The best Hilton hotels are nowhere near as good as the best Four Seasons hotels in the world. There are some great Waldorf Astoria hotels and some great Hilton hotels, but even the best Hilton’s don’t usually come close to Four Seasons in terms of luxury.
Four Seasons hotels are probably the most luxurious hotels in the world, with immaculate settings and near-perfect service. Hilton Hotels generally adopted a more generic, modern look with good but not perfect service. Hilton Hotels do offer advantages over Four Seasons Hotels as they are usually cheaper, which may be a good reason to choose them. Individual luxury Hiltons also offer a great option in locations without a Four Seasons hotel.
We often get asked whether Four Seasons is part of the Hilton Honors loyalty program? Spoiler alert! No, they aren’t the same brand, and you can’t collect or spend Hilton Honors points at any Four Seasons hotel because Four Seasons has no loyalty program.
We outline how Four Seasons varies in comparison to hotels that fall under the Hilton umbrella below:
1. Style
Four Seasons offers a variety of styles across their hotels according to the destination and the property itself. For example, Grand Hotel Du Cap Ferrat by Four Seasons is a historic property, so takes it’s style accents from its classic and historic french architecture.
Upon arrival, guests are warmly welcomed to the hotel’s grand foyer, where check-in occurs amidst plush white sofas offering stunning panoramic sea views over a canopy of lush treetops. Following check-in, guests embark on a tour of the hotel, unveiling hidden treasures such as the wine cellar boasting an impressive collection of vintage wines, the pathway leading to the beach club, and secret tunnels guiding to the spa, adorned with photographs of esteemed past visitors including Roger Moore and Liza Minelli. The presence of Winston Churchill, celebrated for his affection for champagne, adds a delightful touch, knowing he, too, indulged in a drink on the terrace of this magnificent hotel.
Accommodations are available in the main historic building, offering sweeping sea vistas or facing inland towards serene pine woods, as well as in a newer building reminiscent of the Thunderbirds house. The entire experience at this hotel is polished, and nothing is too much bother for the staff. The grounds are immaculate. The pool is picture-perfect. This heavenly resort is the closest you will come to perfection of any coastal resort.
Similarly, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort in the Bahamas, is another fine example of the Four Seasons brand’s dedication to blending traditional architecture with timeless modern furnishings. Others, such as the best Four Seasons resorts in Hawaii, offer a more modern architecture and feel, but the attention to detail remains.
Four Seasons Milan is another brilliant example of a unique Four Seasons hotel. This Milan property is housed in a former 15th-century convent that is situated up a tiny side street in the heart of Milan.
Hilton hotels tend to offer a more consistent classic American style. Even those that are set in historic buildings celebrate their heritage with an American touch. The communal areas of Hilton Hotels are more generic American than local. Although the rooms can offer wonderful views, once you close the curtains, the decor usually doesn’t embrace the local area.
Three Hilton hotels we have visited recently stand out as more unique than your average Hilton. The Hilton Molino Stucky in Venice is steeped in historic features. Before becoming the Hilton Molino Stucky Hotel, this grand establishment was one of Europe’s largest mills, dating back to the 1880s. In the early 2000s, the mill underwent a meticulous restoration, transforming it into the iconic Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, welcoming guests from 2007.
While the Hilton Molino Stucky boasts contemporary and chic accommodations, its rich history permeates throughout the property. Original wooden beams, exposed brickwork, and the warehouse-style design evoke Venetian heritage, providing guests with a unique blend of history and luxury.
The hotel’s style blends modern elements with its historic features. Original brickwork and beams adorn every corner, offering guests breathtaking views of the building’s facade. Downstairs, communal areas boast marble flooring and plush sofas.
The difference between this and a Four Seasons hotel is the ambiance, which I would describe as American luxury rather than traditional Venetian charm. The communal areas are nice enough but are not achingly chic. The check-in process is a queue and an impersonal welcome. At the Four Seasons, the staff know who you are and your names and remember details about your family before you arrive.
