Nine years in, now that the fire is out, their front door is feng-shui correct, and they convinced the city to move two stop lights in order to shave one minute off the valet delivery time, the ultra-luxe Mandarin Oriental Boston is open for business. Just in time for the economic sky to fall.
They don't seem too worried about filling their rooms though, despite industry doom and gloom predictions.
Evidently, there are still people out there who can -- and will -- fork over between $625 and $8,000 a night when in Boston for little touches like a rainforest shower, silk window treatments, mother-of-pearl ceiling tiles and humongous flat screen televisions. At least (from what we can tell from this Boston Globe article), the folks at Mandarin Oriental are banking on that, anyway.
Oops, wait, isn't banking a bit of a bad word these days?
And they have finally arrived with a review in the New York Times. If you're in a hurry, we'll ruin the surprise ending for you:
If you're in town for a convention or to do business in South Boston, the Renaissance would be a no-brainer -- convenient, with high-end tech toys and a friendly, helpful staff. For families or those looking for a classic Boston scene, the out-of-the way location may override the positives.
If you can stick around, we've got the Times' pros, cons, and dirty details after the jump.
This year, the Gallery restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common is toasting the Halloween season -- because that's what luxury hotels do -- with the new "Spirits" cocktail and dessert menu.
The selection, available each Thursday and Friday in October, is truly scary as it features a list of sorority-house cocktails like "Redrum, Redrum," a mixture of orange and pineapple juices as well as Bacardi Gold rum (at least it's not the cheap stuff of well drinks), topped off with grenadine and a Maraschino cherry, Shirley Temple-style.
Called a "Sweetheart's Staycation," starting at $599 per person, you'll get two nights' stay, bubbly and chocolates, a dinner cruise around Boston Harbor on an Odyssey Ship, breakfast and bed, and late check-out.
The fine print didn't say if there are any windows for booking, but it sounds like a good deal for lovers of love and leaves.
Good news: we just got the final word from Fairmont that they've officially taken over the property and have scheduled it to be open and ready to go as soon as this coming December.
Word from the official press release:
The contemporary hotel will feature 150 elegantly appointed guestrooms, including Fairmont Gold, the brand's exclusive lifestyle offering featuring warm and personalized service with amenities such as private reception and a comfortable guest lounge. Guestrooms will be spacious with a large work area, marble baths and all of the technology features consistent with five-diamond standards. The décor will be residential in style and inspired by the property's harbor side location.
And yes, Fairmont is keeping with Regent's plans to feature a restaurant "designed with guidance by" acclaimed chef Guy Martin. Thanks for saving the day here, Fairmont.
Remember way back to the beginning of Summer when Regent Hotels totally dropped out of their Battery Wharf Hotel in Boston before the place even opened, leaving residential owners and future hotel guests totally screwed out of the Regent experience?
Well, Fairmont Hotels has come and saved the day. Reader Kal B let us know that the Canadian chain has snapped up the Battery Wharf hotel. (See this page, under "In Development".)
We are hoping that Fairmont will keep whatever was originally planned for the hotel like the 18,000-square-foot Guerlain spa and the 80-seat Sensing restaurant from acclaimed chef Guy Martin. But all that is definitely still be worked on and we have no idea when it will actually open, other than the ambigous date of "2008."
We did make mention last week that five Sheraton hotel lobbies were now the proud home to Microsoft Surface screens, and we checked in on the first public demo too.
So far so good, but now we've seen a demonstration of it in live action at the Sheraton Boston.
[UPDATE: The pageant is being held on August 23rd.]
Calling all dudes who ever wished they could enter in the Miss USA Pageants....
The first-ever Mister USA Pageant will be held in Boston on Sept. 23rd at the Lenox Hotel.
So far, 11 young men will "walk it out" to become the first Mister America, who will then travel to the Mister International pageant in Taiwan later this year. Mister USA founder, Rafa Delfin, explains his decision to start up the pageant for men to the Boston Globe:
"There's so many opportunities for young women to participate in pageants . . . they even have mother-daughter pageants, for Pete's sake!"
Like all other pageants Mister USA has some requirements for contestants. Men must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and be at least 5-foot-9. The winner will receive $200,000 in cash and prizes and will head off to Taiwan in October.
Some of the elements of the pageant show will include bathing suit and evening wear struts, and the ever-engaging contestant interview.
If you're in Boston and want to attend, pre-purchased tickets are $20 and at the door is $30. Go here for more info.
[UPDATE: The pageant is being held on August 23rd.]
