- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
The Eliot Hotel
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Back Bay
370 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 267-1607
370 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 267-1607
- Nearest Transit:
-
Hynes Convention Center (Green)
- Price Range:
-
$$$
13 reviews for The Eliot Hotel
I had to stay in Boston for work and wanted a historic hotel. The Liberty was too expensive and far from the Pru Center. Jury's (in the old police station) was running a three-night-for-price-of-two special, but unfortunately I was only staying 2 nights so why pay for two when everybody else is getting three for same money? I finally decided to try the Eliot Hotel because it was offering a significantly lower average room rate via Priceline (about 50 dollars less than the large hotels nearby, although the hotel website did not show this discount so it must have been a Priceline special). If I had known it was built by the family of some president of Harvard, I probably would have avoided it as potentially snobby, but not knowing that, I went and had a very nice experience.
I expected to get a crummy room since I booked through Priceline the day before I showed up, but instead I got a complimentary upgrade to a little suite that was more like someone's nice old apartment than a hotel. French doors, live plant, minibar, and a marble bathroom with a new-looking toilet and sink (the tub still looked a bit old). Free bag of jellybeans in the room too! The room had no view (faced a building wall) but as I get plenty of view from our office building, and the room was otherwise very nice, I didn't care. The bathroom also had two little rust stains around fixtures but was otherwise pristine marble and way nicer than I usually see in "historic" hotels.
The staff were super nice and helpful during my whole stay, really a cut above hotel staff at most other places. The rooms have real brass keys and there is an ornate and ancient elevator that's a little creaky but adds to the old-timey charm. There are also two excellent, though pricey, restaurants right in the hotel as well as many restaurants (including ethnic and cheaper options and Dunkin Donuts as well as steakhouses) and shops close by on Newbury Street. A beautiful park is across from the hotel, and the T has a very convenient stop just a block away.
I would have loved to give this place five stars but did run into some little nits. Upon check-in the desk clerk bragged about the ICE electronic touch-screen concierge system in the rooms, where you can use the touch-screen to request anything you need. I was dying to try it out, but on my first attempt to use it, touching the screen button did nothing, and after about 5 minutes the screen posted a "Server is down. Please call 1-888- (number) for assistance." I called the number, which appeared to go to an outside contractor not the hotel itself, and the first two tries I got some guy's voice mail. The third try I got a live operator who said she'd get a technician. She came back to report that they were working on the problem, the hotel had been alerted and someone would call me when it was fixed. However, it stayed down for the whole two days I was there, and no one ever called. This isn't a huge deal since you can still reach the concierge by phone, but I kind of wondered why it would take days to fix a server and why I wasn't given any sort of progress report, given that this is a new and vaunted feature of the hotel and the monitor screen takes up a huge area of the desk. Their wi-fi was also not working on my first day there, which was frustrating as i was trying to get something done for work - it did come back the next day though. The in-room safe also did not work right and kept giving me an error code or shutting down when I tried to enter a code and lock - I know this wasn't my fault as I have used the same type safe in many, many hotels. Finally, when I returned in the evening it appeared that the bathtub hadn't been cleaned very well and some residue was left from my morning use of the tub. All of these things wouldn't be worth knocking off a star on their own, but taken together, it added up to about one star's worth of frustration. Regardless, I'd definitely stay here again and hope that everything worked and I could give five stars next time.
Side note: I wonder what Mr. Eliot would think of an adult bakery and novelty shop being located across the street from his family's hotel :)
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Boston's Best Boutique hotel! Not only does it have the advantage of a rockin' location, this place is utterly precious and charming. The rooms are special and lovely and the staff is attentive and friendly. Forget chains - this truly is a Boston one-of-a-kind gem. Not only that, but they have Clio, one of Boston's best restaurants, right inside!
My work did some business with the Eliot and Maureen, the Director of Sales and Catering, was a super star. No crisis was too big, no accommodation too outlandish. She took care of my people staying there and was friendly and great the entire time. Not only does the Eliot know style, but they know customer service! I recommend this place to out of town friends time and time again.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
I loved the European feel of The Eliot Hotel - it was so charming and quaint, and the decor was lovely. The staff represented the ultimate in professionalism and were polite and helpful at all times. On my last day in Boston it was raining pretty hard, and I was offered a sturdy Eliot Hotel umbrella to use for the day. It was totally unexpected and I really appreciated it as I had not planned ahead.
My suite was enormous and had its own old, beautiful charm. There was an iPod stereo, a walk-in closet, sunburst mirrors and plush couches. You can purchase 24 hours of wi-fi for $9.99. Oh, and instead of those rechargeable key cards you get an actual key on a huge brass keychain that they pull out of a cubby with your room number on it. Love!
