Boston Hotels

Coming to Boston? Pack a hard hat. In spite of a flat-lining economy, new names like Mandarin Oriental, InterContinental, and Renaissance have joined the old guard and upped the stakes for local hoteliers. To compete you've gotta have flat-screen TVs, MP3 decks, Wi-Fi. Even hotels that haven't changed so much as a pair of drapes for decades ("old" equals "good" in Boston, yes?) suddenly took notice, and started collecting swatches of zebra-print leather.

In short, Boston hotels spent a bazillion dollars on extreme makeovers in the past couple of years, and the dust hasn't quite settled. So you may want to ask, "Is the renovation completed yet?" before you book.

If your fondest Boston memories include tea at the Ritz-Carlton, get over it. Boston's grande dame, built in 1927 and host to Winston Churchill, British royalty, and rooftop soirees for the city's high society, has gone the way of Jordan Marsh and the Bailey's sundae. The Taj chain now owns the hotel (though the Ritz flag still flies over the nearby Ritz-Carlton Boston Common). More proof that times are a-changing: the InterContinental hotel is offering a "mancation" package for two, including manly spa treatments and fly-fishing lessons. Design-wise, minimal is the new glitzy. The gilt ceilings, Colonial-style furnishings and massive chandeliers that have always equalled luxury in this town seem positively quaint compared to the stylish newcomers all done up in fiber optics, art-glass, even Texas limestone. For every gilded old historic hotel, there's a brash newcomer in red leather and black lacquer.

Many luxury hotels have been plumping up their amenities, giving you more perks for the price. They're also offering deals like "Stay three nights, get a fourth night free," in a nod to the rough economy. Even less-expensive establishments are adding pillow-top mattresses, down duvets, high-speed Internet access, and wireless connections. Be sure to check out promotional packages. Weekend rates at some of the city's best hotels, especially those that cater to a business crowd on weekdays, can be far below standard "rack" rates and often include free perks such as parking, breakfast, or cocktails to entice leisure travelers. More competition translates to more beds to fill, so the deals are out there if you're willing to spend some time sleuthing them out on the Web.

If you're looking for a clean place to sleep and don't need all the fancy-schmancy stuff, consider one of the city's moderately priced chain hotels, or, even better, a bed-and-breakfast or guest house. Cheaper than most hotels, B&Bs are homey bases from which to experience Boston's famous neighborhoods, from the hip and gastronomically diverse South End to the hallowed, gas-lighted streets of Beacon Hill or slightly out-of-town enclaves such as Brookline and Cambridge.

Less »