How to Get the Best Room at Any Four Seasons
How to Get the Best Room at Any Four Seasons Using Preferred Partner
Insider Strategies from Stars Desk, a Top Four Seasons Preferred Partner Agency
For luxury travelers, few hotel brands command the same level of prestige, consistency, and global acclaim as Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. Whether it’s a beachfront villa in Maui, a stylish urban suite in London, or a private hideaway in the Maldives, the Four Seasons experience is synonymous with impeccable service and thoughtfully designed spaces that feel both indulgent and personal.
But here’s the insider truth most travelers never hear: the room you book is not always the room you stay in. At Four Seasons, upgrades are real—and the most reliable way to receive one is through the Four Seasons Preferred Partner program, available exclusively to a small network of elite travel agencies worldwide.
As a Top Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Stars Desk has firsthand insight into how upgrades are prioritized, how decisions are made behind the scenes, and what gives certain reservations the highest chance of receiving the best rooms and suites—often at no additional cost.
If you’re serious about elevating every Four Seasons stay and maximizing value, this guide is your blueprint. Here’s exactly how to get the best room at any Four Seasons property using Preferred Partner—guaranteed with no extra effort on your part.
What Is Four Seasons Preferred Partner?
And Why Does It Matter for Getting the Best Room?
Four Seasons Preferred Partner is the brand’s most powerful invitation-only program for luxury travel agencies. It is not publicly available, cannot be booked online, and is separate from other hotel consortia like Virtuoso or AMEX programs.
When you book through a Preferred Partner advisor like Stars Desk, your reservation is flagged with the highest VIP priority in the Four Seasons system. This directly impacts:
Upgrade priority
Room assignment
Early check-in and late checkout
Access to premium inventory that never appears online
Personalized attention from the on-property leadership team
Preferred Partner benefits are combinable with almost all Four Seasons offers, including:
Advance Purchase rates
Room-only rates
Suites
Multi-night promotions
Seasonal deals
This means you're not paying more—you're simply getting more for the same price.
Standard Four Seasons Preferred Partner Benefits Include:
Room upgrade at check-in (priority-based; often clears in advance)
Top-tier recognition by sales and front office teams
Hotel credit (usually USD $100 or more)
Daily full breakfast for two
Welcome amenities
Early check-in / late checkout (subject to availability, but prioritized)
VIP status noted directly by General Manager
But the benefits alone aren’t the full story. It’s the human relationships—between your advisor and the property’s leadership—that determine who gets the best rooms.
How Room Assignments Actually Work at Four Seasons
(Insider knowledge from the Stars Desk team)
Most guests assume upgrades depend on luck or inventory at check-in. But at Four Seasons, that’s not the full picture.
Here’s what really happens:
Room Assignment Happens 1–3 Days Before Arrival
The Rooms Director and Front Office Manager pre-block the best rooms and examine high-value and VIP bookings first.Preferred Partner Clients Rise to the Top of the List
Your reservation is flagged before regular guests, OTAs, Virtuoso, and AMEX programs.Internal Communication Matters
Stars Desk sends a personalized VIP email to the property’s leadership team—not generic system notes.Early Check-In Requests Are Reviewed the Day Before Arrival
Properties often hold back certain rooms the night prior to accommodate early arrivals—especially for our clients.GM or Hotel Manager Reviews Certain Reservations
High-value bookings from top agencies often get elevated for special handling.
This process explains why booking through a Preferred Partner dramatically increases the chances of:
A confirmed upgrade day before arrival
A better room within the same category (newly renovated, better views, larger layout)
Access to specialty suites not sold online
Getting the best early check-in opportunities
Why Preferred Partner Clients Get the Best Rooms
The relationship advantage
Four Seasons properties receive thousands of requests daily. The hotel teams must prioritize. When they see a Preferred Partner reservation—especially from a top-performing agency like Stars Desk—it signals:
Trusted clients
Repeat business
Partnership value
Travelers who understand the brand
Higher likelihood of future stays
Hotels always want to take exceptional care of the guests who come through their top partners.
Think of it this way:
If two guests book the same rate and the same room type, the Preferred Partner guest will always get the better room—period.
This could mean:
Higher floor
Better view
Quiet corner room
Newly renovated layout
Larger square footage
Extra terrace or sun exposure
Special amenities
These details are never listed on booking sites—but they significantly impact your stay.
How to Maximize Your Upgrade at Any Four Seasons
The strategies we use internally for our clients
Here’s how to increase your chances of landing the best room every time:
1. Book the Base Room in a Category You’ll Actually Enjoy
If a city-view room won’t make you happy, don’t book it expecting a suite upgrade. Book into the category you’ll be content with, and let us enhance it.
