The 21 Best Hotels in Boston
President Barack Obama once said that Boston is unique in how this city “ opens its heart to the world.” This is a place that routinely welcomes business travelers, academics, students, foodies, and history lovers from all walks of life–for a weekend, a semester, or a lifetime. Much like many other aspects of the city, its best hotels are a delightful, ever-evolving mix of old meets new. From exclusive Back Bay addresses, to converted prisons (trust us on that one), to charming Cambridge boutique hotels, there are so, so many options to explore. And because the city has a cozy feeling you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a city of its size, it will never seem like you're very far from whatever you've come here to see. Here are our picks for the best hotels in Boston.
Read our complete Boston travel guide here.
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind. This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
All products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Nikolas KoenighotelThe Newbury Boston
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Hot List 2022 
Readers' Choice Awards 2023Situated on one of Boston’s most picturesque corners directly across from the Public Garden, the Newbury Boston opened in May 2021 after a two-year renovation. Its 286 rooms include a whopping 90 suites, some with wood-burning fireplaces (birch logs provided) and views of the downtown skyline across the park. In-the-know Bostonians flock to the rooftop restaurant Contessa, which still books up weeks in advance. Meanwhile, stylish art types come here for the curated walls of art featuring works and homages to some of America’s most iconic creators, from a portrait of Ernest Hemingway by Yousuf Karsh beside the lobby bar to paintings from artists such as Elise Ansel throughout the property. Rooms from $600. —Shannon McMahon
Courtesy Brandon BarréhotelRaffles Boston: First In
$$$Real ones know: just because it’s not flashy like New York or Miami, doesn’t mean there isn’t a luxury scene in Boston. There absolutely is, and the arrival of Raffles debut Americas location right in the heart of Back Bay proves it. This dazzling new build opened in 2023 after numerous pandemic-era delays, and features all the five-star bells and whistles you’d expect from a global luxury brand of Raffles’ caliber: a sleek, sexy design courtesy of Rockwell Group and Stonehill Taylor; a 17th story sky lobby with soaring views; a signature Portuguese fine dining restaurant Amar by acclaimed chef George Mendes; a spa by Guerlain; marble bathrooms; spacious bedrooms; and butler service everywhere you go. Don’t mistake Raffles Boston as being just for jet-setting international types, however–the speakeasy Blind Duck is one of the toughest spots to snag a table on a Saturday night, and word on the street is that nearly all of the multi-million dollar residences were purchased not my foreign investors but, in fact, by locals.
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Courtesy Boston Harbor HotelhotelBoston Harbor Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023As the city's original five-star waterfront hotel, this Rowes Wharf grande dame has a big reputation to uphold—though a AAA Five Diamond recognition indicates it's getting the job done. The exterior archway overlooking the harbor is an instantly identifiable icon and a seamless part of Boston's downtown landscape. Rooms have city or water views, large picture windows that allow in natural light throughout the day, marble rainfall showers, and Frette linens. Even entry-level rooms start at a spacious 500 square feet.
Courtesy Provenance HotelshotelThe Revolution Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021The Revolution is the result of a to-the-studs renovation of a former historic YWCA and hostel in Boston's South End—so while the developers outfitted the building with utilitarian-chic rooms and art-filled community spaces, it’s clear from the smallest room categories with shared bathrooms that this building had a previous life. Young travelers flock to the property for competitively priced rooms: The Revolution does a great job of delivering serious, stylish value in the heart of a city where hotel rooms can easily cost twice as much as they do here. If you’re flying solo and cringe at the idea of shared bathrooms, there’s an en-suite, entry-level category so you can keep your privacy and stick to your budget; pairs may want to upgrade to the Studio Suites or newly-added Revolution Lofts, which are located next-door to the main hotel building. The Revolution sits at the confluence of Back Bay, the South End, and downtown Boston, in the heart of none of those neighborhoods but a two-minute walk to each of them; the property offers complimentary bike rentals so you can cruise around and explore, too.
