The Colonnade Hotel

I’ve gone to the rooftop pool a few times this summer already and envision being there a lot more over the course of the summer. The staff is quick and friendly, and the cocktails are fantastic. Would recommend to anyone living in or visiting Boston.

dont be fooled by the awesome photos. once up there its a common pool with some tables on a side and a bar. we were expecting so much more, on top of this, there’s a cover pf 10 $ even if you’re planning on having drinks and dinner. totally not worth it… i have been to better rooftop bars in Boston

I rarely ever give a hotel 5 stars but this place really impressed me. Have to say I was a little worried since I’m an elite member with Marriott and Hilton but gave this place a try. Glad I did!
From the moment I walked in the door I felt welcome. The bellmen greeting me cheerily and the front desk clerk was super friendly and gave me a great room. The hotel has airy rooms, very nice amenities (rubber ducky anyone?) and is extremely clean. Floor to ceiling Windows that actually open are nice!
All in all I would totally stay here again. Great hotel, great location and wonderful staff!

I would have given it a higher rating but there too many shortfalls. One, the sink drained too slowly which was tough with men needing to shave. Two the toilets didn’t flush well. The shower head was not removable (I guess I am spoiled by my frequent stays at the Westin?) and it was a bit low… not good for tall people. The bathroom afforded little privacy, as the lock was more of a warning or a suggestion than a deterrent (we travelled with our 15 y/​o and his friend, so we needed the privacy!) The bathroom had two narrow double doors with a wide crack in between in the center, and a bolt between the two, which did not hold when pulled on in the slightest. Lastly, in this high-​tech age, there should have been more/​better placed outlets for our phones, and myriad other electronics people travel with these days.
Beds and pillows were average. Room was small but efficiently laid out and tastefully decorated. In the halls, you could hear *into* people’s rooms, but within the rooms, sound did not travel. Only one trash can, in bathroom.
On the plus side: The view on the Huntington Ave side was large and lively and on the back side was quiet and charming. Full «fourth wall» of windows with great privacy and blackout shades. The restaurant and room service food was delicious and attractively prepared. The toiletries were high quality. The staff was delightful. The in room coffee maker was very well stocked and the coffee was more than palatable, it was good! There is a public train stop right across the street, making getting to tourist attractions easier, cheaper, and more adventurous, but if you prefer cabs, the flow of them was constant.

Rude front desk clerk wouldn’t accommodate a ½ hour late checkout request. Never have had a hotel been that inflexible.

The hotel has nice rooms and a good location. My problem with this hotel however is twofold:
— The parking is ridiculously expensive at $ 48 a day. There is no street parking due to residential neighborhood restrictions so you are forced to pay this obscene amount.
— The concierge truly screwed us over. He talked us out of going to the north end for Italian food and a nearby seafood restaurant that received great reviews on Unilocal.Instead, he pushed us to go to a seafood shack which had average food and a grungy atmosphere. In hind site I can only believe he had incentive to do so rather than doing what’s best for the customer.

Excellent experience here. First, you will rarely find a hotel that doesn’t nickel and dime you for stuff… this one doesn’t. Free wifi. Free water in the rooms. Free apples in the gym. Free coffee in the room. Our bill was the room, tax, and that’s it. No stupid extra hidden fees.
We were here in winter so we didn’t use the pool. But the gym was excellent-​clean and modern. Rooms were good size, good size bathrooms, always clean, ample plugs, comfortable beds, and opening windows which is kinda cool. The lobby is quit and intimate. We didn’t eat in the hotel restaurant but it looked good and there were always people there.
But the real gem here is the staff. This is the kind of hotel where the staff gets to know you and actually cares. I’ve never been in a hotel with a nicer group of people. The concierge JP, the doorman, Norman, the bellhop, (Nekete I think) all exceeded every expectation. Helped with cars, arranging plans, anything we need-​they all just did everything they could with a genuine attitude like they enjoyed helping us and even acted like they were our personal assistants.
This is a great deal in a hotel in downtown Boston, great people, and just a pleasure to be at. I highly recommend.

My experience was positive for the moment or arrival. I was promptly offered assistance and service. The hotel is located in a great area and has a super stylish, trendy feel to it. The rooms are comfy and quiet, but small. I recommend visiting the restaurant during your visit. Good food and service. But if not always in walking distance to malls and Copley square.

