The Best Four Seasons Hotels in Europe
The pool at San Domenico Palace, with Taormina below and Etna on the horizon. Book a pool suite if you want this without the walk.
Four Seasons is where you go when you want your hotel to be beautiful, everything to work, everyone in the family to be comfortable and the service to feel polished without becoming stiff.
That last part matters. Four Seasons was founded in Toronto, and I do think there is still something distinctly Canadian in its DNA. The service is warm, capable and refreshingly normal. Nobody is trying quite so hard to remind you that you are staying somewhere expensive.
The best Four Seasons hotels in Europe also manage to feel very much of their destination. A former convent in Sicily. A Renaissance palazzo in Florence. A grand Riviera hotel on Cap-Ferrat.
And while I would never recommend a hotel simply because it has the Four Seasons name on the door, there are a handful in Europe that I think are genuinely worth planning a trip around.
These are the ones I would choose, and who I think each one is best for.
The best Four Seasons hotels in Europe at a glance
| Hotel | Where | Best for | The reason to book it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four Seasons Hotel George V | Paris | Milestone trips and first-time Paris | Paris Palace service, three Michelin-starred restaurants |
| San Domenico Palace | Taormina, Sicily | Honeymoons, families, first trips to Sicily | A cliffside monastery you can walk into town from |
| Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat | French Riviera | Families and multigenerational trips | Club Dauphin, reached by glass funicular |
| Four Seasons Hotel Firenze | Florence | Florence with children, longer stays | A private Renaissance garden and a pool in the city |
| Four Seasons Astir Palace | Athens Riviera | Athens paired with the islands | Three private beaches, 30 minutes from the Acropolis |
| Four Seasons Hotel Madrid | Madrid | Couples and long weekends | Central location and the rooftop at Dani |
| Four Seasons Hotel Megève | French Alps | Family and multigenerational ski trips | Ski in, ski out with only 55 rooms |
| Four Seasons Resort Mallorca | Formentor, Mallorca | A full resort week in the Mediterranean | Direct access to a one-kilometre beach on Mallorca's quiet north coast |
| Danieli, Venezia | Venice | First trips to Venice, milestone trips | Newly reopened, on the lagoon by Piazza San Marco |
| Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos | Mykonos | Couples, families, group trips | New in 2026, on the quieter southeast coast |
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris
If you want the full Four Seasons fantasy in Europe, this is probably it.
The courtyard at the George V in spring. The floral installations change with the season and are the reason the lobby has a following of its own.
The George V is glamorous in a way that feels cinematic, with enormous floral installations, beautiful public spaces, excellent restaurants and the kind of service that makes a complicated Paris trip feel unusually easy.
It is also very grand. This is not the hotel I would choose for someone looking for something discreet, intimate or quietly residential. The George V knows exactly what it is, and what it is is a Paris Palace hotel two blocks from the Champs-Élysées. If you are weighing it against the Ritz, the Bristol, Cheval Blanc or the Plaza Athénée, I have compared all of them in more detail.
What keeps it from feeling too formal is the service. One of my favorite clients to work with spent years as an executive assistant to high-net-worth families and has stayed at many of the best hotels in the world. Whenever I think about the George V, I think about her telling me simply, “It’s my happy place.”
That says more to me than almost anything else.
By the second breakfast, the staff know your name and what you like to drink. They remember preferences without making a production of remembering them. You are being very well looked after, but you never feel managed. That is an incredibly difficult kind of service to get right, and it is one of the reasons the George V has such a loyal following.
The rooms and suites are beautiful, but this is also one of those hotels where room category matters. Views, terraces, connecting options and layout can make a meaningful difference, particularly if you are traveling with children or planning a longer stay.
I also love it for travelers who want the hotel itself to be part of Paris, rather than simply somewhere beautiful to sleep between museum reservations.
Best for: milestone trips, anniversaries, families who want everything handled well and anyone looking for the classic Paris Palace experience.
