The Back Bay neighborhood is home to so much of what makes Boston a world class city. You're a quick walk from legendary Fenway Park, the seemingly endless blocks of Newbury Street's boutique shopping, the Skywalk Observatory atop Prudential Center, stunning emerald ribbons of parkland bordering the Charles River, and inventive dining helmed by a growing community of star chefs.
It's hard to imagine, but well into the early 1970s, demolition permits for much of what you now see, far outnumbered shoppers and tourists walking the streets. The Charles River was literally an open sewer while skid row living conditions snuffed out blocks of classic brownstones once. Yet, in 1971 The Colonnade Hotel opened on the corner of Huntington Ave. and West Newton St. as a definitive catalyst for the neighborhood's renaissance.
Rising 12 stories high, it features sleek towering concrete pillars that gird floor-to-ceiling windows designed and built by Bertram Druker. Walking through the glass front doors, guests are greeted by a marble floored lobby outfitted with clusters of plush seating to either side. Straight ahead a circular wooden table features a colorful map on it that depicts both historic and present-day Boston.
All 285 rooms offer floor-to-ceiling windows that not only flood your living space with natural light but open for fresh air when desired. For more space, book one of their 700- to 950-square-feet suites outfitted with a king or two doubles, a separate living and dining room, and two bathrooms.
The hotel is also home to a rooftop pool, open Memorial to Labor Day. It’s the city's only publicly-accessible rooftop pool. The area is surrounded by white cabanas, plush outdoor sofas and chairs ensconced along one side of the rooftop, all offering spectacular views of historic South Boston. Look across the pool from this vantage point and you get a decidedly more modern backdrop of gleaming skyscrapers. A full service, 12-seat bar serves up to three different types of housemade sangrias, along with seasonal specialty cocktails and light bites like.
Twice-weekly complimentary pre-breakfast sunrise salutation yoga classes are offered by in-house yogi Rebecca Pacheco and a pop-up series called rooftop Chefs led by Executive Chef Nick Calias. The dinners take place in the cabanas by Calias and his friends, some of the best chefs in New England. All proceeds benefit the No Kid Hungry campaign.
When it comes to dining, Executive Chef Nick Calias blends the latest culinary techniques with classic French bistro fare at Boston’s first authentic French brasserie. “Boston’s chef community’s strength is rooted in our diverse backgrounds and love of cooking,” said Calias. Perfecting his craft in for nearly a decade now, Calias has a passion for building the finest dishes with the freshest ingredients. Favorites include Grilled Lemon Chicken Paillard, Chicken Coq Au Vin, Mussels Riesling Marinière, and Alsace Brioche Bread Pudding.
Styled after a typical 1940s French bistro, the restaurant is decorated with mosaic tile flooring, dark wood furnishings, and a strikingly eclectic mix of vintage art prints and paintings on the walls. The bar serves up seasonally-changing craft cocktails, oversized martinis, Alsatian-style beers, and an extensive wine list.
Still owned by the Druker family today, The Colonnade is a distinct rarity in Boston's increasingly chain-dominated hotel scene. It’s laundry list of notable guests—Whitney Houston, Ronald Reagan, Dean Martin, Harry Connick Jr., Val Kilmer and Matt Damon—is also a testament to the level of service guests are afforded here.
