Travel Tales

New boutique hotel & bistro in Boston's most charming & historic district

Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro charms the heart and appetite
Visiting a very special Boston neighborhood an hour away

 By Walter & Pat Brooks

When the New York Times writes about a new hotel saying, "The very terms 'town house hotel' and 'bistro' are suspect these days. But the Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro in Boston is the genuine article", you can be pretty sure it's a great place to hang your hat.

We spent last weekend at the this diminutive caravansary at 25 Charles Street, and we enjoyed every minute.  We never went near Newbury or Boylston Street for the first visit in ages. 

The Bistro
Beacon Hill Bistro is where Rebecca's on Charles Street satisfied Brahman appetites for decades. The dining room is a long, narrow and very well lighted space and pratically on the sidewalk of this quaint and historic neighborhood.

Hand-Made Tagliatelle with Woodbury Clams, Broccoli Rabe, and Hot Pork Sausage

Crisp Duck Confit, Wild Mushroom Ragu with Stone Ground Grits and Pumpkin

Steak Frites - Grilled Strip Steak with Herb and Butter Sauce

Pistachio Cashew Gateau with Warm Banana and Creme Fraiche Sorbet

Diners either sit looking out at the vibrant Charles Street scene or at a room-long mirror which offers the same view in reverse. Happily there is nothing contrived or avant garde about the looks or ambience of the place.  In a word, it's simply comfortable.

The wait staff of handsome young men and women is both attentive and helpful. One waiter Michael had parents who lived two miles from us in Chatham. You feel like you are in a small French bistro and there is nothing flashy or "latest restaurant design scheme" about The Bistro.

The Dinner
For dinner on Saturday night I started with the Roasted Beet Salad with Thyme, Farmer's Cheese and Shallot Vinaigrette, $9, and Pat had the Crisp Duck Confit, Wild Mushroom Ragu with Stone Ground Grits and Pumpkin, $12.

The first was unique and delicious while the latter was sumptuous.

While we pondered our main course, our waiter dropped off a half order of quite remarkable (but salty) Hand-Made Tagliatelle with Woodbury Clams, Broccoli Rabe, and Hot Pork Sausage, 14.  Moth-watering to the max.

The clams were named for their clamdigger, a Mr. Woodbury of Wellfleet of course.

Patricia followed with the Steak Frites - Grilled Strip Steak with Herb and Butter Sauce, $28. which our waiter assured her were the best in Boston, even better than those we had last month at Bambara's at the Marlowe Hotel in Cambridge, he insisted.

It was at least a tie for first place.

I went with the Braised Veal Short Rib with Roasted Parsnips, Carrots, Watercress and Red Wine Sauce, 24.

Saving the best for last
The Bistro is only a block from Boston Common and Garden, but the clientelle reflects its location a few blocks downhill from the State House and one of the poshest neighborhoods on earth.  I forced myself to add the Pistachio Cashew Gateau with Warm Banana and Creme Fraiche Sorbet, 8.50, and Pat ended with Warm Chocolate Cake with Spiced Apples and Caramel Ice Cream  9.    The complete menu is on their website.

Even the coffee was a good as it gets - Starbucks, eat your hear out.

The Rest of the story
Beacon Hill Hotel is a a small boutique hotel with 13 rooms and it's snuggled appropriately into this historic section of town with dark wood, cool tiled floor, and looks like it's been here since Boston was a baby.

The rooms are small, but well-appointed with wi-fi and other amenities and run from $245 to $345. There is one suite at $365. This tariff is average for Boston, but this one includes one of the best breakfasts in town.

There is a quaint outdoor terrace upstairs for guests to have a quiet drink and people watch the strollers below.

Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro
25 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114
(617) 723-7575

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Disney made easy for adults

   How to enjoy Orlando and the theme parks with comfort and sanity
A backdrop at Disney's Animal Kingdom and a nine-year old boy's first ride on Kraken at Sea World should get you in the mood for the rest of this story about visiting Orlando with kids.

The option of a beautiful, new house is a reality and a great improvement

By Walter & Patricia Books 

Everyone with kids  goes to Orlando and visits the theme parks, but some people stumble on to a way to go there and still have a relaxing and carefree time.

We've been visiting this area for decades, first with our two sons and now with two grandchildren.  Author and wit Robert Benchley once said that there were two ways to travel; First Class, or With Children.

We'd like to amend that to First Class with your own private house to come back to every night with children at the house shown on the right. 

My wife is a vacation planner of rare talent.  She routinely finds exotic and far away places for us to have adventures, even though sometimes that means we get hijacked at gunpoint or be forced to take alarming amounts of drugs to ward off the vapors of these climes.

But Orlando is still civilized (we once owned a tourist magazine there ourselves), and while the area motels and resorts are among the best, my wife searched out a rental or new vacation homes called All Star.

The result was we returned each evening to a lovely, comfortable house only a couple miles from the Disney gate, and relaxed as we never have before in this exciting but exhausting vacation destination. 

The kids' bedroom had huge stuffed animals, the theater room and billiard room kept them busy every minute that they weren't jumping in the giant, screened-in pool just outside the spacious living room.

You'll have no problem getting them to leave the parks when they have their own private pool and hot tub at home. 

These stunning Acadia Estates vacation homes feature between five and seven bedrooms, and can sleep anywhere from 12 to 16 guests, and the attention to detail was simply amazing.  In the eight nights we spent in this one there was not a single thing we needed which wasn't there.

It even had Wi-Fi throughout and an office area with a new PC which was always online.

With the rising cost of airfare, attraction tickets and gas prices on the minds of many travelers, luxurious accommodations while traveling to popular Central Florida can seem out of reach, but families can expand their options without stretching their budget when they consider a vacation home rental like these.

With a vacation home, families can gather under one roof, saving the costs associated with renting multiple hotel rooms. All Star's  two- and three- bedroom condos and town homes and private, seven-bedroom pool homes start at just $119 per night, these homes  features a wide variety of affordable vacation home options. Sara Moore, vice president of marketing of All Star Vacation Homes, says "parents and grandparents can make kid-friendly snacks and meals, providing a healthier and more cost effective alternative to eating out."

And this spring, staying with ALL STAR Vacation Homes becomes an even greater value with the ALL STAR Spring Travel package, featuring free Disney ticket upgrades; a complimentary heated pool and spa, a $300 value. With a seven night or greater reservation, families can enjoy a free mid-size rental car, further easing the hassle of trekking kids back and forth from park to park. If a car is not needed, guests are eligible for a $100 gas or grocery gift card that can be substituted for the rental vehicle.

In addition to their tremendous value, all ALL STAR homes are located within four miles of Walt Disney World and near Central Florida's other attractions such as Universal Studios and Sea World, making it easy for visitors to take a break and return to their vacation home throughout the day if they wish to.  I often went home and took a nap and returned for the fireworks or other events rather than spend the whole day in the parks. 

