Pros

  • Great gym (renovated in 2012) pool
  • Connected to the convention center
  • 10 minutes from the airport; free shuttle
  • Three on-site bars
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Cons

  • Busy, crowded atmosphere
  • Daily fee for Wi-Fi
  • On-site restaurants have limited hours, service.
See More Cons

Bottom Line

This 793-room, sleek, modern, 16-story hotel is a fantastic option for travelers with business at the attached convention center. Spacious rooms, a solid pool and gym, and a lively bar scene are corporate crowd pleasers. On-site dining is limited -- at the moment, as a new steakhouse is coming in October 2013 -- but there are several other dining options in the area.

See More Bottom Line

Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi
  • Pets Allowed
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

The Westin Boston Waterfront

Scene

This business-oriented hotel has a massive lobby with an oft-crowded bar scene, modern, spacious rooms, a good pool and gym, and an abundance of bars, but only one limited, on-site restaurant.

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; for dinner, you're left with either the 24-hour room service or MJ O'Connor's, which is connected to the lobby and allows charges to the rooms, as do other restaurants off the lobby such as the Irish Pub, City Bar, and Martini Lounge. 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.

The hotel, however, does have plans to add a premium steakhouse from Eddy Merlot by October 2013. tag:revisit 9/15/2013 In addition, the Westin plans to build a comedy club -- Laugh Boston -- off of the lobby. It is slated to open in April 2013. tag:revisit 4/1/2013

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 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.

See More Scene

Location

Directly adjacent to the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center

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 to Faneuil Hall, a historic marketplace and modern-day mall
  • Just under two miles 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; Water taxis stop at the World Trade Center dock across the street
See More Location

Pets

Pets up to 75 pounds welcome

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
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Rooms

Chic and comfortable with few amenities.

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.

  • 32-inch flat-screen TV
  • Coffeemaker
  • Westin Heavenly Bed with 300-thread-count linens
  • Free Wi-Fi
See More Rooms

Features

The Westin offers a solid variety of features, including a good gym, pool, and business center. There is also a comedy club in the works and a solid array or restaurants.

  • Spacious gym, featuring new equpiment and layout since Oyster's visit.
  • There is no spa on site, but in-room massages can be arranged.
  • The pool and hot tub have a great skylight and are kept very clean, but the pool isn't deep or very long.
  • The business center is solid and open seven days a week with computers, printers, airport baggage check-ins, shipping and receiving services, and scooter rental.
  • A comedy club -- Laugh Boston -- is slated to open April 2013 off the lobby. tag:revisit 4/1/2013
See More Features

Things You Should Know About The Westin Boston Waterfront

Also Known As

  • Westin Boston
  • Boston Westin
  • Westin Hotel Boston
  • Westin Boston Waterfront

Room Types

  • Deluxe Room
  • Harborview Suite
  • Hospitality Suite
  • Presidential Suite
  • Traditional Room
  • Westin Workout Room

Address

425 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States

Phone

(617) 532-4600

Website

Oyster Hotel Review

The Westin Boston Waterfront

Scene

This business-oriented hotel has a massive lobby with an oft-crowded bar scene, modern, spacious rooms, a good pool and gym, and an abundance of bars, but only one limited, on-site restaurant.

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; for dinner, you're left with either the 24-hour room service or MJ O'Connor's, which is connected to the lobby and allows charges to the rooms, as do other restaurants off the lobby such as the Irish Pub, City Bar, and Martini Lounge. 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.

The hotel, however, does have plans to add a premium steakhouse from Eddy Merlot by October 2013. tag:revisit 9/15/2013 In addition, the Westin plans to build a comedy club -- Laugh Boston -- off of the lobby. It is slated to open in April 2013. tag:revisit 4/1/2013

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 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.

See More Scene

Location

Directly adjacent to the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center

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 to Faneuil Hall, a historic marketplace and modern-day mall
  • Just under two miles 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; Water taxis stop at the World Trade Center dock across the street
See More Location

Pets

Pets up to 75 pounds welcome

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
See More Pets

Rooms

Chic and comfortable with few amenities.

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.

  • 32-inch flat-screen TV
  • Coffeemaker
  • Westin Heavenly Bed with 300-thread-count linens
  • Free Wi-Fi
See More Rooms

Features

The Westin offers a solid variety of features, including a good gym, pool, and business center. There is also a comedy club in the works and a solid array or restaurants.

  • Spacious gym, featuring new equpiment and layout since Oyster's visit.
  • There is no spa on site, but in-room massages can be arranged.
  • The pool and hot tub have a great skylight and are kept very clean, but the pool isn't deep or very long.
  • The business center is solid and open seven days a week with computers, printers, airport baggage check-ins, shipping and receiving services, and scooter rental.
  • A comedy club -- Laugh Boston -- is slated to open April 2013 off the lobby. tag:revisit 4/1/2013
See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Babysitting Services

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pets Allowed

  • Pool

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Supervised Kids Activities

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.