Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

, Boston, United States
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Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

3 star

Rooms: 456

606 Congress Street - Boston - Massachusetts - 02210 - United States Hotel Website | | 617-338-4111
334 Traveller

Reviews - Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

Historical Traveller Reviews of Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

Brand New, Super Clean, and Relaxing

from Evelyn037
Just returned from an overnight visit to the new Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. Had a great room which included an awesome pillow topped mattress on the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever slept in. The large flat screen high def TV was a real treat. In the immediate vicinity of the hotel is the Institute of Contemporary Art. This building itself is somewhat like an inverted pyramid with the top floor extending out over Boston Harbor 80 feet by a cantilever type architectural design. Even without the incredible Art pieces, it is soothing to sit on the benches and look over the water...What a view. We paid full ticket price ($12.00) but they do have a "free" weeknight/weekend (check website) The brewery for Harpoon Beer is just down the street although hard to locate as it appears to be an industrial park type area in that direction but they do have free samples during a few scheduled tasting hours during the day. In the other direction with walking distance from the hotel, great seafood at a "clam shack" smack in the middle of Boston called the "Barking Crab". Sat at a picnic table overlooking the harbor! Never expected to find this Maine-style shack in the big city! The food was delicious and tasted very fresh..."Market" prices on most seafood (you have to ask the price as it changes daily and is not printed on the menu)...some specials and burgers too...

The Renaissance was awesome.

from pinaykat
I really enjoyed my time at the Renaissance. The place was very nicely decorated and you could tell that the hotel was fairly new. When I checked it, the staff was very friendly and were even accommodating when I asked for a high floor. I had the choice of a king bed or a high floor, and I selected the high floor with two beds. I think that was a better option - because I ended up having a view anyways (because my rate had prevented me from getting the full water view).

The beds were amazing as they usually are and the room was very nice. There wasn't a refridgerator, but all the gadgets in the room was neat. There was a flat screen tv that would swivel if you turned it toward the desk, or the other bed. The alarm clock was one of those where you can wake up to your ipod. The desk was neat because in addition to plugs and ethernet cable inputs, you could also make your tv your computer screen via the cables they provided. It also had a/v and other inputs that I didn't use.

There was a little nook that held the coffee maker next to the closet that was nice. The bathroom was really simplistic, but was top of the line. It would have been helpful if there were one of those magnifying mirrors, but that is just my personal preference. The shampoo and conditioner they provided smelled really good. I liked the recessed lighting over the tub, which was pretty large.

Now the negative -
* The walls are paper thin. I was having a private telephone conversation, I don't think I was loud at all - but my neighbor started banging on the wall like it was some apartment building and I was still in college. I know my conversation was late (I WAS still on California time), but it shook me up and I felt uncomfortable.
* The parking cost was insane - $39/nt. But since it was an upscale hotel, it's expected. The parking lot around the corner is cheaper, but be prepared to pay as well. Their breakdown is odd - I don't know the cost for less than 2 hours, but 2-10 hours is $20 and up to 24 hours is $27. I flew in on a red eye and decided to take a nap, so, my first day I stayed economical and the car stayed in the lot. So, that's pretty much it on the negative.

Boston as a whole was amazing. I loved the transportation system. The silver T line was right across the street from the hotel. If I knew better, I would have just taken the silver line from the airport. (It's the line that connects the airport to the rest of the lines - and the hotel is right next to the stop.) It was also nice that there is a Starbucks connected to the lobby. The concierge was really helpful and they sent me to the No Name on the wharf across the street. It was really good.

This Brand New hotel should rapidly rise to the top of the boston hotel list

from hanu1
What a great hotel experience. The Staff was wonderful and helpful from Bibi at the front desk, to the cheerful Chamber maids who made up our room. My wife and two girls loved the room, the club lounge, pool, and restaurant. Include the great views of the Harbor area and airport (we never heard a single plane as they approach and depart away from the hotel) in the list as well. The location was a bit away from the city center, but easily reached by subway or cab and we probably saved $100 a night off the rate of those city center hotels. I would stay at the Renaissance Boston again in a flash. And Thanks to all at the hotel for professionally handling my DHL overnight package!

the new Renaissance Waterfront is a great place to stay !

from enjoythejourney15
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the brand new super modern Renaissance Waterfront in the Seaport area of Boston.

The seaport area is currently under urban renewal and trendy new hotels and restaurants are popping up all around.

The hotel itself is very modern but colorful. The staff were very helpful. They went out of their way to get us reservations on the almost sold out 'Duck ' tour. The concierge gave us a discount coupon for the new Legal Test Kitchen restaurant that had opened up next door.

The health club was great. All brand new equipment and a 75 foot lap pool that was pretty neat !

The restaurant breakfast buffet was great. They even had a row of seats facing the chefs where lone diners could sit and be part of the action watching the buffet and chatting with the chefs.

The area is a little off the beaten path but we walked into Fanueil Hall in 15 minutes. We found out later there is a little ferry from the world trade center directly across from the hotel to Center Wharf -one wharf over from long wharf. We will take that the next time !