Friendly staff, awesome location! We stayed in a suite, very large and comfortable! Amazing views of the city, floor to ceiling Windows. Bath tub with a complimentary ducky! awesome shower head!!! Front desk staff were nice and attentive. Cabs waiting out front is nice also. Restaurant located inside is very convenient. Large rooms for a city hotel.

I was fortunate enough to stay at the Colonnade for the better part of a week. My entire experience at this hotel was wonderful. Hilary at the front very helpful, and Donald at the front desk truly went above and beyond to make my stay as comfortable as possible. The room itself was clean and well-​cared for (the rubber duckie was a nice touch, haha). The facilities were excellent and the location couldn’t be beat. I was a 10 min cab/​über ride from everything. I can’t say enough good things about my stay — I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to spend some time in Boston. I’m already looking forward to my return!

My husband and I travel to Boston once or twice a month and have not found a hotel that we have made «our hotel». This hotel I must say was a great experience. Granted we were woken up in the middle of the night by a large wedding party but that didn’t matter. The bed was comfortable the rooms are clean and the staff were semi polite… until check out. I have traveled all over the world and never have I been taken advantage of so much. I was stuck with a $ 71 parking fee for 24 hours. When I talked to the front end manager he simply told me that there is nothing that he could do about it. This was self park in a vacant lot. If you want a soft bed this place is great however don’t show up on a night when there is a wedding and don’t bring a car and do not expect them to be polite. Still in search of a better hotel.

The Colonnade is an outstanding hotel. Anytime I come to Boston it’s where I stay. Beautifully appointed rooms, close proximity to great shops and restaurants and wonderful customer service. Top shelf in every way!

Hilton take note. This Boston location was a great stay, it’s what I’d expect for the price and more-​so. Great location, close to convention center, central transportation, mall for shopping, clean, refined, and many nearby restaurants.
Internet wi-​fi speed was fast, some intermittent disruptions. TV was rather still clunky, yet modern, and further supports my distaste for all the Hotel brand TV interfaces. The bedding and bathrooms were well appointed, modern, and sleek. A singular defining feature of how this hotel establishes itself is each room has a button instead of a door hanger for Do Not Disturb or Room Service Needed; a great way to interact.
My only gripes would be parking is expensive and not included and the in room ethernet wasn’t working as I would have preferred a less-​spotty internet connection, although fast. I also found it odd from a decorating standpoint that the beds featured the most enormous decorative pillows I’ve ever seen.
Overall I would definitely stay there again if I was doing business or visiting that side of Boston again.

Just came to Colonnade Hotel and went to the roof top. Not a lot of people for Tuesday day. The staff is extremely attentive and the food delicious. Swordfish tacos are great and also they have tasty strawberry drinks.
The view is one of the best in Boston straight across Prudential Mall. Everyone who is a pool fan need to visit this place!

We stayed there for four nights in August 2015 on the sixth floor in a king room. The bed is so comfortable; I wish we had one at home! Cleaning each day was adequate, though a few items were on the carpet from previous occupants in one corner of the room.
The toiletries are of good quality, and the rubber duck is a great and memorable addition! The duck has functionality, as you place it on your bed if you want the sheets changed.
We opted not to get the key for the mini bar, but needed a refrigerator. After calling to request one, they brought one up within five minutes, which is the fastest I have ever seen anywhere!
The air conditioner could use a little more power to cool the room properly, but it was adequate to compensate for the hot and humid weather outside. The room phone didn’t seem to work, as we had two calls to our room and we didn’t hear either phone ring once. However, I love the doorbell and ease of notifying housekeeping when you are ready for them to clean the room.
The location of the hotel is superb. It is a short walk to a great grocery store down the street, Star Market. Right across the street is the Prudential mall. A few streets over is Boylston street, which had lots of places to dine and drink. It is a short walk to get to the Orange T line, which is useful for getting to other areas of Boston.
The staff is very friendly, and we had no issues in the least with them.
We only went to the rooftop pool to look around once. It was crowded, and seemed like a place for club-​goers to hang out. The view from the roof is spectacular!
We really enjoyed or stay, and would recommend it to any of our friends!