World's Best Kid's Food

We saved so much making kid-friendly meals at home, that we splurged a couple night at two great restaurants in two different Rosen Resort properties on International Drive - the "upside-down" mall on the right in I-Drive across from this first restaurant. 

We're a little embarrassed to be touting the Chicken Fingers at the Rosen Center Hotel's Everglades Restaurant which is one of Central Florida's most respected dining rooms. 

But as frequent travelers, often with children, we have come to really appreciate a resort whose restaurants offer this very high level of fun-food for the children while we adults can still dine on, in the case of the Everglades,

The montage on the right shows a little of what we enjoyed there;  a great appetizer combination,very good Alligator Stew,  and two of their steak choices, one smothered in Vidalia onions and the other in Bearnaise sauce.

We also sampled the Escargot baked in puff pastry, Chilean Sea Bass, Grouper, Snapper or Halibut and the steaks were chosen from the superb selection of five different Black Angus steaks. See the menu here.

Another choice spot

Another night we took the kids out to the Rosen Plaza's' great steak house Jack's Place where my beef-expert grandson informed us he had the best hamburger in his entire 9 years, shown on the right - and yes, he puts French Fries on top of the meat.  A quick look at Jack's menu will show you why this famous bistro is so popular.

We're not kidding about this stuff.  We take our grandkids out every week here on the Cape and spend several one and two week vacations with them every year, so we know when they're impressed as only a 9-year old boy and a 7-year old girl can be impressed.

Our granddaughter always orders Chicken Fingers, and she's had them from Maine to Mexico hundreds of times, and she claimed the ones she had at the Rosen Resort's other hotel were the best ever.

That's them on the right with equally great fries.

Oh, yes, the Theme Parks

We assumed we don't have to tell you much about Central Florida's theme parks other than to suggest you always get to them when the gates open and go left after you enter since most people turn right.

We've done them all over a dozen times, and  and the best tip is to use the Fast Pass system at Walt Disney World.  You will be able to double the number of rides you get to take every day.

Roller Coaster heaven 

And the area must have more great roller coasters than anywhere else on earth. Don't miss the ones at Universal and Sea World either.  

My grandson considers himself an expert here as well, and after multi-rides on every one in every park (he doesn't consider ones like the Runaway Railroad or Splash Mountain at The Magic Kingdom real roller coasters), he came up with the following list of the best in all the parks with the number of rides he took on this one trip;

1.  Kraken (Sea World, shown below) 4x (see YouTube)
   
2. The Incredible Hulk (Universal) 2x (see YouTube)
   
3. Dueling Dragons (Universal) 2x (see Youtube)
4. Rock 'n Roller Coaster (MGM) 3x
5. Mount Everest (Animal Kingdom) 8x

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Marvelous Mazatlán

The beauty of Mazatlán: from top, left- a vendor offers a giant shrimp from the shrimp capital of the world, the Old City, a cliff diver, acres of agave from which the world's best Tequila is made and the beautiful Holiday Inn Sunspree resort.  Photos by Patricia Brooks 

And they know a lot more about promoting than we do 

By Walter & Patricia Brooks 

Mazatlán pulls out all the stops to impress travel writers and destination booking agencies.  The officials of this Pacific Coast seaport resort across the Sea of Cortes from Los Cabos knows more about promoting than any US region I've run into, and I've run into many starting dozens of Best Read Guides over the past decade.

At our oceanfront hotel, the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, the waves kept getting bigger every day, and the Margaritas and food kept getting better along with them. This is not a party resort, in fact, the management goes out of its way to afford such.

We want to go back to Mazatlán but next time never leave the hotel.  All the meals were great, but the breakfasts sitting outdoors with this spectacular scene on right were especially satisfying.

Sure, the huevos rancheros were fine as always, but the "divorced eggs" were even better - two huevos with a red sauce on one and a green sauce on the other with refried beans, home fries, etc., and wi-fi everywhere, even on the beach.

Mazatlán is also a very safe city, and the resorts here are world-class. It is one of the most important ports on the Pacific Coast and is located in the southern region of the state of Sinaloa, 130 miles southeast of state capital Culiacan. The climate is warm with an average year-round temperature of around 77 degrees  although it did get into the 80s while we were there.


Mazatlán's 13th annual Gran Fiesta Amigos

As its name - Big Festival of Friends - suggests, the celebration is a tribute to travel partners, including wholesalers, tour operators, airlines and incentive companies, for their support in promoting Mazatlán as a destination.
Presented by the City of Mazatlán, the Mazatlán Hotel Association and the State of Sinaloa, the four-day festival gives industry guests the opportunity to enjoy the city's golden-sand beaches and rich cultural heritage.
   This year's Fiesta kicked off with a cocktail reception and dinner at Machado Square in the heart of Mazatlán's lively, colorful and quite beautiful Historic District.  
   Other festivities include a gala dinner at the Inn at Mazatlan, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and performances by Delfos Contemporanean. This award-winning contemporary dance company enjoys acclaim throughout the Americas, Canada and Europe. Its Mazatlán Professional School of Contemporary Dance draws students from all over Mexico.
   In addition Fiesta Amigos offered their guest tee times at El Cid Golf & Country Club and Estrella Del Mar. The El Cid boasts an 18-hole championship course and nine holes designed by Lee Travino. Estrella del Mar has a Robert Trent Jones-designed course located on picturesque Stone Island not far from Old Mazatlan.
   Throughout the Fiesta, guests were invited to relax with spa treatments at Los Sabalos Hotel and Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Hotel, luxury properties with panoramic Pacific views.
   "Fiesta Amigos gives us the opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to our travel partners," said Carlos Berdegué, vice president, Mazatlán Hotel Association and Tourism Board. Known as the Pearl of the Pacific because of its beautiful beaches and its abundant marine life, it has become an important site for international fishing tournaments such as the Bisbee’s Billfish Classic.

And the surf in front of the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort where we stayed was both impressive and a wonderful sound to lull you to sleep each night.

This destination combines traditional architecture in its Historic Center, known as Old Mazatlán a 15 minute mini-cab ride from the modern hotels and restaurants in the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone), a 6 mile strip with beautiful beaches with exotic names like Playa Norte, Playa Gaviotas and Playa Venados (North, Seagull and Deer).

These beaches are ideal for surfing, diving and fishing for both sailfish and marlin.  In Old Mazatlán, you can visit la Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion (The Cathedral of Immaculate Conception), walk down beautiful streets lined with 19th-century buildings, buy fresh shrimp from the fishmongers market (this is one of the world's major shrimping ports), wander through one lovely plaza after another or dine al fresco at many of the excellent restaurants like Pedro & Lola on the Plaza Machado.

