One of my favorite things to do with the family is an overnight at hotel. Even just twenty-four hours a way can feel like a mini-vacation. It’s hard sometimes to pull off the whole weekend, especially now that my kids are getting into athletics, but if you can do the whole weekend that’s even better. The key is to choose someplace fabulous and someplace that is nearby. Also if you don’t need to drive very far or fly, you can justify fancier digs.
Recently we had a chance to stay at The Four Seasons Westlake Village. First of all you can never go wrong with a Four Seasons as their customer service and facilities are always stellar. What a lot of people don’t realize is how family The Four Seasons Resorts are. So much attention is paid to making every little detail of your stay special. There were even children’s sized white spa bathrobes in the closet which my kids got a huge kick out of.
The Four Seasons Westlake Village is situated off the 101 only about a forty-minute drive from LA. Nestled in the hills near Malibu it feels like you are miles away from the hustle and bustle of LA, but it is such a quick and easy drive. We drove up after school on Friday and spent the afternoon at the pool when we arrived. The hotel has two gorgeous pools. The one located at the Spa is lovely, but kids are not allowed to swim there. (Making it particularly peaceful!) The second pool is a beautiful indoor pool where we spent the afternoon with the kids. The idea of an indoor pool felt a little strange to me at first, but the room it is in has enormous skylights so you have the sense of being outside, as sun streams through the ceiling.
hotel is large and beautifully appointed. For twenty-four hours we didn’t even leave the resort. We dined at the hotel’s ONYX Sushi restaurant that, although felt very much like a fancy date night spot, also had a kids menu and adorable bento boxes for the kids along with wikki sticks and crayons for them to play with. My picky eater son even gave sushi a try for the first time, and is now a fan of California rolls. That in itself was a coup. Then we went up to bed to our scrumptious suite. The kids slept and my husband and I watched a movie.
There is something so special about being away together, even just for a short time. It is so easy to get distracted at home and run to the computer or dishes or laundry, and merely coexist with each other. The kids and I relaxed and played together in the hotel room in the morning. My husband checked out the spa pool, and exercise room. Then we ventured downstairs for a scrumptious brunch. Again, the attention to quality was so impressive. The food was top notch, an omelet bar, homemade pastries, homemade yogurt and a variety of hot entries were offered.
After breakfast we ventured out to the rose garden to play. They have horseshoes set up and also a pseudo – driving range, with golf clubs and small plastic tube like things that we tried to hit into buckets. This was quite entertaining. Our Springer Spaniel also joined us on the trip, as the Four Seasons Westlake Village is a dog friendly hotel.
After we checked out, we visited the Ronald Reagan Library, which is very impressive. The highlight of that visit was being able to climb aboard an Air Force One, and see how the President travels. The museum covers an enormous amount of American history, focusing, of course on the Reagan years. The museum is well worth seeing, especially for kids 6 and over.
We piled back in the car after our visit and felt as if we had the perfect little family escape. Time to swim, relax, dine, play, and explore outside of LA, but not far from home.
The Spa at the Four Seasons Westlake Village in itself is also worth a day trip, and on Wednesdays they provide free babysitting. So grab some Moms and plan a day of true pampering.
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