On the 17th floor of a modern high-rise in the central Boston neighbourhood of Back Bay, Raffles Boston is the North American debut of the hotel brand, and every inch emanates jet-set glamour.
“Bostonians want to anoint something as cool,” confides a local over dinner at Amar, the hotel’s Portuguese-influenced restaurant.
Judging by the buzzy crowd that has packed out the sleek dining spot on an inauspicious Wednesday evening – with native and international accents heard raving about the Lisbon-meets-Boston dishes – the seal of approval has been granted. It’s not difficult to see why.
The Vibe
The Writer’s Lounge
Once you’ve whizzed up from the ground-floor entrance in the lift (a fleet of charming doormen will show you the way), you’ll enter a scene of sleek glistening marble, flickering double-sided glass fireplaces and fresh orchids. Check in at leisure in the plush Writer’s Lounge before meeting your own personal butler – a Raffles signature – who will show you to your equally elegant room.
The Rooms
Stonehill Taylor (the New York architecture and interiors studio responsible for The Ned NoMad, among others) has designed the hotel rooms with characteristic Raffles glamour, alongside a few welcome nods towards Boston and the brownstone homes of the Back Bay neighbourhood. The latter are most noticeable in the hotel’s 30 suites, which charm with ample space, thoughtfully curated artwork and stylish furniture to give the sense that you’re staying in the home of your chic Bostonian friend.
Smaller rooms also strike the balance between international hotel luxury and homely touches. Plenty of warm brass and dark hardwood flooring complement the huge cloud-like beds draped in Garnier Thiebaut linens and marbled bathrooms filled with generous helpings of honey-scented Guerlain products. The mini bars are another example of the fine balance achieved here; they’re mirrored and gilded with Raffles opulence, yet stocked with local products like maple bourbon pecans sourced from the Boston Public Market and a pale ale brewed in Maine.
The Food + Drink
The Long Bar and Terrace is the place to head for elevated New England classics, namely heavenly seafood, including fresh Maine shrimp, crispy salt cod croquettes and a buttery triumph of a lobster roll. This spot is a nod to the Long Bar in the original Raffles Singapore, the birthplace of the famous Singapore Sling cocktail, which was created in 1915, its clear alcohol and pink hue allowing women to drink it freely at a time when this was still frowned upon. The heady Boston Sling on the menu here adds a touch of cranberry to the gin, cherry and cointreau concoction.
The hotel’s more formal restaurant, Amar, has gained the coveted seal of approval from locals and guests alike. George Mendes is the chef behind this restaurant’s joyfully delicious dishes, which blend Portuguese cuisine with Boston’s flair for seafood in creations like Maine lobster with fermented white asparagus and vibrant pineapple from the Azores. The wine list provides thoughtful matches with a welcome focus on Spanish and Portuguese grapes. Downstairs, Café Pastel does a roaring trade in flaky pastries and barista coffees, while upstairs there’s the Blind Duck bar, a speakeasy-style spot that’s reportedly the reservation du jour among well-heeled Bostonians.
The Spa
The hotel’s gleaming, glorious spa is fuelled by Guerlain, and its honey-scented products fill the air, inducing a state of relaxation almost immediately – but for a fully blissed-out experience, book a treatment with one of the talented therapists. If your face is feeling puffy and parched from a long flight (or a late night at the Blind Duck – who could blame you?) then Imperial Longevity, an indulgent 90-minutes of facial massage and gentle exfoliation, utilising the rehydrating efforts of Guerlain’s Black Orchid range, is the treatment to opt for.
The Little Extras
The service feels, at times, omniscient. It’s the kind that leaves a yoga mat waiting in your room (somehow aware that you requested one at the last hotel you were staying at), provides painkillers and ginger tea if you’re feeling under the weather, and has a Boston Sling on ice when you arrive. Best of all, the butler service will ensure you don’t have to lift a finger.
The To-Do List
Your first stop should be the Boston Public Library, which is a Gilded Age architectural masterpiece – and conveniently located just around the block from Raffles. Other must-see spots include the Boston Public Garden, the city’s green heart and home of the famous Swan Boats that have been peddled around the park’s luminous lagoon for more than a hundred years. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is easily our favourite cultural spot in the city, set within a palazzo inspired by Venice and filled with the worldly art collection of its eponymous founder (who collected masterpieces featuring the likes of Botticelli and Raphael). Insta-ready charm abounds in Beacon Hill, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Boston, while Fenway Park, the home of the Red Sox, will delight even those most resistant to sport.
Lead image: The Terrace at Raffles Botson
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