What's the current go to in Boston?
Feb 28, 2022, 1:08 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
to me it should be requirement for luxury hotels to clearly identify variation within room categories, so one does not get surprise on arrival
preferences vary dramatically, as illustrated in past 'big' threads on this forum with thread titles involving preferences for rooms and hotels
preferences vary dramatically, as illustrated in past 'big' threads on this forum with thread titles involving preferences for rooms and hotels
Mar 27, 2022, 7:27 pm
#18
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,222
I will be two/three nights in Boston on my way to and fro a July family reunion in New Hampshire. I gather from this thread The Newbury is best so I set out to investigate on their website which provides no detail on room/suite sizes which is critical to my decision. WTHF?
Mar 27, 2022, 7:33 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,737
then click on "Explore Room" under the photo of the one you are interested in for a description and sizing. Scroll down from there for more images. Good luck!
Mar 27, 2022, 7:36 pm
#20
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,222
https://www.thenewburyboston.com/stay
then click on "Explore Room" under the photo of the one you are interested in for a description and sizing. Scroll down from there for more images. Good luck!
then click on "Explore Room" under the photo of the one you are interested in for a description and sizing. Scroll down from there for more images. Good luck!
Jul 26, 2022, 2:58 pm
#21
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,222
The Newbury Boston
The Newbury
1 Review
|
0% Recommended
The Newbury
boston, ma US
Not RecommendedLiked: LocationServiceFoodAmenitiesRoom
The Newbury Boston (0 Photo)
The Newbury
Check In
Checked in very late at night. Regular checkin. Was asked if I wanted help to my room which I thought odd. Yes, I want help, an older woman traveling alone...
There is no lobby per se, rather a large closed off room called The Library open to guests. Water, snacks, coffee available. Drinks can be ordered.
Room
Small one bedroom. If view is important, book a higher category suite. This suite had good sunlight, a few tree tops, lots of brick walls.
Decor is BLAND contemporary, no color, could have been a dentust waiting room although my dentist has better taste and regard for her patients. Bedroom is decent. Bed very comfortable, quality linens. TINY bathroom for a suite. One sink, no tub, great shower. Cost was $1K/night with third night free, I stayed three nights.
Service
Bell service was terrific, as was room service. Server in The Library (where I hosted friends for drinks) was great.
Dining
I ate only room service. Good club sandwich and fries (which I'm not supposed to eat). Breakfast ok. Their tea service lacks quality black tea. Coffee is regretable.
Location
Location is enviable, directly across street fro the Public Garden and st the base of uber fancy Newbury street lined with all the stores reasonable people eschew to shop.
Overall
Next visit, it's back to the Four Seasons for me.
Jul 26, 2022, 3:15 pm
#22
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
Agree with your comments, Kat. I put my mother up at the Newbury back in May for 3 nights and it was just fine. I liked the room decor but agree that it lacked character and was small. Lobby was non-existent and I love having a lobby. Service was fine, not great (concierge, F&B). After now dining at Contessa, the talk of the town around here, three times now, I can conclude that it is just not very good. The ground floor bar, on the other hand, is excellent.
Would probably not return - too many other good options in Bosto.
Would probably not return - too many other good options in Bosto.
Jul 26, 2022, 5:07 pm
#23
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,222
Agree with your comments, Kat. I put my mother up at the Newbury back in May for 3 nights and it was just fine. I liked the room decor but agree that it lacked character and was small. Lobby was non-existent and I love having a lobby. Service was fine, not great (concierge, F&B). After now dining at Contessa, the talk of the town around here, three times now, I can conclude that it is just not very good. The ground floor bar, on the other hand, is excellent.
Would probably not return - too many other good options in Bosto.
Would probably not return - too many other good options in Bosto.
I agree, a hotel sans lobby is counterintuitive and annoying.
Jul 28, 2022, 7:48 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
I like Four Seasons One Dalton and the Mandarin, but primarily because those locations work best for me. We live in Back Bay so as a result anything outside of that area isn't particularly convenient for family members staying. The original Four Seasons is a classic, but not as well-located for our needs. I am curious how the new Raffles will do. I also haven't tried the Langham since their major renovation. The Mandarin is probably in need of a reno at this point, BTW.
