Raffles Boston

Excellent hotel in a great location. This is a newer hotel featuring contemporary design, excellent facilities, and exceptional service. The gym was well equipped, and we enjoyed dinner at La Padrona, drinks at Blind Duck and lunch at the Long Bar.

This place absolutely lives up to the international hype. It's the first U.S. location for the brand, and everything —from the food to the setting — feels like a thoughtful, elevated experience. Highly recommend starting with the grilled octopus — fava beans and puree on the side are exceptional, especially paired with the Sancerre. And whatever you do, don’t skip the salad with burrata (add the steak!). One of the best things I’ve had in a long time. Don't miss the Sky Lobby. A stunning three-story atrium on the 17th floor featuring a grand spiral staircase and panoramic city views. For a hidden gem, seek out the Blind Duck speakeasy, tucked discreetly behind an unmarked door, offering craft cocktails and a chic, intimate vibe. Can’t recommend it enough. You’d be missing out not to go!!

We were genuinely looking forward to our visit to Boston to see our daughter and, having enjoyed our previous stay, returned to this hotel with high expectations. We typically stay at the Mandarin Oriental and are familiar with the renowned Raffles brand from Singapore, but unfortunately, the Boston branch does not live up to that legacy. From the start, the management—run by the Saunders brothers—fell short. While we were pleased to be upgraded through the American Express package program, our upgraded room faced a parking structure, leaving us with no privacy as people could see directly into our space. After requesting a change, we were moved to a smaller room on a higher floor, but it was clear the hotel was at full capacity due to graduation week. Breakfast was consistently disappointing, with an average wait of 90 minutes each morning. One day, they ran out of smoked salmon by 8 a.m., and when my husband ordered eggs benedict, he was served crab cakes instead—correcting the mistake would have meant waiting another 45 minutes, which was impossible as we had a meeting to attend. The mishaps didn’t end there. The hotel made a dinner reservation for us at 6 p.m. but told us it was for 6:30. When we arrived, our table had been given away because the restaurant only holds tables for 15 minutes. Basic amenities like cotton balls and Q-tips were never replenished, and the bathroom door made a loud noise every time it was closed. The air conditioning blew directly onto the bed, causing discomfort and a sore throat. There was no private printer for sensitive documents, and housekeeping was repeatedly late despite using the butler service to notify them when we left the room. Overall, there was a lack of follow-up and attention to detail that one expects from a luxury hotel. For the price—comparable to the best hotels in Boston—we expected flawless service, but this was far from the case. While the gym is beautiful and the Long Bar and speakeasy are enjoyable, these positives do not outweigh the many service failures. If you’re looking for true five-star service, there are better options in the area at a similar price point.

This is not the Raffles you may have experienced in Singapore. While it is a 5-Star hotel, it is not at the level of the Singapore property. The beds were very comfortable, the bath amenities so-so. No bath salts for a soaking tub (sorry but this is a MUST for a 5 star hotel) ? The A/C was noisy. Kept us up. We loved our breakfast the first day, second day not so much.

Very disappointing given our high expectations. We couldn't sleep the first night due to noise, including staff speaking the in hallway, from the adjacent room. The $75 per day valet fee was not disclosed in advance and was exorbitant relative the the slow service. Finally, the pool area felt like a cheap family water park, like Kalahari or Great Wolf lodge, not a luxury spa, as multiple unattended children ran around screaming and splashing.