43 Best Hotels in Boston, Massachusetts

A good alternative to chain-owned, big-box Back Bay hotels, the boutique family-owned Lenox offers top-notch service, in-room wellness and spa therapies, a fitness center with Peloton bikes, and a business center. A T stop is right across the street, making the hotel a good launching pad for exploring the city sans car. Guests appreciate the Lenox's sweet, small touches, like seasonal treats and bottled water at turndown service, and give kudos to the friendly staff. Standard guest rooms have custom-made furnishings, marble baths, and flat-screen TVs (suites have mirror TVs in their bathrooms). Many of the spacious corner rooms come with working fireplaces, with lighting services available, and the “Lenox Mercantile” gift shop is filled with regionally made goodies.

Enter the Moxy to find a delivery truck selfie station, an infectious party vibe, and hanging neon lights that spell "theatre," which means it fits right into its Theater District location. However, to check in, guests must go up to second floor (where you'll also get a complimentary house cocktail), or just use a mobile phone for keyless room entry. All guest rooms are intentionally small and feature one queen-size bed and furniture that can be folded and moved—the trade-off is inexpensive rates for a central location. There is a 24-hour snack station, and lots of social space, including Bar Moxy.  

Located in the heart of Boston's most fashionable shopping street, a homey feel and personalized service are at the soul of this elegant and historic 1882 brownstone. The only boutique hotel on Newbury Street, it features natural pine flooring, blue Victorian furnishings, and prints from the Museum of Fine Arts. Guest rooms have a modern look, with some boasting bay windows and others with decorative fireplaces. Limited on-site parking is available for $30 and requires a reservation. Check out the tiny French bistro, La Voile, downstairs.

Located near Boston's working fish piers and very close to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, this property caters largely to a business clientele. Overall, its decor feels part nautical part preppy, and most guest rooms have water views. The fitness center features a lap pool.

An affordable option in a sea of sky-high rates, this art-filled hotel is an intriguing mix of luxurious touches—like pillow-top beds and a Peloton bike in the gym—and more downscale amenities, like shared bathrooms and tiny rooms. For those who don't mind some odd quirks (the lobby is a giant 65-foot spray-painted artwork), the price is right for this South End spot. Families especially like the newly added Lofts next door to the main hotel building. The hotel boasts an on-site Cal-Mex restaurant, Cosmica.

Part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, The Row's elegant calm pays homage to its past life as a Ford Motor assembly plant. A steampunk wonderland, the lobby's sweeping spiral staircase edged in glass and galvanized metal, antique mirrors, textured tiles that evoke cast iron molds, and whimsical prism sculptures atop reclaimed automotive parts hint at the site’s history. Rooms are neutral and elegant, both providing a sense of peace (pillow top mattresses, Netflix streaming, and comfy bath robes) and purpose (think ergonomic workspaces and Wi-Fi). The locale can't be beat, as you're steps off the Mystic River and Assembly Row's gigantic work-live-play destination.

Near two convention centers, the Seaport Hotel can sometimes be awash with badge-wearing, convention-going suits. Guest rooms (hypoallergenic available) are outfitted in soothing, warm tones, with free Wi-Fi, and bathrooms complete with marble floors and rain showers. The 24-hour fitness center offers strength and cardio equipment.

The stately 1927 Harvard Square landmark overlooking Cambridge Common park features classic furnishings (hello four-poster beds) in handsome, warm tones, but it's the hotel's signature bright-red neon sign towering overhead that really puts it on the map as a Cambridge classic. In the lobby and common spaces, lovely architectural touches include grand arches and a bi-level ballroom with a carved ceiling and gilt mirrors. The on-site Nubar Restaurant & Lounge is the perfect place to escape into a stylish setting with a cocktail.

While the 1867 brownstone exterior is all about history, the sleek, modern decor inside this gorgeously restored hotel breaths the fresh energetic air and excitement that Central Square is known for. Every room has plush Simmons 13-inch pillow tops on the beds, and the decor is clean and minimal. Need to spread out? The Spacious King room boasts a half-circle banquette and table, and the Stellar King has a balcony. If walking around the area doesn't afford enough of a workout, check out the hotel's discounted rates at VIM Fitness, just two blocks away.  The hotel is keyless and most actions can be done using the Sonder app.

This small property, part of a small brand of hotels, has a fresh, contemporary style with lots and lots of yellow accents along with complimentary Wi-Fi, plush pillow-top beds, and marble bathrooms with walk-in glass showers. The on-site gastropub, the Trophy Room, serves dinner daily and brunch on the weekends. In the afternoon, the hotel puts out pineapple-infused water, coffee, and sweet treats. The inn sits on one of the South End's prettiest streets, and is easy walking distance from shops, restaurants, and Back Bay T Station. As far as South End lodging goes, this may be your best hotel bet, despite slightly cramped quarters. Try to snag a sun-lighted corner room with a number ending in 08.

A rock-and-roll reimagining of a classic mid-century hotel, the stylish Verb is filled to the brim with carefully curated music memorabilia. Rooms, which are furnished with mid-century modern decor, have either pool or ballpark views, which will please any Red Sox fan, and there are 10 custom retro-style trailers you can book. James Beard Award–winning chefs Tim and Nancy Cushman's Japanese pub, Hojoko, is a fun food and cocktail scene. Of note: a daily $36 fee will be added to your bill, which includes breakfast and other perks.

The Westin is connected to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and provides comfortable accommodations, if a little dated, and great service. While the property does seem to be dominated by convention goers, it's also a refreshing oasis for leisure travelers and families from the moment they arrive in the sunlight-filled atrium lobby. Most guest rooms have water or skyline views. Two nice restaurants are on-site. 

If the idea of sleeping in an upscale mall appeals to you, the Westin is a great bet; it boasts its own pod of retail shops and restaurants and is also connected by a covered skywalk to Copley Place (more high-end shopping) and the Hynes Convention Center. The top-floor rooms of this contemporary 36-story hotel have some of the best views in Boston—of the Charles River, Copley Square, Back Bay, the South End, Boston Harbor, and Boston skylines (especially gorgeous when a-twinkle at night). When a run outside isn't in the books, the nicely appointed fitness studio complete with TRX training and Peloton take over. Guest rooms are spacious and feature wildly comfortable beds and plush linens. There's a $30 destination fee, but it gives you access to a ton of fun city experiences including tours, bikes, and View Boston.