Aug 2, 2022, 10:20 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,399
As a former tourist/now local that hasn't stayed at any of the properties here (Except the Marriott Copley place when we were doing interviews 
), if one is coming as a tourist, I'd pick the Newbury over pretty much anything else. The location is the best of arguably all properties in Boston, esp. if you get a park view room. Back Bay is amazing to visit as a tourist and has tons of shops, coffee shops etc. Similar argument with park view for the older 4 Seasons, then it becomes a hard product comparison that I can't speak for.
), if one is coming as a tourist, I'd pick the Newbury over pretty much anything else. The location is the best of arguably all properties in Boston, esp. if you get a park view room. Back Bay is amazing to visit as a tourist and has tons of shops, coffee shops etc. Similar argument with park view for the older 4 Seasons, then it becomes a hard product comparison that I can't speak for.
Aug 9, 2022, 8:23 pm
#27
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Atlanta and the Big Island, Hawaii
Programs: DL Diamond, SPG Gold. I share these affiliations so that you can ask me questions about the programs
Posts: 812
My end decision is the same but thought it might be helpful to add a further breakdown of what the two properties offer. Its important to note I stayed twice recently at the Four Seasons but only dined twice at the Newbury (and kicked the proverbial tires by visiting the rooms and talking with the front desk and concierge).
The Newbury has three clef d'or concierge.
The Four Seasons no longer has a concierge, though the front desk will and does anything to assist you with bookings, information, etc.
The restaurant at the top of the Newbury has a lovely view, gorgeous flower arrangements, fun and interesting decor, and I found that the food is pretty good but not extraordinary. The Newbury restaurant is always booked and very lively.
The Four Seasons has a restaurant with pretty good food, dated decor, and most recently large arrangements of feathers. I'm sad to say it feels cold and empty.
I've found the service between the Four Seasons restaurant and the Newbury is a tossup. I made a reservation for vegetarian friends at the Four Seasons and they assured me there were vegetarian options on the menu, unfortunately there were none. They did end up making a lovely dish of vegetables and pasta. The person working in the restaurant also was doubling as a bar attendant and the host. There was one other table occupied.
The Newbury has a very small gym with new equipment and no pool or hot tub, or sauna or steam room. Do they have a spa?
The Four Seasons has a much larger gym, a small pool, and both a sauna and steam room for each of the men's and women's sides. Massages are available in your room through a third party.
The rooms at the Newbury are much more variable in layout and size than the Four Seasons, generally they are significantly smaller than the Four Seasons. Overall, I prefer the warmer colors of the Newbury and I find their library space inspired. I prefer the size of the rooms at the Four Seasons and the gorgeous floor to ceiling windows overlooking the park.
The Four Seasons has a very good, and complimentary, cafe, which is available to guests in the morning. They offer pain au chocolate, croissants, breakfast sandwiches (for a fee of course), and fantastic made to order coffee and espresso drinks prepared by two dedicated and caring baristas.
My experience when the Four Seasons had the Bristol Lounge and a fantastic team of concierge, was that this was by far the best in the city. With the loss of both these amenities, I still choose Four Seasons for their amazing service, but I think it is a far closer choice than any city in which I have stayed at a Four Seasons. I've stayed at the Four Seasons twice recently and dined twice at the Newbury, but did not stay there. The Newbury was alive and bustling, tragically the Four Seasons had low occupancy both stays, consisting of primarily medical conferences.
Does anyone know what happened to the space where the Bristol used to be? They are not planning on reopening it. It could be an incredible space for a spa. The Mandarin Oriental spa has been so successful they are booked weeks out and command tremendous rates for their services. I don't know who owns the Four Seasons Boston but they are missing out by not investing in a new restaurant and spa. The luxury hotels in the city with these amenities are knocking the RevPar out of Fenway park.
The Newbury has three clef d'or concierge.
The Four Seasons no longer has a concierge, though the front desk will and does anything to assist you with bookings, information, etc.