Courtesy The Verb HotelhotelThe Verb Hotel
$Originally a 1959 motor inn, the Verb is a beautifully restored hotel that pays homage to the building's funky past (as the Howard Johnson where bands like Aerosmith stayed when they played the nearby House of Blues) while maintaining contemporary finishes and comforts. The lobby, where the sense of fun is immediately apparent, feels like a recording studio; the check-in desk is covered with faux sound-absorbing upholstery, the walls are lined with vintage music posters, and a black-and-white floor stands in graphic contrast against cerulean walls and a banana-yellow couch. The ground-floor restaurant Hojoko is a lively Japanese izakaya (from the team behind O-Ya) that attracts plenty of locals. Pool-view rooms overlook the sundeck out back and in summer, the outdoor, heated saltwater pool is the area's hippest place to lay out with a mai tai while listening to the roar from Fenway across the street. Particularly of note is the “Backstage Trailer” room category–where a lineup of refurbished Airstream trailers let’s you feel like a true rockstar waiting to take center stage.
Courtesy Mandarin OrientalhotelMandarin Oriental, Boston
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023The Mandarin Oriental offers an elegant, refined respite in the heart of it all:step into the grand marble lobby, and you’ll feel transported from the city's hustle and bustle. Thanks to a meticulous $15 million renovation completed in 2020, the rooms and suites received a welcome facelift. Gone are the corporate and impersonal interiors, and here to stay are delicious, residential-feeling finishes (such as replacing often superfluous entryway closets with mini kitchenettes). The hotel has long been a glamorous spot for business travelers and big spenders, and now it's the Back's Bay's most posh home away from home.
Courtesy The EnvoyhotelThe Envoy Hotel, Autograph Collection
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2022The Envoy is a perfect microcosm for everything that's great about Boston at the moment. Located just across the water from South Station and the city's top historical sites, the Envoy has a sleek, all-glass exterior that blends in with its neighborhood—the thriving Seaport District—while reflecting the old buildings across the river. Outside the entrance, bronze lettering etched in the sidewalk appropriately spells out "This Way Forward,”and inside and you'll find yourself in a sweeping, art-filled lobby. In a city with so much history, the Envoy is a fresh breath of modernity.
The Langham, BostonhotelThe Langham, Boston
$$ | Hot List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2021, 2022In the heart of Boston’s Financial District, this Langham offers as much style as it does comfort. The ground-floor cocktail bar and a cavernous Italian restaurant in the former bank’s grand hall, located off picturesque Post Office Square, have had Bostonians eager to get back in the building for cocktails or a brunch reservation since the property closed in 2019 for a two-year facelift. But the real treasures are in the rooms, where creature comforts like velvet-soft robes and a heavenly bed can make you forget the busy world outside. Book a Chairman Suite for top-floor views and a massive white-marble bathroom. Rooms from $425. —Shannon McMahon
Christian HoranhotelFour Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022, 2023With the opening of the 61-story One Dalton, Boston joined New York City, San Francisco, Miami, and Beverly Hills as the fifth U.S. city with two Four Seasons hotels (the older property is located a stone's throw away on Boylston Street). In addition to 215 hotel rooms and suites, One Dalton also houses 160 private residences, a spa and pool, and two restaurants: One + One for upscale American food with a New England bent, plus Zuma—the 12th location worldwide for the contemporary izakaya chain, and a destination in itself. Newbury and Boylston streets' ample shopping and dining are within a five-minute walk. And some of the city’s largest cultural destinations—the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Symphony Hall, and the Boston Public Library—are also well within walking distance.
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Courtesy The Liberty, a Luxury Collection HotelhotelThe Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Since 1851, the Charles Street Jail was an eyesore nudged between Massachusetts General Hospital, the Charles River, and the charming streets of Beacon Hill. In 2007, when it reopened as The Liberty boutique hotel, it became an overnight sensation. Today, the former jail is a best-case example of the magic that happens when old meets new. The design aesthetic is contemporary American with a gentle nod to the building's history (in the form of details like tally-mark embroidery on throw pillows). Most rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, and many have sweeping views of the river. It's located across from the Charles River Esplanade, making it ideally situated for jogging and walking; you can also arrange boat and kayak rentals at the front desk.
