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Ames Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels
1 Court St(between Washington St & State St)
Boston, MA 02108
Neighborhood: Downtown
(617) 979-8100
Announcement
Receive up to 15% off when booking a Deluxe room category or higher. *Based upon availability. Reserve: http://www.ameshotel.com
- Nearest Transit:
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State St Station - To Bowdoin (Blue Line)
State St Station - Blue Line Eastbound (Blue Line)
State St - To Oak Grove (Orange Line)
- Price Range:
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$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
64 reviews for Ames Hotel
Review Highlights
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"Easy walking distance to the North End restaurants." In 7 reviews -
"The room: small and very modern." In 5 reviews -
"...bathroom had a cool walk in rain shower and great product." In 4 reviews
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64 reviews in English
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Review from Paul D.
3/28/2012
You feel pretty swanky staying here. The only thing it's missing is a great NY view. (OUCH, take that, BOSTON!)
Ahem. I'm sorry. My New Yorkness got the better of me.
The rooms here are beautiful, and I love the fact that I can watch the television through the shower. And that if I had been staying with someone else, could have freaked them out by pressing up against the glass while either one of us in the shower.
The bar/restaurant is pretty enjoyable too, though when I ordered an Old Fashioned, the bartender heard me wrong and gave me the hotel's weak ass version called a Bold Fashion. Forgiven though for the excellent breakfast and the strong, flavorful coffee that made me question if I was dying.
On top of that, even after checking out, the staff was helpful with their bag check, and with helping us find a place to hang out and drink while waiting for the train. (The Vintage Lounge, GO THERE!) -
Review from Zach D.
Los Angeles, CA
3/22/2012
I'm going to go ahead and get the bad stuff out of the way. The rooms are very small (definitely less than 400 sq. ft., and probably closer to 300), the elevators are claustrophobically small, no shower door means water gets everywhere, and there's no vent in the bathroom. Plus, can't help but feel like $200/nt is a little high for those reasons, especially since our room had little to no view.
However, this is a nice hotel in a great location. No idea what this place used to look like inside, but they did a awesome job updating it. Very modern look and feel to the place, as you can see in the photos. The rooms are laid out well for the space, and plenty of amenities available. And it really is a great location as it's walking distance to Faneuil Hall, the North End, Boston Commons, and the Waterfront/Aquarium area.
Overall, I would definitely consider staying here again. Lower prices (maybe around $150/nt?) would cement the decision. -
Review from Monish D.
Columbus, OH
2/19/2012
Great boutique hotel located in the heart of downtown Boston. While it doesn't have a large lobby, I was surprised at the size of the rooms! The hotel attracts mainly business travelers Vs. tourists but it doesn't have the air of pretension that many business hotels can have. The Ames is pragmatic, classy and very conveniently located, Quincy market is just a stones throw away!
They have a great breakfast in the really nice hotel restaurant, it's almost like a little coffee shop! Believe they have bikes available during the summer time, really cool.
Would definitely stay here when I visit again. -
Review from G D.
Hollis, NH
4/24/2012
This was a Christmas gift from our future daughter in law so I assumed that it was going to be special. We weren't disappointed. Beautiful lobby and hotel room - modern and nicely decorated. Our room was very spacious, it had a living area w/ fireplace and dining room table. The bedroom was beautiful, lots of white and very classy. We had a great breakfast in the hotel's restaurant. I love boutique hotels. Customer service is stressed and appreciated. Great location. We would definitely stay again.
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Review from Hanhsolo W.
Burbank, CA
4/14/2012
very cute hotel! very small rooms but expected for a boutique hotel. the front staff was very nice and helpful.
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Review from T W.
Cambridge, MA
1/15/2012
THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE LOUNGE/BAR, NOT THE HOTEL:
Came here on Friday night for a little to stop by and see a friend and it was really nice. The vibe was really chill and the decor of the place was really nice. -
Review from David B.
1/4/2012
Decided to stay in Boston on New Year's rather than fighting traffic and drunks. We were able to secure a decent rate for a room at the Ames. I'd been to the hotel previously for a seminar but this was our first stay.
