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Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Back Bay
138 St. James Avenue
(between Trinity Pl & Dartmouth St)
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 267-5300
138 St. James Avenue
(between Trinity Pl & Dartmouth St)
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 267-5300
Experience Boston's premier hotel.
Rich in history and restored to its orginal grandeur,…
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- Nearest Transit:
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Copley (Green)
Back Bay (Orange)
- Price Range:
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$$$
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21 reviews for Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston
The service at the hotel is first rate, location is superb. But if you are a businessman or family looking for comfort and space.... this is not for you.
The lobby is large, lush, and well appointed. This image begins to deteriorate when one walks into the cramped elevator, and dips further as musty odours waft you towards your tiny room.
I'm sure you can pay for a sitting room and all, but I didn't and the room is so small that you almost have to squeeze by the foot of your bed to get to the bathroom. If you want to watch TV, there is no 'sitting room' style chair even. You either sit on edge of your bed, or lay down and watch it at an angle.
Like most 'old lady' hotels (with apologies to any elderly women), the money has been spent in the lobby for those touring it's historical significance vice business style amenities for those sticking around. A final kicker - 7$ for a bottle of water in the room!.
As with many who travel constantly, please.... book me at the Courtyard Marriot or equivalent next time! Likely cheaper for the company, and more practical!
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Not the best Fairmont I've ever stayed in. The ones in San Jose and Vancouver were much better. While the staff here does deliver good service, the hotel itself is very old and in need of a makeover. Felt more like the old Helmsley Hotel in NYC. Rooms are just ok while bathrooms are very nice. Was a little surprised that it was almost $50 for overnight valet parking. If you are going to spend a lot of money on a higher-end hotel (Not me, IATA discount!), you would be much better off at the Four Seasons or other high end boutique hotels in Back Bay.
To top things off, I ended up on the roll-away bed because my generous family took the real beds (Aren't I the one paying here?) Ever see that Seinfeld episode where Elaine has to sleep on the pull-out couch with the bar that dug into her back the whole night? That bed was probably better. (Worlds are colliding Jerry!)
Comment from Ellen R. of
Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston
10/28/2009
Thank you for your feedback and for your recent patronage of…
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Stayed here for a night earlier this week and was not impressed. It's got a nice quaint old-school feel to it, I guess? To me, it felt a bit run-down and in need for a face-lift.
I will not return unless I'm there for a conference.
Stayed here for a night when I was in town to go see a show. I got a cheap (for here) room at about 200 bucks for the night. This hotel looks like it would normally charge more like 300 a night. Basically it's the kind of swanky old red velvet/ crystal/ doorman-in-a-uniform type place that looks like it welcomes a lot of elderly rich doctors. It's in a location convenient to transportation. No view from my room (just of the building next door) but I did have a nice marble bathroom and I ate breakfast in the fancy Oak Room restaurant, where they have very good french toast. I don't know if I'd stay here again as there are lots of hotels in the area to try, but it was fine for the one night I was there.
While the hotel interior looks very lush, and the food at the restaurant and bar are very good, I find the hotel's customer service to be considerably lacking.
I went to the Oak Bar in the lobby last night, and valet parked my car. When I was ready to go home, I waited at the doors forever and no valet attendant showed up. I finally had to go to the front desk to ask where the valet attendant was, and it still took forever after that for him to finally appear. With parking validation from the bar, parking is $12, so I handed him a $20 since that was the smallest bill I had. Instead of offering to give me change, he just pocketed the entire $20. While I think it's perfectly reasonable at a nice hotel/restaurant/bar for the attendant to expect a tip, the fact that he pocketed an almost 70% tip without even blinking really caught me off guard and irritated me. I had to ask him to give me at least $5 back, and that makes me, the paying customer, feel like I'm being rude. So after a nice evening at the hotel bar, I left feeling very irritated with their non-existent customer service.
So just be forewarned that you should only give exact change, because the valet attendants will just pocket whatever you give them.
The ideal location for downtown conferences. I have volunteered at a few events here and they have all gone off without a hitch. All of their spaces are beautiful and the staff are very willing to help with whatever you need - a bowl for nametags, a special dinner for late arrivals, you name it. It's a pleasure to do business here.
