It’s been a couple of months since getting married, but my stay at The Newbury Boston is still fresh on my mind. Prior to the wedding, I had a plan that involved staying in Boston for a few nights before driving to the Berkshires. In the city we would spend a few days retracing the steps of our relationship by visiting our old date spots, our favorite restaurants, and our old college where we met.

The Newbury had been on my radar ever since its opening in 2021. The hotel was actually first a Ritz Carlton and then a Taj hotel, so the transformation into a charming Boston city hotel was much anticipated. I actually used to go into the lobby of The Taj to use the bathroom on my way back from college parties!

We spent a lovely 3 nights at The Newbury and finally got to see what the hype was about! Keep reading about my experience below – you’ll be surprised to hear that some aspects weren’t all that were chalked up to be. Disclaimer: there was a hotel worker strike happening at the time of our visit and I believe this impacted service levels. Keep this in mind as you read my review!

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Location

The Newbury is in a superior location literally outside the entrance of the Public Gardens. This means you’re a 15 minute walk from the touristy Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. You can even stop by Chinatown on the way. School-wise this hotel is just near Emerson College, Suffolk University, and Fisher College so it’s great for parents looking to be near their kids at college. Right around the corner from this hotel is the famed Newbury Street known for high-end shopping and tasty eats.

Being a city hotel, this means that there will inevitably be road noise. It’s Boston, after all. Sirens, jackhammers, and Bostonians yelling at each other are just par for the course when you book this hotel. That’s not to say it will affect your stay, but don’t expect this to be a quaint little hotel tucked in the quiet parts of Back Bay.

I had previously stayed at The Langham Boston (loved it) and I would say that location is better for being closer to the Waterfront, the North End, and the Financial District. The Newbury Hotel is closer to the Commons, the colleges, shopping on Newbury St, and even Copley Place.

First Impressions

We arrived after midnight after flying all day from Curacao so it was nice to see the lobby completely empty. The lobby took on a modern upgrade from its previous life as a Taj, though the bones were still familiar. The hotel’s color palette centered around dark blue fabrics, slate gray walls, dark marble floors, and brass accents. It felt both new and old, modern and historical, neat yet glamorous.

Those who love buildings with historical significance and restored architecture will love all of the little design accents that pay homage to its history. The designers did a great job of making the hotel feel like Boston!

As for the check-in process, it was a bit lackluster. Even though I let the guest services team know in advance when we’d be arriving, there was no one at the front to greet us. In fact, they were vacuuming the carpets and we had to pick up our bags over the cords until we got to the check-in desk. The check-in process was abrupt with the evening staff just going through the motions. It’s okay though – we were so tired that we just wanted to get to our room and go to sleep. I want to mention that I ended up calling the front desk the next day to reconfirm our check-in details (daily breakfast credit) and ask about lounge access, which is something that should always be proactively done by the hotel upon check-in.

Rooms

With 286 rooms, I wouldn’t necessarily call this a boutique hotel though it does have that feel. The hotel rooms have a residential feel with muted neutral tones and high quality wood furniture. There is art on the walls of all rooms with an ode to New England. The rooms either look upon the Public Gardens (Park view), Newbury Street (Newbury view), or the buildings in Back Bay (City view).

We stayed in a Park View King which is one category above the entry-level Newbury King. The room was a spacious 390 sqft. (amazing for a city hotel) and had a beautiful view overlooking the entrance to the Public Gardens. It was the best of both worlds being able to see the park trees starting to turn colors, and the nostalgic Boston buildings surrounding the park. Curiously, one wall in our room was almost entirely covered by a curtain, and when pulled back revealed windows looking into other rooms at the hotel. Needless to say, we kept those curtains closed the entire time.

The bathroom was spacious and spotless. I love a hotel bathroom with good lighting and this one definitely delivered. Bath amenities were from Byredo and the shower was large enough for two (if you wanted to save water, you know). I would have loved to have seen a Japanese toilet to take the experience to the next level, like I raved about at the Faena Miami Beach – but that’s definitely a wishlist item.

The suites at The Newbury are next level. They have categories ranging from spacious studio suites all the way to two massive presidential suites called The Mansion. The suites are perfect for VIPs and luxury travelers who enjoy an elevated residential feel when they travel, like a “home away from home” type of vibe. Some of the suite categories have fireplaces as well, adding an extra touch of cozy Boston charm.

Amenities

Usually I like to say that this is where a luxury hotel shines, but I personally think the Newbury falls short in the amenities category. Firstly, there is no spa or pool. Big dings there. They also missed an opportunity to offer free bike rentals or a complimentary house car (even the Langham had this!) to get around the city. If you wanted a spa treatment the concierge would set you up with a spa on Newbury Street and could potentially have the therapist come to your room. There is a gym on one of the higher floors that’s decently sized and well stocked with towels and drinks. A large chunk of the second floor is reserved for event spaces, and there was indeed a conference going on during our stay.

One of the more significant perks of staying at the Newbury is access to The Library Lounge, an exclusive lounge space for hotel guests only. The lounge offers grab and go still and sparkling waters, continental breakfast options in the morning, and bar snacks in the afternoon. Lounge guests can also order cocktails from the Street Bar menu. I really wanted to love The Library Lounge, and the design is stunning, but the few evenings I popped in there the room was full of groups from the conference chatting loudly. We did go in to replenish our in-room water supply and grab cutlery, so it was helpful in a way.

