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Marriott Copley Place Unveils Renovated Digs, Giant TV Screen

Where: 110 Huntington Ave [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

Hey, Red Sox fanatics: Looks like you might have a new favorite game day destination in Beantown (Fenway Park notwithstanding, obviously). As part of the Boston Marriott Copley Place’s $22-million, year-long renovations, the hotel has a new restaurant, Champions, that boasts “one of the largest HD projection screens in New England,” or so they claim.

Champions’ 12-by-24-foot screen seems poised to become one of the hottest places to watch the Sox, if you ask us. Especially since the resto also has more than 40 flat-panel TVs, a high-tech sound system, and 36 beers on tap.

But enough about Champions — that $22 million didn’t all go the jumbo screen. Copley Place also features a completely renovated first and second floor, with new front desk area and three new meeting rooms, the new Connexion Lounge, renovated health club and pool, and full makeover of all 47 suites.

Full renovations will be complete in early 2010 — guess we mean guests can still expect a little hammering in the meantime?

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Book a Room at the W Boston, Get a Limited Edition Cynthia Rowley Scarf

Where: 100 Stuart Street [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

We told you yesterday how the W Boston would be opening tomorrow but that rooms were unavailable for this upcoming weekend. Bummer (Are they not quite finished or sold-out? That is still the question.) However, rooms were open for next weekend at $260 a night for a Wonderful room.

But now it looks like the hotel has an opening "offer" that gives you some perks beyond just a room for the night. The W Boston Opening Experience includes in-room welcome cocktails; a chef-selected dessert at Market by Jean-Georges, a limited edition Cynthia Rowley scarf (exclusive to the W Boston) and a VIP Insider discount card to Cynthia Rowley that gives you 20 percent off all purchases at all Cynthia Rowley stores, even the ones in your hometown.

It's a great opening offer, if you happen to be Blair Waldorf from "Gossip Girl." So maybe it's a better Girls Weekend hotel than a Boys Weekend one. Rates start at $259 a night. The special offers link on the hotel's website is down right now but you can call the hotel directly to book. (617) 261-8700. Ask for the Opening Experience.

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W Boston and Its 'Cosmopolitan Cool' Will Open on Thursday

Where: 100 Stuart Street [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

The last time we checked on the W Boston, the hotel was set to open October 22nd except the opening has now been delayed until October 29th. But if you're looking to spend Halloween weekend here, the hotel is not showing any availability.

Could they be sold-out or just not quite open to guests? We're not sure. However, next weekend, Nov. 6-8, is open for your "Sensory Pilgrimage" at $260 a night for a Wonderful non-smoking room. A studio suite is also available for $350.

The rooms are predictable W style, they didn't re-invent the wheel here or anything as the rooms promise high-design, high-technology and cleverly nicknamed amenities. (Munchie Box anyone?) Interestingly, we see that this W is actively advertising "Free Wireless High Speed Internet Access" in public areas like the hotel's Living Room. We can't wait to test out that connection.

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Tags: Hotel Amenities / Taj Hotels / Boston Hotels / Butlers / → All Tags

Fireside Butlers at the Taj Boston Are Getting Ready to Light Your Fire

Where: 15 Arlington St [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

With the days starting to get cooler, the Taj Boston is ready to start its Fireside Season on October 15. We've always been tickled by hotel rooms with fireplaces, even if we never actually need to light the fire. But the Taj has gone above and beyond by employing Fireside Butlers. Yes, butlers whose sole job is to make sure your fire is burning bright.

And not only that, but they've got some fireside specials going, starting next week and going right through to April 1 next year.

The Fireside Tailgate deal is for sports lovers – rather than brave the cold to watch a game in the flesh, the Taj Boston suggests you "tailgate" it next to the fireplace in your hotel room, where you can watch it on the 42-inch flatscreen and enjoy an in-room "picnic" with choices like chicken pot pie, clam chowder or a Kobe beef burger, along with drinks of your choice.

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Thanks to Money Issues, The W Boston Will Now Open on October 22nd

Where: 100 Stuart Street [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

If you planned your trip at the end of September around the W Boston opening, then you'll have to seek out another hotel. The hotel will now open on October 22, according to its website. But in usual W Hotel custom, reservations were not being taken until November 15 so that is probably the first night you can actually sleep in the guest rooms.

This is the third new date for the W Boston. Past opening dates have been listed for August 31st and September 30th. We reached out to a hotel rep as to why the delay but haven't heard back yet. However, we came across this article about the stalled development thanks to (what else?) money and loan issues.

Nearly four months after the city announced plans to issue a $10 million loan to the stalled W Hotel project, the money still hasn’t been borrowed. The final piece of financing in the $232 million project has prevented Sawyer Enterprises from completing the hotel/condo development in the city’s Theatre District.

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Copley Square's $18 Birthday Sale Did Not Go So Well

Where: 47 Huntington Ave [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

Ah, it seems we have learned nothing from the Great $19.28 Fail of October 2008 (oh no, we did not and will not forget). See, back then, Leading Hotels of the World tried to hold a sale that had a limited number of rooms for $19.28, and then so many people overloaded the LHW website when the sale launched that the site crashed completely and everyone was pissed and complainy so they had to try the sale a second time with some logistical adjustments.

Yesterday, something similar happened with the Copley Square's $18 Birthday Sale — except they're not going for a do-over (but people are nice and pissed, if Tweets like this and this are any indication). The site was overloaded and many, many people trying to book those $18 rooms got error messages.

