Where to Stay - Boston 2009 - page 74

Nine Zero This is anything but a traditional Boston hotel. Sleek and sophisti-
cated, it feels almost like a transplant from New York or L.A.—and that's a good thing.
The contemporary atmosphere distinguishes Nine Zero from its competitors, but the
service is in the old-school customer-is-always-right mold. The decent-size guest
rooms and oversize bathrooms contain opulent features, including luxurious linens
and toiletries, down comforters, cordless two-line phones, and extensive business
amenities. The 19-story hotel opened in 2002 and joined the eco-conscious luxury
Kimpton chain in 2006. This neighborhood is convenient for both business and
leisure travelers: It's within easy walking distance of downtown, a longer stroll from
the Back Bay, and 2 blocks from the subway. Though technically in a different neigh-
borhood, nearby Fifteen Beacon is Nine Zero's closest competitor; the service at both
is attentive and personal, but prices here are generally a bit lower.
90 Tremont St. (near Bromfield St.), Boston, MA 02108. & 866/906-9090, 800/KIMPTON, or 617/772-5800. Fax 617/
772-5810. www.ninezero.com. 190 units. $289-$599 double; $500-$5,000 suite. Packages available. AE, DC, DISC,
MC, V. Valet parking $38. T: Red or Green Line to Park St. Pets accepted. Amenities: Restaurant (steakhouse); bar;
exercise room; access to nearby health club; concierge; business center; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage;
babysitting; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room: A/C, TV w/pay
movies, high-speed and wireless Internet access, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe.
EXPENSIVE
Omni Parker House The Parker House has operated continuously longer
than any other hotel in America (since 1855!), but it's hardly stuck in the 19th cen-
tury. Ongoing interior and exterior renovations are sprucing up the property, which
was already in excellent shape; request a room removed from the work area. Most of
the 50-plus configurations aren't huge, but all guest rooms are thoughtfully laid out
and nicely appointed, with cherry furnishings and colorful carpeting. The hotel is
popular with business travelers, who can book a unit with an expanded work area, and
sightseers, who can economize by taking advantage of a weekend deal, especially in the
winter, or by booking an “economy single.” The closest competition is the Nine Zero,
a block away, but that's an entirely different space-age animal—the Parker House is
modern yet a little old-fashioned, and proud of it.
60 School St., Boston, MA 02108. & 800/THE-OMNI or 617/227-8600. Fax [phone]. www.omniparkerhouse.
com. 551 units, some with shower only. $159-$189 economy room; $189-$289 double; $249-$399 suite. Children
under 18 stay free in parent's room. Weekend packages and AARP discount available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet park-
ing $38. T: Green or Blue Line to Government Center, or Red or Green Line to Park St. Pets accepted; deposit required.
Amenities: 2 restaurants (New England); bar; exercise room; concierge; airport shuttle; business center; 24-hr. room
service; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning; executive-level rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room:
A/C, TV w/pay movies and Nintendo, high-speed Internet access ($10/day), coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, robes, safe.

Food for Thought
Yes, this is the Parker House of Parker House roll fame. The rolls were invented
(if food is “invented”) here, as was Boston cream pie.
That's not the hotel's only claim to fame. Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh both
worked here, and the room that's now Parker's Bar played host to a well-known
group: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Ralph Waldo
Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and sometimes Charles Dickens, who made up
a literary salon called the Saturday Club.

Fun Fact