Pros

  • In Beacon Hill, across the street from Charles River Esplanade and a T station
  • Housed in an iconic Boston landmark originally built as a prison in 1851
  • Stylish, elegant rooms with upscale amenities and great bathrooms
  • Three excellent restaurants, including renowned Scampo
  • Two hopping bars with popular daily social events
  • Small 24-hour fitness center, and free seasonal outdoor yoga classes
  • 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space
  • Pet-friendly policy, including a weekly happy hour for dogs
  • Airport transfer services for a fee
  • Free basic Wi-Fi; upgrades available for a fee
  • Free morning coffee in the lobby
  • Turndown service provided in all rooms
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Cons

  • Not within walking distance of major tourist attractions
  • Bustling lobby can be overcrowded and loud in the evenings
  • Steep fee for valet parking
  • Rooms lack coffeemakers, and some may get street noise
  • No spa
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Bottom Line

Occupying a former jail, the 298-room Liberty Hotel is a unique luxury property with a hip atmosphere and a playful design that honors the building’s rich history. Rooms are stylish and elegant, with tons of interesting decorative elements that incorporate the incarceration theme, and upscale bathrooms with separate rain showers and soaking tubs. The stunning lobby is a popular hangout spot for afterwork drinks, and Scampo is known for its wonderful Italian cuisine and chic interiors. The Liberty is popular with couples, and also draws many business travelers with over 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, 24-hour business and fitness centers, and lots of wonderful dining and drinking options on-site. The location in Beacon Hill is convenient for shopping, dining, and hospitals, but most major tourist attractions are at least a 15-minute T ride away. Families may want to compare rates at Hotel Marlowe.

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Oyster Hotel Review

The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston

Scene

A rich history and a vibrant nightlife scene define this architecturally striking hotel.

For nearly 150 years, the tall granite building at 215 Charles Street was known as the Charles Street Jail and housed some of Boston's most heinous criminals. In 2007, after a painstaking restoration that preserved elements of the prison design, it reopened as the Liberty Hotel. In 2016, an $11 million dollar investment gave the hotel another push toward luxury. The result is stunning, with 298 elegant rooms, and striking common spaces that include a 90-foot-tall lobby with winding catwalks and high, circular windows that flood the space with light.

The hotel has fun with the jail theme throughout. Clink is the name of the restaurant off the lobby; the walls of Alibi, the lounge downstairs, are hung with celebrity mug shots (Sinatra, Morrison, Nolte); instead of a typical "Do Not Disturb" sign, guests hang a "Solitary" key ring on their doorknobs. In places, the hotel has even kept the jail's iron bars and worked them into the decor.

With its architectural grace and intriguing backstory, the Liberty aspires to greatness, and its elegance, style and chic vibe have made it not only one of the most attractive hotels in the area but also a favorite among locals. The Liberty's bars and restaurants aren't merely stops for people staying at the hotel, but destinations in their own right, drawing a young and trendy crowd.

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Location

In Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood, next to a large hospital

About two blocks from the Charles River, the Liberty sits on the western edge of Beacon Hill, a gorgeous residential neighborhood full of brick Federal-style homes. Although quiet and pleasant, there isn’t much of interest in the immediate vicinity -- Massachusetts General Hospital dominates the area around the Liberty, and there are busy expressways nearby. Still, it's only a short walk to shopping and restaurants on Charles Street, and the Charles/MGH T station is right across the street. Although a little away from most major attractions, a handful of tourist sights can be reached on foot, including the Charles River Esplanade, the Museum of Science, and the Boston Common, all within a 15-minute walk of the Liberty. It’s a 10-minute drive to Fenway Park (home of the Red Sox), and Harvard Square, Harvard University, and Faneuil Hall are all about 15 minutes away. For a fee, the hotel provides transfer services to Logan International, which is a 15-minute drive away.

See More Location

Rooms

Elegant, stylish rooms with a subdued jail theme and upscale amenities

The jail theme, so prevalent throughout the public spaces, is somewhat more subdued in the hotel’s 298 rooms. Details such as framed skeleton keys, heavy vaults that have been given a new life as bedside tables, and accent pillows with tally marks honor the hotel’s history without making rooms look corny or overdone. The decor is classy and stylish, with handsome hardwood floors, dove-gray textured walls with herringbone designs, big Chesterfield couches or club chairs, and large navy headboards. Earth tones and the combination of wood and leather make rooms feel cozy and inviting.

Starting at around 400 square feet, rooms are spacious and comfortable, with large windows overlooking either the street, the river, or the courtyard. Amenities are on par with other luxury hotels, and include quality Luxury Collection beds topped with Frette linens, large flat-screen TVs, minibars, and safes. Free basic Wi-Fi is available throughout, but upgrades are available for a daily fee. Clean bathrooms have granite and marble accents, separate rain showers and soaking tubs, Molton Brown toiletries, and backlit mirrors. Daily turndown service is available in all rooms.

See More Rooms

Features

Three restaurants, two bars, fitness center, meeting space, and pet-friendly policies

The Liberty has three restaurants and two bars. Clink is the hotel’s casual dining option, and serves modern American fare in a spacious dining room off the lobby. Located high above the lobby on the second-floor rotunda, Catwalk is a guest-only spot offering drinks and a dinner menu from Clink, and Scampo is popular among guests and locals alike for its excellent contemporary Italian cuisine. Alibi is a hip cocktail bar offering late-night snacks and good drinks, but the star of the show is the Liberty, the hotel’s happening lobby bar popular with local young professionals and guests alike. An outdoor seating area -- The Yard -- is also available for private events.