I was impressed by the decor, the lighting, the linen and the pillows...wonderful pillows! The shower and bathroom was nice, too. I liked the toiletries and the clean lines of the room and furniture. I thought that the interior window wall to the shower was a bit much. Why not glass blocks or a window at the top of the shower? A bit ridiculous in the design department.
Still, very nice room with a small chain that knows what it is doing. Look forward to a stay in one of their New York properties! -
Review from Shannon P.
Brooklyn, NY
11/29/2011
Two of my dear friends were married in Boston 2 weeks ago and the entire wedding party and all the guests stayed at The Ames. The staff was great and treated us like family. They were super accommodating and were not bothered by any Bridezilla-like behavior.
The restaurant downstairs, The Woodward, was amazing too. The brunch is great. Get the egg sammy! It will change your life! -
Review from Meredith B.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Overall, the Ames is a pretty great place to stay. Here's why:
1. Modern/Super hip/trendy boutique feeling
2. WONDERFUL Beds. So comfortable. I swear.
3. The Shower. Can we say heaven? You will probably try to stay in until the hot water runs out.... It's simply that amazing.
4. Great Customer Service. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating.
Some minor things bugged me (hence 4 stars and not 5) since I was a business traveler though, so keep these things in mind:
1. The wifi is NOT complimentary.
2. Make sure to ask for a corner room. I was located "close" to the elevator and could hear every single person getting on/off which sort of got annoying.
3. The room never got dark at night as the office building across the way never turned off it's lights. So if you like to sleep in a very dark room, ask for one facing away from the front of the hotel. -
Review from Langley E.
Redwood City, CA
9/27/2011
Enough already with the tragically hip.
All white everything.
Glass box shower / clever room divider that (oh its "so naughty") enables you to view your roommate washing his/her hair and other stuff. And, since the shower valve is incomprehensible you can laugh when they scald themselves trying to figure out which way is hot and then when the shower handle breaks and they are stuck under a burning stream of molten lava - phew - you are there witnessing it to phone an ambulance.
Cannibus infused candles are available in the minibar. According to the fragrence marketers, smelling like weed is "sexy and modern".
Cheeky postcard on bed at turn-down with Aldous Huxley quote "Several excuses are always less convincing than one".
Rum-infused shampoo and soap so you can go to your 7am meeting smelling like you spent the night in the tank.
Severe acoustic challenges created by neighboring fitness room enables you to forgo convential alarms in favor of an earthquake-style experience caused by overweight dude who thinks that the elliptical only works if you pound the steps all the way into the floor.
So - in summary. If you are into not sleeping, 3rd degree burns, smelling like booze and weed, and tutelage in effective excusemaking, you might be into this place. -
Review from Pantelis K.
MIDDLE VLG, NY
Stumbled upon a Living Social coupon for this hotel. Cashed in on the offer and was blown away by the hotel. Our room was gorgeous and the hotel itself is located in a fantastic part of town, within walking distance to anything you'd want to see. The staff was friendly and helpful. Living Social deal or not, this is my hotel of choice every time I'm in Boston.
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Review from Joanna K.
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I walked by the Ames at least twice (kept going round and round the block) as they don't have a sign announcing who they are, and I was too distracted trying to keep away from the catcalling vet's who were hanging outside of the Homeless Vet center across the street.
Checked in quickly, and was given a great room in a quiet corner. Super comfortable bed, spacious work space, and an interesting medley of toiletries greeted me.
The room was a bit sparse which reminded me of a Morgan hotel I stayed at by Central Park in NY last year!
Went downstairs to grab fun cocktails with friends at the Woodward, and it was great to have such a great restaurant/bar area right below my room - super easy access!
Check out was easy, and the shower had great water pressure. Perfect for what I needed! -
Review from Jared J.
Austin, TX
I got th is room on a special, which was decent. Without that, it's pretty pricey.
The lobby is very modern, having been renovated from a very old Boston building.
The rooms are very nice and cozy, with a very voyeur-friendly shower. But it's the shower head that rains on you, which is my absolute favorite, though the shower isn't insulated properly from the rest of the bathroom, so it will get the floor very wet.
