Lap of luxury in Boston
If you choose to stay in one the Taj Boston’s park-view suites, you will get a fireplace. No need to worry about matches, however, since a fire butler will build a real wood fire. Afterwards, guests can call the bath butler to fill a soaking tub complete with rose petals.
The Boston Business Journal went looking for those nice touches that create true luxury. They found it in a variety of places:
—The 193-room Ritz-Carlton Boston Common “has been shorthand for luxury in the city since it opened in 1927.” It now has a separate Club level on the 12th floor where guests can find a dedicated concierge and a relaxed lounge setting with food, spirits, newspapers and “any technology a traveler could demand.” The hotel also boasts a US$1 million contemporary art collection.
—The Four Seasons Boston is the only hotel in the city to have four members of its concierge staff earn the Les Clefs d’Or Concierges, a distinction held by just three percent of the profession worldwide, according to Kristan Fletcher, director of public relations at the property. The gold key pins they wear in their lapel show they are ready to handle even the most unusual request — from finding a corduroy bear that was discontinued years ago to placing eye drops in a guest’s eyes every morning.
—XV Beacon strives to extend luxury to the four-legged set, with home-made dog biscuits and plush beds — turn-down service, complete with fresh water, is available. A $25 pet fee is donated entirely to the MSPCA Angell Memorial hospital in the guest’s name. There’s also a “Sneeze-free zone.” For guests with environmental allergies, or those concerned about keeping healthy during cold and flu season, XV tries to provide the most hypoallergenic rooms possible, says its general manager Amy Finsilver. The XV was named the top business hotel by Travel & Leisure in 2009.
Rates start at US$375 and Presidential Suites are several thousand dollars.
By David Wilkening
David
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