Colonnade Hotel Boston
 

I have booked a room here for a night in November to celebrate a birthday.... Want to do romantic dinner, fun things etc.

Have never been to Colonade... any comments? How is it vs Westin Copley, The Charlesmark, the Sheraton and others in Back Bay.

Thanks

We stayed at the Colonade about 5 years ago. Room was spacious, modern decor, nice bathroom (including a rubber duckie sitting on the edge of the bathtub). Hotel lobby is small, though nice and the restaurant is great for breakfast and dessert. It could be great for other meals but that's all I've had.

other hotels that we've stayed at in the Back Bay include the Lenox, the Sheraton and Back Bay Hilton. Hilton was my favorite because we had a beautiful room with panoramic windows overlooking the dome of the Mother Church of Christian Science (a Boston landmark) and it had a terrific shower (though no tub).

We stayed there a little over a year ago and loved it! The (very French) restaurant is also excellent. We did have dinner there and found it to be very good.
Would definitely recommend it.

Thanks all.... Would love to hear more... especially ideas of different things to do.... We are from Mass and go into Boston often, have done the touristy things.,... now are looking for different, fun, romantic, things to do during the day we are there

Thanks,

Hi. We haven't been to the others that you mentioned but we've always enjoyed our stays at the Colonnade - the views from the higher floors are very nice. The restaurant, Brasserie Jo, has always been a favorite. We love the rubber duckies, too. The Colonnade is close enough to the theatre district to walk and we've been to the Wang, Charles Playhouse and Huntington Theater from there. Have a great birthday.

Thanks again.... I am happy that I picked a good place.... I saw the "rubber duckies" as an "amenity" on the website and thought that was funny.... I have made dinner reservations at Abe and Louies... Anyone ever been?? Is it good? Is it close (walking distance) to the Colonade?

Thanks again
J

Abe & Louies is good and is within walking distance. Have fun!

A few blocks from the Colonade is Columbus Ave in the South End.
Very beautiful street to stroll at night, some wonderful restaurants/nightlife: check out

http://www.boston-online.com/Neighbo...d/Restaurants/

Washington Street in the South End about a 15 minute walk from your Hotel, also has many places. These are the non-tourist areas. Although I feel safe in these areas, for someone who doesn't know the neighborhood, I would suggest putting a cab phone number in your cell phoneand using it to get back to your Hotel at night.

Where's Escargot? She usually weighs in with very helpful, clear information that's specific to this area. I would suggest not Abe & Louie's but something more romantic. I think of A&L as being somewhat similar to Vinnie Testas (big, woody interior, prosaic menu). Faves of mine in the Back Bay/South End would be Aquitaine, Clio, Hammersley's Bistro, Metropolis, Nightingale, and Mistral.

For something different to do I would turn to Escargot...she always seems to have excellent suggestions.

There's a new bistro on Newbury streeet, Bistro Bouchee where the old Dubarry's was(near Dartmouth St)
I use to go to the Colunnade bar after ice skating. They have a roof top swimming pool now. It's in a quieter location. Charlemark has no dining.
Walk along the beautiful charles river than stop to warm out with a drink at the old Ritz on Arlington Street.
Depending what type of food you prefer before suggestions.

You are all GREAT! Thanks for the time and the info.... Would love to hear more suggestions!!

J

You may have come and gone....but

I agree with comment about Abe & Louie's not being where I would choose for a romantic dinner -

If you are steak lovers and also love what I consider huge portions, then you will like Abe & Louie's - it is a fav of someone in family, so we end up there now and then, but it would not be my personal choice for a romantic dinner - to me there is nothing romantic about Abe & Louie's - it's a big choice for us with a larger group (when I'm not choosing :) ) - or for clients - and it can also be loud, even away from the bar area.
(but this seems to be a steak rest thing/ I also find Grill 23 so loud for normal conversation I don't go there anymore at all)

If it is steak you want, one that seems to float a bit below the radar, but won many awards for it's steak, is the Oak Room in the Fairmont Copley Plaza which is a more romantic spot in my opinion - you can check it out online, see some photos too to see if the decor interests you - of course, I am partial to choosing this for my steak dinners b/c I was married in this hotel :) but it is a great steak and a lovely restaurant !

