At just 4 years of age, my daughter Sadie is fortunate enough to have logged more travel time than many adults experience in a lifetime.  She's dined with the Princesses at Disney World, sampled poi at a luau in Hawaii, cruised to Canada, splashed in the waves along the California coast, taken a Swan Boat ride in Boston, and much, much more.  Along the way, Sadie has exhibited an exuberance for travel that leaves me beaming with pride and eager to show her even more of the world.  Of all the places we've traveled, the destination that seems to have most captured Sadie's heart has been Washington, D.C., and in particular, the Four Seasons Hotel located in D.C.'s Georgetown neighborhood.  And with good reason.  To say that this hotel caters to families would be an understatement at best.  Indeed, the Four Seasons elevates family travel to new heights, resulting in an experience you and your family won't soon forget.

My family was lucky enough to be guests of the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. for three blissful nights last year, and our experience there remains indelibly etched in our minds and hearts.  From the moment we arrived until the time we departed, we were treated not just like royalty, but like members of the Four Seasons family (and yes, I'm still hoping they'll agree to adopt me!).  Much to her surprise and delight, as soon as she emerged from the car, the valet staff greeted Sadie by name, showering her with (much-deserved, I should add) compliments on her cuteness.  As my husband and I busied ourselves checking in, Sadie was treated to her choice of plush animals from the hotel's red toy wagon, which the staff wheeled out especially for her.  The toy wagon was cool, but the whimsical greeting my husband and I received was even cooler - the front desk crew brought out a life size cut-out of President Obama so that, in true D.C. tourist style, we could pose for a picture with the Commander in Chief.  At that moment, I realized that, as formal and staid as the Four Seasons might have appeared at first glance, there was much more to this hotel than met the eye.  And as our stay progressed, I continued to like what I saw, beginning with our jaw-droppingly gorgeous room.

I'm quite certain that I let out a much-louder-than-acceptable gasp as soon as we entered the foyer (yes, our room had a foyer) of our gorgeously appointed Capital Suite.  Overlooking the hotel's charming courtyard, our room was one of the largest and most luxurious in which I've ever had the pleasure of staying.  With two bathrooms (that's one more than we have at home, thank you very much), a walk-in closet the size of Sadie's bedroom at home, and a separate bedroom and living room, our Four Seasons accommodations made it difficult to imagine ever checking out!  Sadie's gaze immediately fell to the tasty welcome the Four Seasons had provided her; namely, popsicle and ice cream cone shaped chocolate cakes complete with plenty of frosting and sprinkles and a personalized message to Sadie written on the plate.  Indeed, there were so many small, yet thoughtful, touches that made Sadie feel truly welcome and that brought a sense of wonder to our stay at the Four Seasons.  From having her name spelled out in sponge letters atop the bathtub to receiving her very own child-size place setting when our room service breakfast order arrived to donning a pint-size terrycloth robe (complete with the Four Seasons logo, of course) to being provided with her very own stepstool in the bathroom, Sadie was treated like the princess she is, and couldn't have been happier.  And when a toddler is happy, all is right in the world. 

Having settled in to our room and begun devising a plan to never leave, our thoughts naturally turned to food (all that scheming certainly works up an appetite!).  We'd arrived just in time for the Four Season's famed Sunday brunch, which takes place in the hotel's beautiful Seasons restaurant.  I fancy myself a bit of a brunch connoisseur, and I can honestly say the Four Seasons' Sunday brunch ranks at or near the top of my "must-do" list.  The amount and variety of food displayed throughout the restaurant, including an entire room dedicated solely to desserts, was enough to make my head spin and send Sadie into a full-blown tizzy of giddiness.  Among the spectacularly displayed offerings were a raw bar (complete with lobster rolls), a made-to-order taco stand, a custom omelet station, a carving station, soups, house-smoked salmon and pastrami, a charcuterie platter, cheeses galore, a tempting array of salads, and more.  Oh, and did I mention the bottomless mimosas?  Sadly, I couldn't partake in those since I was pregnant at the time of our visit, but it was certainly nice to know they were there!  As if all this weren't enough, in true Four Seasons style, guests can order pretty much anything they'd like on an a la carte basis, an option which we fully utilized and embraced.  Indeed, Sadie was tickled pink when our waiter brought her a huge stack of chocolate chip pancakes and a hot chocolate accompanied by a variety of sinfully indulgent toppings (she also made several gleeful visits to the dessert room).  And my then-pregnant belly very much appreciated our waiter's ingenious suggestion that the kitchen prepare me an order of Eggs Benedict with a fully-cooked egg so that I could indulge in one of my all-time favorite breakfast foods.  And of course the finished product was completely delicious.