An antique hidden treasure 

This plaza is one of Mazatlán's hidden treasures. The plaza is tucked away in the heart of downtown. It cost 8 pesos and a 20 minute scenic bus ride (Sabalo Centro) from the Golden Zone. The plaza is surrounded by European style cafes and the newly restored opera house named after a famous Mexican opera singer, Angela Peralta.

Here you’ll also find natural treasures such as el Cerro del Creston, where you can enjoy ecotourism outings and go rock climbing. At Creston’s peak you’ll see a lighthouse which is the world’s second tallest - only the one at the Rock of Gibraltar is taller.

You’ll can also play at fantastic golf courses with ocean views, and for boating enthusiasts, Mazatlán has two marinas that offer docking and maintenance service for all types and sizes of boats.

Among the cultural and sports events that you can enjoy in this seaport town are: The Jesus Arnoldo Millan International Golf Tournament, the Grand International Tennis Tournament, the Mazatlan Cultural Festival, the Sinaloa Arts Festival and the world famous Mazatlan Carnival, a week long celebration that takes place in February. During carnival, floats pass by the main avenues and plazas.  Locals say it's the biggest one in all the Americas. What’s more, you can dance in the streets to the beat of drums into the wee hours of the morning and no one will raise a ceja (eyebrow).

1960s-Style Pulmoní minicabs continue to flourish

Exploring the streets of Old Mazatlán in this local transportation trademark continues to be a popular past time for most tourists since its inception 37 years ago.

Actually, golf cart-sized, open mini-cabs, their history can be traced back to a local businessman named Miguel Ramirez Urquijo who purchased three Cushman golf carts, hoping there might be an alternative to the horse-drawn wooden carriages. Local bankers wouldn’t give him a loan to buy more of the three-wheeled cars. He traveled to the Cushman factory in Nebraska and persuaded company officials to grant him loans.

In the 1960s there were 100 pulmonías on the roads. A four-wheel design was adopted and in the early 1980s the design included a VW engine. In 2002, a unique monument (on right) to the pulmonía opened in Mazatlán’s city center. Currently, more than 350 pulmonías buzz around town and remain the most preferred means of transportation by tourists. There’s even a monument to the pulmonía in town.

Transportation is accessible via the local "pulmonías" or four-person open-air vehicles that have become a symbol of the city.  If you're wondering why they're called pulmonias, it's because the local humorists suggest they can get pneumonia from riding in one.  

That may be a tad difficult given the warm, balmy year-round temperature in this golden resort.

“Que bonito es El Quelite” (How beautiful is El Quelite)

If you able to pull yourself off the beach or the nine-mile long waterfront promenade, you can visit a local tequila brewery on your way to the really pretty town of El Quelite, an hour away. 

The villagers sweep the street, and this is simply a postcard perfect Mexican town which was a mule team stop from the silver mines in the hills centuries ago.

The driving force behind the town's rural tourism initiative is El Quelite's medical doctor, Marcos Osuna Tirado shown on the left with Hotel Association representative Javier Paez.

Dr. Marcos is a man of great charm, energy and innovative ideas who believes it is important to diversify the local economy away from relying solely on agricultural income. Today few people in El Quelite speak English, but Dr. Osuna is encouraging the young people to become motivated to train as qualified guides, earn a little income, and practice English that some are learning in the local school.

The good doctor owns the historic Mesón de los Laureanos which includes bed and breakfast accommodation and a cantina-style restaurant which serves meals, snacks and the always-welcome cool cerveza amidst the flowering shrubs of his walled-in courtyard.

Our lunch was one of the best of the trip, see the menu here. We had Quesadillas and Carnitas de puerc, see photo on left. All our plates included: a glass of a soft drink or a beer or glass of purified water, natural nachos made in house, cheese, cheddar cheese and yogurt, one traditional homemade dessert and hot hand-made tortillas.

Below is the nine-mile beach promenade from the mountain top overlook at the south end of town with the three islands, Wolf, Bird and Deer and the Golden Zone, in the top left. Photo by Pat Brooks.

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Boston will boast a White Christmas this season

^{Location, location, location... The Doubletree Downtown hotel is in the heart of the theatre district and a block from Chinatown. Above, from left;  the bright exterior opposite Tufts New Enland Medical Center at 821 Washington Street, the lobby, the Wisteria Restaurant and the indoor swimming pool.}

Doubletree Downtown Boston hits the right note for the Holidays
Package includes tickets to Irving Berlin's "White Christmas"

The “White Christmas Package” starts at only $289 and includes overnight for two people plus two VIP tickets to the musical
“Irving Berlin’s
White Christmas.”You will hit the right note this holiday season with the Doubletree Hotel Boston-Downtown’s new “White Christmas Package” offer, featuring an entertaining overnight stay for two people and two VIP tickets to the Broadway hit musical, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.”

Coming this November to Boston’s Wang Theater, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is musical entertainment for the entire family.  Based on the classic film of the same name, the musical played to sold-out Boston audiences in 2005, when the Boston Globe wrote “Plenty of razzmatazz, including snow! You’ll leave the theater humming Irving Berlin’s irresistibly hum-able tunes!” Boston Herald raved “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is a SMASH, an instant classic!”

Great location, comfort food 

Doubletree Hotel Boston-Downtown is located in the very heart of Boston’s theater district, just steps from the Wang Theatre. The contemporary hotel features 268 spacious, uniquely decorated guest rooms and suites, Executive floor accommodations, Concierge services, two restaurants, on site sports complex with cardiovascular and strength training equipment, heated indoor pool and whirlpool, room service, and valet parking.

When we stayed there last week we were most impressed with the food portion and prices in their Wisteria Restaurant. For downtown Boston it was quite a change, and for the good. Boston has a surfeit of haute cousine, overpriced restaurants, so it is a shock to see good, hearty portions of food everyone likes.

The menu (see here) was full of "comfort foods" at country prices like a huge, double rack of Braised Baby Back Ribs (on right) with garlic mashed potatoes....$20.95 and Grilled Chicken Breast lightly marinated, served on a bed of root vegetables and Arborio risotto with a red onion marmalade….$18.95.

And where else in Boston will be be offered a half dozen giant shrimp for $12.95? 

On the off chance none of this satisfies you, two blocks away you run into Jake Wirth's Rathskeller and around the corner the hundred-odd Asian eaties. 

On with the snow, we mean show 

The “White Christmas Package” starts at only $289.00 + taxes and includes overnight accommodations for two people and two VIP tickets to the musical “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.”  Show tickets are available for Friday 7:30pm, Saturday 2:00pm and 7:30pm, and Sunday 1:00pm performances.  Offer is valid November 23-December 23, 2007.  Reservations based on availability. Taxes not included. 