The restaurant at the top of the Newbury has a lovely view, gorgeous flower arrangements, fun and interesting decor, and I found that the food is pretty good but not extraordinary. The Newbury restaurant is always booked and very lively.
The Four Seasons has a restaurant with pretty good food, dated decor, and most recently large arrangements of feathers. I'm sad to say it feels cold and empty.
I've found the service between the Four Seasons restaurant and the Newbury is a tossup. I made a reservation for vegetarian friends at the Four Seasons and they assured me there were vegetarian options on the menu, unfortunately there were none. They did end up making a lovely dish of vegetables and pasta. The person working in the restaurant also was doubling as a bar attendant and the host. There was one other table occupied.
The Newbury has a very small gym with new equipment and no pool or hot tub, or sauna or steam room. Do they have a spa?
The Four Seasons has a much larger gym, a small pool, and both a sauna and steam room for each of the men's and women's sides. Massages are available in your room through a third party.
The rooms at the Newbury are much more variable in layout and size than the Four Seasons, generally they are significantly smaller than the Four Seasons. Overall, I prefer the warmer colors of the Newbury and I find their library space inspired. I prefer the size of the rooms at the Four Seasons and the gorgeous floor to ceiling windows overlooking the park.
The Four Seasons has a very good, and complimentary, cafe, which is available to guests in the morning. They offer pain au chocolate, croissants, breakfast sandwiches (for a fee of course), and fantastic made to order coffee and espresso drinks prepared by two dedicated and caring baristas.
My experience when the Four Seasons had the Bristol Lounge and a fantastic team of concierge, was that this was by far the best in the city. With the loss of both these amenities, I still choose Four Seasons for their amazing service, but I think it is a far closer choice than any city in which I have stayed at a Four Seasons. I've stayed at the Four Seasons twice recently and dined twice at the Newbury, but did not stay there. The Newbury was alive and bustling, tragically the Four Seasons had low occupancy both stays, consisting of primarily medical conferences.
Does anyone know what happened to the space where the Bristol used to be? They are not planning on reopening it. It could be an incredible space for a spa. The Mandarin Oriental spa has been so successful they are booked weeks out and command tremendous rates for their services. I don't know who owns the Four Seasons Boston but they are missing out by not investing in a new restaurant and spa. The luxury hotels in the city with these amenities are knocking the RevPar out of Fenway park.
Aug 11, 2022, 10:15 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,946
My end decision is the same but thought it might be helpful to add a further breakdown of what the two properties offer. Its important to note I stayed twice recently at the Four Seasons but only dined twice at the Newbury (and kicked the proverbial tires by visiting the rooms and talking with the front desk and concierge).
The Newbury has three clef d'or concierge.
The Four Seasons no longer has a concierge, though the front desk will and does anything to assist you with bookings, information, etc.
The restaurant at the top of the Newbury has a lovely view, gorgeous flower arrangements, fun and interesting decor, and I found that the food is pretty good but not extraordinary. The Newbury restaurant is always booked and very lively.
The Four Seasons has a restaurant with pretty good food, dated decor, and most recently large arrangements of feathers. I'm sad to say it feels cold and empty.
I've found the service between the Four Seasons restaurant and the Newbury is a tossup. I made a reservation for vegetarian friends at the Four Seasons and they assured me there were vegetarian options on the menu, unfortunately there were none. They did end up making a lovely dish of vegetables and pasta. The person working in the restaurant also was doubling as a bar attendant and the host. There was one other table occupied.
The Newbury has a very small gym with new equipment and no pool or hot tub, or sauna or steam room. Do they have a spa?
The Four Seasons has a much larger gym, a small pool, and both a sauna and steam room for each of the men's and women's sides. Massages are available in your room through a third party.
The rooms at the Newbury are much more variable in layout and size than the Four Seasons, generally they are significantly smaller than the Four Seasons. Overall, I prefer the warmer colors of the Newbury and I find their library space inspired. I prefer the size of the rooms at the Four Seasons and the gorgeous floor to ceiling windows overlooking the park.