Stayed there 2 weeks ago. It's pretty typical of historic hotels. The room was small and facing a tarp. It's as good as having no window at all. The facility is fairly updated, and the toiletries are very nice.
I would stay there if the location is right. Other than that, there is nothing special. I worked a blocked away when I stayed there.
Even with a corporate special, I paid $209.
Comfy and convenient.
I wonder if people have unreal expectations of Fairmont. Fairmont is traditional/old elegant- not new, modern and hip.
I pricelined a hotel at the last minute and ended up here. The lobby area is pretty open and tall and bright. The fairmont is only 5 stories tall (well I only saw buttons for 5 floors in the elevator). The elevators run pretty slowly- you might as well take the stairs if you're in a rush.
The room itself is a decent size. The bed was very comfy (pillowtop/eurotop mattress) with plenty of down feather pillows (my fav). The alarm clock has an ipod dock (yay). The drapes are pretty heavy and keep the sunlight out.
Bathroom is pretty standard. Toilet is low-flo and the sink is low-flo.
As for noise, I had no problems. I pretty much passed out in bed when I got in.
Its pretty convenient as its near the green subway line.
Oh, if you like dogs, you can sign up to walk their infamous dog. I saw a couple walking it.
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When I checked in I reflected on the other yelpers low star reviews and thought "they must be crazy, this place is amazing". The king room was huge for a city room, gorgeous marble bathroom, spacious closet, great linens, nice setup etc. The main floor was exquisitely decorated, and breakfast in the Oak Room was exceptional (cinnamon raisin french toast with banana's foster syrup!)
But, I didn't not sleep a wink in this place, all sounds carried over and consequently heard by my ears; showers running, people talking, housekeeping banging on doors at 7am... WTF. Upon checkout it took us several minutes of waiting for information to load on the TV checkout feature before we learned it was unavailable. Absolutely no sound proofing whatsoever.
I was irritated that pots of coffee had to be ordered a la room service, especially when our friends at the Sheraton were loving their complementary Starbucks in the room. Everything else was on par for a 4 star hotel that is rich in history.
The Catie Copley bit is a huge marketing scheme and you have to schedule appointments to walk her. I was also distracted by the old-school speakers in the Oak Room, such a fancy room with cumbersome speakers visible in every corner.
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There's a fine line between old world and just old. The Fairmont Copley Plaza straddles this line but in the end it's more the latter than the former.
Thanks to Priceline I snagged a night's stay here for just $130. On that basis, I can't really complain. Yet, the hotel left some things to be desired.
- While waiting to check in I had to stare down the front desk at length before I could get someone to acknowledge me.
- My room was located near a fire escape that seemed to double as a staging area for the hotel's housekeeping staff. As such, there was a lot of clanging and banging and use of outdoor voices.
- I wasn't in my room 10 minutes before I had a member of said staff burst into my room without so much as a knock. She apologized and said she didn't know I'd checked in yet. I'm glad I was fully dressed and working at the desk. . .
The location of the hotel is ideal for anyone wanting to shop on Newbury and there's tons to do in walking distance. The hotel's location is probably its best asset.
I'd bet there are wonderful rooms in this hotel. I just wasn't lucky enough to get one.
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Meh.
The Fairmont is okay if you get a good deal. It's got all of the old-world charm you'd expect from a turn-of-the-century hotel but that means it has it's drawbacks too: Small rooms. Mine, in particular, smelled like the steamy exhaust from a bad Chinese food restaurant, but that could be because I was stuck in the back of the hotel with a lovely view of a breezeway and the air conditioning equipment rather than beautiful Copley Square.
You win some, you lose some, I guess.
The lobby is gorgeous and makes you realize you're walking into a little bit of history, not just some glitsy, high-priced hotel. The hotel staff is very polite and helpful. The bell hops are prompt and the maid service thorough.
The rooms are comfortable and cozy -- er, small. The beds aren't the most comfortable in the world, but they're also not all that bad. Nothing beats a fluffy Hyatt bed. If you're a business traveler, these are things you know. I had a 32" flat-screen television that was more than suitable and helped make the room seem a little bigger. (No big, bulky TVs anymore!)