To make reservations this holiday season you may call (617) 956-5115 and mention code L-WHC.  Reservations must be booked at least 14 days from arrival date.  Package is non refundable and non transferable Offer is limited to 2 VIP show tickets per room. Additional tickets may be purchased via the hotel or by visiting the website. 

Doubletree Hotel Boston Downtown is located at 821 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111 Telephone 617-956-7900.   For additional information, please visit their website.

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A weekend in Southern Maine

The beauty begins about an hour north of Boston
York and Ogunquit along Route 1-A

By Walter & Patricia Brooks

Read 43 more
Travel Tales hereWe had just spent a week in mid-coast Maine at wonderful Linekin Bay Resort, and wanted to avoid the weekend traffic returning home by waiting until Tuesday to return.   If you don't know about the bottlenecks at Wiscassett and New Hampshire tolls, we won't ruin your ideas about this region by describing them to you here.

With the help of the web, we discovered two very beautiful, seaside resorts for our stay-overs on Monday and Tuesday, the York Harbor Inn in York Harbor and The Cliff House in Ogunquit, both in the southernmost part of  the Pinetree state. 

The York Harbor Inn was a delightful discovery. This 54 room oceanfront inn has five separate lodges which include the original elegant old country inn and it has with all the luxuries associated with a grand resort like ocean-view decks, fireplaces and Jacuzzi spa tubs.

Dinner at York Harbor Inn 

A five-minute drive north along the beach will bring you to one of New England's most beautiful lighthouse at Nibble Point. The lighthouse is on a rocky outcropping of this small peninsula in York Harbor, Maine.Despite the fact that we were there during a very busy time, the food in the inn's spacious dining room was superb, albeit a tad slow in coming. For entrées I ordered the Filet Mignon which came as a choice beef tenderloin wrapped with apple wood smoked bacon, char-grilled, finished with an amazing Gorgonzola coasting, for $27.95.

My wife had the baked stuffed haddock which was described as the chef’s favorite: North Atlantic haddock filled with our shrimp and crab stuffing, served over a sherry-tomato cream sauce, for $23.95. She added a Maine lobster tail for $10.

We added their flatbread version of pizza, the Marguerite of farmhouse garlic cheese-seasoned crust, vine-ripened tomatoes, garden-fresh basil and a special blend of cheese 10.95.  See the dinner menu here.

One of Maine's most famous and picturesque lighthouses 

If you take a left as you leave the inn, the Nibble Lighthouse is about three miles away just north of Long Sands Beach in York Harbor. This spectacular landmark is an active lighthouse on a small rocky island at the end of the point.

York Harbor Inn, Coastal Route 1A (P.O. Box 573), York Harbor ME 03911. Tel: 207-363-5119 • Reservations: 800-343-3869
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On to Ogunquit's rocky cliffs and a blueberry body wrap

We had heard that the Cliff House had made significant improvements in their landmark property.  One big improvement was a world-class spa which travelers insist upon in today's resorts.

You probably already know that blueberries have more antioxidant power than twenty other fruits and berries combined. And experts now champion this little berry’s benefits, while we have always extolled the superiority of the wild Maine blueberry in pie. The Cliff House Resort & Spa offers guests the therapeutic spa benefits of blueberries as their new spa's signature body wrap. If you're a metrosexual male, guys, this may be for you.  The pie's for me, and I had two helping of dessert.

There may be but a handful of dining rooms in the northeast with such a spectacular view. We had the Sturgeon full moon of August join us for dinner above.Yes, the spa was beautiful, and the new pools both indoors and out were beyond reproach, but we were bewildered at the inn's formality and at the lack of any books or magazines in the lobby areas.  It may be a Maine thing which we don't understand, but someone should on staff should sit for a haf hour in public areas as if they were a visitor and ask themselves what could be added. 

This is a very popular resort and its proximity to Greater  Boston makes it a natural spot to visit for millions, and no one can dispute the Cliff House's truly spectacular setting on tall, coastal cliffs.

We had dinner in the resort's dining room which literally hangs over the cliffs, and that evening we dined as the August full moon, called the Sturgeon or Corn Moon by local tribes, rose over the rim of the Atlantic as we were served our entrées. 

You can overlook a lot of other minor shortcomings when offered scenes like that at no charge.

Dinner at Cliff House 

The resort's dinner Menu is based on Maine-raised and locally-grown products. For starters we had the the Peekytoe Crab Cakes, $12, which were served with Asian slaw and Meyer lemon aioli, and the Smoked Salmon on Grilled Flatbread, $12, which was Maine smoked salmon with greens, pickled onions, and caper cream cheese.

For our entrées we had seared blueberry halibut, $30, which was pan-seared and served with Maine blueberry compote and goat cheese pearl couscous, and oven-roasted codfish for $30.  It was served over a bed of wilted Swiss chard with roasted corn and pancetta chowder.

What others say 

As a Boston Globe reviewer wrote last year, "You can’t beat the view. From our room (and from every other room in this 133-year-old seaside icon) blue ocean stretched to infinity. Even on a chilly day, we opened the window a crack to let in the smell of salt air and the sound of waves pounding on rock. At night, strategically placed spotlights highlighted each incoming swell as it dissolved into green and white foam." 

The Cliff House Resort & Spa. Shore Road, PO Box 2274, Ogunquit, ME 03907 . tel: 207-361-1000. email: info@cliffhousemaine.com.
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A final word about Linekin Bay and Maine

Who said New Englanders aren't friendly? A fellow camper at Linekin Bay Resort sent me a lost dead ancestor's grave rubbing. See inscription below. New Englanders have a reputation for being frosty and even unfriendly. While that has been my personal experience as well (and my family arrived here in 1638), the malady seems to be arrested when we visit special places like Linekin Bay Resort.

My wife and I returned for a second week there this August with our two grandchildren, ages 9 and 6.  They re-met friends they made from the year before since a majority of the guests return annually to this very family-friendly resort.

Linekin Bay Resort is starting its sixth decade under the same family ownership, and here at least New Englanders seem to act like Midwesterners.

A good example is the gravestone rubbing on the right, which you may have been wondering about.   It was emailed to me today by a fellow guest there named Aleta Looker.

Aleta's husband was wearing a T-shirt last week with a large town seal for Cheshire, Conn. Since my first ancestor on these shores, Henry Brooks, was a founder of that town (then part of Wallingford, Conn.), I mentioned that fact to the Lookers.

I even mentioned that since Henry the First  fell to his death helping to build the town's first Congregational Church, and we had always hoped he was high on mead or ale at the time, but his reward seems to have been that his surviving Nutmeggers (folks from Connecticut) named a part of Cheshire Brooksvale, which it remains named to this day.

