At its opening in 1979, The Washington Post architectural critic Wolf Von Eckardt said the building featured "skillful urban design".

The furniture was imitation Chippendale, public spaces and guest room features occasionally mimicked Chinese and Japanese artistry, and the color scheme of the hotel was earth tones.

[5][6][7][8] In September 2015, King Salman of Saudi Arabia rented every single room at the Four Seasons Hotel in order to accommodate his entourage while he met with President Barack Obama.

The hotel added an extensive amount of gold gilded furniture and laid red carpet in every hallway in order to meet the royal party's tastes.

[9] In that same month, Strategic Hotels & Resorts sold itself to The Blackstone Group for $6 billion, giving the Four Seasons its first change in ownership.