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My Wonderful 5 Night Stay at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor

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One of my favorite cities in North America is Boston, and when I visit and play tourist, I stay at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor. Prior to my recent visit, I’d stay there for only a few nights and then transit usually to Europe. It’s very close to the airport. But on my recent visit to Boston, when I wasn’t transiting to anywhere else, I stayed there for five nights as an experiment to see what it would be like to use it as a base for a Boston holiday. And though it’s not a hotel I’d recommend for everyone, it worked out really well for me. I enjoyed my stay there and would definitely recommend it. I’ll get to who I wouldn’t recommend it for, but first, let’s discuss the high points.

I mentioned this Hyatt as a possible North American choice for using your Chase Hyatt Credit Card free anniversary night certificate, and I stand by that recommendation, especially during the high season when Boston is busy with tourists, conventions, and weddings. Some people think this hotel needs to be refurbished, but I’m guessing they haven’t been there in a few years. The rooms were redone about two years ago and I like them. The standard rooms are on the large size, and the furnishings and color schemes work well. I don’t like a lot of artwork on hotel walls. These rooms have one big piece of artwork on the side wall with a sailing theme that fits the decor.

a hotel room with a large bed and a window

Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Standard Room.
Image: https://bostonharbor.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/rooms/standard.html

I also like that there is no couch, but rather two big chairs and two tables that you can move around to suit yourself. The rooms have large windows, so if you have a harbor view, you can face the chairs towards the water and watch the harbor and boat activity. The sunsets are also spectacular. The hotel is at the end of the harbor-side walkway. You can walk/run on a paved road alongside the bay for about a mile, even at night because it’s well lit.

I’m currently a Hyatt Globalist. Even when I was Hyatt Diamond, I’ve always been upgraded to a suite. The suites add a huge room with couches that pull out to beds, tables and chairs, and an entertainment center and bookcase.

a room with a couch and a mirror

Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Pull Out Bed

A hotel staff can almost make or break a hotel experience. The staff here is really good! You might think, “Well, she’s got Hyatt status, so of course they treat her well.” I travel a lot and like to think I can tell the difference between customer service people who are faking it, and people who are genuinely nice, helpful, and respectful. I had some crazy airline experiences on this trip, which I’ll write about in another post, and the staff here went out of their way to help me out in every way they could. The staff in the restaurant was the same way. The shuttle to and from the airport is free, and I had one of the best shuttle drivers ever. Boston Logan International Airport is a crazy busy place and this driver won me over by driving like a New Yorker as he negotiated the traffic. I’ll let you use your imagination on that one!

The Hyatt has basically one restaurant choice. There is no lounge. I’ve been told that they considered adding a lounge when they did their renovation a few years ago. Given that during the winter months the hotel is really, really slow, they couldn’t see how it would be cost effective to staff a lounge, so they decided against it. As an elite, breakfast was included with my stay. They offer a buffet or you can order off the menu. The buffet is $26 and the menu prices vary depending on what you order. I only took breakfast there a few mornings and had the eggs benedict with lobster. I’m in Boston, right?? It was delicious. I can’t speak to the dinners, but I did see plenty of people dining at night. The restaurant faces the harbor and one lovely feature is the outdoor dining areas, which are available all day, even if you’re not eating. At night they have fires in the fire pits and it’s relaxing and just plain pretty to be able to sit outside, watch the action on the water, all with the view of Boston harbor in the background.

a city skyline with boats in the water

Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor View of the Harbor from the Restaurant

You might be wondering, how you get into Boston from the Hyatt, and that’s an important question, because it will probably influence whether or not you stay here. There are a few choices. Water taxis are heavily used and relied upon for getting around the harbor and into the different areas of Boston. The water taxi stop is right behind the hotel. They run often and it takes about fifteen minutes to cross the harbor. There are many different stops on the Boston side of the bay you can choose from depending on where you’re headed. They are a splurge at $12 a ride, but the Hyatt does sell tickets to its guests for $10 a ride. I do take the water taxis and enjoy the charm of the experience, but I don’t use them every day.  Here are some photos of the water taxis on Boston Harbor:

The metro/subway in Boston is called the T and there is a free mass transit bus shuttle from the Hyatt to the T stop that will take you into Boston. Boston is not a large city and the T is easy and safe to use. Do get out and walk, though. It’s a GREAT city for walking! I, however, prefer to walk to the T Blue Line stop called Maverick. You walk along the harbor-side path and through a neighborhood, and in about 20 minutes or so, you’re at the Maverick stop. From there, it’s one or two stops to anything you’d want to see or transfer points to Cambridge and other areas of Boston.