I also mentioned that one of my early ancestors, Prudence Brooks, had 12 children, which many of us thought was excessive.  One of her breed was named Mary, and these friendly fellow guests promptly emailed me a rubbing of her gravestone in the old Cheshire cemetery.  In case you can't read the inscription, it says - with no spelling corrections - by us;

In Memory of
Mary H. Brooks Daughter
Of Mr. Amasa and Mrs.
Hope Brooks who died
Dec. 7th 1794 aged 8 Months
The Smiling Babe & Lovely child
Thus from this Life is Borun
And left her Parents here on Earth
To weep & Sigh & morun.

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Marlowe offers a a trip to Hogwarts

Last weekend we tested out the new Marlowe Hotel in Kendall Square which is celebrating a Harry Potter festival of sorts. We were equally interested in the Bambara Restaurant where my wife had the best, aged steak of her life while I dined on meatloaf of a unique quality. The rooms are impressive, and the hotel is in the same block with the fabulous, three-story Cambridge Galleria.

The new Marlowe Hotel in Kendall Square offer a Harry Potter package

 Deathly Hallow & the Order of the Phoenix, but you must look like Harry

CAMBRIDGE, MA – July 23, 2007 - Hotel Marlowe, Kimpton’s AAA Four-Diamond rated  property on Edwin Land Blvd, adjacent to the Cambridge Galleria in Kendall square, celebrates the record-breaking sales of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the cinematic success of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with a package inspired by the highly anticipated blockbuster movie. Hotel Marlowe’s Harry Potter package offers guests and their families the opportunity to experience the enchantment of Harry’s return to Hogwarts Academy as he encounters new adventures facing familiar perils along the way. Guests and their families will be transported into the wizardly world of Harry Potter! 

The hotel is brand new with all the innovations needed to satisfy the high-tech clientel from the nearby IT firms. Our eighth-floor room looked down on the bucolic, canalside park on the right and the Charles Riverboat Company.

It's not more than fifty steps to the Cambridge Galleria and it's great shops and restauarnts like Best Buy, Borders, Sears, Macy's, Apple Store and more or enjoy casual dining at The Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen.

An impressive, wizardly package 

The Hotel Marlowe Harry Potter package sends guests on a scavenger hunt around Harvard Square, collecting clues and gathering goodies, including Harry’s famous circular glasses - the perfect accessory for a wizard-in-training!

Upon completion of the scavenger hunt, families will receive passes to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at Loews Theater. After a magical day, guests and their family can return to the Hotel Marlowe for a sorcerer’s slumber and enjoy breakfast the next morning at Bambara.

The Harry Potter package includes:

• One night stay at Hotel Marlowe
• Map that will lead guests on a Hunt for Harry around Harvard Square
• Magical sweets at Sweet Treats
• The entire family can look just like Harry, with Harry Potter Spectacles from The Curious George Store
• Four tickets to see the release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the Loews Theater
  

After the movie the whole family can test their knowledge of one of the world's most famous wizards in Harry Potter Scene It?

After a day and night filled of Wizard’s adventures relax and enjoy breakfast at Bambara

• Rates: From $399.00 per night, based on double occupancy.
• Terms & Conditions: Rated subject to space, availability and change.  Taxes and gratuities not included.  Black out dates may apply.
• Valid: Through September 3
• Reservations: Call 800-825-7040; ask for rate code PPOT.
  

A word about Bambara

The restaurant is called Bambara, and knowing how difficult  to impress constant diners like ourselves, we were delighted at both the food and the service.

My wife is not a steak eater, but our server Mustapha urged her to try their "Signature Steak Frites" with its Angus flatiron, dry-aged steak shown on the right.  She claims it was the best cut of beef she's ever eaten.

The chef also offers a Summer Prix Fixe which is fit for a wizard at $36 for the three courses. 

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The Taj comes to New England

International classic comes to Boston and "puts on the ritz"
The Boston Brahmans are in for a pleasant surprise

By Walter & Patricia Brooks, Cape Cod TODAY/Best Read Guide

As The Globe wrote recently, "“Even Boston’s grand dame, the venerable Ritz-Carlton, has undergone a change. The hotel, which has hosted such luminaries as Winston Churchill, Charles Lindbergh and Rin Tin Tin since its opening in 1927, is now called Taj Boston, having been purchased by the Indian hotelier Taj late last year.

A travel writer said, "the Taj will make the Ritz seem like a Hotel 6""The impeccable service, comfy beds, and best location in town remain the same. The Taj resides at the beginning of Newbury Street, home to some of Boston’s finest boutiques, art galleries, spas and restaurants.

"Wake at the Taj and breakfast on site at The Café. Head across Arlington Street and make your first stop at the Public Garden and Boston Common.” 

The hotel's been there 80 years, and Norman's been there 60 

Concierge Jennifer George congratulates Arlington Street doorman Norman Pashoian on his 60th anniversary at he property in Boston.
Norman Pashoian, the Taj's legendary doorman has been in this building for 60 years on August 4, 2007.

His most memorable guest was Winston Churchill who he watched come down the staircase to the lobby flashing the famous V for victory sign. In honor of that visit and the gift of the Winston Churchill photo, the Winston Churchill Suite is here today.

As travelers who have stayed at a half dozen Taj properties in India where the  the family which owns this hotel group began nearly a century ago, we know full well what a pleasant surprise awaits our Boston friends when this property has improved even further, which is hard for even us to image after the $50 million spent on this hotel four years ago.

Their first property, The Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, is our favorite of all resorts on earth. 

Taj Boston: Shop 'Til You Drop Boston

If you want a good excuse to leave the cape during July and August, the Taj wants to invite you to come in stay and shop till you drop at the shops around the corner.

Here's what the Taj is offering; 

• Four nights in this elegant classic, world famous hotel at Arlington and Newbury Streets overlooking the Public Garden (see photos above), with airport transfers, welcome Taj Palace cocktails and daily breakfast for two
• 12 hours in your own limousine (2-hour minimum each trip) to shop the exclusive boutiques of Newbury Street and Copley Place, eclectic shops of Harvard Square and Faneuil Hall, charming shops and galleries in picturesque Cape Cod villages or the area's outlet malls at Kittery, Maine or Wrenthan Village 
  
• $3,750 (inclusive of gratuities; does not include tax) through December 30, 2007, subject to availability
  

To reserve, call (877) 482-5267 or email.

The Café is as charming as ever
 

My wife had the Seared Rack of Lamb from Colorado.

Be sure to save room for the sumptuous desserts at The CaféOne evening we had dinner at a window seat at The Café on Boylston Street.  The food is always superb, and "people watching" during these summer nights when it's light out until after 8 is especially arresting.

We started with the Lump Crab Cake and Ceasar Salad followed by the Potato Wrapped Halibut and Seared Rack of Lamb.

Everything was prepared and served to perfection.

Since it's always a pleaseure to linger longer in this lovely, bright room, we destroyed our waistlines with one of the more outregeous chocate desserts imaginable.