San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel
A pool suite terrace at San Domenico Palace. This is the room category that makes the hotel work for families, and the one to ask about first.
San Domenico Palace has the unfair advantage of being in Taormina, perched above the Ionian Sea with Mount Etna in the distance, inside a property with centuries of history. It would be difficult to make this place unattractive if you tried.
Four Seasons took over the hotel in 2021, and I think this is one of the best examples of what the brand does well in Europe. The hotel still feels unmistakably Sicilian. There are cloisters, old stone walls, gardens, original artwork and historic details everywhere, but underneath all of that is the extremely reassuring Four Seasons infrastructure.
The location is also better than it looks in photographs. You feel tucked away above the sea, but you are just off Taormina's main street. You can walk out of the hotel and be shopping, having an aperitivo or heading to dinner within minutes. That is a huge advantage in a destination where many of the most beautiful resorts require a car every time you want to leave.
And yes, the infinity pool is as good as it looks.
Here is the feedback I get back from my clients: they love that the hotel feels glamorous without being stiff, and that they can spend a slow morning over breakfast, disappear to the pool for a few hours, then walk straight into Taormina without turning the day into a transportation exercise.
I also think this is much better for families than people sometimes realize. The hotel has enough space and resort infrastructure to make everyone comfortable, but you still have the convenience of being able to walk into town. The pool suites are especially incredible for families or anyone who wants more privacy and a true resort feel without giving up the location.
Breakfast on the terrace is also one of those things people remember. There is all the expected fruit, pastries and made-to-order everything, but also brioche con gelato, the very Sicilian practice of putting gelato inside a brioche and calling it breakfast. This is the sort of cultural tradition I am prepared to support wholeheartedly.
The White Lotus made the hotel famous to an entirely new audience, and the show has since done the same thing to a hotel in Saint-Tropez. I would not stay at San Domenico because it was on television. I would stay because it gives you something surprisingly difficult to find in Sicily: a genuinely exceptional resort hotel where you can spend half the day by the pool and then walk straight into town for the other half.
Plan on three to five nights here. Three is enough to experience Taormina, but four or five lets you enjoy the reason you paid to stay at San Domenico Palace in the first place. With that amount of time, you can add Mount Etna, a winery or a boat day and still have at least one day where the schedule is mostly breakfast, pool and absolutely no urgency.
Best for: honeymoons, anniversaries, families, first trips to Sicily and travelers who want a resort without feeling removed from the destination.
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat is the French Riviera exactly as you hope it will be: white umbrellas, pine trees, enormous Mediterranean views and a general sense that lunch should probably take two hours.
Club Dauphin, at the bottom of the funicular. Summer loungers here are a winter booking conversation.
The hotel sits on the tip of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, between Nice and Monaco, on 17 acres of gardens. It feels wonderfully removed from everything without actually leaving you stranded on a beautiful peninsula with nowhere to go.
The real reason I love it, though, is Club Dauphin.
You take a glass funicular down through the property to the hotel's legendary pool club, where there is a heated seawater infinity pool overlooking the Mediterranean, private cabanas and a restaurant where lunch has a habit of becoming most of the afternoon.
This is also much better for families than its very elegant photographs might lead you to believe. There is a kids' club, a children's pool, tennis and enough space that a multigenerational family can spend the day together without needing to do the exact same thing every minute.
For bigger families, I particularly like the villas. You get the privacy and space of a private home while keeping the service and resort facilities of the hotel, which is a very good combination when everyone wants to be together but perhaps not quite that together.
I also think this is one of the most underappreciated shoulder-season hotels in Europe. The Riviera gets so much attention in July and August that people forget how lovely it can be in spring and early fall, when the weather can still be beautiful, the coastline feels calmer and you are not competing with peak-summer crowds for every lunch table and beach chair. If you are still deciding where to base yourself on the coast, my South of France guide goes through the options in more detail.
