Boston Weekend at Eliot Hotel Report
Apr 19th, 2006, 08:23 PM
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Boston Weekend at Eliot Hotel Report
We enjoyed Easter Weekend at the Eliot Hotel on Commonwealth Ave in Boston - although we are from the area, we have never stayed in this hotel and it was beyond fabulous.
We had a two room suite for husband and I and our two kids - connected by a living room with plenty of room to spread out, watch a movie, play scrabble (ongoing family competition) which was closed off by double doors to our bedroom and a hall/door to their bedroom so whoever stayed up later or woke earlier didn't disturb others at all.
Our bedroom delightful, we were overlooking Comm and Mass Ave, had lovely marble bathroom with separate counter area aside from sink area. Kids room had two doubles with desk area, chairs and smaller, but still lovely and clean marble bath.
Entry hall had closet, separate wet bar area with fridge/mini bar and desk area in living room with high speed connections at both desks. Waiting for us was a great cheese and fruit platter and in the kids rooms delicious chocolate cookies and candies !! And I love all the Anichini bedding - robes, towels, evening bedside chocolates and freshly stocked ice buckets on the wet bar - everything comfortable and wonderful, and unusually quiet for being on a busy street/area.
The joys of a hotel that is well run, you can control your air temp and really have control over it - and get a good night's sleep without noise on a very comfie bed with nice linens.
The staff was extremely friendly and accomodating, from the valet to the doorman to absolutely everyone.
Excellent location for walking, which we did a lot of after valeting our car for the weekend.
Surprise weekend for husband, - dropped him off for a massage/etc at Bella Sante on Newbury St and when he came out, son was waiting for him having surprised him by driving down from college - by the time they walked Newbury back to the hotel, daughter (who had taken train from NYC) opened the door and surprised him - it was great!
Dinner at Hammersley's Bistro - a lovely walk there and we never have a complaint eating at this lovely restaurant - fabulous appetizers, steaks, salmon, wine, chatting over dessert and coffee - walked back and browsed thru bookstore on Newbury for awhile and then had our scrabble tournament!
Saturday we enjoyed a marvelous brunch at Sonsie's - great weather so it was open to the street - then oon to the ICA on Boylston to see the exhibit which was fabulous - can't wait for the new building on the waterfront in the fall - cruised thru Prudential shops, Boylston street shops (all while dodging the marathon set ups) then we split up a bit - daughter did some power shopping while we visited galleries on Newbury and soaked up the sunshine and son unfortunately had some homework to do - thankful for the internet connection in room.
We met up again late afternoon in the public garden, strolled around and went to the 5:30 movie "thank you for smoking" which was quite entertaining - and onto the North End to Picollo Nido's for some great veal dishes and a stroll around North end and down tot he waterfront where we caught a cab and back to hotel for...more scrabble.
Sunday woke to find our cars ready and waiting in front of the hotel, although we were told there was no rush, they were ready for us whenever we were ready - and so enjoyed a great brunch at Clio's with some cousins from the area, took a walk to work off breakfast down Comm Ave and back around and said our goodbye's - a great family weekend based at the Eliot. Needless to say, husband liked his surprise.
Would recommend this hotel for anyone looking for a suite situation in Boston. Our original plans had been to stay at the Copley , where we were married a zillion (oh, okay not a zillion, but over 25 yrs ago) but we had to change the weekend b/c of a family illness, and then found many hotels booked including the Copley likely b/c of marathon and Easter - so thanks for the Fodors recs and we lucked out at the Eliot !!
Only snafu was unfortunately with Clio's restaurant attached to Eliot - I had called them not once, not twice, but three times in the ten days prior to our stay asking about Easter brunch rezzies for a hotel guest, with a party of 7 at 11am - only to be told they were absolutely not taking reservations but it wouldn't be a problem at all .....which I had a hard time believing which is why I kept calling back. Once I called the Eliot, and they also confirmed the restaurant was telling them no reservations but no problem.
When I arrived I went to Clio's to once again confirm I could eat with a party of 7 at 11am and was told he was indeed taking reservations and could not accomodate us at 11am, but only at 9am, which was absolutely the latest opening they had, but it didn't work for us at all (with cousins, etc) - I explained to the maitre d' my many calls and how could this happen, etc but he was not very apologetic and just shrugged and said, 'no I realize everyone didn't think we were taking reservations but I decided to and that is the only time I can accomodate you" Guess he forgot to tell anyone else he was taking rezzies after all???
