We all need a staycation or a trip to a different city from time to time. Whether you’re a Bostonian feeling a little cooped up or a curious visitor looking for a unique experience, picking the perfect home away from home is crucial.
But don’t trip — we searched for unique lodging options around town that showcase Boston’s innovative and history-heavy spirit. Choose your ideal digs, pack your bags, and get ready for a memorable getaway.
Themed Experiences
The Revere Hotel, 200 Stuart St.
Come for the 1776 chic decor, stay for the stellar view of the skyline. The Revere Hotel literally reveres Boston history with creative nods to the city’s colonial roots via Instagram-ready statues, ye olde furniture, and period-appropriate wall art. The dramatic modern view of Boston’s skyscrapers from the seasonal rooftop bar will snap you back to the present times.
The Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles St.
Once the home of the Charles Street Jail, the 298-room hotel takes the building’s history in stride with restaurants called CLINK. and Alibi — the latter of which also happens to be the jail’s one-time “drunk tank.”
Sonder at 907 Main, 907 Wonder St., Cambridge
Literary history lives in the walls of this Central Square brownstone, which subtly pays homage to Cambridgeport-born writer Margaret Fuller. Most notably, the on-site restaurant The Dial gleans its name from the once-prominent transcendentalist magazine where Fuller worked as an editor. In the evening, float up to the Blue Owl rooftop bar for a signature cocktails and sparkling view of Cambridge.
Historical Haunts
The Boxer Hotel, 107 Merrimac St.
Forget Manhattan’s Flatiron Building — Boston boasts its own version. The Boxer is a boutique hotel nestled inside a wedge of local history, a triangular 1904 building that remains one of Boston’s best architectural oddities. The restaurant Bullfinch Social and a Peloton-equipped fitness center enhance your stay in the West End.
Omni Parker House, 60 School St.
A gem of downtown Boston, this hotel dating back to 1855 has hosted everyone from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Joan Crawford — not to mention a gaggle of ghosts, too. During your stay, don’t miss historic items from Charles Dickens’ 1867 stay or the hotel’s iconic Boston Cream Pie, which you can find at the on-site whiskey bar, The Last Hurrah.
The College Club of Boston, 44 Commonwealth Ave.
In 1890, this Victorian Back Bay mansion housed the first women’s college club in the US, and still offers book club meet-ups, afternoon teas, and author events to this day. As a bed and breakfast, the establishment offers 12 uniquely charming guest rooms, each named after nearby universities.
The Kendall Hotel, 350 Main St., Cambridge
Located near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this former firehouse is a hot destination for students, academics, and out-of-town visitors. Constructed in 1895, the now-expanded building was Cambridge’s Engine 7 fire station for just shy of 100 years. Guests staying in the hotel’s 73 rooms — and four luxury suites — are treated to evening wine tastings and a daily “fireman’s buffet breakfast.”
Cambridge’s Kendall Hotel builds upon the building’s history as a single-purpose firehouse.
Photo Credit: @joseph_hollow
Sweet Suites
Lenox Hotel, 61 Exeter St.
History, luxury, and star power, oh my. The Lenox Hotel offers a slice of old Hollywood with the Judy Garland suite, honoring the icon’s three-month stay at the hotel in her later years. To this day, the suite boats the same mirror and fireplace once enjoyed by Garland in the 1960s, plus the ornate flourishes of a vintage crystal chandelier and Italian marble bath.
Hotel Commonwealth, 500 Commonwealth Ave.
The Fenway Park suite packs all the comforts of a home game — minus the Fenway franks. This two-room, top-floor suite offers a balcony with a direct view of the historic ballpark, complete with two original Fenway Park seats. Other touches include the No. 6 from the Green Monster scoreboard — awarded to Johnny Pesky upon his retirement — a coffee table adorned with autographs from legendary Red Sox players, and dirt dredged directly from Fenway.
The Verb Hotel, 1271 Boylston St.
Dip into a technicolor time warp at this music-themed revamped Howard Johnson that’s dripping with band memorabilia and retro furnishings. For a more immersive experience, rent a “backstage trailer” that resembles the ones used by touring bands, complete with a turntable, so guests can enjoy the hotel’s vinyl library — when they’re not taking a dip in the all-seasons heated pool, that is.
Waterfront Views
Encore Boston Harbor, 1 Broadway, Everett
With eye-popping botanical displays in the lobby and games galore, Encore will spare you a trip to Nevada or Connecticut. This towering institution fuses the best features of other notable getaways: the thrill of Foxwoods’ casino and the lavish gardens of the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Boston Yacht Haven, 87 Commercial Wharf
This half-inn, half-marina places guests in the midst of Boston’s nautical side. Yet despite its proximity to Boston Harbor, the daily complimentary breakfast delivered to your room and balconies with sweeping ocean views might tempt you to never leave your room.
Omni Boston at the Seaport, 450 Summer St.
Boston’s only 24-hour art + culture museum dwells within this multifaceted hotel, which also boasts the immersive Breve Spa, award-winning restaurant Coquette, and an urban oasis rooftop bar and pool — all within the heart of the Seaport.
Boston Harbor Hotel, 70 Rowes Wharf
The name says it all: Many Bostonians would argue that the Boston Harbor Hotel is the ultimate Boston waterfront retreat. An architecturally stunning 60-ft arch ushers you into the hotel’s real estate on Rowes Wharf, which includes a 60-ft lap pool, a sauna + steam room, a fitness room, and seasonal afternoon tea service.
The Boston Harbor Hotel’s John Adams presidential suite offers a private waterfront retreat.
Photo by Ryan Garvin
