I visited Boston last year just to ride the inaugural revenue flight of Delta Air Lines A321neo aircraft. I originally planned to spend two nights at the meh Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor (read my review here). I met up with a couple of friends also taking the trip; they had reservations for two nights at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf. And I’m glad they talked me into the Marriott Long Wharf for night two.
Where is the Boston Marriott Long Wharf?
The hotel is located at 296 State Street, Boston, MA 02109, and right on Boston Harbor. In fact, I took a water taxi from the Hyatt directly to a dock right outside the Marriott Long Wharf’s north doors.
The hotel is sandwiched between Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park and the New England Aquarium.
Getting to/from the Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is fairly easy. The subway’s Blue Line stops at Aquarium station, which is about a 250-foot walk out the hotel’s front door. You will have to take a Blue Line bus from the Airport station to your terminal. The entire trip to BOS took around 20 minutes or so.
I wanted to visit my old friend Denny, whose CPS law offices are on Fleet Street. Unfortunately, time didn’t permit. 😉
Booking the Boston Marriott Long Wharf
One of my said friends is a travel agent and booked some amazing sweetheart deal. When I went to book my room a little more than a week ahead, the rate was something stupid like $400 or $450 a night.
Bonvoy award stays started at 50,000 points. I didn’t have quite enough points in my Marriott account. Lucky for me, Amex ran a promotion offering a 25% bonus (I think) when transferring American Express® Membership Rewards® points to several travel partners — including Marriott!
9000 Membership Rewards points later, I could afford the stay!
50,000 points still made me wretch a little bit. But I guess it’s considered a luxury hotel (by someone). Plus, what good are your points if you don’t use them — especially for something fun?
The Boston Marriott Long Wharf
Check-in was fairly easy. My Bonvoy Gold elite status didn’t really get me anything special. But my stay was only about 16 hours. (I receive complimentary Bonvoy Gold status as a member of the The Platinum Card® from American Express. (Enrollment is required and terms apply.) The resort fee came with a $25 food and beverage credit, though. (Thanks?)
Celebrate Boston says the hotel was “designed to resemble a ship with a simulated bow, stern, and deck. The interior emulates that of a luxury cruise ship.”
Honestly, I thought it was a renovated terminal.
My fourth-floor king room was fairly classy and tasteful.
I found the bed and pillows comfortable.
On either side of the bed are electrical outlets and USB power ports.
The view would’ve been nicer without this — I think — rather unsightly ledge or whatever it is.
I understand (now) the cruise ship theme. But if you want a balcony look and feel, then have balconies! If that’s not an option (budgetary reasons, city codes, whatever), then don’t leave us with whatever the heck that is.
The desk featured plenty of room to work. Beware, though, that the closet power outlets are adjacent to the desk and near the television.
I visited during a fairly dreary, chilly, wet day. So, staying inside where it was cozy while getting some work done was rather nice. (Although I wanted to walk around Boston more, truth be told.)
The hotel provides you an umbrella during your stay — which you can keep for $25 if you want.
Don’t forget that umbrella while you’re out sightseeing!
The bathroom was great. Good water pressure in the shower.
Final Approach
I enjoyed my brief stay at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf. The price was a little difficult to swallow but the location is great. It’s a fairly classy joint I’d recommend. Have you stayed here before?
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Ignoring the resort or destination fee for a city hotel, did the fee include wireless internet access? If so, the hotel was required by the Bonvoy terms to provide a replacement benefit for all guests enrolled in Bonvoy (not just elites).
It did. The person who checked me in was clueless about it. My friends received gifts (clothes or something) but only after having to show someone it’s in the Ts and Cs.
Can you take the water taxi from Logan airport to the hotel??
Airport –> Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor –> Water Taxi
I’d say this was a super-meh hotel. The location is good, but not anywhere near the best. The lobby is sterile, cavernous and unimaginative and the rooms are not special. I agree with the author that the waterfront view and the weird windows are not well-designed. The resort fee is ridiculous, especially since the lobby café is only open a few hours a day and the required food and beverage credit does not have validity at the snack shop. The walk to the harbor is nice and we enjoyed our meal at the nearby Chart House in a restored John Hancock building, but this was one of the most disappointing hotel stays I have ever had. Overpriced and underwhelming.