The bathrooms are pseudo-sumptuous. I've stayed at another Fairmont where even the base-model bathrooms rooms make you feel like a king. These were.... nice. The soaps are high-end and it's all wall-to-wall marble, but in the end it's just a tub with a shower head, a toilet and a sink. If you're expecting a relaxing bubble bath in an over-sized tub, you're out of luck.
Another drawback: The fitness center. If you're like me, a decent fitness center is a primary concern when you do a lot of traveling. The Fairmont has three treadmills, one elliptical, a one-machine-does-it-all weight machine and a small set of dumbbells. That's it.
You can go to Fitcorp just two blocks away for $10, but if you'd prefer not to have to go outside the hotel, you're sorta stuck.
Other warnings: The Oak Room and Oak Bar are very, very nice, but the restaurant is pants-only. Meaning, if you've been working all day and want to relax in a polo and shorts, you're screwed. They'll politely ask you to change or sit at the bar. Not snooty, just policy and the hostess was very gracious and kind about it. But at $30-$50 a person, keep your shorts on and go somewhere nearby *cough* Coda on Columbus *cough* for a nice, casual meal.
Internet access was $13.95 a day, but if you're a member of their President's Club, the fee is waived. It's worth it to sign up if you think you'll be staying at another one of their locations. But if this is your first experience with a Fairmont, it might just turn you off to trying the others!
Although it's nice and I get a corporate rate, I think I'd prefer to stay at the Marriott at Copley for the convenience factor and since I think big chains (although usually plasticy and cold) tend to provide better amenities overall.
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The Fairmont has potential: The ballroom is lovely and the rooms facing Copley square is romantic. Plus, the Oak Room is kind of cozy and the wait staff is very professional.
That being said... a cursory glance at the outside gives you a good impression of the quality of the Fairmont. While the flowers are pretty and staff courteous, the sidewalk around it is perpetually cracked and the carpet raggy looking.
The ballroom is a good place to have a company event or wedding and the restaurant is good though not amazing. In terms of the rooms (or maybe just the one I stayed in), they are not huge but are of a decent size and the bathroom is spacious for a hotel bathroom. Although the bed isn't exactly heavenly plush, it was comfortable. And lastly... if you need to park in the garage nearby, just use their valet. It's about the same price as the garage and they'll pull your car up for you. Plus... when it's raining it's feels so nice to have someone hold an umbrella for you as you get into your car.
The Fairmont do some things right... but is just not quite up to par to be a top notch hotel.
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I've been here twice now, both this year. Once for a wedding and my company's holiday party. While the hotel is very nice inside and service was good, the food was really only mediocre for a place that houses one of the most expensive restaurants in Boston.
Comparing the wedding food and the holiday party food, the hors d'oeuvres were better at the holiday party but come on, why would you serve a big piece of lamb chop, with the meat still on the bone and needs a knife to cut, with no plates?! small portion please. i did get to try the hors d'oeuvres at the wedding as they were only served for the first 15 minutes or so, not sure why, but i didn't hear good things about it so that's ok.
onto dinner. because i helped with the food tasting for the wedding and picked most of the dishes that were served, my opinion will be slightly biased but i thought overall it was enjoyable for wedding food, but definitely didn't blow my mind away, nor did it for my bf. the appetizer came out cold. Now, the dinner for the holiday party. I don't even know where to start...the lobster bisque i guess. It was the nastiest lobster bisque i have ever had. first, it was brown. when i saw the color before i saw the sign, i thought it was gravy. then when i finally got to taste it, it had NO taste. salt and pepper didn't even help it. i don't know how it was cooked. everything else was just average. it was buffet style and nothing was special about the salad, pasta salad, the steak, fish and chicken. a comment i heard was, "the salad was the best dish in the house".
i hope my company doesn't have its holiday party there again and i know i won't have my wedding there.
Ok, so I still think it's a beautiful hotel, but I had to take a star away after I went there with full lighting for a presentation, I'm not sure I'll be able to eat there again.
