The Godfrey Hotel (Downtown Crossing)
The Godfrey Hotel may be one of the city’s newest and hippest hotels, but you’d hardly know it from the mostly original, 100-year-old Gothic Revival façade that the designers chose to keep (good call). Inside, the decor is sleek, chic, and modern. Clean lines, metal wall coverings, and glass abound, all surrounding muted Contemporary furnishings; bold pops of color; and blurred, urban-inspired photographic wall art. The in-room amenities are on point, including free Wi-Fi (rare in a hotel of this caliber), free cruiser bikes on loan (a seasonal offering), massive smart TVs, and Bose Bluetooth speakers. The real star, however, is the stunning Ruka Restobar. The Nikkei-inspired concept is a pitch-perfect blend of Japanese and Peruvian influences. Ornate, carved stone columns; beautiful, hand-polished South American wood tables; and one-of-a-kind pop artwork culminate in a unique theme that just works. Coupled with an inspired menu of bold, sushi-centric tapas and cocktails, it’s a destination in its own right.
Hotel Commonwealth (Kenmore Square)
For Red Sox fans, it doesn’t get any closer to Fenway Park than Hotel Commonwealth. The hotel is just a five-minute walk from the legendary ballpark, as well as some of the city’s best restaurants and bars. The brand of luxury is reserved, tasteful, and accessible — nothing too opulent or over-the-top. Decor aside, the big wins for baseball fans are the hotel’s unique Baseball Suite and Fenway Park Suite. Both were designed with the help of the Boston Red Sox organization and feature one-of-a-kind memorabilia, baseball-inspired adornments, and (in the case of the latter) a spacious, walk-out balcony with views of Fenway Park just 500 feet away. Three swanky, on-site restaurants and bars offer fresh, New England seafood and world-class cocktail menus.
The Liberty Hotel (Beacon Hill)
On paper, a “prison-themed” hotel sounds like a terrible idea. It’s a little too kitschy and, frankly, it’s been done before. But Boston’s Liberty Hotel elevates the concept to high art. Housed in the one-time Charles Street Jail, the historical hotel is now one of the city’s swankiest stays. Much of the original prison architecture remains — including some original cells, brickwork, and iron bars — especially in the towering, four-story atrium that serves as the centerpiece for checking-in and mingling among guests. The lobby also acts as the hub for no less than five bars and restaurants, and it transforms into a bustling, upscale cocktail lounge after dark. All five outposts feature names like Alibi and Clink, riffing on the prison-inspired theme with celebrity mugshots as wall art. The 298 guestrooms are far more modern than the property’s history should allow. All boast over-sized club chairs, Frette linens, minibars, free Wi-Fi, bathrooms with ample marble and granite, and “Solitary” key rings instead of traditional do-not-disturb door hangers.
