The 21 Best Hotels in Boston

"Originally a 1959 motor inn, the Verb is a beautifully restored hotel that pays homage to the building's funky past (as the Howard Johnson where bands like Aerosmith stayed when they played the nearby House of Blues) while maintaining contemporary finishes and comforts. The lobby, where the sense of fun is immediately apparent, feels like a recording studio; the check-in desk is covered with faux sound-absorbing upholstery, the walls are lined with vintage music posters, and a black-and-white floor stands in graphic contrast against cerulean walls and a banana-yellow couch. The ground-floor restaurant Hojoko is a lively Japanese izakaya (from the team behind O-Ya) that attracts plenty of locals. Pool-view rooms overlook the sundeck out back and in summer, the outdoor, heated saltwater pool is the area's hippest place to lay out with a mai tai while listening to the roar from Fenway across the street. Particularly of note is the “Backstage Trailer” room category–where a lineup of refurbished Airstream trailers let’s you feel like a true rockstar waiting to take center stage." - Shannon McMahon, Todd Plummer