Clarendon Square Bed & Breakfast
This 1860s merchant townhouse, Clarendon Square (from $165) has been fully gut-renovated, nineteenth-century townhouse. During the extensive renovation many elements of the house such as plaster medallions, mouldings, and doors were salvaged and restored. You can’t escape the 21st century however as there are flat-screen HD TVs, DVDs, surround sound, and wi-fi.
Clarendon Square
198 West Brookline St.
Boston MA 02118
617-536-2229
Clarendon Sqaure B&B Parlor
This great find is located on a charming, tree-lined block in the increasingly desirable South End. Encore Bed and Breakfast (from $180) is quite eclectic mixing 21st century sleek Italian furniture into a traditional 19th century brick-walled townhouse.
We recommend, that of the 3 guest quarters (each has a private bathroom with shower, cable TV/DVD, and a queen-sized bed), you opt for the top-floor Albee Room and enjoy skyline views from the private terrace.
Encoure Bed and Breakfast is within easy walking distance of the Hynes Convention Center, Copley Square, Symphony Gall, the Theatre District, Black Bay, as well as the best in dining, galleries, and shopping in the South End.
Encore Bed & Breakfast · 116 West Newton Street · Boston, MA 02118
617-247-3425 · info@encorebandb.com
The Clarendon Square Inn
198 West Brookline Street; 617-536-2229; www.clarendonsquare.com is a beautiful surprise. The rooms in this brownstone have been elegantly renovated with antique tubs, fine linens and serene furnishings. Every detail is lovely.
Rooms are $150 to $385, May through August.
Four Seasons
200 Boylston Street; 617-338-4400; www.fourseasons.com/boston. Perhaps the grandest of Boston’s hotels is the Four Seasons. You can’t beat it for service and it’s just a few streets from the South End. Weekend rates start at $325 a night.
Cambridge House Bed & Breakfast Inn
(2218 Massachusetts Avenue; 617-491-6300; www.acambridgehouse.com) is my top pick. It is conveniently located in north Cambridge, close to Harvard Square, Lesley University, Porter Square or Davis Square subway to M.I.T., or downtown Boston to the theater district and the Freedom Trail. Rooms are tastefully decorated with a Victorian style, spacious lounge is ideal for relaxing or meeting friends. Parking, breakfast and Internet access are all included in the rate. An urban gem.
Hotel Marlowe
(25 Edwin H. Land Boulevard; 617-868-8000; www.hotelmarloweboston.com) just over the Charles River in Cambridge. Across the street from the wonderful science museum and duck tours, it is conveniently attached to a terrific mall. But in the hotel, you can feel a world away with a comfy communal living room where coffee and tea are served in the morning and wine is shared before dinner. The staff remembers your preferences and requests and seems perpetually cheerful.
Omni Parker House
(60 School Street; 617-227-8600; www.omnihotels.com). The service is exceptional and the friendliness of the staff is second to none. The hotel is centrally located to many of the historic sites in the city, many of which are within easy walking distance.
The Harborside Inn
(185 State Street; 617-723-7500; www.harborsideinnboston.com) is affordable, small and quaint. A couple blocks to Quincy Market, and another to Faneuil Hall. 2 subway stops from airport. Clean, friendly, great location.
OVERVIEW
Marriott’s Renaissance brand is the big chain’s attempt to grab the boutique traveler. The Waterfront is a sleek nautically-themed hotel with Marriott’s service-with-a-smile touch.
GREAT FOR CONVENTION GOERS
In the South Boston Waterfront area, hard by the Fish Pier and the new Institute of Contemporary Art. The Convention Center and the World Trade Center are a stone’s throw away, but getting to major tourist destinations can take multiple stops.
THE ROOM
Our fifth-floor rooms didn’t have much of a view — they both overlooked a deserted patio outside the hotel fitness center. But they were bright and comfortable. The desk, with a plug-in technology panel, was big enough to work at, and it came with a sleek Keilhauer desk chair. In addition to the flat-screen TV, there was an iHome dock for our iPod(s). Overall nothing really felt “boutique.”
ROOM SERVICE
Standard fare.
AMENITIES
The lap pool (open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.). The adjoining fitness center with treadmills and elliptical machines is open 24 hours a day. In addition to 606 Congress, the hotel’s “modern American” restaurant, there’s a Starbucks in the lobby and 24-hour room service. Wired and wireless Internet are available for $12.95 or $16.95 a day, depending on access speed.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you’re in town for a convention or to do business in South Boston, the Renaissance would be a no-brainer — convenient, with high-end tech toys and a friendly, helpful staff. (Plus, an early run on the nearby Harborwalk is a delight. You can say hello to the seals outside the aquarium before turning around to come home.) For families or those looking for a classic Boston scene, the out-of-the way location may override the positives. Doubles run from $199 to $499.
Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, 606 Congress Street, Boston; (617) 338-4111; www.marriott.com.