Another Hilton worth trying is the Hilton on Lake Como. Hotels on Lake Como can be crazily overpriced, and the rooms at some of the so-called luxury hotels around the lake are surprisingly bad. This Hilton offers wonderful rooms, many of which have huge windows, it has a rootop pool and restaurant, and this hotel is generally a great choice on Lake Como. The top pick on Lake Como will soon be the new Ritz-Carlton Lake Como, but until this opens, the Hilton is a great choice as there is no Four Seasons hotel on Lake Como.
Finally, we have compared Four Seasons vs. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Maui. If you’re traveling with kids, the Grand Wailea, which is a Hilton subsidiary, has incredible pools, but this hotel, which falls under the Hilton umbrella, is large and impersonal, with disappointing rooms compared to the Four Seasons. The Four Seasons has everything you could want except the slides. If you can’t decide between these two hotels, we recommend booking a couple of nights at each.
2. Location
Where a Four Seasons or Hilton hotel is located is dependent on the individual hotel, and location alone will usually dictate which brand to choose. If you want to stay in Waikiki, there is no Four Seasons hotel, so the best choice is the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, a Marriott subsidiary hotel. The Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, is also very beautiful, and the Royal Hawaiian is part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection and is also a great luxury choice. The Hilton Hawaiian Village is a huge Hilton in the area but is less luxurious than the aforementioned hotels. We have reviewed the cheapest Hiltons in Hawaii separately to inspire your choices.
In Venice, there will be a Hilton and a Four Seasons. The Four Seasons is far better located for the main square and attractions, but the Hilton offers a great level of luxury and is significantly cheaper than the Four Seasons.
3. Size
Although this is not always the case, Hilton hotels tend to be much larger and more impersonal than Four Seasons hotels. L
4. Grounds
The best Four Seasons resorts offer glorious grounds. While grounds are very property-specific, usually, Four Seasons hotels have much larger grounds.
5. Beach
Again, beaches are more property-specific. In Maui, the beach at the Four Seasons is wonderful and the same one that the Grand Wailea sits on. Some of the cheapest Hiltons aren’t on the beach. In general, Four Seasons resorts will have the best beaches.
6. Rooms
Four Seasons rooms will almost always be larger and more luxurious than Hilton rooms.
7. Food
Both brands offer excellent and not-so-excellent restaurants. You will need to review the specific property to determine whether a particular property has an award-winning restaurant. Usually, the restaurants at Four Seasons hotels will be better, but they will be more expensive.
Breakfast area is another good example of the difference between Hilton and Four Seasons hotels. In Venice, the breakfast area is located downstairs and features a huge array of buffet food, complemented by exposed brick walls and slightly intrusive Justin Bieber-style easy-listening tunes. At Four Seasons, the tunes, if there are any, are unobtrusive. These hotels prefer to embrace bird songs or local sounds. The buffet is small and amazing, and most of the food is delivered a la carte to your table.
8. Family Facilities
Both brands are family-friendly, but Four Seasons has a particularly amazing kids program with gifts and special touches in the rooms. I would say Four Seasons is the best child-friendly hotel brand in the world.
9. Service
Four Seasons almost always wins on service over any other hotel brand in the world. They care and have the staff to deal with any problems. Four Seasons is almost always the best in this aspect.
Four Seasons hotels are the kind of places where, were you to drop your spoon, the staff are so in tune with your movements that they might catch it before it hits the floor. Hilton staff are hit and miss. The last time I had breakfast at the Hilton in Venice, I tried to take a bottle of fizzy water to our table where we were finishing off our breakfast after the buffet had closed, and one of the clearing staff started wagging her finger at me, telling me off as if I were trying to steal it. These little experiences make a big difference to your stay, and this is why, as a general rule, I would prefer one night at a Four Seasons hotel to three nights at a Hilton. That said, the Hilton in Venice is extremely well-priced, and its rooms are stylish and quiet.
10. Price
Four Seasons are always more expensive than Hilton hotels in similar locations. We have detailed the cheapest Four Seasons in the world in case you are looking for a bargain.
11. Conclusion
Both Four Seasons and the luxury Hilton brands offer magnificent hotels, but in almost every aspect, Four Seasons hotels are better than Hiltons. Hiltons, however, win on price, so which brand you choose will largely depend on your budget.
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