So I told the front desk of my extreme disappointment - and they immediately said they were extremely surprised as they had still been told they weren't taking reservations - but they would find me somewhere as nice. I went upstairs a bit fired up so I fired up my laptop, went on opentable.com, and what should come up but an open table at 10:30am for a party of 7 at - you guessed it - Clio's !!! - which I reserved and I called the front desk and told them I was all set and what i had done.
An hour later my cell phone rings and it is the maitre d' telling me the restaurant just had a cancellation and I could have a reservation for a party of 7 at 11am and did I want it and he would handle the call to cancel my opentable reservation........and he would have been happy to accomodate me and try and work something out but I had left the restaurant too quickly - so I calmly replied "gee, that's odd. because when I ask for the latest opening and someone tells me the absolute only time they can accomodate me is at 9am and that doesn't work for me and they offer nothing else, and I tell them the history of the phone calls and how disappointed and aggravating that is, and they say that is all they have left, then I assume the negotiating is over, but we will absolutely take the 11am and have our cousins join us as planned.
yes, we decided to go with the all's well that ends well attitude and eat where we had all wanted to and watched the maitre d' smiling and wishing us many happy Easters.
And I do love that Clio's doesn't warm your coffee, they pour you a fresh cup ! Happy Easter weekend it was after all.
We had a two room suite for husband and I and our two kids - connected by a living room with plenty of room to spread out, watch a movie, play scrabble (ongoing family competition) which was closed off by double doors to our bedroom and a hall/door to their bedroom so whoever stayed up later or woke earlier didn't disturb others at all.
Our bedroom delightful, we were overlooking Comm and Mass Ave, had lovely marble bathroom with separate counter area aside from sink area. Kids room had two doubles with desk area, chairs and smaller, but still lovely and clean marble bath.
Entry hall had closet, separate wet bar area with fridge/mini bar and desk area in living room with high speed connections at both desks. Waiting for us was a great cheese and fruit platter and in the kids rooms delicious chocolate cookies and candies !! And I love all the Anichini bedding - robes, towels, evening bedside chocolates and freshly stocked ice buckets on the wet bar - everything comfortable and wonderful, and unusually quiet for being on a busy street/area.
The joys of a hotel that is well run, you can control your air temp and really have control over it - and get a good night's sleep without noise on a very comfie bed with nice linens.
The staff was extremely friendly and accomodating, from the valet to the doorman to absolutely everyone.
Excellent location for walking, which we did a lot of after valeting our car for the weekend.
Surprise weekend for husband, - dropped him off for a massage/etc at Bella Sante on Newbury St and when he came out, son was waiting for him having surprised him by driving down from college - by the time they walked Newbury back to the hotel, daughter (who had taken train from NYC) opened the door and surprised him - it was great!
Dinner at Hammersley's Bistro - a lovely walk there and we never have a complaint eating at this lovely restaurant - fabulous appetizers, steaks, salmon, wine, chatting over dessert and coffee - walked back and browsed thru bookstore on Newbury for awhile and then had our scrabble tournament!
Saturday we enjoyed a marvelous brunch at Sonsie's - great weather so it was open to the street - then oon to the ICA on Boylston to see the exhibit which was fabulous - can't wait for the new building on the waterfront in the fall - cruised thru Prudential shops, Boylston street shops (all while dodging the marathon set ups) then we split up a bit - daughter did some power shopping while we visited galleries on Newbury and soaked up the sunshine and son unfortunately had some homework to do - thankful for the internet connection in room.
We met up again late afternoon in the public garden, strolled around and went to the 5:30 movie "thank you for smoking" which was quite entertaining - and onto the North End to Picollo Nido's for some great veal dishes and a stroll around North end and down tot he waterfront where we caught a cab and back to hotel for...more scrabble.
Sunday woke to find our cars ready and waiting in front of the hotel, although we were told there was no rush, they were ready for us whenever we were ready - and so enjoyed a great brunch at Clio's with some cousins from the area, took a walk to work off breakfast down Comm Ave and back around and said our goodbye's - a great family weekend based at the Eliot. Needless to say, husband liked his surprise.
Would recommend this hotel for anyone looking for a suite situation in Boston. Our original plans had been to stay at the Copley , where we were married a zillion (oh, okay not a zillion, but over 25 yrs ago) but we had to change the weekend b/c of a family illness, and then found many hotels booked including the Copley likely b/c of marathon and Easter - so thanks for the Fodors recs and we lucked out at the Eliot !!