If not the Oak Room, I like the Capitol Grille for steaks.

here is a tiny url link to a top 10 listing of boston steak houses:

http://tinyurl.com/ygjhp2

other romantic spots to dine, for me, are
Icarus or Clio's

With exc food and a bit more action surrounding you is Hammersleys', Aquitaine, tons of excellent choices ! !

If you do eat down in the South End/ Back Bay area and don't feel like dessert right after the meal, walk around as TKT suggested - it's a great neighborhood area different than walking only the touristy streets which seems to be what you are looking for having been to Boston.

TKT is right, this is always a hard call at night - I have no problem walking there at night - I am female, early 50's - but I am also not walking usually any later than 11 on my own - if it is later I am with my husband or a friend - I think it is fine to walk around there while everything is open - on Tremont you have Icarus, Boston Center for the Arts Complex, and from there (near Berkeley) and down past Clarendon (Hammersleys's), next block Dartmouth (Aquitaine), and Dartmouth straight up will take you to Copley area - and it is residential, with a lot of day stores, but also enough night spot on each block so you should feel safe (you'll pass Cleary's and be able to see the T and the more well lit Copley area ahead.

During restaurant opening hours on Tremont all the valets are out for all the restaurants, cabs are going by, so you can easily grab one too.

The thing is, like any city, there are areas you would most likely prefer not to walk in, that can be just a few blocks from other streets that are fine- which is why I would probably rcommend staying within the Tremont/Berkeley;Clarendon:Dartmouth: square going up towards Copley.

If you do eat near that end and walk for a bit after dinner, which happens to be what we did last night, I had skipped dessert and opted for my favorite pistachio ice cream at Picco's on Tremont, at corner of Berkeley, next to Boston Center for Arts, you'll see it if you like walking and eating ice cream :)

Firefly's also has good desserts, on Dartmouth St near Copley.

Brasserie Jo's is great, right in the Colonade -

definitely walk Newbury , Boylston streets at night from your hotel - whether or not you venture down Dartmouth/Clarendon to the South End are - it's a great city to walk in at night - like any city, just be careful and use the usual precautions (don't be swinging your pocketbook in the wind) and look at a map

Just realized you are the spa/north end market tour poster I replied to ! :) so I don't think you've gone yet, come back and tell us what you have so far and what 'holes' you have to fill in on your schedule and we can make more suggestions !

oh and thanks for the kehsutton for the compliment :) - made this dreary rainy boston day a bit brighter for moi

Escargot-- Thank you thank you Thank you-- What a wealth of knowledge.....

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to book a massage as I was hoping at Bella Sante.... Not sure if I want to lose an hour. We will be doing the North End Tour in the morning and working our way back to the Back Bay area... Not sure if there will be too much rushing around from the Tour to the spa (if we could get a later afternoon pedicure as that was all there was available) and then going back to change for dinner.... Might juist want to spend the time hanging out in the hotel or something....

Any other dessert suggestions in that area in case we don't want to have desserts at Abe and Louies??

What about a brunch idea for the next day (Sunday)?

Thanks again,

J

Well, if you walk back from the North End on Saturday, you could always stop in at Cafe Fleuri at the Langham Hotel and go to the Saturday Chocolate Bar 12-3 - they also have tea, but I think you'd be passed it by that time - but they have a magnificent Sunday jazz brunch too.

If you want Boston elegant , for me, it is Aujourd'hui at the Four Seasons - I just love the place - if you end up there, tell them it's a special occasion and ask for a window seat -

Another pretty room to eat in with great food is Clio's Restaurant (in the Eliot Hotel) on Commonwealth Ave - that's a good spot and then you can walk it off by walking down Newbury St (which is just around the corner) to the end and back up Commonwealth Ave which is a nice walk and if you didn't get into the Boston Public Garden or Boston Common on Saturday, you can walk from that end of Newbury, all the way to Arlington and into the BPG and back by foot or cab.

