Hilton Boston Downtown/Faneuil Hall Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Downtown and Waterfront, Boston, Massachusetts

Fitness Center by Precor

The Hilton is an old-looking, worn, and generically decorated 362-room hotel in the Financial District district catering primarily to business travelers. Built in 1928 as the city's first Art Deco skyscraper, the 14-story hotel has supposedly been updated in recent years, but to no avail.

However, the rooms feature relatively modern furnishings, alarm clocks with MP3 player hookups, Cuisinart coffeemakers, flat screen TVs (as of 2012), and delicious Italian Lavazza coffee. Standard guest rooms are supposedly 350 square feet (according to management) but certainly don't look or feel it. The furniture is uncomfortably wedged in; and the square layouts, small windows, and beige-on-beige color scheme combine to create a claustrophobic feel. The rooms at the nearby Langham Hotel Boston are also on the small side, and have old televisions, but feel far more comfortable and charming.

In terms of features, the Hilton does offer a surprisingly nice new fitness center by Precor, which feels fresh and modern. All of the half-dozen cardio machines have individual TVs, and there's a nice selection of free weights and even a Bosu ball, in addition to a multipurpose strength-training machine. But that's about it; the 24-hour business center is perfunctory.

View on a Larger Map

As the name suggests, this Hilton is in the heart of the Financial District, convenient for business travelers, but a bit boring for tourists, who will need to walk a ways to dining options and most major attractions. At night, and even more so on the weekends, the area empties out as the office workers go home.

• The nearest stops on the T, Boston's subway system, are State Street and Aquarium Stations, both about a five-minute walk away.
• Faneuil Hall, a historic tourist marketplace with more than 150 shops and cafes, is a three-minute walk away.
• Boston Common park and the start of the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile path that passes through 16 of the city's historic landmarks, is a 10- to 15-minute walk away.
• Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, is 15 minutes away by car or a half-hour away on the T.
• Harvard Square in Cambridge is across the Charles River, about 15- to 20-minutes away via public transportation.
• Logan International Airport is a 20-minute taxi ride away, in light traffic.

Nix's Mate, named after an island in Boston Harbor and featuring reclaimed wood from the old Boston pier, is a casual spot open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It serves up modern American cuisine with local touches.

In-room dining is available until evening.

The Caliterra restaurant, one of two possible ceremony locations

• Wedding Size: Up to 100 people; only one wedding at a time

• Ceremony Locations: Kellogg Ballroom

• Wedding Packages: All packages include a champagne toast, passed hors d'oeuvres, a four-course plated dinner with wine, an open bar (at least one hour), a wedding cake, and a night in the Presidential Suite for the bride and groom. Prices start at $119 per person and go up from there depending on the menu choices and the duration of the open bar. Note: There is a spending minimum.

• Food: The conventional menu options are somewhat limited and includes items like pan-roasted chicken with artichoke hearts and shiitake mushrooms and pepper-crusted beef tenderloin. Vegetable strudel is cheapest; filet mingnon and grilled swordfish are most expensive. Kids' (12 and under), kosher, vegetarian, and gluten-free menus available upon request.

• Drinks: All packages include either one or five hours of an open bar; the four extra hours generally are pricey per person.

• Spa Treatments: There's no spa or salon on-site, but the Marc Harris salon is next door.