For me, that is actually one of the best ways to stay here. You can spend a day by the pool, take a boat along the coast, have lunch in Èze, go into Monaco for dinner and still come back to a hotel that feels like a proper resort rather than a base for sightseeing.
I would plan on three to five nights if this is part of a larger South of France itinerary. If you genuinely want a resort vacation and plan to use the hotel as your base for Nice, Èze, Monaco and days on the water, you could very happily stay five to seven.
Best for: families, multigenerational trips, couples and anyone whose French Riviera fantasy involves considerably more pool time than nightclub time.
One practical note. Summer rooms here are a winter conversation. If you are thinking about next July, the useful time to start is around the holidays, not in May.
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
Four Seasons Firenze is one of those hotels that makes Florence feel completely different.
The pool in the garden at Four Seasons Firenze. This is the picture I send to parents who are wondering how to do Florence in July.
You are still in the city, but once you come back through the gates, the noise drops away and suddenly there are gardens, fountains, frescoes and enough space that you briefly forget you spent the morning shoulder-to-shoulder with half of Europe in front of Botticelli.
The hotel occupies two historic buildings, including a 15th-century palazzo, surrounded by one of the largest private gardens in Florence. That garden is the entire point for me. It gives you something almost no other luxury hotel in the city can really replicate: a true resort feeling without leaving Florence.
This is especially valuable in summer.
Florence in July can be hot, crowded and intense. Being able to spend the morning sightseeing, come back for lunch, let the kids swim and then head out again in the evening changes the rhythm of the trip completely.
I think families sometimes overlook this hotel because the interiors look so grand and historic, but it is actually one of my favorite Florence choices with children. You have space, a pool, gardens to wander through and a hotel team that is very comfortable with families. It lets you do Florence without requiring everyone to appreciate Renaissance art for eight consecutive hours.
The rooms and suites are also part of the appeal here. Some of the historic accommodations have frescoes, sculpted ceilings and architectural details that genuinely feel tied to Florence rather than designed by someone trying to create a vaguely Italian luxury hotel.
The tradeoff is location. You are not stepping directly onto Piazza della Signoria when you leave the hotel, and for a very short Florence stay I might prioritize being right in the center. But for three or four nights, especially with children, I think the garden and pool are worth that little bit of distance.
Plan on three to four nights for most trips. That gives you enough time for Florence's major sights while still leaving room to actually enjoy the hotel. If you are staying longer, it also works beautifully as a base for a day in the Tuscan countryside.
Best for: families, couples, longer Florence stays and anyone who wants to see Florence without feeling like they need a vacation afterward.
Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
Four Seasons Astir Palace is technically an Athens hotel, but that description does it a disservice.
The Vouliagmeni peninsula at Astir Palace, 30 minutes from the Acropolis. The bungalows are the ones closest to the water.
It sits about 30 minutes outside the center on the Athens Riviera in Vouliagmeni, with pine trees, pools, bungalows and three private beaches. You can spend the morning at the Acropolis and the afternoon swimming in the Aegean, which is a particularly civilized way to approach sightseeing in Greece.
I especially love this hotel at the beginning or end of a Greek island trip. It is also a great honeymoon add-on because the Athens portion still feels connected to the rest of the trip. You get the history, restaurants and culture of the city, then come back to the sea instead of switching into a purely urban hotel.
It is also excellent for families, with a complimentary kids' club, family pool, calm beaches, tennis and water sports. The pool and beach team circulates with things like ice pops, frozen fruit, cold towels and sunscreen, exactly the kind of small Four Seasons detail that becomes disproportionately important with children.
Room choice matters here. I particularly like the bungalows, which sit closer to the water and feel more like a Greek resort experience.
Plan on three nights if this is primarily your Athens stop, or four to five if you want proper resort time too.
Best for: families, honeymoons, multigenerational trips and anyone who wants to see Athens without giving up the beach.
