While the oracle games are pretty far from my favorite Zelda games, I still enjoyed them both. I tend to enjoy console Zeldas above handheld Zeldas, simply because the designers are free to do more with the game, in terms of depth, mechanics, and artistic design. With that said, these games, though inferior to Link's Awakening in my opinion, both have their own merits that make them significant pieces of the franchise.
I prefer Ages over Seasons, not just for its emphasis on puzzles, but also for the fact that it has a greater narrative, throughout the game. You run into Ralph, periodically, who serves as a character contrast of Link. The Black tower serves as a constant reminder of what the game is building towards. Traveling through time affords better development of characters, as it shows the causes/effects of the events in both time periods through the forefathers and descendants of the characters you meet. All of these pieces come together to make the game feel more "Zelda-ey", and make Seasons feel standard in comparison.
Though I don't replay the oracle games often, I'd have to say Ages is my favorite handheld Zelda after Link's Awakening.