Barbara Kraft/Encore Boston HarborhotelEncore Boston Harbor
$$As you drive along I-93, curving your way out of the city, the only way you’d miss Encore Boston Harbor is if you were futzing with CarPlay and not paying attention to the massive building looming in the distance—there’s even an official highway sign trumpeting the casino-resort. As you get a little closer you'll notice Encore is a place where flowers miraculously bloom all year in Massachusetts and no surface is untouched by something gold. This is as much casino as it is hotel (it's a sister to the Wynn Las Vegas after all) and it’s not everybody’s idea of chic, but it’s a lavish urban escape, particularly if you live around Boston and are yearning for a break from the norm—and maybe a break from the kids, too.
Courtesy Lenox Hotel/Photo by Matt HaashotelThe Lenox Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017When it was first built in 1900, The Lenox Hotel was at 11 stories high the tallest building in Boston, and one of the grandest buildings north of the Newport mansions. It has been owned and operated by the Saunders Hotel Group since 1963, who have lovingly maintained the premises and maintained the hotel as a desirable, quintessentially Boston place to stay. First off, the location can’t be beat: it’s right on Boylston Street, steps to all that Back Bay has to offer, and even features its own exclusive guests-only viewing area a few yards away from the Boston Marathon’s finish line. And while location, location, location might be everything, it’s the personal touches that make this historic gem a recurring favorite. P.S., don’t sleep on the gift shop: the “Lenox Mercantile” gift shop is filled with regionally-made goodies like personal care products and sweet treats for the journey home.
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James BaigriehotelThe Whitney Hotel
Readers' Choice Awards 2021At first glance, The Whitney looks like Beacon Hill’s coolest new condo building, thanks to large windows, chic signage, and gleaming new architecture. In reality, it offers a personal and intimate hotel experience. Its location near the Charles River Esplanade will let you eschew the obvious tourist sites and take on the expert perspective of a wealthy local. And the staff's tendency to go out of its way to accommodate families—and their dogs—make a stay here comfortable in every imaginable way.
Eric Roth/Courtesy The Eliot HotelhotelThe Eliot Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018Even before you step inside, it's not hard to tell that The Eliot is a deeply elegant hotel—the neo-Georgian building it's housed in was built in 1925. That sense of grandeur continues into the vaulted, marble-filled lobby, which feels like a throwback to another era. The property is opulent without being imposing, and decadent without being impersonal. With only 95 rooms, most of which are suites, the Eliot never feels too busy or commercial. Rooms are tastefully outfitted with Italian marble, beautiful toile fabrics, and stately beds topped with fluffy pillows. The Eliot also houses Uni, one of the best Japanese restaurants (best restaurants period, actually) in the city.
John Bellenis/The Dagny Boston_hotelThe Dagny Boston
$This centrally-located hotel never drew much attention beyond the business set when it formerly operated as the Hilton Boston Downtown/Faneuil Hall–but after re-opening last year as an independent hotel fresh off a $32 million renovation, The Dagny is attracting a fresh crop of leisure travelers. It’s often said that Boston is one of America’s most walkable cities, and that is certainly the case here: it’s a short stroll away from the North End, the New England Aquarium, historic Beacon Hill, Chinatown, and the Seaport District. Throw in some weekly live jazz music from local Berklee College of Music students, an expanded Fitness Center, and a Clefs d’Or-certified concierge team, and you’ve got a hotel with service and amenities that punch well above their price point, in a city that can be known for its pricey hotels.
Chris Sanchez/Courtesy Hotel CommonwealthhotelHotel Commonwealth
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023Every city hotel exists somewhere on the spectrum of “center of everything tourists want” versus “where locals actually live.” And while those two extremes don’t often intersect, they actually do here at the Hotel Commonwealth. It’s one of those rare hotels that feels part and parcel its neighborhood–and considering this imposing building takes up an enormous city block and contains not one, not two, but three of the neighborhood’s best restaurants, it’s safe to say that Kenmore Square is the Hotel Commonwealth. The hotel is on the larger side, so there’s always a unique mix of comings and goings here, from B.U. parents, to business travelers, to Red Sox fans (the hotel sits a scant five minute walk from Lansdowne Street). The Serta mattresses are comfy, the service is warm, and when you’re here, you feel like you’re really staying in a neighborhood, and not just a “hotel,” if you catch our drift.
