Boston
Massachusetts


The Experience

Having just completed a three-year, $43 million makeover, the Four Seasons Boston looks as fresh -- if not fresher -- than it did at its 1985 opening. Set directly on Boston's bucolic Public Gardens and facing gold-capped Beacon Hill, with a new spa and chef de cuisine -- not to mention the best hotel pool in the city -- the red-brick hotel is as suitable for a weekend getaway as it is for a week of closing deals.

The Rooms

Every room got a dose of TLC during the hotel's renovation, with fluffy new white duvets, marble-capped drawers and Italian linens from Rivolta. On a techie note, rooms now come with flat-screen plasma TVs, iPod docks and improved, high-speed Internet access. Moderate rooms are almost $100 less than the nearest category, but virtually the same size. Still, opt for one of the garden-view rooms or suites, which look onto the majestic swans and manicured lawns just across Boylston Street.

The Service

Although the Four Seasons was already among Boston's most service-focused, the hotel's recent makeover has added some nifty new treats. Along with complimentary disposable bathing suits available at the pool, workout clothes are laundered each day for free. The hotel also has jogging maps, towels and water for fitness fans who favor the outdoors.

The Highlights

To match its new look, the hotel's formal French dining room, Aujourd'hui, has a new chef de cuisine, William Kovel, formerly of local haute boîte Radius. Even if you're staying elsewhere, Aujourd'hui's sleek mahogany interiors and prime Public Garden views are a must -- especially for Sunday brunch. The next-door Bristol Lounge is great for drinks, but even better on Friday and Saturday nights, when it hosts its Viennese Dessert Buffet, an over-the-top exercise in excess with tarts, cakes, chocolates and crepes. Work off those extra calories at the hotel's elaborate 7,000-square-feet fitness center, which includes a 44-feet heated swimming pool. And follow up your workout with a hot-stone massage, either at the new spa or in your own suite.

-- David Kaufman

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