My only complaint about the hotel was the thin walls. I'm the deepest of sleepers and even I had a hard time falling asleep with the outside noise of traffic on the busy streets as well as noise (IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN) coming from the adjoining suites that had only a thin door separating us.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (3)
The Eliot adds to the charm of old Boston. I've stayed here numerous times now, almost a dozen, and the experience has never swayed far from being exceptional. The staff is always helpful, the bar and restaurant are accommodating to late night business travels. The kicker is that they supply fresh cookies for you each day on your coffee table, my favorite are the double chocolate chip.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
I had a great experience at the Eliot.
I came off-season and had an upgrade. The service was as promised and the staff was very efficient and polite.
I'll absolutely come again!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (2)
Beautiful hotel. A bunch of friends and I stayed here for my birthday in February.
I was surprised how small the lobby was, but it was decorated beautifully. Lots of old fashioned charm and lots of marble. The staff at the front desk were really nice and they got us checked in and up to our room quickly. The elevators were surprisingly small, and rather old fashioned, but they had little chandeliers in them which I thought was very cute and unexpected.
We had booked a deluxe room, and it was very elegant. It had large windows that opened, and a view of the Pru (and also the convenience store and naughty cake store across the street on Mass Ave, but I loved that too!) We had two large queen sized beds in the bedroom, which you could close off from the entry way and living room area with French doors.
There were chocolate chocolate chip cookies waiting for us when we got up there, and they were devoured in minutes by me and my chocoholic friends. The bathrooms were a little outdated, but you find that with a lot of hotel rooms in Boston, but on the plus side there was marble everywhere and nice bath amenities which we promptly put in our suitcases.
There was a HUGE walk-in closet with shelves, hangers, iron, iron board and a wall of mirrors. The front desk staff was great when we bothered them on numerous occasions for ice, a bottle opener and a pair of scissors, always sending someone up right away with whatever we had requested.
The room was beautiful, the location couldn't be better right on the corner of Mass Ave. and Comm. Ave. You're close to EVERYTHING being one block away from Newbury Street, and 2 blocks away from Boylston. My friends and I had a great time here, we'd definitely come back and stay again. And I also want to try their restaurant down in the basement, Clio, I heard it was great too!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
One of the best hotel experiences I have had.
We got a weekend stay as a wedding gift and it ended up being our honeymoon weekend, even though we lived less than 10 miles away.
The room was a beautiful suite that looked out over comm av and would have been really nice for the 4th of July!
They had a box of pastries for us the first night we were there and some cookies and milk the second night. The room was SO clean, sheets crisp, and the bed was one of the most comfortable I have ever been in.
A big jacuzzi bath tub and wonderful service was like icing on the cake. I know it's on the pricey side for those who don't get their stay as a gift, but it would have been worth it!
Oh and they have AWESOME food for room service and the attached restaurant is amazing as well!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Extremely swank boutique hotel. expensive! and located right by all those mansions.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
The Eliot Hotel was the crown jewel in our recent stay in Boston ~ build around 1925, it has the "back-in-time" feel while maintaining the utmost on professionalism, courtesy, and genuine smiles from its wonderful staff. The first nice surprise were the chocolate chocolate-chip cookies in our room when we arrived, and the entire place was impeccably neat & clean. I would highly recommend this for the value, location, and especially for the romantic feel of the hotel! Simply superb!
Stayed here with the whole family and it was great. This is a beautiful hotel, clean and decorated with so much taste. The wine, cookies and fruit in our room was a nice touch. Toiletries are the best. The front desk was very polite and helpful. Its located in just the right spot for dining and shopping and close to the T which is so easy to use and if you are trying to avoid dirty cabs and wasting gas I would suggest the T. Definitely worth staying here.
Wonderful European feel Hotel in a great Beantown neighborhood. This was recommended to us, now I'm returning the favor and it is where I would stay again! You will pay for the experience, but worth it.
i've never stayed here, many of my friends were valet parkers here, i used to stop by a lot to shoot the shit, once i came by, wearing my work clothes (white shirt and tie, and black pants) and my friends were inside with someone's luggage, a few guests asked me to hail their cabs, so sure why not, got six bucks!!
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
perfect little hotel on a perfect street. i had a suite which was so comfortable and enveloping that i would have preferred not to leave. very professional staff which is a rarity among hotels these days. the bed was super. the living room furniture cushions were all down filled so i couldn't decide which i enjoyed more, the bed or the sofa and chairs. delightful warm cookies were delivered to my room with wishes for sweet dreams...very nice touch. i would definitely stay here again.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
