Review of XV Beacon Hotel

Close to Boston’s historic residential heart on Beacon Hill, with Boston Common, (the oldest public park in America), the Charles River and the Freedom Trail in the nearby vicinity, XV Beacon is the perfect location for the avid tourist seeking Boston’s historic sites. Equally close to the financial district, there are numerous bars, Irish pubs and restaurants in the area to enjoy whilst the 1807 private library, the Boston Athenaeum, is next to the property. The Massachusetts State House, the old State House and the shops and dining of Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are also nearby.

For those flying into Boston, it is around a four to five-kilometre, 20 - 40 minute drive to the property, depending on traffic, whilst for drivers, overnight valet parking is available. There is also a complimentary in town Lexus drop off service, subject to availability, within a three-kilometre radius of the hotel.

There are just 63 guest rooms and suites, seven on each floor, at the XV Beacon. Attention to detail is what has given this hotel its sterling reputation so every room has been custom designed with high ceilings, cornices and artworks specifically commissioned. Classically styled in rather masculine tones of taupe, cream and espresso, expect the very best in-room facilities including gas fireplaces in each room and fresh flowers. There is also cashmere throws; pillow menus; 400 thread count Frette linens; surround sound stereo plus 40- or 49-inch (102-207 centimetres) flat screen smart televisions and Staycast streaming; premium private bars; windows that open alongside individually controlled air conditioning; in room safes and a complimentary overnight shoeshine. Bathrooms are spacious and designed with white Italian marble finishes; heated towel racks; oversized rainforest shower heads; custom XVB signature bath amenities and Jacuzzi tubs in a selection of rooms along with complimentary bath salts and plush Frette bathrobes. You can even buy their custom luxurious mattresses and have them sent home too.

There are seven room categories ranging in size from 28 square metres for the entry level Classic room right up to 130 square metres for the Gilbert Stuart Suites with some of the rooms featuring four poster or canopy beds. The premium accommodation starts with the roomy Boston Common Studio (44 square metre) with its corner views out over Boston Common and Beacon Street and the Beacon Hill Studio (45 square metres) with its additional open plan seating area. The Bromfield Suites are double that size and can accommodate a dining or boardroom table for up to twelve people in its separate Parlour Room whilst the top-of-the-line accommodation are the two-bedroom Gilbert Stuart Suites, named for the artist, larger still at 130 square metres.

Man’s best friend – of any size as long as well behaved - is welcomed warmly at the property with homemade healthy dog treats, plush beds and turndown water offered, with dog sitting on request. Fifty per cent of the dog fee due will be donated in your dog‘s name to one of the city’s charitable pet organisations.

XV Beacon has a small 24/7 gym on site, available by appointment, offering Woodway treadmills, Octane elliptical, functional Cybex trainer, a Peloton bike, a Hydrow rowing machine and free weights. Personal trainers and yoga instructors for a private in room session alongside beauty treatments are also available with day pass access to more expansive fitness facilities available on demand. 

When it comes to the great outdoors, there are numerous jogging and hiking trails nearby. These include Boston Common, a block north from the property, the Charles River bike paths and the Freedom Trail. Skates, bikes and boat rentals are also available. Private tours of historic sites or tickets for the Red Sox can also be obtained via the well-connected concierge desk. 

In the spring and summer months, the property opens its rooftop landscaped patio with scarlet cushioned loungers for sun worshippers and benches for those who just want to look out over the city from on high. 

XV Beacon has its own established art collection ranging from a Roman mosaic in The Wine Cellar which dates back to the fourth to the fifth century AD to canvasses by Gilbert Stuart who is known for his portraits of George Washington. Alongside historic pieces, the collection includes several contemporary pieces too including pieces by Maggi Brown, Olitski and Ben Freeman among others.

The understated entrance of XV Beacon designed in the Beaux-Arts style by architect William Gibbons Preston sets the tone for this discreet boutique property where an exceptional attention to detail and high levels of personalised service draw in a tribe of loyal repeat clientele year after year. The foundations of the property date back to pre-revolution times and a mansion owned by merchant Edward Bromfield, a patriot, changing hands a number of times before finally becoming a luxury hotel owned by acclaimed real estate developer Paul Roiff in 1999. 

A member of Historic Hotels of America, this property is not a staid museum of historical artifacts set in the past, but rather it focusses on the wants and needs of its sophisticated guests, with a muted, dark colour palette in its guest rooms alongside a whole host of amenities, services and luxury appointments, highlighted by a carefully curated art collection of key pieces from today and yesterday. XV Beacon sets the bar high for boutique hotels everywhere and has put in place unobtrusive service standards which will make many larger properties and hotel chains green with envy.

For all day dining every day of the week, head to Mooo, a modern steakhouse co-owned by chef Jamie Mammano with his own innovative take on classic steakhouse dishes and Boston favourites. Alternatively, enjoy the entire Mooo menu in the privacy of your room with room service, a full bar and an award-winning wine list. 

Speaking of wine, the double vaulted Wine Cellar, built on the foundations of the 1722 mansion, can be booked for private dinners and events and features a Roman mosaic dating back to the fourth – fifth century AD. The wine cellar holds and impressive range of remarkable wines, including a unique botte of Champagne Heidsieck & Co Monopole vintage 1907. The bottle was part of a 3,000-bottle shipment of Champagne destined for the headquarters of the Imperial Army in Saint Petersburg in 1916, carried by the two-masted Swedish schooner Jönköping. The ship was sunk by a German submarine and the bottles went down in the Baltic Sea with the ship, only to be recovered by a Swedish submarine expedition in 1998. 2,400 of the Champagne bottles were recovered from the cool dark underwater environment, which had preserved the wine remarkably well.

XV Beacon has a sustainability plan in place including environmental conservation and the use of eco-friendly products. Within the hotel, during the sensitive restoration, the owners have restored the Beaux-Arts façade, the grand marble staircase and the glass-enclosed cage lifts, saving them for future generations. 

The hotel also supports a variety of non-profit organisations both locally and across the country and participates in the Clean the World soap programme, donating their unused bath amenity products on a quarterly basis. Being Boston’s most pet friendly property, 50% of all proceeds from the pet fee issued goes to the Animal Rescue League of Boston, ASPCA, Human Society of the United States, World Wildlife Fund, Best Friends Animal Society to name but a few.

• Ambiance: Staying at the XV Beacon, you feel that you have found a hidden gem right in the heart of Boston. The discreet address and opaque glass door entrance lends the ambiance of a club rather than hotel - perfect for those who appreciate understated luxury, or A-list celebrities in search of privacy.
• History: XV Beacon serves as a perfect example of how a historic building can be respectfully converted to a luxury hotel. The foundations of the building date back to the pre-Revolutionary era (1754-1775), and the turn-of-the century Beaux Arts building has been beautifully preserved. The listing of the XV Beacon in the US National Registry of Historic Places is well deserved.
• Wine: XV Beacon offers one of the finest wine lists on the East Coast. From Margaux to Palmer and Opus One to d'Yquem, the hotel offers it all. There is even a bottle of 1907 Heidsieck Monopole, 'Gout Americain' Champagne that sells for over USD14,000! Of course there are high quality wines at affordable prices too! Pop down to The Wine Cellar for a look at the cave which is unique.  

  Henrik Hanevold
  Chief Product Officer
  Businessclass