Hotel Commonwealth and the Boston Backlash

December 1, 2003 at 11:40 AM | 0 Comments

Ever since Hotel Commonwealth opened in March 2003 the critics have been widely panning this hotel. Any developer that builds in Boston's historic Kenmore Square had better not be averse to risk at the highest level, and Boston University, one of the property's lead developers, took the risk head on.

While Hotel Commonwealth was hailed in Business 2.0 as one of the first hotels with a completely SIP phone system (though local calls are still a buck), it was panned by many local critics such as The Globe, and local blogger Nedward, who chronicles the trials and tribulations of Hotel Commonwealth on his site, and lashes out at the developers of this property calling it "tacky, cheap, and an insult to a city with truly exceptional architecture."

Furthermore, the Globe reported last summer that a slew of lucky BU freshmen were going to use a floor at Hotel Commonwealth as their dormitory. Can you imagine booking one of these packages only to find out you were checking into a swank hotel that was also hosting a class of '07 BU keg party on the 7th floor. Ouch. Seems like that could put a damper on your weekend away.

Tim Kirwan, the hotel's managing director has done an admirable job in the face of controversy. He has frequently answered concerns about the hotel both in print and onine. A friendly staff and some on-site changes may help ebb the local hostility towards Hotel Commonwealth.

Reportedly, BU and the other hotel developers were going to give the building's facade a multimillion dollar face lift to appease the local outcry against the hotel.

Did Hotel Commonwealth get a facelift? If so does it look any better? Is the icy local reception beginning to thaw, or is the cool response turning glacial.

Next week I'll be heading over to Kenmore Square to see what there is to see. I'll report back here, of course.

Tags: Hotel News

by markj

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