The Four Seasons has a very good, and complimentary, cafe, which is available to guests in the morning. They offer pain au chocolate, croissants, breakfast sandwiches (for a fee of course), and fantastic made to order coffee and espresso drinks prepared by two dedicated and caring baristas.
My experience when the Four Seasons had the Bristol Lounge and a fantastic team of concierge, was that this was by far the best in the city. With the loss of both these amenities, I still choose Four Seasons for their amazing service, but I think it is a far closer choice than any city in which I have stayed at a Four Seasons. I've stayed at the Four Seasons twice recently and dined twice at the Newbury, but did not stay there. The Newbury was alive and bustling, tragically the Four Seasons had low occupancy both stays, consisting of primarily medical conferences.
Does anyone know what happened to the space where the Bristol used to be? They are not planning on reopening it. It could be an incredible space for a spa. The Mandarin Oriental spa has been so successful they are booked weeks out and command tremendous rates for their services. I don't know who owns the Four Seasons Boston but they are missing out by not investing in a new restaurant and spa. The luxury hotels in the city with these amenities are knocking the RevPar out of Fenway park.
The Newbury has three clef d'or concierge.
The Four Seasons no longer has a concierge, though the front desk will and does anything to assist you with bookings, information, etc.
The restaurant at the top of the Newbury has a lovely view, gorgeous flower arrangements, fun and interesting decor, and I found that the food is pretty good but not extraordinary. The Newbury restaurant is always booked and very lively.
The Four Seasons has a restaurant with pretty good food, dated decor, and most recently large arrangements of feathers. I'm sad to say it feels cold and empty.
I've found the service between the Four Seasons restaurant and the Newbury is a tossup. I made a reservation for vegetarian friends at the Four Seasons and they assured me there were vegetarian options on the menu, unfortunately there were none. They did end up making a lovely dish of vegetables and pasta. The person working in the restaurant also was doubling as a bar attendant and the host. There was one other table occupied.
The Newbury has a very small gym with new equipment and no pool or hot tub, or sauna or steam room. Do they have a spa?
The Four Seasons has a much larger gym, a small pool, and both a sauna and steam room for each of the men's and women's sides. Massages are available in your room through a third party.
The rooms at the Newbury are much more variable in layout and size than the Four Seasons, generally they are significantly smaller than the Four Seasons. Overall, I prefer the warmer colors of the Newbury and I find their library space inspired. I prefer the size of the rooms at the Four Seasons and the gorgeous floor to ceiling windows overlooking the park.
The Four Seasons has a very good, and complimentary, cafe, which is available to guests in the morning. They offer pain au chocolate, croissants, breakfast sandwiches (for a fee of course), and fantastic made to order coffee and espresso drinks prepared by two dedicated and caring baristas.
My experience when the Four Seasons had the Bristol Lounge and a fantastic team of concierge, was that this was by far the best in the city. With the loss of both these amenities, I still choose Four Seasons for their amazing service, but I think it is a far closer choice than any city in which I have stayed at a Four Seasons. I've stayed at the Four Seasons twice recently and dined twice at the Newbury, but did not stay there. The Newbury was alive and bustling, tragically the Four Seasons had low occupancy both stays, consisting of primarily medical conferences.
Does anyone know what happened to the space where the Bristol used to be? They are not planning on reopening it. It could be an incredible space for a spa. The Mandarin Oriental spa has been so successful they are booked weeks out and command tremendous rates for their services. I don't know who owns the Four Seasons Boston but they are missing out by not investing in a new restaurant and spa. The luxury hotels in the city with these amenities are knocking the RevPar out of Fenway park.
Did FS open a new restaurant/lounge where Bristol Lounge used to be? https://www.fourseasons.com/boston/d...rd-hui-lounge/
Aug 25, 2022, 11:08 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Atlanta and the Big Island, Hawaii
Programs: DL Diamond, SPG Gold. I share these affiliations so that you can ask me questions about the programs
Posts: 812
No, unfortunately the Four Seasons did not open a new restaurant where the Bristol Lounge used to be. This space is completely closed off and appears to no longer be part of the hotel. They do not have any plans to open a new restaurant or reopen that space in any form.