Here is the menu for starters.

5 STARS • 228 ROOMS & 45 SUITES

As Luxury Travel magazine wrote, "A Boston landmark, located on fashionable Newbury Street, surrounded by art galleries, boutiques and restaurants, Taj Boston Hotel is a short, scenic walk from the Financial and Theatre districts - offering splendid views of Boston's Public Garden.

"Known for its collection of original art and antiques which are on display throughout the hotel. The hotel has completed a US $55 million restoration project in 2002, returning the classic hotel to its original splendor."

Frommer's describes The Taj Boston this way, "This legendary hotel overlooking the Public Garden has attracted both the "proper Bostonian" and the celebrated visitor since 1927.

"A top-to-bottom $60 million restoration completed in 2002 upgraded the building throughout. One of the most traditional lodgings in town, it offers fewer amenities than its sister property in the Theater District and the archrival Four Seasons, but the original Ritz maintains the cachet accumulated during nearly 8 decades of doing everything in style."

And see the Hopper Exhibit at the MFA while you're there

The Hopper exhibit at the Boston MFA is the artistic event of that decade. Above is his self-portrait.

This is the ubiquitous "Ground Swell" and both are in this exhibit.You have to hurry if you don't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of Cape Cod's most famous artist, Edward Hopper at the Museum of Fine Arts which will only be here another month. 

Edward Hopper's luminous paintings captured classic images of middle-class America and made him one of the most popular artists of the twentieth century. This exhibition focuses on the period of Hopper’s greatest achievements—from about 1925 to mid-century—during which he produced many works now considered icons of American art.

Comprising fifty oil paintings, thirty watercolors, and twelve prints, including the favorites Nighthawks, Chop Suey, and Lighthouse and Buildings, Portland Head, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, this exhibition's comprehensive appraisal of Hopper is not to be missed.

The conciege at The Taj will gladly help you get tickets for the exhibit which are going fast. 

Eight Ritzy decades for this property

It's been eighty years since the doors opened, and the hotel's life reflects the city's and our times; 

• 1927: The Ritz opens with great fanfare, including dinner of Porterhouse steaks for 200 guests. Later the hotel holds special dinner -- "for aristocratic bow wows," dogs - of plum pudding and biscuits on a doily.
• 1930: Rodgers and Hart write "Ten Cents a Dance" in their suite.
• 1933: Changes menu from French to English, saying it will demystify and modernize the dining experience.
• 1947: Tennessee Williams writes part of "A Streetcar Named Desire" in his suite.
• 1949: Winston Churchill visits. Staff redoes entire suite in Chinese red, black, and gold, his favorite colors.
• 1965: Neil Simon rewrites third act of "The Odd Couple" in his suite.
• 1993: Mayor Raymond L. Flynn, violating dress code in a golf shirt, is asked to leave.
• 2006: Taj Hotels and Resorts buys Ritz for $170 million.
• 2007: Ritz-Carlton is renamed Taj Boston.

 Links;

• Taj Hotels
• The Taj Boston
  
• Times of India story on purchase
  
• Luxury Travel story
• Travel New England story.
  
• Story about the original Taj
• Globe Fireplace Butler story.
• Globe Grande Dame changes her gown story

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Bermuda; An Atlantic pearl 600 miles offshore

   The NCL ship Majesty docks at the world heritage city St. George on the east end of Bermuda

How to travel well without seeing an airport
An inexpensive cruise leaves Boston for Bermuda weekly

By Walter & Patricia Brooks

For anyone who is sick of the hassles at Logan and Green airports since 9/11 that almost make you feel like giving up travel all together, but luckily you don't have to make that decision...yet.

   The Majesty docks in the historic, original capital of St. George where you can walk to a beach or a golf course from the ship.

   A cruise which begins with a wedding on the day we sailed is bound to reveal other surprises as the week passes. This is the new Mr. & Mrs. Wellman of Chelmsford MA taking their vows.

   Entering St. George is a shock to most travelers. The ship has but a few yards clearance on either side, and a colonial era Town Crier greets you at the dock wishing "Good Luck to ye Red Sox."

   We had a superior lunch at The Reefs resort on the south shore.  This resort is spectacular and has over a 75% return rate
   The south shore is lined with pink beaches like this one.

   No visit is complete without a Rum Swizzle (or three) at the infamous Swizzle Inn a couple miles from your ship.

   Among the many island attractions is the combination Aquarium and Zoo near Hamilton.  Notice the white, baby Flamingo among all the preening adult birds.Norwegian Cruise Lines has spared us that fate by offering a very economical week-long cruise to Bermuda, a.k.a. "Osterville Island", and it leaves from Falcon Pier in South Boston every Sunday through the middle of October at 4pm and returns a week later at 8:30am in time to spend a day in Boston before heading back to the Cape.

And the prices start at $549.  For readers without a calculator handy that's $78.43 a day which include your cabin, all the ships amenities, the shows and exhibitions and as many meals as you can eat. See the details here.

Perhaps the best thing about this trip is the Norwegian Cruise Lines' (NCL) food. It is first rate, and the ship gets you to Bermuda early on Tuesday for nearly four days on this storied, island paradise.

England's oldest, remaining colony 

Bermuda is the oldest remaining British overseas territory, settled by England a century before the Acts of Union that created Britain a decade before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth.

Although commonly referred to in the singular, the colony consists of nearly 140 islands, with a grand total area of twenty and a half square miles. At 21 miles long, it's about the same size as Martha's Vineyard but with five times the population, and it's more affluent than even Nantucket and the world's highest GDP per capita in 2005.

"La Garza", "Virgineola", and the "Isle of Devils"

 Compiling a list of these islands is often complicated, as many have more than one name as does the entire archipelago. In addition to its two official names, Bermuda has been known as "La Garza", "Virgineola", and the "Isle of Devils".

Despite its limited land mass, there has also been a tendency for place names to be repeated.

There are, for instance, two islands named "Long Island", three "Long Bays", and the town of St. George is located within the parish of St. George on the island of St. George, whereas Bermuda's capital, the City of Hamilton, lies in Pembroke Parish, not Hamilton Parish, on the largest island, "Main Island", which itself is sometimes called "Bermuda" or "Great Bermuda".

The island has a thriving economy, with a large financial sector made up of off-shore tax haven corporations, banks, insurance and reinsurance companies mostly, and tourism is the numberer two business sector.

Bermuda has a sub-tropical climate, pink beaches, and cerulean blue oceans, so kick back on a pink sand beach and focus on your suntan or swim in the warm turquoise seas on the most low-key island off the Atlantic coastline.  We think of it as a tropical Osterville with a lot better climate.

Free style cruising makes all the difference

When we took this same cruise aboard the Majesty five years ago we had difficulty getting dinner reservations at times which allowed us to attend the early shows aboard, which by the way are excellent.  This has changed radically in what NCL calls "Freestyle Cruising."

