The Newbury, Boston

We are utterly appalled by the gross mismanagement, operational panic, and hostile lack of communication we experienced at The Newbury Boston. For a historic landmark claiming a luxury pedigree, they operate with the frantic disorganization of a failing budget motel. My wife and I stayed here for a single night before a flight out of Logan. Upon check-in, we valeted our vehicle (a Turo rental) with zero indication from the staff that there would be any logistical issues the following morning. The next day, the nightmare began. When we attempted to retrieve the vehicle to head to the airport, we were met by a visibly panicked front desk clerk who informed us that a public 5K race had shut down the surrounding streets, completely holding our car hostage for hours. His immediate, defensive response was to gaslight us: "Didn't you get the letter?" No, we didn’t get the letter, because it was never sent. The fact that a premier Back Bay hotel was caught completely off guard by a massive, highly publicized city event is embarrassing enough. But rather than taking accountability, staff immediately deflected blame onto a mythical, unsent piece of paper. Terrified of missing our flight, we had to authorize the hotel valet to coordinate returning the car to its Turo owner later that day. The hotel’s absolute disorganization resulted in the vehicle being returned late, sticking us with hundreds of dollars in entirely preventable fees and rental overages. Since checking out, the hotel has completely ghosted us. We have made repeated attempts to contact management to resolve three critical, basic items: 1. The status of our personal belongings: Our property was left in the vehicle and supposedly shipped to us, but has yet to follow up or provide a tracking number. 2. Financial accountability: An update on when The Newbury will reimburse us for the rental overages caused directly by their operational failure. 3. A basic hotel folio: We have yet to receive a final receipt to audit the actual costs of our stay. To make matters worse, Guest Services continues to offer empty, scripted assurances of a "follow-up," then never does so. The Newbury charges elite luxury prices but delivers bottom-tier execution. They fundamentally failed at basic customer service, liability management, and communication. Do not let the polished facade fool you. Stay anywhere else in Boston.

The room and view over the Commons was wonderful. It is located in one of the most endearing locations in the world.

Shomei was serving our table and she was the nicest waitress I’ve ever met. She had a really nice conversation with us and offered to take photos for my friends. Highly recommend!

This was my first time on the property as a guest and it was a fabulous experience—aside from the stunning interior and super helpful staff, you feel an elevated level of elegance from the moment you arrive. The bellhops will assist with your bags before even entering the building, check-in was smooth and we greatly appreciated the free upgrade as American Express members, the view from our room was of the public garden and in a word, breathtaking! The staff fulfilled every additional request promptly, from extra ice and robes, to storing our luggage before our flight—23 truly didn’t want to leave! Highly recommend lunch or dinner at Contessa followed by a cocktail or 2 at the Street Bar—you cannot go wrong at any time or meal. Big shoutout to Conch at the Street Bar—very attentive and helpful, she made our lunch experience feel very personal, we simply cannot wait to return this fall!

This was the biggest disappointment I’ve ever experienced. As someone who has been traveling for years and stayed in thousands of hotels, this is the first time I’ve encountered such a mediocre hotel. I wanted to treat myself for my birthday, but it honestly felt like I threw my money away. The gym is terrible. The lobby is very small and gloomy, and the rooms feel the same way. I would absolutely not recommend staying here. I had also mentioned that I was visiting for my birthday, yet they didn’t make even the smallest gesture to acknowledge it. It was an experience I will never forget for all the wrong reasons. Lastly, there was a half-empty bottle of whiskey in the minibar. For a hotel of this supposed caliber, that is an absolutely unacceptable experience.