Boston is one of the oldest cities in the USA, an east-coast base of the founding fathers with an 'Athens of America' tag. It's a mix of US tradition, gravitas and intellectuality that was neatly embodied by Boston's fictional therapist Frasier Crane. And if Frasier was real rather a fictional construct, XV Beacon is certainly the kind of place he would stay. Set atop Beacon Hill and next door to the Massachusetts State House, XV Beacon is a 1903 beaux-arts building with an art deco interior boasting modern twists. From the deep-pile reception's mahogany walls and big and clever art to the original cage lifts, XV Beacon is a paean to refined living. Even using Roman numerals in its name (the address is 15 Beacon Street), wit, dignity and elegance ooze from every brick.
Heading for my room — one of 60, spread over 10 storeys — a statuesque bust stares down each corridor. The hues are taupe, charcoal and dove, restrained and assured, as a decade-old award-winning boutique hotel should be. My studio room is rich and earthy with tasteful black and white prints, oriental vases and comfy armchairs: a fusion of modern and antique with a couple of arty twists, such as the copper drum of a bedside table.
It's equally serious about technology and is it style. There's a surround-sound stereo, iHome dock and a 42-inch LG plasma screen that hangs above the gas fireplace. All bathrooms have a four-inch TV, plus walk-in rainforest shower and huge wall mirror. So many great touches come as standard: a cashmere throw and 400-count Frette linens hug the queen size canopy bed.
Great personal service guarantees droves of repeat visitors (though management discretion forbids naming the famous among them). There's the free newspaper, the free Wi-Fi, the access to a roof terrace with gym, hot tub and eye-smacking views of the Boston skyline. There's no spa but the concierge will book you in nearby and you'll get there in style in the Beacon house Lexus Sedan.
Restaurant Mooo, popular with Boston's uptown crowd, is a quirky, posh take on a steakhouse: long-lashed cow portraits hold your gaze, faux-fur cushions are scattered, little pots of fresh grass sit in place of flowers. Though the menu's pricey the steak's to die for and the signature Kobe beef dumplings are a must.
VX Beacon is a minute from the beautiful Boston Common and Public Gardens. After a great night's sleep we strolled past the State House, its 23-carat golden dome glittering in the sun, and began the 16-site Freedom Trail, following the red pavement bricks that lead you past Boston's historic churches, Quincy Market and the house of national hero Paul Revere. We finished, Frasier Crane-style, with a beer down the street at the original Cheers Bar... where, as at XV Beacon, everybody knows your name.
XV Beacon Hotel, 15 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts (+1 (617) 670-1500, xvbeacon.com). Rates start from $325.