This makes two very profound changes in your cruise experience;

1. You may still make a reservation, but you do not have an assigned time as in the past and as many other cruises still require.
2. There is no dress code beyond wearing slacks in the two handsome, main dining rooms.

And you can always elect to eat on the open top deck where the food is literally non-stop from before dawn to long after dusk.

There's even a "Chocolate Buffet" after dinner time on Friday.

NCL currently runs a fleet of 14 ships with well over 100 different destinations.  The crew is world famous for its friendliness, and the entertainment impressed even old, warhorses like ourselves.

Good, quality, nightly entertainment 

Comedian Ross Bennett (on left) vied with magician John Pierre Parent for giggle-honors and pianist/vocalist Marcus Dagan (on right) will probably find a gig on Cape Cod this summer, so look for him there.

If you've never visited Bermuda, you are missing the cleanest, brightest and most friendly island in the western hemisphere.

If you've already been there, it's time to return.

Shore excursions aplenty for 4 days of sun & fun

On the NCL website they describe all the possible tours which leave from the dock at St/ George at the foot of the Majesty gangway.

There are seven pages of possibilities there, and you have four days to try as many as you wish.

The Island Tour is a good way to begin.  This "top-pick" tour covers the entire twenty-one mile length of the Island and includes a views of Bermuda's famous pink sand beaches.

You'll also stop at Gibbs Hill Lighthouse to enjoy some of the most scenic views of Bermuda. This tour continues to the West End of the island, across the smallest drawbridge in the world and into the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Your local guide will point out a number of attractions there, and you'll have time to explore on your own including a large indoor shopping mall built in the old, stone naval buildings. Upon departing the Dockyard area, your tour bus will head to Hamilton, then along the North Shore back to the ship.

Great buses, water taxi

Bermuda has an outstanding and very inexpensive transportation system.  The water taxi or ferry at Sea Express is cheap and better than most tours elsewhere. It leaves from the same dock as the Majesty.

Another great ride is the litt;e train which chugs you through St George's incredibly, narrow streets. It too leaves from the same dock. 

That's Matre'd Rafal Laga serving us our last meal aboard the Majesty - a delicious Tandoor Chicken. 

Learn everything about this cruise and others at the NCL website here. 

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What NOT to do on a Cruise

Avoiding the worse pitfalls of sea travel

We have taken fifteen cruises in the past four years, from a Burmese riverboat on the Mekong River and a tramp steamer in the Marquesas Islands to a Russian Ice-breaker on the Amazon and the newest mega-cruise ship to the Caribbean, and we've discovered many ways to save costs and still have fun while aboard.

Below are a few simple rules we offer to anyone planning to take a cruise this winter.

CRUISE COSTS:

There are as many different rates for the same cruise as there are salespeople to ask. Start with the cruise line site, then start to shop around. On a recent Caribbean cruise we were quoted $1,200 by the cruise lines, but ended up paying $995 or $81.81 a day for an 11 day cruise from NYC to the Southern Caribbean and back. At that rate we could have stayed aboard for a full year for  $29,860.

Places we always check include;

• CruiseComplete
• CruiseBrothers
• VacationsToGo

GETTING TO THE SHIP:

 Unless the cruise offer includes air fare, you could end up paying more to fly to the ship than for the entire cruise. Check whichever airline you normally use to add to your air miles, but also check the competition.

On a cruise last month which departed from Istanbul, we routinely checked Delta which was over $2,000 each. But we also checked Delta's partners which included Air France which charged $1,000 for the same two-leg flight from Boston, and best of all, we got a wonderful dinner on the foreign carrier.

Best of all, check to see if there are cruises which you can comfortably drive to within 300-500 miles. There are cruises to Bermuda from Boston in the summer, and a couple currently out of New York City.

Last year we drove to Montreal and spent a wonderful week cruising to the Îles de la Madeleine (on right) in the Atlantic off Gaspé Peninsula and Newfoundland for $750 each and no air port hassles. 

DINING ABOARD:

1. Make your dinner seating reservation as early as possible, and we mean while at home before you leave when you make the purchase. Many ships have two seatings, typically 6 and 8 for dinner, and open seating for lunch and breakfast. The early seating is filled fast, and this means you won't finish dining at the second seating until 9:30 which is fine if you also don't mind going to the onboard entertainment at 10pm and getting to bed around 11:30.
2. Ask for a table for two unless you don't mind getting stuck with the same, possibly boring, people for the next week or two. We've spoken to many travelers who look forward to this "Dining Roulette", but we've been stuck with flaming loudmouths and been forced to take option 3.
3. All except the smallest cruise ships offer a second, less formal dining option where you may not be waited upon, but where you get to pick your dinner mates. The food choices are same as in the formal dining room and often even offer additional options like a Taco Bar, and Asia Sidebar and a Sandwich Bar where you can build your own.

INTERNET ABOARD

Hopefully you have wi-fi on your laptop. Bring it along because it may save you a bundle. In our three cruises this year we had free wi-fi in two, UniWorld (on right) and Croatia. and exorbitant cost in the third, Holland America Lines.
Since one of my companies in an IT firm, eCape.com, we are well aware of the almost zero costs for installing wi-fi routers anywhere you have access whether it's broadband via cable or vis your phone company or via satellite.
On Holland America they charge $100 for 250 minutes which works out to 22 minutes a day on their typical 11 day cruise plus a $3.95 "activation" charge which is completely bogus since any wi-fi does its own "activation".
There is a reason for a charge to get online if you are using the ship's PCs, but to charge laptop owners for using their own equipment is gouging. Period.

Here is how bringing your laptop will pay off.

• You can write your emails offline and only use your charged minutes to download new messages and mail the ones you've already written and saved in your "sent" box.
• You can quikly browse for every site you want to see (local newspaper, WSJ, NYTimes, etc.) and they will still be on your desktop to read later after you have logged off.

Those poor suckers using the ship's PCs have to be online (and charged) while writing the emails. And you can always read your messages on your own laptop AFTER to log-off, whereas those using the ship's PCs can not.

• When you are in port, try searching for open wi-fi hot spots you can access from the ship, or tote your laptop in town to do so. Increasingly franchise food outlet offer free wi-fi, and these are spreading across the globe.

EXCURSIONS

1. Read the cruise brochure about Excursions very carefully noting the length and cost. Then contact the local chamber of commerce or tourism bureau in each port of call and ask their advice about onshore excursions. Describe the one on your brochure to them and ask if their membership offers others similar. We've discovered in every case we've checked that the local price is half what the cruise line charges.
2. If you forget to do the above before you leave home, wait until your ship docks and start walking toward the center of town.