Four Seasons Hotel Madrid
The rooftop at Dani, in its winter setup. Madrid in the cold months is underrated and considerably easier to book.
Madrid has quietly become one of my favorite European cities for a few days of excellent food, shopping and doing considerably less sightseeing than you originally intended.
Four Seasons is right in the center, between Puerta del Sol and Barrio de las Letras, inside seven beautifully restored historic buildings. The location is excellent, and there is direct access to the shops at Galería Canalejas, which is either extremely convenient or financially dangerous depending on the afternoon.
The rooftop is a big part of the appeal. Dani, from chef Dani García, has a beautiful terrace over the city and gives the hotel some actual energy rather than making it feel like somewhere you disappear into after dinner.
There is also a substantial spa with an indoor pool, which I appreciate in a European city hotel.
I particularly like Madrid paired with Mallorca or southern Spain. Two or three nights is usually enough, although Madrid is one of those cities where adding another night rarely feels like a mistake.
Best for: couples, food lovers, long weekends and anyone building a larger Spain itinerary.
Four Seasons Hotel Megève
Ski hotels are where excellent service stops feeling like an extravagance and starts feeling like a logistical necessity.
Megeve at the end of the day. Ski in, ski out, 55 rooms, and someone else dealing with the boots.
Four Seasons Megève sits directly on the slopes of Mont d'Arbois with ski-in, ski-out access, a dedicated ski valet and ski concierge, and only 55 rooms and suites. Most rooms have balconies and fireplaces, so despite being a Four Seasons, it still feels appropriately Alpine rather than like a large international resort that happened to land in the mountains.
I especially like it for families who ski. There is a proper Kids For All Seasons program, a separate teen space, an indoor-outdoor pool and a large spa, all of which become very useful when someone decides after lunch that they are officially finished skiing for the day.
Megève itself is part of the reason to come. You get a real village, excellent restaurants and a much prettier sense of place than at many purpose-built ski resorts. It is also where The White Lotus went skiing, which has not hurt the town's reputation.
There are some extraordinary independent hotels in the Alps, so I would not automatically choose Four Seasons simply because it is the Four Seasons. But for a family or multigenerational ski trip where service and logistics really matter, this is one of the easiest luxury ski hotels in Europe to recommend.
I would plan on five to seven nights for a ski trip. Four can work, but once you have organized flights, transfers, instructors and all the gear, I would personally like more than three skiing days out of the arrangement.
Best for: families, multigenerational ski trips, couples and anyone who appreciates skiing more when somebody else is dealing with the boots.
Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor
Formentor, on the quiet north of Mallorca. Direct access to the beach through the pines, and no boat required.
Formentor is the quieter, more natural side of Mallorca: pine-covered mountains, clear water, long stretches of beach and enough space to properly settle into vacation mode.
The resort sits on the Formentor Peninsula with direct access to a beautiful beach, multiple pools and plenty to do without leaving the property. This is where I would play tennis in the morning, swim, have a long lunch, read by the pool and fully embrace resort life rather than feeling obligated to spend every day sightseeing.
But you are not stuck at the hotel. You can charter a boat and explore the coastline, head into Palma for shopping and lunch, or spend a day visiting some of Mallorca's beautiful villages. I actually like the balance. There is plenty to see when you want to explore, but the hotel is good enough that staying put never feels like wasting a day.
It is also excellent for families, with a kids' club, a separate teen program and enough activities that everyone can have a little independence.
I would stay four to six nights here. A full week also makes sense if the goal is a genuine resort vacation, especially for families.
Best for: families, active couples, tennis players and anyone who wants to settle into Mediterranean resort life without giving up the option to explore Mallorca.
Newly opened Four Seasons hotels in Europe
There are two new openings I am very excited about, but I am keeping them in their own category for now. Both look incredibly promising. They have also been open for approximately five minutes, and I think a hotel should have a little time to settle in before we confidently declare it one of the best in Europe. They both appear on my wider list of the best new hotels opening this year, along with everything else I am watching.
Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel
The Danieli has been one of Venice's great hotels for centuries, so Four Seasons did not exactly inherit a fixer-upper.
The lobby at the Danieli, which no restoration was ever going to make understated. Newly reopened, and worth a conversation about which room you take.
It sits on the Riva degli Schiavoni, steps from Piazza San Marco, across three connected palaces, the oldest dating to the 15th century. The famous lobby is wonderfully, unapologetically Venetian, with marble columns, arches, balconies and enough visual drama to remind you that beige was never really Venice's thing.
After a restoration of more than three years, led by Pierre-Yves Rochon, the Danieli reopened as a Four Seasons in summer 2026 with 120 rooms and suites, with additional accommodations following in 2027. The spa is scheduled to open later in 2026, which is worth knowing before you book.
What makes me particularly excited about this hotel is the combination of history and Four Seasons practicality. Venice is one of those destinations where logistics can become a surprisingly large part of the trip. Boats, luggage, children, water taxis, restaurant reservations. Having an excellent hotel team handling the details is not insignificant.
It should also be a compelling option for families, with a large number of connecting rooms and suites. And room category really matters here. If the budget allows, this is a hotel where I would seriously consider paying for the lagoon view. Venice is one of the few cities where opening your curtains to water taxis crossing the lagoon feels like part of the reason you came.
Then there is Terrazza Danieli on the rooftop overlooking the lagoon. I would build in at least one long aperitivo or dinner here rather than treating the hotel purely as somewhere to sleep.
I think three nights is ideal for most Venice trips. Two can feel rushed. Four works beautifully if you want a slower trip or plan to explore Murano, Burano and the quieter parts of the lagoon.
Best for: families, first trips to Venice, milestone trips and couples who want historic Venice with the reassuring competence of Four Seasons behind it.
A first season is also an unpredictable thing to book into, so if this is standing in for a significant anniversary, it is worth asking someone who is watching the early client feedback before you commit to it.
Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos
Four Seasons Mykonos opened in summer 2026 above Kalo Livadi Bay on the quieter southeastern side of the island, with 94 rooms, suites and villas.
A villa terrace at Four Seasons Mykonos, above Kalo Livadi on the quieter southeast coast. Close enough for dinner in town, far enough to sleep.
And that location is exactly why I am interested in it.
You can still go into town, book the beach clubs, have the long lunches and participate in the Mykonos of it all, but you come back to a proper resort with a private beach, sea views and enough distance from the action to actually sleep.
There are plenty of glamorous hotels in Mykonos, but fewer that combine true resort infrastructure with the service consistency Four Seasons is known for.
I also think it has the potential to be a very useful option for families. The private beach, villas and quieter location make much more sense for parents who want Mykonos without requiring every part of the trip to revolve around the scene.
For couples, it is a polished alternative to staying directly in Mykonos Town. You can opt in when you want to and opt out when you do not.
Plan on three to five nights. Three works as part of a larger Greece itinerary. Four or five gives you enough time for the resort, a boat day, a beach club lunch and an evening or two in town.
Best for: couples, families, girls trips and anyone who wants Mykonos with a little more breathing room.
Opening next
The Park Gstaad, A Four Seasons Hotel
SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN THE SUMMER OF 2027
The Park Gstaad, opening as a Four Seasons in summer 2027. Gstaad has very few beds at this level, so first-season dates go early.
Gstaad's first five-star hotel opened in 1910 and has been closed for a full renovation. It is scheduled to open in the summer of 2027 as a 75-room Four Seasons with interiors by Joseph Dirand, indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and an ice rink. A summer debut suits me, because I am as interested in Gstaad out of ski season as in it. Hiking, tennis, long lunches on a mountain terrace and the general business of Alpine resort life are, to my mind, an underrated way to spend a week in Switzerland. First seasons also run on limited inventory, and Gstaad is a small town with very few beds at this level. It stays on my list of new openings worth watching until then, and I have written before about the case for the Alps in summer, which is the version of Switzerland I keep sending people back for.