The rooms, as stated before are very nice. High quality linens, HDTV, nice lamps. One thing of note, the walls are kind of thin, so we were able to hear some other guests' rooms.
All together, was pleased, though WiFi should have been free. Would stay again on special. -
Review from Felecia W.
Newport, RI
6/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
We didnt stay here, but we came for the Remixology event upstairs in the bar. Brendan O'hara was playing (which is always a kickass time!).
This hotel is quirky, and artsy, and there was a really great crowd of people there. We ended up going down stairs for a bite in the other bar, and man oh man....
Seriously, lets talk about this for a second.
Braised Short Rib Tortellini????? HOLY CRAP. We got that w the mac & cheese and a cheese plate. Those tortellini were probably one of the best things I have eaten in a LONG time. We ended up ordering another round of them. We woke up this morning, and contemplated going back for more.... for breakfast.
We went up to a friends room to check it out. It was a spacious room, w huge windows, clean lines, and all white. It was a little Ikea-ish, but still, a nice room.
This place will do great! They were booked (on a mon night). Ill definitely be back to stay here. And it has a GREAT location! -
Review from Ryan E.
Fairfax, VA
8/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Modern, stylish, and trendy, with a boutique feel and all the service and perks of a large typical hotel empire. Room impeccably clean, but not like just sprayed with chemical and starch clean. It's the kind of clean you expect when staying with friends and family - fresh, soft, and homey. Best of all, we didn't see the housekeeping crew a single time all weekend, which for me is a bonus because although I know they're there, I don't actually like to see them. Like the tooth fairy for linens.
The concierge was great in helping with everything including checking us into our flight and printing out our boarding passes.
We even liked how the doormen dress in jeans. Fits the trendiness of the hotel, yet without the air of pretension.
Loved the Ames Hotel, and will only stay here when we visit Boston. -
Review from Bob F.
Summit, NJ
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hip little hotel near Quincy Market & Government Center. Comfortable, but tries a bit too hard to be cool. Still a great stay.
Rooms are always clean, and spartan-by-design. Only thing keeping me from giving 5 stars is that the door-men have been obnoxious every time I've stayed there, talking smack about guests who have just walked past, cursing loudly, and generally being mooky. If they weren't in uniform, I'm guessing they'd be wearing Ed Hardy. -
Review from valerie d.
Cambridge, MA
1/3/2012
I love it.
I bought a livingsocial coupon for a suite for 190. They treated us like we were regular paying customers. Surprisingly few places do that, which makes me wonder why they even participate in the first place? I definitely plan to come back and pay full price for another day or two, maybe for an anniversary or something.
The room was so nice. The bed was amazing and the bathroom was adorable. I've stayed in suites before but this was extra cool. It was two very separate rooms but not laid out like a hotel, more like an apartment.
I've had room service in dozens of nice hotels. Usually it's gross. The hotels like to offer fancy things on their menu that they can't execute when really they should stick to simple things that they can make well. Ames had the best room service I've ever had. I had a lamb burger and it came with maybe 7 million fries? I've never not finished fries before. The burger was ridiculous. Usually restaurant burgers are either burned or the bread ruins them. This one was perfect, it was on a brioche, and it dripped all over the place. My bf got the cheaper steak and usually I order something healthy and then harass the bejesus out of his delicious looking plate but this time I was so obsessed with my burger I didn't even really notice his. One thing to keep in mind... the orange stuff for the bread isn't hummus. It's butter. An entire tablespoon of it in your mouth is pretty disturbing...
The room was definitely geared towards couples. The bathroom wall was glass and there was a sheer curtain that was controlled from the outside, so you could watch the person shower. Most boyfriends would love to watch their girlfriend shower. Mine spent his evening trying to catch me poop.
The only things that weren't great were movie prices and internet speed. 18 fucking dollars to rent a movie? I started to download the same movie on Itunes for 3 dollars but that slow-ass internet wasn't having it.
we ate in the restaurant for breakfast and it was also really good. Not as mindblowing as dinner but the service was really nice.