I was really happy with the in-room amenities! The bathrobes provided were plush with branding on point, the slippers were comfortable, and the Byredo bath amenities smelled delicious. We even received a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and a lovely handwritten note congratulating us on our upcoming nuptials. That’s always a nice touch!

Service

I have to take off some points for service here, and I’m fully aware it’s likely because there was a strike going on during my visit. We had a few service issues that caused some minor inconveniences including:

• Housekeeping was so slow/non-existent, we had to ask the front desk to send someone in the afternoon. Housekeeping didn’t come at all on one of the days.
• Turndown service only came one time, and it was late already (we were already in bed!)
• Any time we called down to the front desk or concierge we had to try multiple times as they wouldn’t pick up
• We had to ask the front desk which amenities we could take advantage of as guests (i.e. Library Lounge)
• We asked for a pair of silverware one afternoon and it took 30 minutes to get delivered

It’s those little things that aren’t really a big deal, but you don’t expect to deal with at a luxury hotel. I did share this feedback with the hotel so I’m hoping this was just a fluke for us.

Restaurants

There are two restaurants at the Newbury: Contessa and Street Bar. The Major Food Group, the company behind some of the more well-known restaurants like Carbone and Sadelle’s, is the force behind both of the hotel’s restaurant concepts.

Contessa is the Italian rooftop restaurant with views of Boston’s skyline. The design of the restaurant is chic, colorful, and patterns galore. Our breakfast at Contessa was included daily (thank goodness – the menu is otherwise ridiculously expensive) and we pretty much tried everything on the menu by our last morning. Breakfast is also served at The Street Bar downstairs. What we loved: the gorgeous plating, fresh ingredients, and the Boston views. What we didn’t love: business meetings happening near us, servers loudly conversing with each other about taxes, and the coffee was just okay. They step up their game for dinner with a more Italian-focused menu and a fine dining atmosphere. Contessa is always great for a date night.

The Street Bar is the ground level restaurant and while we didn’t dine there, we did enjoy a few night caps during our stay. I had written in my review of the Four Seasons George V in Paris that the staff went above and beyond letting the bar know we would be coming down for a nightcap, even though we didn’t ask. Well, we had the opposite experience at The Newbury. When I called down to ask if we needed to make a reservation for a nightcap, I was told yes I will need to go downstairs to make a reservation – totally fine. When I got down there I was put on a waiting list and told hotel guests don’t have any reservation priority. Odd for a luxury hotel! When we eventually sat down, all was well and we were served bar snacks along with our drinks. The vibe of The Street Bar was “wind down with co-workers” as evidenced by the groups of guests in business attire chatting about work.

Activities

As someone who spent almost 10 years living in Boston, I can tell you there’s plenty to do in this little city. If you’re a history lover and/or foodie, you’re in for a treat. What I love most is that everything is walkable. Here are a few must-do activities in Boston (disclaimer: affiliate links):

• Walk the Freedom Trail (with a guide for historical context)
• Tour Fenway Park with a guide
• Visit the Boston Tea Party Museum (the actors dress up in period pieces)
• Take a Foodie tour of the North End (Boston’s Little Italy)
• Stroll through Harvard’s Campus (it’s really pretty)

You can also rent a Blue Bike for a few hours (there’s a station less than a 5-min walk from The Newbury) and visit the many museums in the city: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Institute of Contemporary Art, Paul Revere House, the USS Constitution Museum, etc. You won’t be bored here, I promise!

Who Do I Recommend This For?

The Newbury is a solid luxury city hotel. Any client I have sent there, my colleagues who have been there, and even my local friends who have checked it out only have good things to say about The Newbury. Unfortunately, I happened to be there during a strike which impacted service levels. With that said, I don’t think it’s a hotel for everyone. Here is who I would send here:

• Travelers on business looking to stay in a well-located city hotel
• Guests who don’t care for any additional amenities (pool + spa + bike)
• Tourists who plan to be out all day but want a nice place to come back to at the end of the day
• Luxury-traveling families looking to be near their kid’s college
• Anyone looking to do some retail therapy on nearby Newbury St
• History buffs looking to stay in a renovated historical building
• Travelers who typically stay in suites and appreciate a residential feel

I wouldn’t recommend The Newbury for young families as there isn’t a lot for kids to do, and the space isn’t really kid-friendly. I would describe The Newbury as a hands-off luxury hotel in that they don’t anticipate your needs or call to check if there’s anything else they can do, and if that’s something you need you may be disappointed here.

Final Thoughts

Overall, despite a couple of service issues, we had a nice time at The Newbury. The rooms felt high quality and luxurious, the views were great, and the location was unbeatable. It’s important to keep in mind that this is a city hotel so guests are competing for resources with outside visitors and conference-goers. I think the hotel could do a bit more to bring back that exclusive feeling for in-house guests, but if you’re mainly here for work I think you’ll find that The Newbury is a perfect fit for you.

Heading to Boston soon and looking to book The Newbury? When you book with me, you’ll receive exclusive perks including:

• Daily breakfast (trust me, you’ll thank me for this!)
• Room upgrade on arrival (subject to availability)
• $100 hotel credit
• Early Check-in
• Late Check-out
• VIP Welcome Amenity

Have you visited The Newbury before? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!