I fyou don't want a hotel, and want a neighborhood brunch but in a high end restaurant, a fun place is Aquitaine on Tremont St -

or if you like jazz with your brunch and don't want fancy, check out Bob's SOuthern Bistro on
Columbus Ave -
(for a real neighborhood south end spot you can go for brunch in your jammies at Tremont 647 :)

You can always also try Sonsie's or Stephanie's on Newbury, but for a special day I'd choose something other than these two -

I don't know what time your dinner is on Saturday night, but i fyou don't have room for dessert, and it's early enough, you can walk down Boylston, over to Newbury, maybe grab a table for dessert at any of the restaurants along the way (Stephanie's, Sonsie's, 29 Newbury, etc) if they have a table open or have it back at Joe's Brasserie in your hotel depending on their hours and your hours/dinner rezzie time, etc.

Another fun place is Les Zygomates (winebar.com)
although you'd have to take the T or a cab, but it's a nice bar, excellent restaurant, with music at night until 1 - if you are up for it after dinner, or you could eat there also.

Wherever you end up eating brunch, if you have time take a nice walk afterwards, and if you end up having already walked the Newbury St and go in all the galleries/Boylston/BPG/Boston Common/Charles St/Comm Ave area on Saturday on your way home from the North End, then on Sunday walk in the South end a bit (or do the South End on Saturday and the other on Sunday) -
In the South End walk down Clarendon/Dartmouth, - across Tremont thru Union Park and take a left onto shawmut ave and buy some of the best cupcakes in the world (if there are any left) at the South End Buttery - also good sandwiches -
or on Appleton St the Appleton Bakery Cafe for some goodies to take home - it's a fun area to walk in if weather is good -

It would be nice b/c then you will have been in the North End, the Boston common/public garden/newbury/boylston/comm ave area and the South End :) a little bit of everything. .....

you could also check out the local calendar of evenets/arts pages for when you will be here and see if there is something special going on in any of the neighborhoods, like art/gallery related, etc -

you can google any of these for more info - and also see if they are on opentable.com and then you can make your rezzies on that site for brunch - also has menus listed - or try menupages.com/boston sometimes that helps you decide, seeing the menu and photos of the restaurant.

have fun !

If you really want a high end lunch. Go to Louis's the fashion emporium on the corner of Boylston and Berkely.
I'm amazed how many like Stephanies. It is not great food and I wouldn't put it in the same category as Aujourhui or Hamersly, or Espalier or Oleana or Petite Robert though most of these are not open for lunch :)

former Bostonite here... make sure you go to No 9 Park for dinner or lunch; and; the Federalist. High end; but lovely. Make your reservations.

Thank you all again--- Escargot, your suggestions are fantastic.... One final question and I will forever stop bothering you all.... Is there adecent spot nearby Abe and Louies or the Colonade Hotel where we would be able to pop into after dinner (around 9:30-ish) to listen to some good music. Something mellow, acoustic guitar/singer type of thing, have a couple of drinks and chill. Not jazz, or anything loud.... Preferably acoustic guitar type of stuff...

J

J-
you can ask as many questions on fodors as you want - you are never bothering anyone !

you might want to make a separate post, with a new heading 'acoustic guitar music in boston' or something like that so if someone knows about htat in particular, they will answer - as this post will only attract people who will add to info about the colonnade unless they read the entire post -

however, what I can offer is this for a start, links I use for looking for something to do at night in town:
here is a tiny url link to music venues in boston, there is a search bar on the left for particular types of music also -
http://tinyurl.com/ubnmz

and you can try
bostonnightguide.com
boston.com
exploitboston.com

you could also try googling places /schools that sometimes host music nights like
Berklee School of Music (or they may have something posted on their site or you could even call them ) and it is w/in walking distance for you:

Emerson College, Boston University, Harvard U

and also, music events in Cambridge/Harvard Square area -
Somerville - davis square/union square -
for acoustic guitar music venues/clubs/etc.

sometimes Jimmy Tingle has acts other than comedy at his club (and he is a good take if he is performing) jtoffbroadway.com is his site.

you can get to any of the above by T easily enough from where you are (mbta.com)

otherwise, as I said, I would try a new post on this subject - if all else fails, ask the concierge when you arrive and hopefully he can find you something.

enjoy - and post back if there is anything else you think of ! are you coming this weekend? I think it is supposed to be a nice weekend for walking about !

I know you prefer acoustic, but the regatta bar in cambridge has great music, jazz -
regattabarjazz.com in the charles hotel