XV Beacon — Hotel in Boston

For the price of my room, I wish I could say more than “just ok.” I visited back in November, in town for a business meeting the next day and just for a single night.

I was visiting as an Amex Platinum member, though it wasn’t really the advertised experience. While I did receive a room “upgrade,” it was for a nearly identical room - Classic to Executive Classic, a 10 sq ft difference and nothing else. The front desk expressed that they prefer to offer a more significant upgrade, but all of the rooms were booked. When I asked about how breakfast would be served (it’s included with the Amex benefit), I was treated as if I was asking for a handout, which was pretty jarring.

No complaints about the room itself! Comfortable, well-appointed, and cozy. It was exactly what I hoped it would be, and sitting in front of the fire finishing up my work was just lovely. The location of the hotel is very convenient, though the immediate surroundings aren’t so nice. The town car service to my meeting the next morning was very appreciated! Much nicer than an Uber. And the breakfast was delicious as well.

Unfortunately, the club next door was open until after 2 AM and the loud bass made it impossible to sleep and uncomfortable to be in the room in general. I know this is beyond the hotel’s control, but it was a real disappointment and I was exhausted the next morning for my meeting.

I visited the front desk 3 times to ask about the noise (the club said it closed at 11 pm online). The first time, the woman at the desk was sympathetic and expressed that it would close by midnight. Of course, when that time came and went, I dropped back down to check in and she offered me ear plugs, which were certainly appreciated. Alas, I could still feel the thuds of the music in my body. When I came back down a bit after 1 am in desperation, hoping that the club wouldn’t somehow be open all night, she said that they had another room available several more floors up and on the other side of the hotel that might be more comfortable.

I moved to that room, and just my luck, it was completely silent! What a difference four stories and across the hall makes. What I don’t quite understand is why I wasn’t offered that room change sooner, when I still had the chance of a comfortable night’s sleep. Or why it wasn’t part of my initial upgrade, given that it was a “Contemporary Classic” room, which are rather nice and a significant upgrade!

If this was any old Holiday Inn, I wouldn’t have these kinds of nitpicks complaints. But I was under the impression that XV Beacon was a high-quality hotel with stellar hospitality. Unfortunately, I wasn’t really given that impression during my stay. I wouldn’t stay here again...

For our 2-night trip to Boston, we chose XV Beacon over other popular and well-reviewed hotels like the Westin and Fairmont both in Copley Place, because of its elegant and classic decor and the fact that it is in the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts programme. We were very happy with our choice in the end and would like to highlight some positives already echoed by the majority of reviews here. With only 63 rooms, it is small but perfectly suited for our short stay.||We were upgraded to a Beacon Hill Studio from a Executive Classic Room because it was our 30th anniversary. The studio was spacious and had lots of light coming in through the windows which faced Beacon Street. Dark handsome wood panelling adorned the walls and a fireplace proved to be much welcomed because of a sudden drop to almost freezing temperatures in the middle of April! ||While everything in the living room & bed section was laid out in an elegant and user-friendly manner, we found the wardrobe and bathroom, both located at the entrance, a tad challenging to use. The lighting in front of the wardrobe is just way too dark - could this be improved by installing lights inside the cupboard, a feature in most other hotels? It really proved to be challenging rummaging through one's suitcase. The bathroom, though quite generous in space had separate hot & cold taps the old fashioned way, making the mixing of hot & cold water an arduous process each time. Also a bit of a hassle was the fixed shower head over the bathtub, where one has to open the half-divider glass door to turn the water on to the right temperature first before stepping in. ||The front desk and service staff was always courteous, efficient and professional. One valuable asset the hotel offers is the complimentary car service to nearby places. We got to ride in their new Audi a couple of times, which was really appreciated since the temperatures were hovering around 2 degrees Celcius. Both drivers we met were genuinely friendly and chatty, offering tips for our visit.||Breakfast at Moo was a delight, and for dinner, we had the most amazing steaks. No wonder the restaurant is crowded in the evenings! Location is handy too, especially if you want to be in the downtown area. Otherwise, Copley Place and Newbury Street are about a 20-minute walk away through...

• Updated review, I’ve read other reviews who speak of the same poor behavior from the staff. I also left a message with the manager who did not call me back.

See below- the manager does not address negative reviews. Unreal.

This hotel is for older people who have no idea what true service is. It’s supposedly a wonderful hotel, but I assure you this is not what you were expecting.

OG REVIEW- I had the unfortunate experience of trying to stay at this hotel. Upon arrival, the gentleman who greeted us as a valet was abrasive, short and very much not friendly. Upon reaching the front desk, a man who I now realize was not the front desk manager said nothing and pointed at the front desk like an instructor. There was no “welcome to the hotel”. There were no smiles. There was barely eye contact. Daniel at the desk was awful. Read the other recent review speaking of the exact same experience I have had.

All they did was tell us our room wasn’t ready, and then completely ignore us, not offering us to attend the bar while we waited, not offering us a bottle of water or any type of welcoming gesture. It was so absolutely strange. My family was flabbergasted. I immediately called the booking service I used to cancel the room and the front desk manager was not at all helpful with this request, and demanded to speak to the company directly instead of refunding our money without a hassle. I addressed everyone in the staff asking them why they were so unfriendly. They were defensive, and even more unwelcoming after that. I heard wonderful things about this hotel, boasting to be one of the best in the state. I’ve stayed in hotels all across the world, and the finest hotels in Paris, London, and Italy. My family of four was sent out in our car to find another hotel which we did. For half the price with a welcoming staff a beautiful room, and wonderful restaurants. I recommend the Dagny. I very much suggest checking out the properties directly surrounding this hotel. There is very little difference, and it is much friendlier. This hotel is overpriced and extremely pretentious. I thought hotels like this didn’t exist anymore. Not...