artist Frederic Clay Bartlett following her divorce from pharmaceutical magnate Eli Lilly. Soon after, the two started visiting his property in then-rural Fort Lauderdale, where Evelyn contributed her own unique style to the Bonnet House, a Caribbean-styled home. She also liked taking care of the expansive tropical gardens, adding flora from her trips around the world and even adopting a family of monkeys. In spite of her elderly age, Mrs Bartlett continued to winter there, defending the estate from builders while Fort Lauderdale expanded all around her. Her passing in 1997 was seen as the conclusion of an era.
When I arrived from New York before the resort opened, Mazen Saleh informed me, “She really was the lady of Fort Lauderdale.” “We didn’t really think there was a better way to capture the spirit of the place,” The “Bonnet House” is a trademark drink named after the adjacent mansion (now on the National Register of Historic Places), which Saleh, general manager of the brand-new Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, was telling me about. In order to understand more about the history of the city, several people engaged in the hotel’s construction went to the museum and botanical garden. The head mixologist used this chance to find Evelyn’s daiquiri recipe. It was rumoured that Evelyn would prepare it by the pitcher using the Rangpur limes that grew on the property.
The brand’s four existing Florida properties—in Palm Beach, Miami, Surfside, and Orlando—were joined on March 3 by the opening of the new Four Seasons Hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard. In this laid-back community 30 miles north of Miami, the grand opening could come as a surprise. It has been a long since a premium hotel opened in this area, according to Saleh, which is why he wanted to make sure the facility blended in with Fort Lauderdale as a whole. He stated, “It’s been great to witness the reception we’ve received from the residents. The city is prepared.
The hotel is housed in a bright-white structure built by Miami architect Kobi Karp, with wraparound terraces and 22 storeys of curving lines that are reminiscent of the boats that make this city one of the nation’s boating centres.
The hotel’s restaurant and outdoor areas were designed by architect Martin Brudnizki, whose design firm claimed that “the location is unbeatable.” “Fort Lauderdale, in my opinion, bridges the gap between the sophistication and history of Palm Beach and the energy of Miami.”
The design of the guest rooms and public areas was overseen by Tara Bernerd’s company, and she was enthusiastic about the potential of Fort Lauderdale. She described her first trip to the city to me by saying, “It was so different from what people told me.” “It nearly reminded me of the Croisette in Cannes to be able to cross the street from any hotel into the beach, with the lovely palms. Despite being considerably closer to the Bahamas, it nonetheless evokes memories of the Riviera.
Both powerful designers sought to make a subtle tribute to that longing for the sea. In the restaurant, Brudnizki uses linens, seagrass, and oceanic hues that go well with the views of the ocean from the dining area. Bernard added stone flooring, wicker headboards, sliding doors, and a palette of blues, dusky pink, and turquoise for the 189 rooms and suites. She also added brass elements and lacquered wood, evoking the elegant trim of a Riva boat.
Every guest room has a low console shelf that runs the length of a wall before curving into a desk with a sculptural window that faces the sea, whether it is the Atlantic or the city’s well-known canals and intercoastal islets. Le Labo goods in full sizes are provided in the bathrooms (there are no single-use plastics on the property). A handful of residential apartments are also housed in the same building, and guests looking for an apartment-style stay can reserve hotel homes through Four Seasons‘ Hotel rental programme.
The spacious wellness centre, which features a tranquil spa and a gym with an ocean view and a “fitness wall” for virtual solo exercises, was also created by Tara Bernerd & Partners. The third-level main deck is home to two pools and plenty of sunny sitting areas, where Brudnizki enjoyed “the unbroken views of the ocean beyond.” The platform resembles the prow of a ship, sticking out over the Atlantic.
The hotel cafe, Honey Fitz, rapidly becomes a guest’s centre of orbit as it transitions from morning cappuccino and baked goodies (by acclaimed pastry chef Christina Kaelberer) to a noon buffet for packing a beach picnic in true Four Seasons Hotel flair. It’s a gloomy place to have a glass of natural wine or grown Champagne in the evening.
