The Westin Boston Waterfront Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Downtown and Waterfront, Boston, Massachusetts

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The massive lobby at the Westin Waterfront

This 793-room, 16-story mammoth hotel sits directly adjacent to the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center, but also boasts its own 70,000 square feet of ballrooms and meeting space. As such, most of the guests are business travelers or conventioneers; the massive lobby serves large parties entering and exiting en masse and hosts a lively bar scene. In fact, there are three drinking options at the hotel: the lobby bar, the City Bar, and MJ O'Connor's, all within about thirty feet of each other. On a Saturday night, the hotel was hosting two galas, while several weeklong conventions were taking place at the convention center. City Bar was overflowing, and the lobby was packed with merry revelers -- that is to say, drunken guests.

As thorough as the hotel might be in offering beverage options (there's also a Starbucks in the lobby), it's lacking in food choices. The sole restaurant, the unfortunately named Sauciety, only serves breakfast and lunch (6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends); for dinner, you're left with either the 24-hour room service or MJ O'Connor's, which is connected to the lobby but doesn't allow charges to your room. Compare this to the cheaper Renaissance Waterfront Hotel and Seaport Hotel across the freeway -- both sit on the scenic waterfront and are near an array of restaurants like Morton's Steakhouse and No Name Restaurant.

At 330 square feet, the chic, modest Wi-Fi-enabled rooms are average size for Boston hotels, but they feel pleasantly spacious due to high ceilings, short furniture, sparse artwork, an oak-colored, uncluttered headboard and a desk that's spacious enough for several people to work side-by-side. There's nothing on top of the dresser except for a 32-inch flat-screen TV and a coffeemaker. While the faded-earth tones of the curtains and carpeting are a bit drab, the large window adds nice light. Plus, the king-size bed (one of the Westin signature Heavenly beds) is very comfortable, covered in 300-thread-count sheets.

As for features, they're good, if not extraordinary. It's too bad spotty service that seems either occupied, unresponsive, or just plain absent most of the time, doesn't do much to elevate the offerings. The gym (open 5 a.m. to midnight) is spacious, but doesn't capitalize fully on its space. The pool and hot tub, also open from 5 a.m. to midnight, have a great skylight and are kept very clean, but the pool isn't deep or very long. The business center is solid, however, and open seven days a week with computers, printers, airport baggage check-ins, shipping and receiving services, and scooter rental.

Overall, this hotel may not blow you away, but if you have business at the convention center, it's a convenient and appropriate choice. Sure, you can spend significantly less and be closer to the water with more eateries nearby at both the Seaport (with free Wi-Fi) and the Renaissance Waterfront (a newer property with a restaurant helmed by a name chef). But the Westin has better rooms, bedding, overall business services, and convention center proximity -- plus you get those coveted Starwood points.

View on a Larger Map

The Westin Boston Waterfront is directly next to the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center, and a 10-minute walk to the galleries and restaurants of the Fort Point arts district. Downtown Boston is easily accessible by cab -- just a two- to five-minute, roughly $8, cab ride.

• Directly adjacent to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
• 10-minute walk to the Seaport stop on the T, Boston's subway system
• Five blocks from the Institute of Contemporary Art
• Five to 10-minute drive, or $7 to $10 cab ride, to Faneuil Hall, a historic marketplace and modern-day mall
• Just under two miles, or a $7 to $10 cab ride, from Boston Common, the country's oldest park and start of Boston's Freedom Trail (2.5-mile path that passes through 16 historical landmarks)
• About 40 minutes on the T to Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox
• 40-minute T ride from Harvard Square and Harvard University
• Free 10-minute shuttle to Logan International Airport; cab costs around $15; Water taxis stop at the World Trade Center dock across the street and cost $10 one way

The Westin Waterfront allows pets up to 75 pounds.

The Westin Waterfront allows pets up to 75 pounds with no fee.

• Guests must register pets and sign a waiver upon check-in that makes them responsible for any damage.
• Pets can't be left unattended in rooms.
• Westin Heavenly dog beds available