If we were paying full price, our suite would have run us about 400 bucks (on a Monday night, so I'm sure it only goes up from there) but for the size, service, and the amazing location, I don't think it's overpriced. -
Review from Raquel D.
8/31/2011
One fantastic boutique hotel experience without details in special occasions.
+One fantastic boutique hotel experience. The staff was incredible Friendly and helpful. They offfered us to upgraded with better price in the check-in to a Deluxe King room and it was massive and beautiful.
+Location excellent, close to financial center, historic Boston and Quincy market. The Blue line t station is right across the hotel's front door.
+ The rooms were very nice, spacious, the bed was very comfortable. We really enjoyed the overall modern design. Bathroom and closet excellent. With a high level of finishes, furniture and facilities.
+ The food at the Woodward restaurant was great.
-Poor attention in details as expected, because it was a special occasion for us and they hadnt got any detail with us.
We would stay at the Ames again and will recommend it. -
Review from Brenda C.
Fremont, CA
12/3/2010
Okay, so i stayed here for one week in Nov/Dec (actually, i'm still here).
This place is just TOO modern. TOO dark. and kinda boarderline scary. I thought it was just me, but i even spoke to a man in the hotel that felt the same way. The hotel doesn't really have an awning, so you can easily miss it. The doors are super heavy, and the doormen barely open the doors for you...even when you've got your hands full and rolling around a rolling briefcase. The roomservice is quick though, and the showers are fantastic.
I typicaly stay at the Nine Zero around the corner. I wish I stayed there this time. Definitely next time. -
Review from Sarah C.
9/28/2011
Small room, but stylishly designed. Nice service, cool bathroom and comfortable bed. Location convenient to the office and Dunkin' Donuts doesn't hurt either.
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Review from Lorrie M.
11/11/2010 6 Check-ins Here
I don't think I've ever come to a city to give out so many five star reviews as I have for Boston.
Despite it's high price tag on its own website, the Ames Hotel is quite reasonably booked through Orbitz or other travel sites to find deals. My friends have even had great luck on priceline by naming their own price and getting this place. I was happy to have gotten a cheaper reservation through Orbitz and the website prepped me for staying at Ames.
The rooms were a lot smaller than I had imagined but by not means so small that you cannot move about freely or enjoy yourself. I really liked the layout of the room (but the fact that the blinds don't block out the morning light is problematic ...) and I definitely liked the unique design of the bathroom and shower facilities.
I had only seen this once before at Ace Hotel in Palm Springs so it made me feel a little bit more homely staying here. The front desk is exceptionally helpful as is the entire staff since they pretty much gave us everything we needed almost immediately. I'm sure it helps that there aren't a whole lot of rooms in this boutique hotel, but to ask for a new remote (ours ran out of batteries) and get it within 2 minutes of putting down the phone. Pretty good!
The bed was very comfortable, the hotel was clean, well designed and the bar downstairs was great for late night lounging since you don't want to be out past 12:45am and not be able to ride the MBTA back. Great stay. -
Review from lily l.
Mansfield, MA
5/6/2011
Once again Groupon made us do it! Lol, well my fiance' purchased a groupon for a one night stay in a suite with late check out and $100.00 voucher towards dinner, and since we work right to it we thought a romantic stay would be nice.
Suite - small but very modern the most comfy bed I have ever slept in.
Dinner - (the reason why it was given 3 stars) menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner were mostly all the same. Our meals were not great and was served slow since our waiter was too busy chatting with his friends who was eating at the next table.
Brunch - since it was a late check out we decided to sleep in and order room service. We both had omelets and coffee. 2 veggie omelets and a large coffee (served beautifully and prompt) was a little hard to swallow since it was $50.00. But still it was good and we were at the Ames so not a huge complaint.
All in all I would do it again but I would just stay there and have dinner and brunch elsewhere. -
Review from Erin L.
Astoria, NY
I've gotta say, before I start this, that I am usually not staying in hotels like this. Usually I'm traveling for work and staying in the most moderately-priced hotels we can find in whatever town is just outside the city we're traveling to. However, for my husband's work, he gets put up in places like the Ames. So when he said he was working on Boston for a few days (and I wasn't working and therefore, had free time), I decided to tag along.