2. Travel During Shoulder Seasons
Properties have more flexibility to upgrade when they’re not fully sold out.
Best months for upgrades:
Late April – early June
September – mid-December
January in sun destinations
Summer in major cities
3. Avoid Saturday Arrivals
These are peak turnover days with limited upgrade opportunities.
4. Ask for a “Renovated or Premium Room” Rather Than Just an Upgrade
Many Four Seasons have variations within categories. We know which rooms are:
Larger
Newly updated
Facing the better direction
More private
Quieter
We can request these specifically.
5. Let Us Communicate Your Preferences Directly to the Hotel
Behind the scenes, we message the Director of Reservations, Front Office Manager, and local Sales Director to advocate for your stay.
6. Stay Multiple Nights
A 1-night booking is harder to upgrade.
A 3–5 night stay often receives more generous pre-arrival consideration.
7. Book Early
Inventory matters. Locking in months in advance gives the hotel flexibility in pre-blocking.
Real Examples of How Preferred Partner Changes a Stay
Case Study 1: Four Seasons Bora Bora
A client booked an entry-level overwater bungalow. Through Preferred Partner prioritization, they were upgraded to a mountain-view overwater bungalow with better privacy—a $600–$1,200 per night value.
Case Study 2: Four Seasons Maui at Wailea
A couple booked a garden-view king. Because their advisor was Top Preferred Partner, the hotel upgraded them to a partial-ocean view, and assigned them one of the newest renovated rooms.
Case Study 3: Four Seasons New York Downtown
A business traveler booked the entry king room. He was pre-blocked into a premier high-floor king with skyline views, even though the hotel was near full.
Case Study 4: Four Seasons London at Park Lane
A three-night booking scored a guaranteed upgrade at booking (available only through Preferred Partner) from a Superior room to a Deluxe. The guest didn’t have to wait until check-in.
These outcomes are not exceptions—they’re common.
How Early Check-In Really Works at Four Seasons
(And how Preferred Partner improves your odds)
Contrary to online myths, early check-in is never guaranteed unless you book the night prior. But Preferred Partner gives you the best possible shot.
Here’s why:
Hotels often hold back rooms the night before for top accounts and VIP arrivals.
If any room in your category is available early, the hotel will assign it first to Preferred Partner guests.
If you arrive at 7 a.m., the hotel will try to assign a room that was not occupied the night before, if available.
If you’re flexible, we can ask the hotel to prioritize specific room numbers known for early availability.
We also contact the hotel directly the day before arrival to advocate for you—something standard bookings never receive.
How to Book Four Seasons the Right Way (to Unlock Preferred Partner)
Booking through Stars Desk is simple:
Step 1: Tell us your dates and preferred property.
Email, call, text, or WhatsApp—we respond immediately.
Step 2: We send you the best available rates.
Same price as booking direct or online.
Step 3: We add Preferred Partner benefits.
This takes 1–2 minutes. There is no fee, and benefits are automatic.
Step 4: We communicate your VIP status to the hotel.
We reach out to:
Sales Director
VIP Manager
Front Office Manager
Room Assignments Team
Your stay becomes a priority before you ever arrive.
Step 5: You check in as a VIP guest.
Upgrades, amenities, recognition, and personal touches await.
Why Booking Online Is the Worst Way to Book a Four Seasons
When you book on the website or through a travel app:
No one advocates for your stay.
No one reaches out to the hotel.
No one adds VIP notes.
You lose upgrade priority to Preferred Partner clients.
You receive standard breakfast (not full breakfast for two).
You miss out on the hotel credit.
And the worst part?
You pay the exact same price—but get dramatically less.
Final Thoughts: The Best Room at Four Seasons Isn’t Found Online
It’s assigned through relationships.
Four Seasons is a brand known for service, personalization, and attention to detail. When you book through a Preferred Partner agency—especially a top-performing one like Stars Desk—you unlock the highest level of recognition the brand offers.
That recognition directly translates to:
Better rooms
Better upgrades
Better experiences
Better value
Better treatment
If you want the best room at any Four Seasons—not just the category you booked, but truly the best-positioned, best-view, newest, or most desirable room—the smartest and simplest approach is to use Preferred Partner.
It costs you nothing.
It elevates every stay.
And the benefits are real.
To start planning your next Four Seasons stay with VIP Preferred Partner benefits, simply reach out—Stars Desk will handle the rest.