How to choose between them
If you take away the photography, most of these decisions come down to one line.
A first trip to Europe that should feel like an occasion: George V, Paris.
A week by the water: Cap-Ferrat for the Riviera, Formentor for Mallorca, Mykonos for Greece.
A city with children: Firenze, for the garden and the pool.
Sicily: San Domenico Palace, in May or late September.
Greece with a beach at both ends: Astir Palace, then the islands.
Snow with a family: Megève.
Something new: the Danieli in Venice now, The Park Gstaad in 2027.
Booking these with an advisor
As a Four Seasons Preferred Partner advisor, I can book eligible Four Seasons stays with Preferred Partner benefits, which typically include daily breakfast, a hotel credit and priority consideration for upgrades, early check-in and late checkout. On qualifying rates, the price is generally the same as booking directly with Four Seasons.
The part that matters more to me, though, is the access. I work directly with the hotel teams before my clients arrive, whether that means figuring out which side of the Danieli to face, whether a pool suite at San Domenico is worth the difference, or which bungalow at Astir Palace makes the most sense for a family.
Already booked directly with Four Seasons? I can often be added to an eligible reservation, which means you may still be able to receive Preferred Partner benefits while I take care of the pre-arrival details with the hotel.
If you are planning a trip to Europe and want help choosing between two or three of these, get in touch and tell me who is traveling and roughly when. I will tell you which one fits, including when the answer is none of them.
I book every hotel on this list as a Four Seasons Preferred Partner advisor, and I work directly with the teams at each of them on rooms, timing and the details that get set before you arrive. Tell me who is traveling and roughly when, and I will tell you which one fits, including when the answer is none of them.
Tell me about your trip→Not ready to reach out yet
Perfectly reasonable. Choosing an advisor is a bit like choosing a hotel, in that you would like some evidence first. Here is mine. When you are ready, I can book any hotel on this list as a Four Seasons Preferred Partner advisor and plan the trip around it, and a message is all it takes to start.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best Four Seasons hotel in Europe?
The George V in Paris, if you want one answer. It is the most complete version of what the brand does. But the honest answer depends on the trip: San Domenico Palace for Sicily, Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat for the Riviera, Firenze for a city stay with children and the Danieli for Venice.
How many Four Seasons hotels are there in Europe?
More than 20, including Paris, London, Madrid, Milan, Florence, Venice, Taormina, Lisbon, Prague, Budapest, Geneva, Athens, Mykonos, Mallorca, Megève, Cap-Ferrat and Hampshire, with The Park Gstaad joining in 2027.
Which Four Seasons in Europe is best for families?
Cap-Ferrat and Formentor for a beach week, because the grounds give children somewhere to be. Firenze for a city stay, because of the garden and the pool. Astir Palace for Greece. Megève for skiing. San Domenico Palace is also better with children than its photographs suggest, particularly in a pool suite.
What is the newest Four Seasons hotel in Europe?
The Danieli in Venice, which reopened in summer 2026 after a restoration of more than three years. Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos also opened this summer, and The Park Gstaad follows in the summer of 2027.
Is it more expensive to book Four Seasons through a travel advisor?
No. As a Four Seasons Preferred Partner I book at the same rates available to you directly, with partner benefits added to the stay and the pre-arrival work handled on your behalf.
When is the best time to visit these hotels?
May, June and late September are the strongest months across most of the European portfolio. August is difficult in the Italian cities and expensive on the coast. Taormina and the Riviera are at their best in the shoulder weeks, and Megève runs two seasons, with hiking and quiet in summer and skiing from December. October and April can be incredible with mild weather and excellent value.