We had a great relaxing stay. Marriott did a nice job with this one !! :-)

Incredible Weekend at the Renaissance

from CarelessWhisper
My girlfriend and I booked a weekend in Boston and chose to try out the Renaissance. Unbeknownst to her, I was planning on proposing this weekend. I let a clerk at the front desk know prior to our arrival and, since I was a Platinum Rewards member, they upgraded us from a base room to a Vice Presidential Suite at no charge.

First, the service was outstanding at the hotel. There was always a clerk standing in the lobby to answer any questions that guests had. The room service and cleaning staff were all very friendly and attentive as well.

The hotel itself had a very modern look that set it apart from other hotels. The aquatic theme was appealing and the furnishings in the lobby and rooms were very unique. The gym was stocked with the latest equipment and they even had free fruit and bottled water for all patrons. There was a large open-air patio for relaxing and a lap pool which wasn’t open yet. It looked to be only 1 or 2 lanes wide and the hot tub also looked very small, so don’t expect much if it is a crowded weekend. The Club Lounge had nice snacks/cocktails at night and a good continental breakfast in the morning.

The room itself was amazing. It occupied three sides of the hotel so it had amazing views of both the harbor and the city itself. It had a very large living room with two couches (one sleeper), a dining room table, and a large HDTV. There was also a large pantry with a refrigerator and coffee machine.

There was a half-bath in addition to the master bathroom. The master bathroom had a glass shower stall and a separate glass stall with a toilet. The entire bathroom was surrounded by windows which made for an interesting experience. We thought it would be awkward at first but found the shower stall (with two showerheads!) steamed up nicely to avoid any peepshows. There were also automatic screens which lowered over the windows if desired. In addition, the bathroom had a Jacuzzi, 2 sinks, and an HDTV.

Finally, the bedroom was extremely comfortable. The bed was loaded with pillows and had a feather top which offered a very refreshing sleep. There was another HDTV in the bedroom as well as a large window and loveseat that overlook the harbor. A desk in the room contained connectors for hooking a laptop up to the TV. This was great for watching movies we brought along.

All in all, this was an incredible room. The little things really stood out, like the IPod alarm clock, floor plants, and this was the first hotel I've stayed in that offers HD TV channels and HD pay-per-view. There were a few quirks in the room that took some getting used to. There was a master switch at the entry which controlled the majority of the lights in the room. We had no idea at first so we walked around in the dark until the front desk cleared it up. Also, as mentioned by others, the walls seemed very thin for such a new hotel. We could easily hear our neighbors next door. The water in both the shower and Jacuzzi seemed very contaminated. It was greenish and felt very slick on the skin. Not sure if this is typical of Boston or maybe due to the fact the hotel is so new. Finally, the TV in the bathroom is located in such a way that it can’t be seen from the tub and is useless from the shower due to the steam. A different location may have served better.

All in all, we were both amazed at how well the Boston Renaissance treated us. The suite really made our engagement weekend unforgettable (as well as the fact that she said yes!) It was amazing that they upgraded us from a $170/night room to one that starts at $3000. We’ll probably never have the money to stay in a room like that, but we appreciated them giving us the opportunity to live it up for a weekend. Even beyond that, we found the hotel a real joy to stay at. We look forward to returning soon!

New, Chic and Trendy in an Upcoming Area of Boston!

from zuzuspetals_NY
The hotel is brand new, chic and trendy. The hotel staff could not be more helpful and did a beautiful job accommodating me during a very late night check in. I was there for a fitness conference, and the staff were as helpful as possible to our staff and all the participants. The concierge had a rainy day schedule of events for either business or family. We went to the Aquarium, and walked back to the hotel, along the water. It was a bit long, yet doable. You pass many parking lots that have all day lots for 10.00 a day. There is also a ferry that runs from across the street to the Aquarium, Monday through Friday.

We were not able to use the pool, as it was not open yet. It is a lap pool with a hot tub in one area. The fitness facility was very clean and the machines nicely placed. Room service was wonderful - and the staff were trying so hard to do a good job -- and they succeeded. I will be back with my family this summer!

Nice Hotel but comes with some design annoyances.

from spudpicker1
I booked 2 rooms with Marriott Reward points. The hotel is very new and very nice when you enter. The bellmen greeted us upon arrival and were very pleasant and helpful.

The clerk at checkin seemed confused at how to check me in and had to call a supervisor. Finally got through the confusion after 10 minutes.
I was given a "waterview room" (I think they are all waterview) upgrade. The rooms were extremely clean. The room boasted a flat screen HD TV and hookups for any type of electronic device you might want to carry. WIFI was $12.95/24 hours and included unlimited calls within the U.S.The bed was very comfortable.

Now for the things I didn't like; The fire detector blinks all night long and the clock has an illuminated display which emits more light than a childs nightlight.

