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Liberty Hotel Boston

Liberty Hotel Boston, Beacon Hill and Boston Common
Fodor's Hotel Awards 2011 Clubby Atmosphere  |  Winning Attributes

At a Glance

    Pros

  • Scampo's mouthwatering house-made mozzarella bar
  • bustling nightlife
  • proximity to the river and Beacon Hill

    Cons

  • loud in-house nightlife
  • long waits at bars and restaurants
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Liberty Hotel Boston Review

When it opened in late 2007, the buzz around the Liberty was deafening. Bankers, tech geeks, foreign playboys, and fashionistas all scrambled to call it their own, and after a few months the hotel felt more like a nightclub than a retreat. A few years later, the hype has thankfully died down. Yes, some still hit the reborn Charles Street Jail's cheekily named bar and restaurant, Alibi and Clink, and its outstanding Italian-Mediterranean restaurant, Scampo, but the focus is more or less on guests. Rooms are either in the original granite building or an adjacent 16-story modern tower; both sets carry a jailhouse chic aesthetic, albeit one with luxe linens, Wi-Fi, and views of the Charles River. Some Fodorites complain that quarters in the old section reverberate with noise from Alibi well into the night, but others know that the lively environs are just part of the experience. All parties agree that few places in town can rival the hotel's soaring lobby—ringed by several layers of revamped metal catwalks—for a glass of bubbly on plush leather couches.

2011 Fodor's 100 Hotel Award Winner

When Prison is a Pleasure
The Liberty Hotel is one prison where we'd never want to use our "Get Out of Jail Free" card. This adaptive reuse of the former Charles Street jail is the perfect marriage between historic preservation and hyper-modern design. The intrigue and originality of celebrating Boston's dark side in high style fosters an endless buzz throughout the multi-storied bustling lobby and the hotel's numerous drinking and dining outlets. Where else in the world can you booze it up in the former DUI holding cells or indulge in American cuisine in the vestiges of original cells? Keeping the Jailhouse Rock alive, the Liberty Hotel hosts a full range of weekly social events dubbed "Liberty Affairs," which are now staples in the Boston social scene.

    Hotel Details

  • 288 rooms, 10 suites.
  • Rate includes no meals.
  • Credit cards accepted.
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    Liberty Hotel Boston Review

    Where do we start....Champagne on check in..NOT. Waited 15 mins to check in ..only 1 receptionist and only 1 person checking in. Room okay but not 5 star and Upgraded King delux. NOT. Rang reception..I'm sorry that's all we have. View...the hospital ...nice. Room service 1st night okay. Checked in late and stayed up to fight jet lag....gets to 2am tv remote would not work had to get maintenance to get tv off. This happened 5 times in week...yes 5 remotes. Concierge ignored me for over 15 mins as he was on the phone..gave up and went back later. Bar service in lobby sometimes had no staff. We were at the hotel from England for a wedding and expected much better. On last day wanted to check out late.as flight 10pm was told normal 12 but comp late C/out 4pm..asked for later was told half day rate till 6pm if 7pm or later full day rate..this after I paid over 2k..POOR! When we checked in we offered cash upfront for room but was told not req so gave c card for security..later found out they had took payment upfront causing our bank to charge us for going overdrawn etc etc. Complained again only to be told "'I'm sorry". All in all a very poor experience we would not hope to encounter again!

    by Alan_Howlett, 8/10/11
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    Phenomenal Honeymoon

    We started our honeymoon at the Liberty Hotel and then went on to Bermuda. We missed the luxury of the Liberty as soon as we arrived in Bermuda! Our room was amazing with spectacular views of Boston, all of the staff, particularly the concierge were extremely helpful and accommodating, and the preservation of some of the jail's features gave the hotel a fresh, original feel. We wish the Liberty had a pool (they have a beautiful patio) and that the use of their computers (we did not bring a laptop) in the business center was free--then it would truly be perfect.

    by ClevelandOH, 7/24/08

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