I got to spend a LOT of time in the standard Queen room here. I've gotta say, the hotel in general has a sleek, kind of European vibe to it. Everything is white and minimalist, which is nice but not very welcoming. The bed was really comfortable and the Wi-Fi is $10 which isn't TOO terrible. Every staff member I encountered here was very helpful and very friendly and the restaurant (which also is the room service) has good food.
There's a fitness room on the 4th Floor but there was no hotel guide book in the room so I only knew of it from the website and then had to call the front desk to find out where it was. It's just one room and doesn't have TOO much but as long as no one else is in there it's not a bad place.
It's pretty conveniently located so if you have some $$ to burn and want a nice hotel to sleep at for the night, I'd say this is a pretty good bet. -
Review from Julie C.
2/28/2011
Enjoyed a long weekend stay at the Ames Hotel.
The room: small and very modern. I love the clear view of the shower from your bed. Sweet! Of course, there is a curtain for the modest.
Closet is small but include mini bar.
Toilet, the flush isn't very strong and sometimes you needed to flush twice just to get the TP to go down. (and no, I am not taking huge dumps in it)
I love how you can order movies that are still in theaters and watch from the comfort of your room. Sure its 15$ but its a lot cheaper than 2 movie tickets and you get to lay in bed and watch it!
You have to call for ice, and service was very quick to bring it up.
Housekeeping: Room service cleaned and straightened out our room. Took our towels even though we had them hanging up behind the door. And failed to leave any fresh ones for us to use. You know how they tell you to throw the towels you want refreshed in the shower, well what is the point when they take even the ones that are hanging on the rack. Oddly enough, she didn't take the one that was left on the couch. Weird!
We called for room service to bring them up, but after about half hour they never came.
I do enjoy the toiletries, the shampoo smells like mint and its great! It leaves your hair super soft and very clean.
Our room faced State St. so it was loud hearing all the traffic.
Wi-Fi was good but sometimes very slow.
The doorman is great and super friendly.
Check in was ok. Not very speedy and when they slipped our bill under the door on our last day, it was wrong. We had to go to the desk to check out, and she told me that sometimes they are not updated before they printed. Well, then what is the point of printing them so early, especially since we had the late check out of 2 pm.
Overall, the Ames Hotel was a nice place to stay. They do need to amp up their service and be more attention ( leaving fresh towels, printing a final bill for speedy check out). But I recommend it as it's a great location to everything and the T. -
Review from Manny M.
New York, NY
5/10/2011
If you're on an expense account, this place is great. Pricey, but excellent, friendly service, and beautiful rooms. The bed was great. I slept like a baby.
Only negatives: The windows are new but not completely soundprooofed. When the downstairs nightclub closed I could hear people shouting in the street. (I was on 8th floor)
And the minibar set-up is designed to clean out your wallet. They even wanted three bucks for a map of Boston.
Also they didn't have Wifi but provided an ethernet cable (charging ten bucks for I-net access, naturally)
But I'd stay there again--as long as someone else was paying. -
Review from NWB T.
San Francisco, CA
8/23/2010
It's alright...Too modern for its own good that it isn't functional.
No lights at the bathroom sink, makes it hard to wash up at night, or to put on make up. The shower was a handicaped shower with a rain shower head and a handheld shower head. Bad pressure in the rain head, and the handheld was difficult to use without someone else to help hold the handheld in place. Water goes everywhere!!!! I think I i hosed down the bathroom 5 times. There was also no book in the hotel room telling you about the amenties, instead you have to turn on the TV to find out info. The gym, rather tiny, was busy at peak times. The restaurant was good and busy all the time. AND there is NO parking around the area without shoveling over a ton of cash! -
Review from Gradon T.
Boston, MA
12/23/2009
I stopped into Woodward, the bar at the Ames, with some friends after work back on November 20 - the first Friday it was open. Why I mention the date will make sense in a minute.
