dw

It's nice to hear that a renovation is taking place. I've stayed here several times and am usually put on a "HHonors floor" but have been put on a "Superior" room floor (which are the highest floors in the property) a few times, and there is a big contrast. The Superior floors have newer mattresses and newer furniture, whereas the mattresses on the other floors are, IMHO, barely acceptable for Hilton brand standards, and the furniture is quite dated (it's very clear they were kept from the last time the property was renovated).

dw

I stayed at this property last week and was able to see the newly renovated Lounge-- it's in the same space off the restaurant. The difference is night and day-- whereas the old lounge just looked like a slightly dressed up conference room with tables and a couch thrown in, the new one looks like a proper lounge and is broken up into different areas with varied seating, i.e. communal table, high-top dining, couches and lounge chairs. The only downside I could see is that the space is the same yet the seating may actually have been decreased with the renovation. While the lounge was not busy the days I was there (around Christmas), it's been absolutely packed on all of my prior visits, so I'm not sure what it will be like during peak times.

cop35758

Does anyone have any updates for this hotel? I plan on staying here for the 4th of July. Also, does anyone have the hotels email addy?

comptalk

Staying here for a few days. How is this hotel? Is it nice?

Also, any recommendations for parking near the hotel? Really do not want to spend $43.00 a night plus tax here for parking.

accidental_tourist

@comptalk: I parked mine at the Pilgrim Parking just 100 ft up on the Dalton Street for 34 bucks/24 hrs. Maybe others can find cheaper, but this one is really nearby. Just follow the large "Kings" sign of the bowling.
http://pilgrimparking.com/boston-par...ium-garage.htm

Just stayed there last week. What I think of this property:
The good:
* Well-located. 10 min to Little Italy is a bit exaggerated, but it is indeed close to the T-station, and what can surpass the posh Back Bay for restaurants, bars, and shopping, right?
* in response to some posts above, the Hhonors floor (17th) has also been renovated so everything is new.
* Lounge renovation has been tastefully done and very functional, though I haven't checked out what it looks like at peak breakfast hour.

The bad:
* online checkin proposed 17th floor (HHonor), so an in-person check-in at 4pm should probably give you something better, right? Wrong. I was proposed a room on the 11th. Prolonged protest yielded a 1-hour wait for another corner room - with inferior view - back to the 17th.
* reason is probably I booked on rock-bottom rate (MVP), but that's precisely why I what to check how they treat the Diamonds. Who needs status if you book the presidential suite on rack rate every time, right?
* Truth is, if you are obsessed with the Charles River view, go to the Sheraton across the street instead. The exec floor view there is far better than anything this property can offer.
* Hotel front door is on renovation - entry through side door (works perfectly if you park your car at the bowling, though)

The ugly:
* The worst attitude at the FD was surprisingly from the manager, at the HHonors desk(!). Refusing late check-out is one thing, but reciting the rules at length to a Diamond, that check-out is at 12, so a 1pm is already a late check-out... Please...

Kacee

Little Italy? In Boston? Are you referring to the North End? I don't recommend anyone call it that. Kind of like wearing a Yankee's jersey

accidental_tourist

You're sooo right - got contaminated by the post above (#186).

Kacee

And that post (186) is in the wrong thread - it's referring to Hilton Financial District, which actually is a ten minute walk from the North End.

NJUPINTHEAIR

I just wanted to post for your general information that my wife just completed a points and cash stay (24,000 points and a $100.00 cash co-pay) at the Back Bay Hilton and as a Gold member she and her guest were given admission to the newly renovated and re-established EXECUTIVE LOUNGE.

So, yes, the prior reports are true and there actually is something now entitled at this property "Executive Lounge," and she had indicated that the snacks on offer Friday night and the breakfast on Saturday morning were fine. I hope to receive a more detailed report from here when she returns home, but rest assured, there now is an Executive Lounge at the Back Bay Hilton and as you can readily surmise, the Executive Lounge is open on weekends.

What's more, whether she asked for them or not I don't know, but she was also given Continental Breakfast tickets presumably for the restaurant and I presume there is still the upcharge for the full buffet.