This place showed up as a place to go to for a roof top bar. please avoid going there.
the experience was ok.
On a weekday the place was not too crowded at 8 in the evening. It was a mix of hotel guests swimming and other guests. If you are just going for the rooftop bar, they charge a cover $ 15 which can be redeemed on one item you order. The tables and chairs were not clean, and bar was ok.

Honestly wasn’t impressed with the hotel. I expected more for what I paid, the room was adequate but it wasn’t clean and that was pretty disappointing. I had asked for a quiet room and was placed a few doors down from a group of guys in a bachelor party type night out and when I asked to be moved I was told that since housekeeping had left it was impossible (what?!?).
The rooftop pool was definitely a novelty and it was great to be in a pool in the city. If you hang out and wait chairs open up. Pedro Martinez was there fir the afternoon and it was interesting to watch people interact with him for a few hours. The crowd by the pool was definitely not my type of crowd and the white pool towels were literally all full of stains from self tanner.
The staff were all super helpful and friendly, especially on the rooftop. I would go back to use the pool but that’s it.

Review is for the rooftop pool, which we visited on a Monday. We did not stay at the hotel, so we paid $ 40 just to get into the pool. Pro: could put it on a credit card, so I didn’t need to stop by an ATM. Con: it’s pretty expensive.
This rooftop pool has a lot of potential but there were a few mishaps which limit the number of stars I can give it. The bar doesn’t open until 11 a.m. I’m not an alcoholic, but a breakfast cocktail (mimosa/​bloody mary) may have been nice and would have put me in a better mood when the pool was unexpectedly closed for about two hours because the pH was too low. This lasted from about 11ish to 1ish. That’s right, $ 40 to sit and look at the pool when the day was at its hottest. While the pool was closed, there was rarely an employee in sight and zero communication. The life guards only came out to test the water pH and then disappeared. It was incredibly hot that day and the rooftop pool area offers very few options in terms of shade, so no pool access was definitely a struggle for a lot of people. Obviously I don’t want to swim in sewage (there were a million kids* in the pool that morning, I’m sure peeing the entire time), but could the pH levels have been anticipated earlier and this mishap been proactively avoided? Who knows? Not me. However, it would have been nice if the manager had come around to offer some sort of apology, even if she really didn’t care. Maybe offering a % refund for those who had paid? Maybe offering a free app? A discount on your next visit?
Had the swordfish tacos for lunch and they were absolutely delicious. Specialty drinks were very weak and quite expensive, but aren’t they always at these types of places? I’d recommend sticking with beer or wine.
Once the pool re-​opened, of course there was a mad dash for the water. We tried the 3 ft. side first. Too many kids splashing about. We tried the 6 ft. side. Surely we’d find a little respite where the kids couldn’t stand comfortably. Wrong; cannonballs galore. Kids will be kids. But if you’re looking for somewhere where you can relax in the pool, this one might not be for you.
Another setback for the RTP included an out of control umbrella which flew straight up from one of the tables and then speared back down on top of an unsuspecting sunbather. Also, there was a terrible smell at the bar coming from the trash barrel to the side of the bar? The one bathroom? Not sure.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a horrible time. I mostly had a fun day at the RTP, there are just a few aspects that could be improved upon.
*obviously an exaggeration

Stay if you get a good deal
Hotel is nice looking and clean. The AC didn’t cool the room very much. I like being able to turn my room into an igloo but I couldn’t cool it below 70. We called and they improved it to prob 68 °F.
Friendly staff.
The pool was packed (meaning all chaise lounges were taken by 10am).
Didn’t allow for late checkout because the hotel was full. It was a Monday so that was surprising. But they DiD keep our luggage while we walked around. Great central location close to Newbury St. Stores.
I’d come back if I got a good deal for less than $ 300 a night.

The location is good for accessing all the attractions in Back Bay/​South End. From the outside the hotel looks like a giant parking structure. There was a dispenser with Arnold Palmers in the lobby. It’s a nice touch but I only saw it full once. Our room was fine in a nondescript hotel décor way. The tiny bathroom lacked a fan and the drain in the tub was clogged. The bed was comfortable and our room was away from the elevator (upon request). The biggest disappointment (aside from the restaurant) was the pool. Since the RTP is open to the public and tiny there were 0 lounge chairs open. I don’t understand why the guests at the hotel don’t get precedence over non-​guests. I was really hoping to have a relaxing experience by the pool. Oh well. All in all I would say only stay here if you get a deal. For the price it’s nothing special.

