Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center

BACKGROUND Open since August last year, the Four Seasons is housed on the top 12 floors of the 60-storey, Foster and Partners-designed Comcast Technology Center, Philadelphia’s tallest building. The offices of US broadcaster Comcast occupy the rest of the tower.

W H AT ’ S IT LIKE? A towering glass structure with a light beam reaching into the clouds above, the building is immediately striking. Entering from North 19th Street, there’s a concierge on the left, Vernick Fish restaurant ahead and, on the right, three glass and steel lifts. These have only two destinations, the 57th and 60th levels, and whisk you to the top-floor lobby in 60 seconds – one second per floor. Guests can’t help but gaze at the scenery no matter how many times they’ve taken the trip. Stepping out, the panoramic views make for a memorable welcome, especially at dusk, when the grid system below lights up and the horizon shimmers in the golden sunset. The disadvantage is that you have to go via the 60th floor to reach your room or the street. The grand lobby has polished black marble onyx floors and extravagant floral arrangements. Most of the interiors and furnishings were designed by Norman Foster. Check-in was quick and easy, although I was quite taken aback by the US$600 room deposit for my time there.

WHERE IS IT? In Center City at 19th and Arch Streets, around the corner from the parade of museums on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Philadelphia International airport is a 20-minute drive.

ROOMS The hotel has 219 rooms and suites across six categories, starting with

Premier Cityscape rooms (33-38 sqm). All have spectacular floorto-ceiling views and contemporary design, with a neutral colour palette brightened by Brian Eno’s digital artwork Philadelphia Dorian, created for the hotel and displayed on the huge 65-inch TVs. Wifi is free, as is a library of more than 50,000 films and shows through Comcast’s X1 In-room Video Experience. There’s a well-stocked minibar, a Nespresso coffee machine and a kettle with Rishi tea.

My 50th-floor Grand Cityscape room (115-129 sqm) had a comfortable king bed, a chaise longue and a marble-clad bathroom. Next to the bed were USB and plug sockets, plus controls for the lights, curtains and blackout blinds. Opening the blinds remotely from my bed immediately put a smile on my face, especially since I was blessed with blue skies (or pink sunrises thanks to jet lag). The room was so inviting that I would have been tempted to hibernate had I not had a jampacked programme of meetings.

FOOD AND DRINK Vernick Fish, the seafood restaurant run by award-winning chef Greg Vernick, served a tasty spicy tuna tartare (US$16) and grilled sea bass with broccoli in a tomato sauce ($32).

JG Sky High is a stylish bar on the

60th floor. From here, you descend a wide staircase to the 59th floor, flanked by black stone “water walls”, to reach Jean-Georges Philadelphia, which serves FrenchAmerican cuisine by Michelin-starred chef

Jean-Georges Vongerichten. It’s a tripleheight space with soaring glass ceilings and endless city views. The silky raw tuna noodles with avocado, radish and a ginger and chilli oil dressing ($20) was divine. An à la carte breakfast is also served here.

BUSINESS There is 1,450 sqm of event space, including two fifth-floor ballrooms and two venues on the 59th level.

Stepping out of the lift into the 60th-floor lobby, the panoramic views make for a memorable welcome

LEISURE The 57th floor has a gym and a spa specialising in crystal treatments. The highlight is the infinity pool, which spills on to the Philadelphia grid system below.

VERDICT This is a brilliant addition to Philadelphia’s hotel scene. Service is faultless and the various dining options are delicious. I could have stayed in my room for hours, transfixed by its incredible vistas.