Top to bottom, the Ames Hotel is beautiful, as it should be. The renovations were done by David Rockwell, the same guy that did the set design for this year's Oscar awards.
The staff, from door men to hostess to waitstaff, were all top notch. Our waitress was that perfect mix of friendly, knowledgeable, and on-the-ball -- she knew just what to say to get that extra drink, or the appetizer. Having been a waiter in a previous life, I appreciate that.
The cocktail menu was creative, and delicious. An earlier commenter mentioned the drinks being overpriced, but really, name me a place as nice as this that isn't?
The flatbread pizza we ordered was similarly delicious. Even though the place was jam-packed, everything came to us relatively quickly.
By now you're probably saying, well, Gradon, everything sounds like it went well, why the one star? If it ended here, it'd be fives all the way.
But no. A few days later, I notice my credit card statement shows two charges for Woodward. Not too worried, I stop by again, show my receipt & explain the situation. The food & drink manager (super nice guy) takes a copy of my receipt and my contact info, says it'll be taken care of within two days. At this point, easily still four stars.
Fast forward four weeks, multiple voice mails, a second stop (and second equally polite food & beverage manager) with similar two-day promises. Of course, I've since gone to my bank and disputed the second charge, but it shouldn't have had to get to that point. It's now been a month and four days since I visited the Ames, and I have yet to get a phone call from anyone there, let alone the money they erroneously charged on my card.
Of course, this is not to say I won't be back. I'll just be sure to have cash on me when I do. -
Review from Caesar R.
Brooklyn, NY
6/15/2010
This spot was A-OK. Which is not bad in my book. I would definitely stay here again. Just make sure you stay on a high floor, because you can hear the T rumble under the building on the 4th floor where we were first put, until they quickly changed our room.
We had a great King Superior room on the 15th floor. The decor is ultra modern and typical of a Morgan's hotel. The lines were clean and space was maximized to its fullest. The room was not large, but functional. It had everything you could need: Bed, desk, tv, closet, chair, desk chair, bathroom and working lights. The bathroom had a cool walk in rain shower and great product.
The bed was big, but not the most comfortable bed I have slept on. But I would still stay here again given the location and value compared to other hotels in Boston.Listed in: New England Eats, Treats,…
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Review from Natalie B.
New York, NY
4/26/2010
Finding a decent hotel that doesn't tip the expense report beyond obscene is a fairly difficult task. Luckily, http://hotels.com listed the Ames as the cheapest hotel among its peers in the Financial District of Boston. I usually stay at the Omni Hotel close by, and though it's rooms were plush with luxurious finishings and wonderfully soft bed, they far too small to be totally comfortable - one thing out of place equaled an obstacle in the small floor space.
So, to my delight, I booked a room for my three day work trip at the Ames Hotel and, upone arrival, found that the lovely ladies at the front gave me a complimentary upgrade - how nice! The building itself is an architectural gem - just wikipedia it for yourself to see just how gorgeous it is! Decked out in modern furniture etc, the space was huge! Ample lighting from the floor-to-ceiling window really accentuated the vastness of the room - complete with a huge flat panel TV, a comfy low-level queen bed, ergonomic desk and chair, and a large bathroom. It had to be one of the coolest rooms I've ever stayed in in the US (sorry, Europe has some pretty cool stuff going on with their hotels...).
If you're a gym rat, I wouldn't recommend staying here since the gym is no larger than someone's walk in closet - 2 treadmills, a bike or two, a couple weight machines and some free weights. It's slim pickins' in this area.
Contrarily, the restaurant and bar is a wonderful plus and highlight of the hotel - being a local after work hotspot in and of itself. The food is delicious to boot!
All in all, a wonderfully pleasant stay and a repeat for sure! -
Review from Jose B.
New York, NY
9/5/2011
Loved it. Beautiful hotel, great rooms. Would absolutely stay again.
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Review from Maureen M.
San Jose, CA
10/30/2010
Got this great deal from Gilt, and we spent our Labor day weekend in this hotel. So far, this hotel is the cleanest hotel I've ever been to. I agree with James S' review (below me) that this hotel has modern style design.