This review is specifically for my rooftop experience (aka RTP) at the Colonnade; I did not stay there. The rooftop has a pool available to guests, but it also has a bar and dining area available to anyone. All you need to do is provide the name and ID of at least 1 person in your party at the reception desk. This is probably the best hotel rooftop view in Boston, even with some taller buildings blocking the view in certain directions.
The bar area is also fun. The drinks are slightly above average in price, but consider the location. I liked the frozen sangria machine, though the sangria was a tad too sweet for me. I liked the pina coladas and my margaritas better.
The food is standard, again slightly above average in price, but consider the location. My burger was basic — usual toppings and about 4 choices of cheeses. It was perhaps slightly cooked beyond order but otherwise good. The same goes for the fries, though they were «Can we get you to buy another drink?» salty.
If I were staying here, I’d definitely want to use the pool too, though I’d probably want to do some comparison booking. I think a lot of people using the pool are into either people watching or wanting to be watched (as in, «Look at me, I am staying at the Colonnade»). That’s nice — I’ll have another margarita.

I thought this was a very nice hotel. Limited on some amenities, like a gift shop, but otherwise, great location and nice options.
My room was tucked into the corner of the hallway, and I loved it. Although, I could hear the service staff at all hours open the closet across the hallway from me. And slamming the door shut. Thankfully the air conditioner helped to drown the noise out.
Really nice shower, good space in the bathroom, bathrobes available, but no slippers.
There is really no great place to get a bottle of water unless you want to pay for it out of the mini fridge, or walk outside. Not so great at 3:00am when you are thirsty!
Gym is great. Nice size with windows and newer equipment.
Friendly staff, and great location near lots of shopping and restaurants. Close to the Heinz Convention Center, 15 minutes from the BCEC, and 20 minutes from the airport (without traffic).

I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone staying in Boston. The location is fantastic and the service is top notch. The rooms are bright and modern with great views of the Copley Square section of the city. Too bad I wasn’t here for the summer in order to enjoy the rooftop pool! Maybe next time…

When I needed a hotel in Boston, I took advantage of a Priceline deal and I picked Colonnade Hotel because of its’ central location.
This was of course after doing an extensive search on all similar hotels in the area. I felt good about booking with the Colonnade after my search was done until the day before my flight. I called the hotel to check on the reservation to find out that they had only booked me for 1 night instead of 2. With my printed reservation indicating that I bought 2 nights, I provided my reference number. The hotel could not make any changes until their reservation office was open. They also couldn’t guarantee that they could correct the error because the hotel was fully booked for the days I reserved for.
I had to get in touch with Priceline, who also had to call the hotel, and I had to check back the following day to make sure everything was taken care of. That caused me some back-​and-​forth phone calls consuming about 45 minutes of my time.
Upon arrival, thankfully, all the kinks were straightened out. We were given a room at the top floor which was nice. But instead of a preferred king bed, we were given 2 queens instead; their bedside clock was 2 hours ahead which was completely confusing since I’m already 3 hours behind where I came from, and they don’t have bathroom locks (probably not the biggest deal) but I always appreciate a good sense of privacy when I’m half or fully bare.
On the day of check out, I asked the front desk, «how do I get to the back bay station?» She responded while pointing to her right direction,“just take this road down”.
«Do I need to make a turn anywhere?» She said, «no, just take this road down and you will find it». We were leaving at around 6am so I must have bothered her from her nap that morning.

Came here yesterday for 7am yoga with Rebecca Pacheco which was wonderful & for 15 dollars used the pool for the day. We had the best service EVER from Kailah (UMASS Amherst hospitality student) who was so kind and helpful the entire day. We clearly we were not big spenders but she treated us with the utmost respect and kindness.
I was SO SO impressed by her; she will have an amazing career in hospitality and finance. She reserved seats for me, gave me seltzer water with grapefruit splash, and was checking in always to see if we were OK and having a good day.
I would come simply back for the experience of being taken care of Kailah (blonde girl with blue eye liner!).
She deserves a raise!