Courtesy Fairmont Copley PlazahotelFairmont Copley Plaza
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022There are few façades in Boston more iconic than the Fairmont, which has stood next to the Boston Public Library since 1912. Still, the hotel has managed to keep the guest rooms updated. There are the elegant fabrics and marble you'd expect, as well as some custom black-and-white sketches of Boston that add a modern touch. Make sure to ask for a room overlooking Copley Square so you can gaze out upon one of the best views in the city while enjoying one of the incredible breakfast options on the decadent room service menu.
JOHN BELLENIS PHOTOGRAPHY/Courtesy 907 MainhotelSonder 907 Main
$It takes a lot to open a boutique hotel during a pandemic but 907 Main has managed to pull it off and make it look easy. From the outside, you see a gorgeously resorted 1867 brick facade. Step inside, however, and the custom furniture and sleek, modern decor captures all the energy that makes Central Square one of Cambridge's most cherished and exciting neighborhoods. Every single room has a king bed with plush Simmons 13-inch pillow tops, so you can feel free to stretch out, toss and turn all night long. Opened in Spring 2021, rooftop Blue Owl is one of the only rooftop bars in this part of town and a guaranteed hot spot.
Susan Seubert/Courtesy The Charles HotelhotelThe Charles Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019The Charles has long been the unofficial stomping grounds for academics, politicians, artists, and celebrities passing through Cambridge. The hotel's library is stocked with biographies that pay tribute to its famous past guests, from David Mamet to Caroline Kennedy, which today's guests can borrow or purchase. With Cambridge's restaurant and nightlife scene on par with Boston proper, The Charles' home in Harvard Square has become a very desirable place to stay, even if you won't be auditing an astrophysics class at Harvard or M.I.T.
Courtesy XV BeaconhotelXV Beacon
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Gold List 2018, 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Located in Beacon Hill just steps from the Massachusetts State House and the bustling financial district, XV Beacon (say “Fifteen Beacon” if you’re talking about it) is a transportive paradise of serenity and relaxation. The vibe is sexy—lots of dark-stained woods, crimson accents, and antique furniture—but the ethos is entirely Boston. With only seven guest rooms per floor, XV Beacon has a distinctly residential feel, and rooms are spacious but still intimate. The fact that each one comes with a personal fireplace speaks to the level of luxury and coziness here. Every detail feels special, from the Frette linens and the one-of-a-kind commissioned artworks to the cashmere throws and the pillow menu. And there’s no better way to unwind after a day of meetings or hiking the Freedom Trail than with a soak in the white-marble tub, a feature of some rooms. Looking for food and drink? Mooo.... (three O’s, four periods) on the first floor takes the best parts of steakhouses (grass-fed beef, a killer dessert list, a solid brunch) and distills them into something that works for a boutique hotel of this scale. Not too keen on getting dressed up for dinner? Don't worry; the entire menu can be delivered directly to your door. And with only 63 rooms, the hotel offers a degree of attention and service you generally don’t find at Boston’s larger hotels. Staff is used to making check-in and check-out seamless and offering personal touches throughout the stay. Every detail of the experience feels tailor-made to this hotel, right down to the custom fragrance that welcomes you the moment you step into the lobby. From $495. —Todd Plummer
Courtesy The Colonnade, BostonhotelThe Colonnade Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019Located walking distance from the Prudential Center, the Public Garden, Fenway Park, and the South End, the Colonnade is within reach of Boston's key sights. Owned by the same family since opening in 1971, the hotel has long set the standard for customer service—all while delivering a cheeky sense of fun. A 2020 renovation brought a welcome freshening-up to the rooms. Midcentury modern furniture is a great contrast with those stunning floor-to-ceiling glass windows, which have become a Colonnade trademark. It also features one of the most covetable amenities in all of Boston: a rooftop pool.
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