Have a friend (romantic) coming over from the UK --never been in this country before. He'll be here for only about 5 days. HELP! I can't decide where best to put him: possibilities--Boston (The Eliot?, The Lenox?--searching for elegance but mid-price); Maine (York Harbor Inn? other); North Shore??? [I live in New Hampshire] Issues: he has a disability and doesn't walk for long stretches; we both smoke cigarettes; room service would be nice, and very good restaurants a must. He flies into Logan, and I promised we wouldn't spend all of our time driving.

I can't believe no one has responded, especially Donna. But here are a few suggestions: The White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine; for dinner, the Salt Marsh Inn there (they have a wonderful piano player too); the Cape Arundel Inn may not be open this time of year, but the owners of the Salt Marsh Inn have recently purchased it (it is on the ocean not far from Walker Point); also, the Four Columns Inn in Newfane, Vermont; the Hungry I on Charles Street in Boston.

Here I am! Somehow this message escaped my notice while this site was SooOH slow. Anyway, we are hugely into romance and also value for the dollar. Our favorite place to stay in Boston is the Tremont House. It's right in the theatre district and has recently been completely redone. Not what I'd call extremely elegant, but quite nice enough, there's room service, and everything's brand new. Great value for the dollar, for Boston. (Lots less than the Eliot or Lenox.). The famous Roxy nightclub is within the hotel (don't worry, you'd never know this from your room). A really hip and hopping and huge "disco" sort of place. Your room key gets you to the front of the very long line (and perhaps waives the cover charge, don't recall the entire speech the desk clerk gave). We took a peek in the morning - looks fabulous. Another place we enjoy (though a bit pricier) is the Park Plaza, which has a huge ornate lobby and charming lounge, but the rooms could use updating even though they are charmingly old-fashioned, especially the bathrooms. We always book through www.180096hotel.com (or you can phone 1-800-96-hotel). Both are in walking distance (or a short taxi ride) from the Public Gardens and Newbury Street (where you can walk from outdoor cafe to outdoor cafe in the nice weather). Another good spot (quintessentially "touristy" of course) is Faneuil Hall. Sit for hours and watch the street performers and the passing parade. As for restaurants, we're still seeking a really romantic one. But, so far our favorite is the Mercury Bar. Wonderful Mediterranean food (or you can just snack yourselves silly on Tapas) with the longest bar I've ever seen on one side and raised velvet banquettes along the other side. Tres romantique and very art nouveau (you enter through velvet drapes with gold cords). Moderately priced (for Boston). Go early, as there's a nightclub in the back room and it gets quite crowded and loud. If you like that sort of thing, it's a fantastic place to be later on. Have a drink first at the Ritz Bar at a window table overlooking the Public Gardens (another fine place to watch the passing parade and the horse & carriage folks). The piano player there is absolutely fabulous. Also romantic, but quite pricey, is the Bay Tower Room for dinner with drinks after upstairs with the orchestra. For lunch, our favorite place is the Parish Cafe, especially on the terrace in the nice weather. On Boylston Street two doors from the Common. Fabulous sandwiches created by the various top chefs in Boston (and lots of other selections). Rather than drive to Maine - how about Rockport? I think this is one of the most romantic towns in all of New England. We love the Bearskin Neck Motor Inn perched right on the rocks on Bearskin Neck (of course!). The room rates here are an absolute bargain. Small, plain rooms - but what a view! And, included in the rate is a prime parking space. Rockport is tiny, so you can explore all over without too much walking. Waterside decks all over for resting and refreshments. Right next to the Motor Inn is one of our favorite restaurants on the planet called My Place by the Sea. A little pricey, and reservations are a must (ask for a table on the lower deck). The food is spectacular and you cannot beat the view at sunset and the waves lapping upon the rocks in the moonlight after. Rockport is a dry down, so stop on the way for your favorite libation (which you can bring to dinner). Ten steps and you're back in your room. No room service (although I think they have complimentary coffee in the shop where the office is located if you're up early enough), but right across the street is Helmut's Struedel Shop. Just throw on your sweats or shorts and wander over for some still warm from the oven struedel and Green Mountain Coffee, run back to bed or sit on the rocks or the deck and enjoy. Better yet, wander out the back door of Helmut's and have a seat on the deck with a fabulous view of the harbor. (They also have muffins and croissants and sandwiches and such, but the struedel is to die for.) If you really want to go to Maine, you might want to consider Ogunquit. There's a delightful B&B called the Yardarm Village Inn (a bargain) with a wine & cheese shop downstairs. They serve your continental breakfast on the wrap-around porch which has a big glimpse of Perkins Cove. It's in walking distance to Perkins Cove. Another good spot is the Beachmere. Right on the Marginal Way with panoramic views. Fabulous old Victorian hotel with a huge, beautifully landscaped lawn stretching down to the shore, which exudes charm. There are too many wonderful restaurants in Ogunquit to mention. Just pick up the dining guide in the lobby when you check in. You'll have a hard time deciding which place appeals to you most. Be sure to make a reservation, though. There's a terrific piano bar at Valerie's (which is also a nice Greek restaurant), where Michael does wonders with old standards and Broadway show tunes. We thought the "Lobstering" boat ride (leaves from Barnacle Billy's) was great fun. A ride to the Cliff House for a drink on the terrace is well worth the trip for the view. In the summertime, there's a trolley which runs all over town. Another possibility is Portsmouth. A fantastic B&B is the Gundalow Inn right across the river in Kittery (not only is it very comfortable, but you have a view of Portsmouth from there). Market Square is great fun with the shops and the corner outdoor cafe, right in the middle of all the action. There's a new restaurant where the Blue Strawbery used to be (I swear I'm not from Maine) which is receiving rave reviews for the food and ambience, but we haven't tried it yet. We love Molly Malone's. Huge and varied menu. Really good food at great prices. Music most evenings. Or, take a short drive to Saunder's at Rye Harbor with outdoor dining at water's edge. We're both smokers, and smoking is allowed at all the places mentioned except My Place (where it IS allowed on the lower deck outside) and the Gundalow (just hang out the window). Feel free to e-mail if I've confused you.

My thanks for the responses--especially, Donna, your very thoughtful and detailed suggestions. I guess I will be deciding over the next couple of days. I will let you know how things go.

My thanks for the advice received--as it turned out, I had very little notice for making hotel reservations, and with Valentine's Day and the Presidents' day long weekend, most of my top choices were full for at least part of the time:2/12--2/17.
We started out at the Park Plaza--$209/night....The hotel is nice, the room at best adequate (quite shabby, but, ok) We switched to the Fairmont Copley Plaza--$139/night---wonderful!!!!! everything was really very very nice there; I was astonished by the reasonableness of the rates--the hotel, room, service, food, etc, were every bit as pleasant as one might expect. So.........thanks all. We had a great time.