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Copley Square Celebrates Its Birthday With $18 Rates

Where: 47 Huntington Ave [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

We'd like to wish a very, very happy birthday to Boston's Copley Square Hotel, whose 118th birthday is an excellent occasion to celebrate not only because, like, 118 is a lot of years — but because we are able to snag rooms at rates as low as $18 (and we're able to report a rate of $18 without having made a typo — so, no, we didn't leave off a zero there; we mean 18, as in less than 20). The place is old, but remember it was recently renovated — it reopened in January after an $18 million makeover.

But there's a catch to this $18 promo: as is the case with most of these super-cheap-rate promos, you've gotta book during a small reservation window. Here's the deal: you need to visit the Copley Square's birthday website on July 14 from 1:18 p.m. – 3:16 p.m. get a room at that $18 rate. The sale lasts 118 minutes (hence the bizarre times) or until all the rooms are sold. Boutique rooms will start at $18 and go up to $118, and they'll be available for stays between July 14 to September 24 (there are up to 5 rooms per night that are going for $18).

Also: don't bother calling; you can only make the rezzies online. Scope it out now and get your fingers ready for the 14th.

Tags: W Hotels / Boston Hotels / Hotel Hype / W Talent Shows / → All Tags

The W Boston's 'Talent Show' is Going On Right Now

Where: 100 Stuart Street [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

A promising sign that The W Boston will open on time this September? The hotel is currently holding its W Boston Talent Show (also known as a job fair) at 660 Washington Street. All positions are open at the hotel from Whatever/Whenever staff to administrative positions to bar and kitchen staff. Here's how it will all go down:

Upon entering the Talent Center (pictured), applicants will be transported behind an invisible velvet rope into the world of W. After checking in at the Welcome Desk, potential talent will be escorted to a Starfinder Station to complete an application online and the W Whisper Booth for a more personal meet and greet.

The W will open on September 30 (so they say) in the city's revitalized Theatre District with 235 guest rooms and 123 W residences. For now, the talent show will continue through Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Positions were most interested in hearing more about? The Munchie Box position and the Style position. If you hit the talent show up, let us know how it went.

[Photo: Evan Saunders]

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Bring Your Doggie to the Copley Square Hotel to Support the SPCA

Where: 47 Huntington Avenue [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

Aw, a heartwarming little tale (tail, hehe) of a hotel doing good on this somewhat blah Thursday morning: the recently-renovated and super-pet-friendly Copley Square Hotel in Boston is all about the animals this summer.

It has pledged to support the Massachusetts SPCA, and will be setting aside a weekend where it will completely waive its $40 pet fee if you bring your doggie in — and the hotel will be donating a portion of its room revenues to the MSPCA that weekend. This is all in conjunction with Take Your Dog To Work Day, which is apparently a real thing and is happening on June 26th.

Something we didn't know: through the end of the year, the hotel will be donating $10 to the MSPCA for every pet who checks into the hotel. And also: guh, look at this picture.

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Aujourd'hui at Four Seasons Boston Will Close This Summer

Where: 200 Boylston St. [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

Oh noes. The fine-dining resto at the Four Seasons Boston, Aujourd'hui, doesn't have a whole lot of demains left: the Four Seasons announced that the resto is closing on July 1st, another victim of the economy and the sagging demand for high-end dining.

According to the Boston Herald:

Beginning July 1, the more casual Bristol Lounge will be the sole dining option at the posh Back Bay hotel. The Aujourd’hui space with its famed view overlooking the Public Garden will be renamed and used for private functions.

“It’s not how people are dining anymore,” said Four Seasons Hotel Boston public relations director Kristan Fletcher about Aujourd’hui’s high-priced, sophisticated cuisine and spit-and-polish service.

Apparently, entree dishes — like Assiette of Rabbit and Gulf of Maine Hake — went for around $40 each, and the fancypants factor wasn't enough to lure diners into the place to shell out that kind of dough. Sigh. Guess all anyone wants are sliders and big french fries with fancy dips.

But, pssst: 'til July 1st when the resto closes, we think you should still hit up Aujourd'hui's "Bubbly Bar Fridays" — you get complimentary tastes of sparkling wine from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. A farewell toast, if you will.

Tags: Baseball Hotels / Hotel Packages / MLB Hotels / Boston Hotels / → All Tags

Hit Up the Copley Square For the Ultimate Red Sox Experience

Where: 47 Huntington Ave [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

New York baseball fans have had their packages offered to them already: whether you're a Mets fan or Yankee devotee, hotels have been givin' out the love in the form of rate kickbacks as the baseball season has gotten into full swing (to name a couple, 70 Park Avenue and the Milford Plaza) — but what about the Red Sox loyalists?

Not to leave out the Beantown baseball fanatics, the just-revamped Copley Square Hotel has put together a Baseball in Beantown Package offering a few different ticket options that score you a spot close to the action and some fan swag (which works out nicely for those of us who may only be fans of whichever teams happen to be doing well each season).

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Lenox Hotel Boston Gets a Purely Hypo-Allergenic 'Pure' Floor

Where: 61 Exeter Street [map], Boston, MA, United States, 02116

We first encountered a floor full of PURE rooms — hypo-allergenic hotel rooms with almost every base covered to eliminate allergens and pollutants from the space — at NYLO. As promised, our allergies did not upset us when we stayed in a PURE room — though the blue light from the air-filtration contraption thing under the bed sort of did. But the important thing was that we had a floor devoted entirely to our delicate, easily-triggered allergies.

And now, according to the Boston Globe, allergy-suffering Boston travelers now have their own whole-floor PURE sanctuary at the Lenox Boston. This hotel, if you'll recall, first came on our radar because of its uber-slow elevators — but then we found out later that the elevators were uber-slow because the hotel was uber-green and had actually set the lifts to run slowly to save electricity.

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