Also in the room we had this towel heater, which is a cool thing since I've never gone to a hotel that has towel heater. The hotel is located in strategic place in downtown and it's a walking distance to go to the Market nearby.
The service was great, the front desk was really helpful in printing our boarding pass tickets. However, you just need to be careful on the breakfast ticket. They give you breakfast ticket, which I assume was included in the hotel price we paid, but when we went to the restaurant downstairs, they charged you for breakfast. And it 's also quite expensive too. They charge $42 just for two people.
Ames is categorized as boutique hotel so the price is above regular hotel price. If you have a good deal to stay in Ames, you should try. However, if I had the chance to visit Boston again, I wouldn't want to pay in regular price to stay in here. ( the regular price for one night is $400 and above). -
Review from James S.
9/2/2010 2 Check-ins Here
This place is cool. And the location could not be more perfect. You are just steps from Fanueil Hall, the MBTA (green and blue lines), Boston Common. You could stay at this hotel, take a subway from the airport, and because you're only 5-15 minute walk to everything, you would not need to take a cab anywhere in the city.
My wife and I stayed here for 4 nights at the end of August. We booked it (or won it) on Priceline, and we were very pleased. I would compare the hotel to The W as it had sleek, modern rooms with plenty of space and a very unique shower that opens up to the room. We saw something similar at the W in Dallas.
There is also a very popular bar on the first floor. It's not your typical hotel bar and seems to be frequented by a young after-work crowd. -
Review from Aditi R.
11/24/2009
No wonder I hadn't heard of this place. Ames Hotel, a recently opened boutique hotel, has a beautiful restaurant and bar called Woodward. The people behind Mistral & Top of the Hub designed this place and it shows. It's gorgeous and not just that, but the service was great as well. The cosmo I had was made perfectly so the drinks were the great. The waitress was more than nice. And the music was great!
The crowd was a bit older, but the kind of place that Woodward is, it makes sense. Regardless, the people were beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed people watching. Wish I'd stayed there longer.
The only thing I will say was a negative though were the bouncers. It was really cold outside and there was a line. Naturally girls will get antsy. There was a woman that just arrived and started almost screaming at the bouncers to let her in since her friends were already inside. While I completely understand that she was annoying, the bouncers comments were not warranted. They could have just repeatedly told her to please continue waiting in line. Instead they said not so flattering things and told her in a not so great way that she wouldn't be able to get in. For a classy place, that was an unclassy move.
Regardless, I really liked this place and Boston needs more of these! Love it :) -
Review from Michael E.
Dallas, TX
5/11/2010
Love the Ames! Great location, excellent service, well appointed rooms. Nice place for the price (often on http://Priceline.com bidding section). Run by the same team that gives you the Hudson and Royalton in NYC, it has much of the style and much less of the attitude of its siblings. Rooms are not that small, unless you need jogging room or a bit on the "large" size.
Likes:
- VERY friendly service (especially for Boston)
- Rooms are clean and well decorate
- Good food in the restaurant
- Busy bar scene
- Easy walking distance to the North End restaurants
- If you are a tourist, you are right on the freedom trail
Dislike
- OK, it's NY Funky to have a glass wall to the bathroom, but the curtain is a bit thin. I really don't need to see my wife take care of her business in there
- Bar is overpriced - though it does not seem to bother the packed 25year old financial district crowd
- Pain in the rear to get a cab around there
- Shower is cool - but the design leaks water all over the floor
Overall, I will definitely stay there again. -
Review from William R.
Bothell, WA
5/29/2011
If the traveler likes edgy and cool at the expense of practical comforts, this is the place for you. I prefer hotels with simple things like places to put my toiletries in the bathroom, a fridge to keep the water & beer cold, comfortable furniture, windows that are large enough to view the city, concierge service 7 days a week, free Internet service (should be included in room cost), in-room coffee service, I could go on but the point is I would have been happier elsewhere.
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Review from Julia M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/11/2010
Classy, elegant, swanky, stylish. Love the decor. Friendly staff. Good drinks. Definitely recommend it!