The fitness center is a little small, but offers a wide array of cardio and strength-training machines, as well as free weights and fresh fruit. Outdoor yoga classes with Equinox instructors are available seasonally, as are loaner bikes. The hotel also features a 24-hour business center with a few computers, a printer, and a copy machine, and over 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. Valet parking is available for a fee.

The Liberty allows up to two pets under 50 pounds per room, and features a twice-weekly social event called the Yappier Hour in the courtyard, complete with cocktails and snacks. Dogs and cats do not have be to be caged when unattended, but there is a one-time cleaning fee.

See More Features

Things You Should Know About The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston

Also Known As

  • Liberty Hotel Boston

Room Types

  • Charles River Suite
  • Deluxe Courtyard View room
  • Deluxe Room
  • Ebersol Suite
  • Grand Deluxe City View Room
  • Grand Deluxe Corner Room
  • Superior Room

Address

215 Charles Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114-3001, United States

Phone

(617) 224-4000

Website

Oyster Hotel Review

The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston

Scene

A rich history and a vibrant nightlife scene define this architecturally striking hotel.

For nearly 150 years, the tall granite building at 215 Charles Street was known as the Charles Street Jail and housed some of Boston's most heinous criminals. In 2007, after a painstaking restoration that preserved elements of the prison design, it reopened as the Liberty Hotel. In 2016, an $11 million dollar investment gave the hotel another push toward luxury. The result is stunning, with 298 elegant rooms, and striking common spaces that include a 90-foot-tall lobby with winding catwalks and high, circular windows that flood the space with light.

The hotel has fun with the jail theme throughout. Clink is the name of the restaurant off the lobby; the walls of Alibi, the lounge downstairs, are hung with celebrity mug shots (Sinatra, Morrison, Nolte); instead of a typical "Do Not Disturb" sign, guests hang a "Solitary" key ring on their doorknobs. In places, the hotel has even kept the jail's iron bars and worked them into the decor.

With its architectural grace and intriguing backstory, the Liberty aspires to greatness, and its elegance, style and chic vibe have made it not only one of the most attractive hotels in the area but also a favorite among locals. The Liberty's bars and restaurants aren't merely stops for people staying at the hotel, but destinations in their own right, drawing a young and trendy crowd.

See More Scene

Location

In Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood, next to a large hospital

About two blocks from the Charles River, the Liberty sits on the western edge of Beacon Hill, a gorgeous residential neighborhood full of brick Federal-style homes. Although quiet and pleasant, there isn’t much of interest in the immediate vicinity -- Massachusetts General Hospital dominates the area around the Liberty, and there are busy expressways nearby. Still, it's only a short walk to shopping and restaurants on Charles Street, and the Charles/MGH T station is right across the street. Although a little away from most major attractions, a handful of tourist sights can be reached on foot, including the Charles River Esplanade, the Museum of Science, and the Boston Common, all within a 15-minute walk of the Liberty. It’s a 10-minute drive to Fenway Park (home of the Red Sox), and Harvard Square, Harvard University, and Faneuil Hall are all about 15 minutes away. For a fee, the hotel provides transfer services to Logan International, which is a 15-minute drive away.

See More Location

Rooms

Elegant, stylish rooms with a subdued jail theme and upscale amenities

The jail theme, so prevalent throughout the public spaces, is somewhat more subdued in the hotel’s 298 rooms. Details such as framed skeleton keys, heavy vaults that have been given a new life as bedside tables, and accent pillows with tally marks honor the hotel’s history without making rooms look corny or overdone. The decor is classy and stylish, with handsome hardwood floors, dove-gray textured walls with herringbone designs, big Chesterfield couches or club chairs, and large navy headboards. Earth tones and the combination of wood and leather make rooms feel cozy and inviting.

Starting at around 400 square feet, rooms are spacious and comfortable, with large windows overlooking either the street, the river, or the courtyard. Amenities are on par with other luxury hotels, and include quality Luxury Collection beds topped with Frette linens, large flat-screen TVs, minibars, and safes. Free basic Wi-Fi is available throughout, but upgrades are available for a daily fee. Clean bathrooms have granite and marble accents, separate rain showers and soaking tubs, Molton Brown toiletries, and backlit mirrors. Daily turndown service is available in all rooms.

See More Rooms

Features

Three restaurants, two bars, fitness center, meeting space, and pet-friendly policies

The Liberty has three restaurants and two bars. Clink is the hotel’s casual dining option, and serves modern American fare in a spacious dining room off the lobby. Located high above the lobby on the second-floor rotunda, Catwalk is a guest-only spot offering drinks and a dinner menu from Clink, and Scampo is popular among guests and locals alike for its excellent contemporary Italian cuisine. Alibi is a hip cocktail bar offering late-night snacks and good drinks, but the star of the show is the Liberty, the hotel’s happening lobby bar popular with local young professionals and guests alike. An outdoor seating area -- The Yard -- is also available for private events.

The fitness center is a little small, but offers a wide array of cardio and strength-training machines, as well as free weights and fresh fruit. Outdoor yoga classes with Equinox instructors are available seasonally, as are loaner bikes. The hotel also features a 24-hour business center with a few computers, a printer, and a copy machine, and over 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. Valet parking is available for a fee.

The Liberty allows up to two pets under 50 pounds per room, and features a twice-weekly social event called the Yappier Hour in the courtyard, complete with cocktails and snacks. Dogs and cats do not have be to be caged when unattended, but there is a one-time cleaning fee.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Babysitting Services

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pets Allowed

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.