Only snafu was unfortunately with Clio's restaurant attached to Eliot - I had called them not once, not twice, but three times in the ten days prior to our stay asking about Easter brunch rezzies for a hotel guest, with a party of 7 at 11am - only to be told they were absolutely not taking reservations but it wouldn't be a problem at all .....which I had a hard time believing which is why I kept calling back. Once I called the Eliot, and they also confirmed the restaurant was telling them no reservations but no problem.
When I arrived I went to Clio's to once again confirm I could eat with a party of 7 at 11am and was told he was indeed taking reservations and could not accomodate us at 11am, but only at 9am, which was absolutely the latest opening they had, but it didn't work for us at all (with cousins, etc) - I explained to the maitre d' my many calls and how could this happen, etc but he was not very apologetic and just shrugged and said, 'no I realize everyone didn't think we were taking reservations but I decided to and that is the only time I can accomodate you" Guess he forgot to tell anyone else he was taking rezzies after all???
So I told the front desk of my extreme disappointment - and they immediately said they were extremely surprised as they had still been told they weren't taking reservations - but they would find me somewhere as nice. I went upstairs a bit fired up so I fired up my laptop, went on opentable.com, and what should come up but an open table at 10:30am for a party of 7 at - you guessed it - Clio's !!! - which I reserved and I called the front desk and told them I was all set and what i had done.
An hour later my cell phone rings and it is the maitre d' telling me the restaurant just had a cancellation and I could have a reservation for a party of 7 at 11am and did I want it and he would handle the call to cancel my opentable reservation........and he would have been happy to accomodate me and try and work something out but I had left the restaurant too quickly - so I calmly replied "gee, that's odd. because when I ask for the latest opening and someone tells me the absolute only time they can accomodate me is at 9am and that doesn't work for me and they offer nothing else, and I tell them the history of the phone calls and how disappointed and aggravating that is, and they say that is all they have left, then I assume the negotiating is over, but we will absolutely take the 11am and have our cousins join us as planned.
yes, we decided to go with the all's well that ends well attitude and eat where we had all wanted to and watched the maitre d' smiling and wishing us many happy Easters.
And I do love that Clio's doesn't warm your coffee, they pour you a fresh cup ! Happy Easter weekend it was after all.
Apr 19th, 2006, 09:14 PM
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Great report, and wow, perfect timing!
I am planning on attaching a couple of days in Boston with my mother and a friend before a wedding in western Massachusetts. I had just been going through Boston threads and was seriously considering the Eliot. Mom's picky and I'm not. She's paying and I'm not. This sounds like the perfect place. I guess we'll skip Clio though.
Glad you all had a good time. Thanks so much for your report.
I am planning on attaching a couple of days in Boston with my mother and a friend before a wedding in western Massachusetts. I had just been going through Boston threads and was seriously considering the Eliot. Mom's picky and I'm not. She's paying and I'm not. This sounds like the perfect place. I guess we'll skip Clio though.
Glad you all had a good time. Thanks so much for your report.
Apr 20th, 2006, 07:16 AM
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Glad the report was somewhat helpful to people - canstayhome - isn't it the truth about sometimes taking our own turf for granted?
Friends were looking at me like I was nuts staying in a hotel when our place is so close - but it was such a delight to not be squeezing things into one day, parking, etc and feeling like a guest in our own city! Plus it gave us great time w/ our kids vs. when they are home and the phone is ringing off the wall and they are also running to squeeze in visits with friends, etc - plus I had an Easter off from cooking!
I had a tendency over the years to put out of town guests in the Copley/Westin mostly for ease of area, stores, inclement weather w/ things right there for them, etc but now the extended family will be needing 'suite' type set up for more room as it seems our family is in the midst of that next generation baby boom, so this was a great find - and this experience was a joy.
Friends were looking at me like I was nuts staying in a hotel when our place is so close - but it was such a delight to not be squeezing things into one day, parking, etc and feeling like a guest in our own city! Plus it gave us great time w/ our kids vs. when they are home and the phone is ringing off the wall and they are also running to squeeze in visits with friends, etc - plus I had an Easter off from cooking!
I had a tendency over the years to put out of town guests in the Copley/Westin mostly for ease of area, stores, inclement weather w/ things right there for them, etc but now the extended family will be needing 'suite' type set up for more room as it seems our family is in the midst of that next generation baby boom, so this was a great find - and this experience was a joy.
Apr 20th, 2006, 12:29 PM
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lcuy: I can't compare for you having never stayed at the Commonwealth - but my friends with a kid at BU have stayed there twiced and loved it, and I know you enjoyed it so you will again....maybe take a walk if you have time into the Eliot and get a feel for it - for another visit ! Have fun again in Boston.