This past week on a Holland America Lines cruise from NYC to the Southern Caribbean. We left Manhattan at 4pm on Saturday, and after three days at sea (the brochure say two) at 3pm on Tuesday we landed in Road Town, Tortola, BVI. The ship's 2-hour Excursion around the island costs $59. As we walked down the dock toward town the first local Excursion truck driver was hawking the same trip for $30 a couple. Ten feet further along a second driver offered the same for $25 a couple. As we walked long further one of the drivers pulled alongside us and offered the trip for $12 a piece ($24 a couple).

We still demurred, mostly because we have been to Tortola a dozen times already, but a few blocks later my brilliant wife saw a similar empty bus parked nearby. She asked the driver if there was a local commuter bus in town, and he replied that he was leaving shortly to bring Road Town school children home at the other end of the island when school broke at 2pm, and we were welcome to come along for free.

TIPPING

The riddle asked by Cape Cod waiters and waitresses goes,
   Question; What the difference between a canoe and a Canadian?
   Answer; A canoe tips.
We suggest our readers consider emulating the Canadians rather than the canoe when it comes to allowing your cruise to automatically add a daily gratuity, usually  $10 a day per person, to our bill.
On an 11 day cruise that cam to$220 in addition to the 15% automatically added to any drink order for the entire voyage.

ALCOHOL

Most cruise lines try to prevent you from bringing you own alcohol aboard. The way to get around that is to find a couple of plastic, mineral water bottles with vodka. Use a plastic, colored mouthwash bottle for darker hued spirits.
Stick the vodka-filled water bottles right in those side pockets on most back packs and walk aboard with it in plain view.

CRUISING MYTHS:

Another good source is this Heidi Allison article here  which debunks a dozen myths about cruising like;

• You have to fly to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale to get on a cruise ship. 
  
• People only take cruises when the weather turns cold.
• There’s nothing for men to do on a cruise.
• Kids are bored on a cruise (above right), our two grand kids have been on two cruises and had so much fun on board they often won't go on shore trips.
• Cruises are expensive.

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If you can't get to Kuala Lumpur, try Boston this weekend

     ^{Views from the rooms in the InterContinental Boston are impressive, but, alas, there were no fireworks}

Two-month old InterContinental Boston named to Forbes Top Ten list
New waterfront hotel stumbles over its New Years promotion however

By Walter & Patricia Brooks  

It takes a lot to get attention in the Boston hotel scene with a half dozen new, luxury hotels opening up in the past two years, but the new, waterfront InterContinental Boston makes the cut with ease, but only after a pretty bad stumble over the New Year's weekend.

This stunning 424-room luxury hotel, with the financial District reflected on its shiny facade on right, is located on Atlantic Avenue almost at the corner of Northern Avenue within minutes of the Boston Aquarium, Faneuil Hall Market and the North End.

The new hotel overlooks Boston Harbor's always busy scene  and the Fort Point Channel which runs past the Children's Museum and The Boston Tea Party. Three block away at 100 Northern Avenue is the brand new Institute of Contemporary Art which opened about the same time as the hotel in the late Fall.

But you certainly can't see the fireworks from here

We received an invitation to try out the new InterContinental for Boston's famous First Night celebrations on New Year's Eve. 

Unfortunately the hotel wasn't aware that their guests who payed nearly $700 a night for the privilege, couldn't see Boston's spectacular fireworks from the hotel as advertised.

Because of our longtime experience with PR claims, we took the trouble to ask two different concierges at the hotel if in fact we could see the display from our room, and we were assured we could.

We couldn't. Not even close. 

Amazingly in it's third month of operation it was named one of ten Best New Business Hotels of 2006 in the world by Forbes.com.   So if you don't have time this month to visit the other hotels recognized by Forbes magazine like Prague's Mandarin Oriental, Buenos Aires' Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt, Beijing's Ritz-Carlton, Berlin's Hotel de Rome, London's Hilton  Canary Wharf  or the Traders Hotel in Kala Lumpur in Malaysia, you can just drive to Boston instead and stay at the new InterContinental.

Run into old friends at the Miel Brasserie, a "honey" of a bistro

InterContinental Boston offers business travelers 24/7 service through the hotel’s business center and personal services like wireless internet access in all of the guest rooms and public spaces, airline ticketing, as well as translation and secretarial services. A permanent board room with state-of-the-art video conferencing technology is available next to the 24/7 business center. 

Their Concierge and Guest Relations offer an array of business, entertainment and travel arrangements available around-the-clock. Well trained and multilingual, the hotel’s service team is ready to answer their guests’ every need. 

The hotel's main restaurant, Miel “Brasserie Provencal,” is Boston’s first upscale dining experience which is  open 24/7 catering to international business traveler looking for delicious cuisine after a long flight any time they arrive.

The hotel's new food & beverage offerings are anchored by the signature restaurant Miel "Brasserie Provencal", Boston's first Province-themed brasserie celebrating the organic wonders known to this fascinating region of France. You must try to imagine how really excellent this cuisine is. Suffice it to say we haven't had as perfect a flan since the old ICA on Boylston Street closed it's Hermitage restaurant twenty years ago.

Celebrity Chef Jacques Chibois, world renowned two-star Michelin Chef, authenticates this exquisite and creative Provencal Cuisine, by overseeing the hotel's trend setting dining experience.

As we dined looking out at the harbor, our favorite waiter from Alberto's Ristorante in Hyannis spotted us from the bar where he is now the InterContinental's the bartender. We received another special welcome from an old friend like Jay Lombardo.

InterContinental Boston's new RumBa (above)  is a rum-themed specialty bar celebrating Boston's historic rum trade and capitalizing on Boston's rich, rum history which established the region as a prominent economic force in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.   

Beautiful inside and out

The sophisticated and contemporary interior décor of the hotel stylishly mixes classic with modern. The 424-luxurious guest rooms and suites feature stunning harbor and city skyline views with four-fixture bathrooms, Frette linens and Floris bath products. There is 32,000 square feet of meeting and private event space with state-of-the-art amenities including downtown Boston’s largest ballroom and a 6,600 square foot spa and health club including treatment rooms, indoor pool and steam room.

Nearby attractions

The hotel is perfectly situated in the heart of one of the most exciting neighborhoods in Boston on the historic Boston Waterfront, at the base of the Financial District.

Because of its address at 510 Atlantic Avenue the InterContinental Boston is the closest downtown luxury hotel to Logan International Airport minutes away without battling the city traffic.

The hotel is also walking distance to the new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Institute of Contemporary Art and a multitude of attractions such as, the Boston Tea Party Ship Site, The Children's Museum, the North End, Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market, New England Aquarium, Chinatown, Theatre District, Back Bay, and countless other historic sites along the Freedom Trail a couple blocks from the hotel.
 
For more information, please call (617) 747-1000 or visit their website here.

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