Prudential / St. Botolph
Description: Located on Huntington Ave in the Back Bay section of Boston the Colonnade is a well established grand dame. The lobby is impressive enough to satisfy even the highest stickler. Desk staff is knowledgeable and very eager to please. There is no valet parking, the self parking lot for the hotel is in the same block and parking is on the second and 3rd levels. There is an elevator which takes you down to the lobby.
The rooms are well equipped but on the small side. They are narrow and long. The wood is light, blond in color giving the rooms a contemporary vibe. There is a round table and two very modern chairs with two chrome reading lights. There is internet access available if you are wiling to pay $14.95 a day. There is also a business center in the lobby but you won’t get free internet access there either, if you want it free you will have to find a coffee shop nearby.
The bedding is white and brown with lots of pillows as decorations. Again a very contemporary look. Amie was very impressed, she has never been in a hotel quite this elegant.
Sound proofing is terrible in this hotel. We could hear every sound that came from the hall and there were many. We could also hear the shower and toilet in the next room. It was a bit distracting but didn’t dampen our spirits.
The view from our room was nice in a distance, not so nice close up, more of an alley. There is a Keurig single cup coffee maker with a limited choice of coffee cups. A Kona, a breakfast blend decaf and an English breakfast tea. The Amenities in the bathroom are Gilchrest and Sommes. There is also a rubber ducky with the colonnade name on it which is a very charming touch. This was Amie’s souvenir of the hotel and she was giggling as only a 13 year old can when she put it in her suitcase.
There are two fluffy bathrobes in the closet along with an iron and ironing board. Amie commandeered one of the bathrobes and enjoyed strutting around looking at herself in the mirror.
The bathroom is small; it was gleaming clean but uber petite. The vanity is again very light wood in a modern style with legs and cubby holes for the towels and the glasses. The top was granite but there is barely room to turn around in there and the door slides back and forth because there is no room for it to open into the bathroom.
The room came equiped with a flat screen TV with plenty of channels. There is a fitness center on the fifth floor that has enough machines to allow you to continue your regular routine of exercise even though you are away from home. There is a roof top pool that is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
There is close proximity to the T; it is literally right outside the door to the Prudential Center Stop. Go inbound and get off at Government Center for Quincy Market or Haymarket for the North end.
Their room service was phenomenal, fast efficient and delicious, a great combination. The food prices are not crazy; an omelet with 2 additions and toast was $12.95. Buttermilk pancakes with real maple syrup $9.95. gratuity of 18% is added plus a $2.95 fee but added but the benefit of eating your breakfast in your jammies in the room far outweighs the small extra cost. We did this to give Amie an experience she has never had before and earn great grandparents points. We were very successful.
Parking is about $40 a day, not uncommon in a large city. There are rates available from time to time that do include free parking as well as free breakfast. This is a very nice hotel with a friendly staff and we would stay here again in a heartbeat if the price is right.
Close