Stayed at the Colonnade last month, and I had a great experience.
Had a couple of snags during check in (which were not the fault of hotel), but the staff was very patient and accommodating.
The room was clean and updated, and we were able to check in a few hours early. Staff was very helpful. They brought up a mini fridge upon request so we could keep snacks in the room. Internet was free and decent speed. The gym had great equipment and was also very clean. They even had a water cooler, a ton of magazines, and fresh apples in the gym.
Great location. There’s a market across the street and about half a block down. Plenty of nice restaurants nearby. Very walkable area. Even walked to Fenway for a baseball game one evening.
Two complaints…1) Their charges for printing were pretty absurd. We needed to print tickets for the Red Sox game we had decided to get last minute, and it was cheaper for us to walk to Kinko’s than to print at the hotel. Lame. 2) Housekeeping staff stalks the halls like vultures in the morning. It was nice the first morning when we were out of the room early, and they cleaned the room right away. However, our last morning there, we took our time and didn’t leave until close to check-​out time at 11 am. They SWOOPED in as soon as we were out the door of the hotel room. Aggressive.
But overall, would probably stay here again.

Colonnade Boston is such a charming hotel. It has a nice bright and modern lobby and the rooms are spacious and clean. I did a check based on a tip I learned from #hotelImpossible and it passed!
Anyway, I had a room with two double beds but unfortunately, neither the TV or Internet worked in my room. After troubleshooting for a while, the manager upgraded me to another room with King-​size bed and was nice enough to apologize for the inconvenience personally. Their customer service is great.
The hotel is very close to Copley Square and Back Bay. It is definitely in a great location and close to the T. Would love to stay here again.

My partner and I decided to spend the night in Boston so we wouldn’t have to drive home after our company’s holiday party at a nearby hotel. We weren’t overly impressed with the Colonnade, especially after seeing the hotel where our company party was held. The parking garage was awful. Very little signage directing you were to go and employees that didn’t care. One told us we had to go to the third level, saw us turn around and start to go the wrong way and didn’t even make an effort to let us know. Nice service or not.
Check in was slow. It was hard to get anyone’s attention. We were on the eighth floor. The room was okay. Nothing too great. Worn places on the furniture. Impossible to find the light switch for the main light. The bathroom door slid closed but it was hard to keep it closed. I will say the bed was very comfortable. It had a huge selection of pillows. The bathroom was nice enough (aside from the door). I liked the rubber duckie and the soaps. Heat was good. Noise wasn’t an issue. The television was nice and big.
We checked out early the next day and I was extremely disappointed that they did not validate parking. Thirty-​four dollars to park overnight in their hotel-​owned parking garage. Wow. I would hate to see the bill if I had spent an actual vacation there. I wouldn’t use them again in the future.

Location, location, location!
If you’re trying to select a hotel in Boston, I would highly recommend the Colonnade for several reasons:
1. Location — it’s right across the street from the Prudential Center which hosts tons of restaurants and shopping
2. In front of the T station — the subway was right in front of the hotel. So convenient for traveling
3. Staff — the bellman/​concierge/​front desk all knew my name while I was here for my four day stay. I also utilized the concierge service to make dinner reservations at a popular local restaurant.
4. Price — I found the best price on their website which averaged (3 nights total) around $ 280/​night which is pretty good for Boston standards.
The rooms were well appointed with high end hotel linens and very comfortable beds. This seemed more like a boutique hotel with modern furniture and décor inside our room.
As a tip, you can save yourself on the internet fees by signing up for complimentary iPrefer membership which provides free internet access and points to use to upgrade your stay.
You must save a meal to eat at Brasserie Jo which is located next to the lobby. I had the most delicious sweet breads (thymus of a calf) as a prelude to my dinner elsewhere.
Since I used public transportation, I had no need to use their parking facility.
I didn’t have a chance to check out the rooftop pool because it was closed during for the cold season. Also, I heard the fitness room was available but didn’t take advantage of it because I was on vacation mood!
The only problem I had was the air conditioning unit and the filtration system. I was congested due to the dust but turned it off and opened the window instead. Other people complained of the excessive noise but I consider myself lucky because I didn’t hear anyone near me.
I would definitely stay here if given the opportunity. See you again Beantown!

Excelent for rest after business day, good service ad confortable rooms