Not only was there a mouse that ran across the room in the beginning of the presentation, but a bit later it was followed by a cockroach that looked like it was from the Jurassic period. It was HUGE! It wouldn't Die, even when someone stepped on it 3 times. It just lie there for a few minutes and then as if it "Regenerated" or something and just kept on going like nothing happened. What do they feed these things in that hotel? I know they say that cockroaches would be able to survive a nuclear war, but I didn't think they can survive being crushed.
I wonder if we keep eating the magical food from the hotel, would we become immortal too or do the cockroaches and the mice get to all the "magic elixirs" first, leaving us with only the sour taste in our mouths and possibly a bit of a viral infection?
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/9/2008
I have to say that I love this hotel. I only frequent it for weddings, unfortunately the hefty… Read more »
Where we stayed (on points) during our Boston visit. Great location, beautiful building, cute mascot (Catie the black lab), comfortable bed, extremely disappointing stay for a hotel with pretensions to being a luxury stop:
- Even on points, if we are staying in a $400 plus room, why do we have to pay extra to access the Internet, that's just feels cheap. Increase the room rates by 10 bucks and give us the Internet for free so we don't feel ripped off.
- A TV that is at least 5 years old?
- The bathroom was small, the door opened into the sink and there was only one sink - for this price there should be two sinks. Also, it would be nice if the toilet was separated from the only sink.
- We spilled coffee on one bath robe - they couldn't be bothered to replace it with a new one when the room was cleaned - even though we had left it out stain side up.
- The service was so-so, we arrived at the Oak Room at 10:00 o'clock on Sunday after attending a party - and wanted a snack. Sorry, kitchen closed and nobody had any real recommendations on where to go for a snack - so we ended up doing room service.
We give it one star because it can't hold a candle to the Ritz or Four Seasons - the hotel is taking advantage of its great history and fantastic location and offering sub-standard service! Inexcusable.
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When I worked at Brigham and Women's hospital, we used to have our Radiology holiday party here. I believe about 10,000 people attended the event.
The Grand Ballroom is beautiful! The ceilings are painted, there is lush carpeting, marble, and crystal chandeliers. The wine flowed freely and the food was served in a timely manner and quite dramatically, however the steak that I ordered was so bland and tasteless.
I never stayed overnight here but if you get invited to a party at the Fairmont Copley, dress to the nines and have a great time!
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Keep in mind I've never actually stayed here.
However, my school had its spring ball here, and it was one of the best. The food was great - rare at hotels, especially for such a large crowd.
-1 star because the drinks at the ball were gross and expensive. I suspect my school paid a hefty price for the room, so I think $12 for a martini is a bit much.
The room we were given, and the service we got, were not up to my expectations. I stay at 4- and 5-star hotels about 10 nights of the year, and am a member of the Fairmont President's Club preferred guest program. Every interaction we had with a staff member was unimpressive, from the mumbling check-in person to the distracted check-out clerk. No doorman was on duty when we checked in, nobody offered to help with our bags, and the concierge was unable to answer basic questions about the immediate Copley area.
The door to our Fairmont Room opened right onto the bed, with no vestibule or closet area to separate the room from the public hallway. The closet provided less than 12 inches of hanging space, and no skirt hangers at all. There were no drawers or shelves for clothing, anywhere in the room -- the whole armoire was taken up by the TV and minibar. There was no coffee in the room, although a notice in the minibar area said that we could have a pot and supplies delivered for an additional cost!
The bathroom was minimal, with a shower over the tub surrounded by a fabric shower curtain (which, of course, blows in on you as you're trying to relax) and no robes. Toiletry amenities were basic but decent, and actually smelled pleasantly of citrus and herbs. But still, for a 4-star hotel, I expected a better setup.
The TV in our room was malfunctioning, turning itself on at will. We tried to unplug it, but the armoire was too heavy to move. We turned down the volume, closed the doors, and threw the bedspread over the armoire to hide the light that was coming throught the door. The next morning, we asked the front desk to have it fixed. Maintenence left a note saying that the problem was resolved, but it wasn't -- we were awakened at 2am by the TV turning itself on at full volume! Needless to say, we weren't very happy the next morning.