Furthermore, she enjoyed the double room that they had placed her in with a commanding view of Boston.

mr27

Thanks for the update NJUPINTHEAIR. Nice to have
the exec lounge is back ^

kirkwoodj

Fantastic news! Will have an extended stay soon, so glad to hear! Thanks! ^

NJUPINTHEAIR

Actually, it had been back for a couple of months if you were to re-read some of the prior posts.

However, those individuals may not have known or did not highlight the fact that this property hitherto had just a makeshift lounge, and if one had done a search they likely would have obtained the answer that there was no lounge at this property, unlike the Hilton F/D.

I just wanted to provide a clear update that this is no longer the case and that this well situated property now has a working lounge.

My wife did not go for evening snacks so can't opine on that, but they did have breakfast and although it was the usual standard fare one would find in the lounge, I was told that it tasted a cut above what one usually encounters.

Moreover, I was told that lounge appears to be a series of 3 interconnected rooms (?) done is a very modern style and that it was quite pleasing to the eye.

So, enjoy!

bk3day

Just completed a 1 night stay at the Back Bay and was very pleasantly surprised about the experience.

fwiw, the biggest downer wasn't the hotel but rather the pre-stay confusion prompted by the website & the Diamond Desk over room choice dictated by the Be My Guest cert I was planning to use. I wanted a King but despite that appearing to be available per the website, somehow the Diamond Desk insisted that there was no "standard" King available.

That said, I showed up to checkin & was warmly greeted by more than a few staffers on my way to the desk. Despite no specific acknowledgement of my Diamond status, there were breakfast certs in my key card and they confirmed that I had been assigned a very nice King Corner room on the 19th floor.

I took their room description with a grain of salt but gotta admit the King corner room was surprisingly spacious with a nice view of the Charles River, MIT and the Citgo sign. However, I wish the very small balcony was accessible, instead it appeared to be sealed off. There were a few chocolates on the bed and a followup call asking if everything was in order. The shower pressure could've been better and the water a bit hotter but it was sufficient.

Later while waiting for a friend in the lobby, more staffers greeted me and another was offering hot cocoa.

I had a brief chat with that staffer, iirc a hotel sales manager and complimented her on the fact that I was pleasantly surprised that the notes in my ressie requesting a King bed were actually read and acted upon. The staffer, was pleased and confided that the front desk really does read those notes and does their best to comply. She asked how my stay was and asked how my room was and seemed genuinely interested in my answer. We then chatted about other things. All in all, a very pleasant encounter.

The Lounge is off the lobby up some stairs. Early afternoon, there were sodas, water , snack size bags of popcorn, potato chips, carb towers of M&Ms, snack mix and 2 kinds of energy bars.

I stopped back briefly during evening hors d'oeuvres. Saw some fresh fruit and a chafing dish with iirc, small little mushroom tarts.

Breakfast in the lounge was a bit confusing as the cert states there is a $10 upcharge for the full buffet. I suspect "full buffet" meant the chafing dishes of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage...maybe oatmeal? I tasted a bite of the eggs and while I'm not really a fan of pre-made, warmed up eggs, for the most part, they weren't half bad.

However, no one ever asked me which option I'd like nor did I see anyone being charged. The fact that I came almost at closing may have accounted for the seemingly lax enforcement of the upcharge as I thought I heard the staffer say as much and for someone to take whatever they want.

Checkout was a bit confusing at first with the BMG cert, but that was quickly resolved. Again, all the staffers encountered asked and seemed to really care about how I enjoyed my stay.

Bottom line, I can't recall a stay anywhere that was as pleasant and a hotel where the staff really did seem to enjoy their work and cared about their guest's experience.

ChinaShrek

I paid $10 for the "full buffet" this morning, actually. The full breakfast buffet is in the restaurant across from the "Diamond Lounge." (I put it in quotes because this is what the hotel is calling the lounge even though it is open to Gold members as well Diamond members.) The lounge has eggs, sausage links, bacon, and steel-cut oatmeal. The full breakfast buffet had three additional hot items not found in the lounge: French Toast, fried potatoes, and some triangle shaped breakfast sandwiches. There were also some additional pastries in the full buffet. I don't think it was worth paying extra for but the service was excellent.

bk3day

Thanks for clearing that up , ChinaShrek!