So who is this hotel not a good choice for? If you’re the kind of traveler who wouldn’t use the water taxis or mass transit, but who walks or uses Uber/Lyft, then you’d feel too isolated at this property. If you don’t like the limitation of only having one restaurant at the hotel, with other places being a water taxi, T ride, or long walk away, this hotel is not for you. I’d say those are the two most limiting factors. You might wonder why I don’t choose one of the other Hyatt hotels in Boston. One is in Cambridge. It’s old and in need of a renovation. The other Hyatt Regency is downtown and I don’t care for that location. It’s too dense for me.  If you prefer to be in the center of all the excitement, I would recommend the Hyatt Regency Boston.

The hotel was busy with families, kids, and guests of all ages, so it seemed to be a popular choice. If you’ve stayed here recently, did you like it or would you choose a hotel location in the city center? Or does my review make you think you’ll try it the next time you need a hotel stay at Boston Logan International Airport or for a few days while you enjoy Boston?


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17 thoughts on “My Wonderful 5 Night Stay at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor

  1. dhammer53

    We have an upcoming stay here later in the summer. Thanks for the review. FYI, this property is long walking distance to the Italian North End.

    We stayed at the Cambridge property in May and had no complaints. You can even overnight park for free (read the signs re: times) on the street around the corner from the hotel. There are no restaurants within walking distance. They do have a free shuttle.

    Reply
    1. Shelli Post author

      Thanks for your input on the Cambridge property. Good to know. True, this property is a long walk from the North End. Best to cross the water by water taxi. Then the North End is only a few blocks away. Or T-Blue line works well. I’ve got a bunch of posts coming up on Boston and Cambridge, so stay tuned, and thanks for reading. Have a great time in Boston!

      Reply
  2. CanalStreet

    During the last two years I’ve been to both Hyatt Regencies in Boston and there are things I liked in both. The one in the city center is great for walking around, and is in the theater district. The scenery at the Boston Harbor location is the main draw, but the building could still use a renovation.

    Reply
    1. Shelli Post author

      Thanks for stopping by, CanalStreet. Not sure what you meant by building needing a renovation. Glad you enjoyed the view from the Harbor location, though. It’s quite a view.

      Reply
  3. Rick

    Boston has so many decent chain and boutique hotels to stay at. The location of this one is just terrible and incredibly inconvenient. I don’t care how nice the breakfast is, or how big your room is.

    Reply
  4. Shelli Post author

    Different hotels for different tastes are what make this travel world so interesting. Glad you’ve found other locations in Boston that work for you. It’s a great destination!

    Reply
  5. mark

    The property downtown isn’t great…but, it’s in a great location for walking. It is two blocks from the Boston Common Park.

    Reply
  6. Richard

    Maverick”S”??? NO NO NO NO NO (sorry, I’m just a kid from Eastie and really protective of my hometown. Maverick Square has changed in recent years. For tourists I would not recommend the walk after dark. Best to take the Blue Line to Airport Station and get the #66 Massport shuttle bus.

    Reply
    1. Shelli Post author

      Good catch, Richard, thanks! I actually asked Grant to correct this. Must have been thinking of some sport or some old OSX :) Maverick Square looks better to me each time I visit. I have done the walk at night, but for others catching the free shuttle bus from the Hyatt and then hopping on the T from the Airport, as you suggested, is an easy route. You have a wonderful hometown!

      Reply
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    1. Shelli Post author

      HI tb101, The customer service is excellent. As for the food, there is no lounge so as a Globalist I was given complimentary breakfast. I did not eat from the buffet, but ordered off the menu instead. The food was fine. I had lobster benedict each day, so no complaints at all. I didn’t eat dinner at the hotel. Hope that helps some. Have a great time in Boston…….that’s easy to do!

      Reply
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