We left for our day out at about 8am, and left the "please make up room" sign on the door. When we returned, exhausted and ready for a shower, at 3:30pm, the room was still just as we left it. We called housekeeping, and the person who answered actually lectured us that we should KNOW that they have until 4pm to make up the room. (Are we psychic?) We asked them to send up towels so that we could shower; 30 minutes later, they hadn't arrived, so we called again. 20 minutes later, still no towels. I went out into the hall, found the abandoned maid's cart, and got them myself.
The maid finally came to our door a few minutes later at 5pm, asking to make up the room. We told her that we'd like her to come back in an hour or so, after we left for dinner, and she sighed and stamped off. We took our shower, and came out to find a little "sorry you didn't want your room made up" notice slid under the door -- infuriating! When we called the front desk and explained what had happened, and asked them to please send someone up in 30 minutes to freshen the room, they gave us all kinds of flack, and finally agreed to only change the sheets and towels.
The location on Copley Square is fabulous, and the bed was comfortable -- but those are just about the only things I can think of to recommend this hotel. I'd rather spend less and stay at the Marriott across the street; at least then I'd expect minimal service.
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Wow...okay...so I glanced over the other 16 or something reviews before mine, and thought, "WHAT?!" This place is my favorite hotel in Boston. So maybe they sucked me in with Catie Copley (the mascot, a black lab that is available each day for guests to take for a walk whenever they please!), or maybe it is the old and very classy structure (inside and out) that make this place comfortable and upscale in a quite pleasing way. Or maybe, it's the staff that remember my family as they visit periodically. WHATEVER it is, it is a culmination of five star service and accommodations that make this place so wonderful. My step-sister stayed here for a night with my dad and step-mom and she recieved a note "from" the dog, and they even called asking us when we wished to take catie for a walk! Now that's a fun thing. She also got a stuffed black lab on her bed the second day, and even black lab cookies!!! There is a floor, I believe it is the fourth, that serves food and beverages (for an additional charge), that is a nice thing to do, especially if you would otherwise eat late night snacks, or it is even great for breakfast. Definitely a good idea if you're with the family. This room also provides many board games, and two living room type areas complete with books, and fire places. Some of the best views of Copley Square, this hotel showcases the picturesque Trinity Church right in front of it, and I recommend it for a special get-away, or even just a night in lovely Boston. Maybe good for weddings as well, I know it is a large space, and already very fancy for those in need of that kind of space. Enjoy!
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don't stay at this hotel! its so not worth the money.
i stayed here thinking 'oh what a great location!" i saw the valet and heard good things about it, so figured why not.
we didn't like anything at all about the hotel. the rooms are musty and small! we asked to be upgraded to a bigger room- and we got one with two rooms. the set up is just horrible though. needless to say we didn't get a good nights sleep. the bathroom- is the oddest hotel bathroom i've ever stayed in.
i understand its an old building and historical. but i just felt so dusty and the smells were unbearable.
the bed was not even comfortable.
not to mention, i ate at the oak room (which is downstairs in the lobby). what a bomb!
also- the valet were horrible! it was pouring rain out, and the valet guy had an umbrella in his hand- he was too much in a daze to offer it to me to get into my car. instead i got soaked on my way to a wedding! and the counter check in was even worse!.
not to mention- i had to use the public restroom in the lobby! i walked in and no lie- there was blood all over this stall. tampons thrown all over the place. it literally looked like a bloodbath in here- i immediately ran to another stall- and someone took a huge dump and didn't flush!
i couldn't believe how horrible it was in there and no one had been cleaning the area. normally i find 'restroom attendees' so incredibly annoying. u know they stare at you up and down while you wash your hands, and with attitude toss you a paper towel. or how about the ones that dance to the music inside the bathroom while cleaning up the sink. lol - thats always the best. but in this case- the place needs to hire someone to take care of this place.
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Recently attended a large wedding in the grand Ballroom, apps were mediocre,staff unfriendly, entree was cold, bartenders were rude. Wouldnt host a function there. This old gem need a good polish, and new management!