Equally delicious was a subsequent meal we enjoyed at the Four Seasons' clubby steakhouse, BOURBON STEAK.  Created by famed chef and restaurateur Michael Mina, BOURBON STEAK puts a "haute cuisine" twist on traditional steakhouse dishes and American classics.  The words "steakhouse" and "kids" wouldn't seem to go together, but BOURBON STEAK more than proves the two can happily coexist.  Sadie was warmly greeted (by name, of course - I have no idea how they do it) by the BOURBON STEAK staff, and I was floored by the fact that the restaurant had a children's menu, and an extensive one at that!  Indeed, I nearly fell out of my seat when Sadie requested, and polished off, the oh-so-grown-up petite filet on offer on the children's menu.  My husband and I also ordered well, happily devouring our butter-bathed steaks (I was pregnant so the extra calories didn't count!), creamed spinach, whipped potatoes, and Singapore Street Noodles.  I'd love to return to try Chef Mina's famous Lobster Pot Pie, which I've read is life-altering.  Needless to say, we were quite stuffed when it was time to order dessert, but in the name of research (the things I do for you lucky Macaroni Kid readers), we pressed on and indulged in a sampling of profiteroles, an affogato sundae and the Bourbon brownie, all of which Sadie correctly deemed "yummy." 

When surrounded by this much luxury, it would be easy to ensconce yourself at the hotel and never leave, but should you decide to depart the Four Seasons cocoon, you'll find a plethora of family-friendly options just a short walk, cab or bus ride away (the hotel even offers complimentary town car service to nearby destinations on a first-come-first-served basis, which is a fabulous perk).  We loved exploring the sites of Washington, D.C., which I found to be a refreshingly family-friendly city. With air-conditioned Metro stations outfitted with working, non-stinky elevators (a rarity on many levels in the NYC subway system), free admission to the fabulous Smithsonian museums (we particularly enjoyed the Air & Space Museum, Natural History Museum and National Zoo), and national treasures galore, Washington, D.C. is a perfect family destination. 

Closer to the Four Seasons, we spent a lovely afternoon strolling the charming streets of Georgetown, making the requisite stop at Georgetown Cupcake for one of their deservedly famous cupcake creations.  There's also a great neighborhood playground just a 10-minute walk from the hotel, where we let Sadie get her sillies out each day of our stay.  Sadie also loved splashing around in the hotel's two-lane indoor saltwater pool, which, though accessed through the very grown-up gym and spa, warmly welcomed Sadie and her Ariel swimmies.  Speaking of the spa, it was actually the one disappointment of our stay.  The spa almost seems like an afterthought, with no real place to spread out or relax and a locker room that leaves much to be desired.  The facial I received was fine, but certainly not one of the better ones I've had and not at the level I'd expect from a place like the Four Seasons.  But of course, the spa staff couldn't have been nicer and I enjoyed the opportunity to indulge in a bit of "me time." 

All told, the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. is a haven for discerning family travelers.  If your summer travel plans take you to our nation's capital, I highly recommend incorporating the Four Seasons into your D.C. trip.  Whether you stay overnight or just stop by for Sunday brunch (be sure to drink a mimosa for me) or a kid-friendly meal at BOURBON STEAK, your entire family will enjoy a level of service and attention to detail you won't soon forget.  For more information or to book your stay at the Four Seasons Washington, D.C., visit the hotel's website. 

Disclosure:  My family received complimentary (2 nights) and discounted (1 night) accommodations, as well as complimentary meals and a spa service in order to facilitate this review.  The opinions expressed herein are, as always, entirely my own.