Aujourd'hui is their casual though upscale restaurant for breakfast and dinner. It has a bar and similar space to the Bristol but is often empty. They need a designer to refresh the space and a dedicated chef to shake things up.
This place can still make magic happen, but its apparent the owners are not putting the in the necessary investment to bring it back to the lively top of its game property it used to be.
Aujourd'hui is their casual though upscale restaurant for breakfast and dinner. It has a bar and similar space to the Bristol but is often empty. They need a designer to refresh the space and a dedicated chef to shake things up.
This place can still make magic happen, but its apparent the owners are not putting the in the necessary investment to bring it back to the lively top of its game property it used to be.
Dec 28, 2022, 9:55 am
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 405
We just did 3 nights at The Newbury and then 3 nights at The Langham.
Newbury:
1. I agree the decor is a bit bland. It could certainly use a pop of color. The room we had was a studio suite that faced commonwealth. Very spacious room and the view of the street w/ the tree's all lit up at night was fantastic.
1a. I took at look at a Classic Fireplace Suite in thoughts of upgrading but it wasn't worth it. If the fireplace in the living room was 2 sided so it faced the bedroom as well I might have done it. Plus the view wasn't anything near what we had in current room.
2. Room service was great (tip: do the caviar).
3. Contessa at dinner time is SLAMMED which leads to okay service. The waiter was very nice but was so busy it was difficult for him to come check in on us. I would wager to guess the majority of diners are locals. Dinner was pretty tasty but I felt breakfast was the go to.
4. The library is nice with complementary coffee and pastries in the morning. They also have sparking water all day as well.
The Langham:
1. We got an executive room (this is our 2nd time here and same room category). We had been upgraded upon check-in to a room on the 2nd floor with very high ceilings/windows. We loved the room but unfortunately it was right above the entrance so with any wind you hear the flags clanging off the metal rods. I went down the next morning and we were immediately moved to the 8th floor (which was nice b/c we had club access and this was on the same floor as the club).
2. Club: Great amenities (Tattinger Champagne, Jonah crab claws, egg/omelete station in the mornings). While no view like the Chicago club has, I feel their wine/liquor/and snack selections bypass Chicago by quite a decent margin.
3. We love the service at Langham hotels and in Boston it doesn't disappoint.
4. They now have a house car now Thursday - Sunday (a brand new Escalade).
Boston food: Eat at Toro and the Little Whale. Both are superb.
Newbury:
1. I agree the decor is a bit bland. It could certainly use a pop of color. The room we had was a studio suite that faced commonwealth. Very spacious room and the view of the street w/ the tree's all lit up at night was fantastic.
1a. I took at look at a Classic Fireplace Suite in thoughts of upgrading but it wasn't worth it. If the fireplace in the living room was 2 sided so it faced the bedroom as well I might have done it. Plus the view wasn't anything near what we had in current room.
2. Room service was great (tip: do the caviar).
3. Contessa at dinner time is SLAMMED which leads to okay service. The waiter was very nice but was so busy it was difficult for him to come check in on us. I would wager to guess the majority of diners are locals. Dinner was pretty tasty but I felt breakfast was the go to.
4. The library is nice with complementary coffee and pastries in the morning. They also have sparking water all day as well.
The Langham:
1. We got an executive room (this is our 2nd time here and same room category). We had been upgraded upon check-in to a room on the 2nd floor with very high ceilings/windows. We loved the room but unfortunately it was right above the entrance so with any wind you hear the flags clanging off the metal rods. I went down the next morning and we were immediately moved to the 8th floor (which was nice b/c we had club access and this was on the same floor as the club).
2. Club: Great amenities (Tattinger Champagne, Jonah crab claws, egg/omelete station in the mornings). While no view like the Chicago club has, I feel their wine/liquor/and snack selections bypass Chicago by quite a decent margin.
3. We love the service at Langham hotels and in Boston it doesn't disappoint.
4. They now have a house car now Thursday - Sunday (a brand new Escalade).
Boston food: Eat at Toro and the Little Whale. Both are superb.