The shower was a real challenge. The entry door was on the right. The shower handle was about 4 feet to the left on the wall so you had to reach in and try to redirect the shower spray when you turned the shower on. Needless to say, my wife did not realize this and got soaked with cold water. I tried a few minutes later, but I still got wet even after taking precautions. The shower itself was VERY DISAPPOINTING in that they use a showerhead which resricts waterflow.
The walls are paper thin. You WILL here most noises coming from other rooms. This really surprised me since most new premium hotels have sound defining insulation. You could even hear the air traffic out of Logan and I was on the opposite side of the airport.

There were two lounges in the lobby area with very attentive bartenders and waitpersons.

We did not eat dinner in the hotel. We chose the Legal Seafood Test Kitchen Restaurant (LTK awning) next door. The food was excellent. I would not choose to stay here again because of the room shortcomings.

Issues with food quality

from GoldenViewer
Will give hotel a chance to redeem itself. This is first night of two. Will write again after tomorrow to give hotel chance to right the wrongs. I'm checking out this new Marriott and was surprised at the inadequacies of the room service food quality.

Basically room service was poor. We ordered Caesar Salad with Chicken - and without anchovies. Salad arrived - chicken was dry, cooked hours ago, just bad. And, it had anchovies - although order slip specifically stated NO anchovies. Fruit plate was delivered with fruit only, but without yogurt as described in the menu. The bread tasted like BACON (yuck!) so we didn't eat it. Returned the Caesar salad. Also supposed to receive a 2nd plate of fruit because I am Platinum member of Marriott Rewards program...that was forgotten. When this portion of fruit was delivered, one of the apples was rotten.

I usually don't complain (too much) about little things - which all of these were in and of themselves - but little things add up. This was a terrible experience with Room Service. Although the hotel is new, I definitely expect more.

The only good thing about Room Service was our waiter, Sal, who repeatedly came back and forth to our room to remedy the situation.

I filled out the evaluation form and had it delivered to management. I hope that by the time I order breakfast they've read it.

Beautiful property, uncomfortable stay

from TonkaToy2k2
The room itself is clean, the beds are comfy, and I like the flat screen tv's. But this room has its quirks!

This morning, at 8am, they were testing the fire alarms. Inside the room at full blast volume, they announce, "WWEEERRRPP!!!! Attention guests, we will be testing the alarms on floors..." I woke up and thought, "Oh my gosh, did I oversleep my alarm? Is it noon?" When I looked at the clock and it read 8am, I was furious!

Also, if you're a light sleeper, be warned. From my room at night, there's a constant generator noise. It's not the ventilation for this room b/c the heater already kicked off. Ear plugs don't really help because it's a low pitched hum, so my cheap ear plugs won't block that frequency out.

I didn't bother to ask for a room change because I talked to some of my co-workers on different floors, and they complained about the same generator noise.

Too bad for the annoyances because I thought it was a beautiful room.

Brand New and Getting there...

from life2short
I had one day to stay in Boston and I wanted it to be nice. This Marriott property had just opened and was the nicest rated available, so i booked it. It was brand new: newly built and staffed and just opened for business. I love the beds, the HUGE TV, the room wireless speedy internet (that you pay for), the chaise lounge by the large window. The bathroom is ok and normal for Boston - no shower. The room was not large, but not too small either. There were some new hotel mixups: some things advertised were not available yet (massage); couldnt find packages left at the front; read butter and milk on breakfast order as "buttermilk" (quickly and cheerfully corrected). All-in-all, I would highly recommend it. I paid $2 to get a "T" ticket and rode the silver line bus from the airport; it stopped at Silver Line Way and I walked across the street (the bus driver even watched me to make sure i made it). THis was MUCH cheaper than a $30 cab ride for 3 miles. I walked around the corner from the hotel that night for dinner at "the Legal Seafood Test Kitchen" - wow. so good. lots of bar space, excellent servers; great food.

Top Local Tips for Boston

Watch the Cabbies and Car Services I arrived to Boston via Amtrak very late - a cabbie told me that he would take me to the hotel for $20. -- I said, "$20.oo for ONE mile?" and walked away - another cab cost me approx. $5.oo -- Also because this hotel is fairly new - some of the cabbies did not know where the hotel was - It's on Congress Street.

To park at the hotel or not The hotel charges $39 a day to park but the area is surrounded by parking lots that say 10- 12 dollars a day to park.That rate is for 12 hours so double it for the night. But most importantly be aware that in most cases you will not be able to bring your car back into the lot after 9pm even if you have prepaid. The attendants go off duty and you can only take your car out of the lot after that time. So if you plan on parking your car and relying on cabs and subways during your stay the lots are worth it ,but if you plan on using your can to go to a night game at Fenway (cab fare $ 15 without tip) or a late dinner or anytime you will be bringing the car out past nine the flexibility offered by the hotel parking lot maybe the best value after all.

The Silver Line I was confused at the airport because the Silver line has a "T" stop sign which made me think it would be a subway line and that a shuttle bus would take us to the T stop. Well the bus is the Silver T - it goes into a Tunnel which has underground stops at Court St., the World Trade Center and South Street. Boston likes it's tunnels...

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Other names for Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

  • renaissance boston
  • boston renaissance
  • Address: 606 Congress Street - Boston - Massachusetts - 02210 - United States
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