Lobster rolls are a must - a fresh, citrusy take on a New England classic. Fun cocktails too - I like the "Second Wife" champagne cocktail.Listed in: Nightlife
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Review from Ali L.
San Francisco, CA
7/7/2011
Simply amazing. If you want to go to a place and get treated like a rockstar, come stay at the Ames. Not only was the place super chic, but the rooms were enormous and incredibly comfy. My usual experience at really edgy hotels like this is that the staff treats you like dirt. Not here. They are warm, friendly, and best of all---not jerks! It's also within walking distance to most of the city's main attractions. Even Newbury Street wasn't too difficult to get to. What else can I say, I'm in love.
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Review from Anthony C.
Cambridge, MA
1/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place sucks. The rooms are not only obnoxiously expensive, they are small, poorly laid out, and the one I was in (I think it cost $400 a night?) had a small window with no view to speak of. The decor is uninspired. The restaurant is hit or miss, and also overpriced.
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Review from Samantha S.
Manhattan, NY
8/5/2011
After reading the many positive reviews of the Ames Hotel, I decided to book it for a surprise anniversary trip for my boyfriend and me. The staff at the Ames, and the hotel itself, FAR exceeded my expectations. We were coming on July 4th, a very busy day for Boston, so I made sure to email Nina, the hotel manager, a few days before arrival to make sure everything was confirmed for our check in. She replied quickly and showed a ton of personal attention and wished my boyfriend and I a pleasant stay during our impending anniversary. This was just the beginning of the exemplary service we received at the Ames.
Upon arrival in Boston, we went straight to the Ames, which was in an ideal location. Less than a ten minute walk from the train station, and only steps away from everything in the heart of the city. Quincy Market/Fanueil Hall was across the street! Boston Commons were a few blocks over! Even the North End was only a short walk! My guy and I didn't need to use public transit ONCE on our trip and we went EVERYWHERE and did everything someone in Boston would want to do. Perfect location. The hotel was also mentioned on our duck tour for being the tallest building in Boston before steel (etc) was used for skyscrapers. We felt awesome that our hotel was such a great landmark!
The hotel is very modern. It's very swanky, sexy, minimalist and contemporary in design. Walking in, we both gasped at how beautiful it was. We were three hours early for check in, but the nice man who checked us in said we could go to our room early, and handed up brochures listing all of the July 4th activities, which was nice. We ended up in a corner suite, which I'm sure was Nina's doing after my email. What a spectacular (and much appreciated) surprise! After coming back from a few hours of sight seeing, a knock was heard on the door. Room service had come to bring a bottle of champagne for us, accompanied by a hand written note from Nina wishing us a fabulous stay and a happy anniversary. I've never seen such spectacular customer service at a hotel. As if I couldn't be knocked out of the park enough, this put it over the top!
The sheets and bed were SO comfy. The room is decorated in such a relaxing way, we spent one afternoon just in the room (drinking our anniversary champagne!) because it was so pleasant to be in! Giant TV as well! The shower was HUGE with a rainwater shower head. The Ames also had, by far, the best toiletries I've ever used in a hotel. Fantastic quality products. We also loved using the towel heater.
The room/hotel was exquisite, the service outstanding, and Nina and her staff made it certain that the Ames is the only hotel in Boston we will stay at when we return! It was such a memorable trip because of these special touches only a truly exceptional hotel knows how to provide.
THANK YOU, NINA! -
Review from Alyvia M.
4/25/2010
I left feeling a bit like a NYC snob. I didn't go in with extremely high expectations, but I was disappointed none the less. We walked in thinking we were meeting a large group of people for a birthday party. We walked in to greet 4 ladies having dinner and chatting. It was pretty empty when we got there, but son filled up. I would say that it wasn't swanky enough for the prices, and the crowd left much to be desired.
David Rockwell did a beautiful job designing the place, and the views were spectacular (why they got 2 stars), but I lost my Mojo within 20 minutes of arrival. We got all dolled up for a night out with the ladies, and ended up home by midnight. I spent $40 on 2 drinks, and went home basically sober and uninterested in returning to this establishment. Between you and I, this place was a major buzz-kill!
