After more than two years of closure and a $200 million investment, to say the reopening of The Langham, Boston was “highly anticipated” is more than an understatement. When we visited on a random Tuesday afternoon in July, shortly after the hotel officially opened, there was a group of about 15 smartly dressed men, milling about the lobby just waiting for the doors to open at the hotel’s new bar, The Fed. An hour later, when we finished touring some of the guestrooms — there are now 312 including 17 suites — the cohort from the lobby was happily ensconced around the bar sipping craft beers and snacking on “lobster fries,” a warm pretzel loaf and a tower of Instagram-worthy seafood.
Michele Grosso, managing director of The Langham, Boston, which sits in the middle of the financial district, told us that a great deal of time and care was taken to tie the hotel back to its “Boston banking heritage, but with a fresh, luxurious touch.”
The lobby area
The care is evident indeed, the renovation included all-new guestrooms and public spaces and a curated art collection of 268 works, including 59 commissioned pieces, mostly from Boston artists, which all come together in the elegant interior design by Richmond International (also responsible for The Langham London and The Langham Chicago) that thoughtfully reflects the building’s former life as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
What does that mean? Think: high ceilings, museum-worthy oil paintings, intricate marble floors, rich woods, jewel tones, and touches like lobby lamps in dark green reminiscent of an old fashioned bank teller (before ATMs!), select antique banking gear, deep sofas, and plush chairs ––The Langham Boston is a place that makes you want to linger. Yet, somehow it’s all very unstuffy and contemporary.
Guestrooms and Suites
In crisp blues and whites, the spacious new rooms are cheerful and calming at the same time with marble bathrooms, generous with double sinks and rain showers, Langham’s signature Chuan Spa bath amenities, cream leather-clad armoires that house Nespresso machines, and even the smallest Superior Rooms (at 275 square feet) have sitting areas with comfy chairs for relaxing. Room No. 945, a Premier King room, was an ample 350 square feet with skyline views. Favorite Rooms: Room No. 915, an Executive Suite, which has a big living room with slanted windows overlooking the financial district and Norman B. Leventhal Park, one of the city’s pretty green spaces. We also loved the Loft Suite (Room No. 239), a two-story accommodation with brass-embossed windows accenting the bi-level living and sleeping quarters left from the hotel’s days as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Top Digs: The prestigious Chairman’s Suite, on the seventh floor, a luxury penthouse featuring a king-sized bedroom, hardwood floors, a living room complete with a baby grand piano, and a dining room that seats eight people.
Dining and Gathering
For foodies and cocktail aficionados, The Langham, Boston seems poised to become destination dining for the city. The already busy bar, The Fed, offers a menu mash-up of a British pub with a New England seafood shack –– we loved the Lobster BLT, the signature cheese toastie, and the Whoopie Pies. As for the drinks, Paige McGroarty, assistant food & beverage manager, joined The Langham from Boston’s popular Yvonne’s in Downtown Crossing, known for its high-quality craft cocktails, where she was the lead bartender. She’s created a whimsical drinks menu for The Fed. We loved the refreshing “Kool and the Gang,” which features The Langham, Boston Celebration Gin (yes, they have their own gin!), Raspberry, Lime, Ginger, with a foam top of Aquafaba, and the “Apri-caught in the Middle” with Mezcal, apricot, lemon, and vanilla, but honestly it was hard to choose as all the cocktails sounded and looked delicious.
The main restaurant, Grana, sits in a spectacular space, the former grand hall of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, with soaring ceilings, ornate chandeliers and velvet banquettes. It offers a menu of approachable and shareable Italian dishes for breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch, prepared by Executive Chef Stephen Bukoff, who spent 16 years with Four Seasons, most recently in Denver. He tells us he’s “bringing the big hotel brunch back,” with options like spaghetti pancakes and hash brown waffles that have us intrigued. Bukoff oversees all of the culinary offerings throughout the hotel, which he anticipates will do considerable social and meetings business as we emerge from COVID.
The Wyeth Room, home to the N.C. Wyeth murals originally commissioned by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston depicting the history of the banking system of the United States.
This brings us to The Langham’s newly refurbished function spaces, we loved the sophisticated update to The Governor’s Room, a boardroom with an oak table with bronze detail and leather panel inserts, plush plaid carpeting and decorated with an array of historic photos of the building as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Larger spaces are The Wyeth Room, home to the N.C. Wyeth murals originally commissioned by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston depicting the history of the banking system of the United States, and the new Lincoln Ballroom, which can accommodate 175 guests, and features natural light by way of a skylight flanked by chandeliers, and windows in its pre-function space overlooking the Norman B. Leventhal Park.
The dining options include the Fed bar (here) and the main restaurant, Grana (below right).
Just last month, the hotel opened The Langham Club on the eighth floor, overlooking the city, perfect for relaxing or doing work, offering all-day refreshments, premium drinks and the option to have clothes pressed on arrival. Access to The Langham Club comes with the purchase of an Executive Room or any suite, but it can also be added to any stay for $150 a day per guest per day at The Langham, Boston. The only piece remaining is the opening of the hotel’s new pool, hot tub and fitness center, slated for early next year.
College Concierge
With 35 colleges and universities and more than 150,000 students in the greater Boston region, higher education and all that goes with it is a big demand driver for the city. The Langham is cleverly capitalizing on this with a “College Concierge” service, offering two packages, one aimed at those looking at schools and the other for when it’s time to move in. Each package offers accommodation in a Family Room, car and driver for up to five hours, university swag, and logo sweets prepared by the hotel’s pastry chef Kerry Levesque. The hotel also provides information on campus visits and can schedule information sessions and tours.
“Heading to college is one of the most stressful transitions you can make, so we wanted to find a way to help with organization and support,” says David Canas, the Langham’s chief concierge. For any clients booking Boston to visit a college or university, ask for the special “College and University Rates,” 20 percent off best available rate, with a special college-themed sweet treat at turndown.
The Governor’s Room has been updated.
Good to know: Guests of the hotel can partake in a daily complimentary Heritage Tour of the property, including an overview of the impressive new art collection and the building’s history as the former Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in 1922.
For VIP bookings or more information, travel advisors should contact Matthew Luczak (matthew.luczak@langhamhotels.com), senior travel industry sales manager.
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