Ames Boston Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
"Back up: Tell us a little about the hotel.The National Register of Historic Places recognizes the Ames Building, built in 1889, as Boston's first skyscraper and one of its finest examples of Romanesque architecture. Today it's occupied by the Ames Hotel Boston, and although the building's historic exterior remains intact, the interior is an homage to contemporary design, with lots of white and neutrals accented with colorful art. Sounds lovely. What’s the crowd like?The hotel's unbeatable location near Faneuil Hall and the Freedom Trail makes it popular with tourists. And its high-design quotient and critically acclaimed restaurant Cultivar promise a steady stream of in-the-know locals. I'm all for attention to a good restaurant. Now, onto the good stuff: Tell us about the digs.The David Rockwell–designed interiors are clean and serene, with white walls, high ceilings, and the occasional accent piece. How about the little things, like the mini bar, or the toiletries? Anything you'd like to call out?There's no shortage of amenities: large flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations, complimentary Wi-Fi, blackout curtains, and fluffy bathrobes. So, we're set. How about the food? You mentioned it was solid—what can we expect?Cultivar's seasonal, delectable cuisine is so hard to resist that the limited room service hours (5 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly) are a bit of a bummer. No matter; the spaghetti alla chitarra ($26), which comes with fava beans, ramps, sugar snap peas, dollops of mascarpone, and a piment d'espelette crumble, is simply scrumptious. How about the staff? Was the overall service good?The concierge here is a jack of all trades, from setting up restaurant reservations and in-room spa services, to helping you view worthy sights few other tourists know about. Perfect. Anything else we should know about?There's a small, well-equipped gym; a valet (for $53 a day); and in-room spa services. Got it. Can you sum up this place in a few words?A gorgeous boutique hotel with a location that's bar none." - Todd Plummer
