Loading...

MA Boston Park Plaza Downtown


lwitchel
By lwitchel,
in

Recommended Posts

Yes, they give "Priceline" rooms here that contain a single double bed. If you're a solo traveler this should not stop you from bidding 3* in this zone.

The Park Plaza was once the Statler Hilton, and was a grander hotel that now caters more to conventions and functions. Location, location, location. The hotel is perfectly situated, a few blocks walk from Back Bay, the Public Gardens and Common, the Theater District, Chinatown, Copley Square, South end nightlife . . .

Both check in and check out were smooth, quick and polite. My room, 558, was about 10x14 feet - there are pictures of it at www.realhotelphotos.com . Negatives were that it had an interior view to an airshaft, was not particularly well-lit (turning on the desk lamp improved things markedly) and showed some signs of wear, but not badly for a hotel its age. That said, the bed was quite nice and the room just fine for a weekend stay. The public areas are quite nice (I was tempted by afternoon tea, but had no one to go with!). The fitness room is just adequate. It's in the basement with flourescent lighting, so a bit depressing. There are plenty of aerobic machines, though only one elliptical trainer and there isn't a good selection of weight training machines. High speed internet access is $10 per 12 hour period, which I considered excessive, and used dial up - they charge $1.58 per call up to an hour.

If I were not a solo traveler (or two smaller people in an intimate relationship :) ) I would be careful about bidding 3* in this zone. If you get the Park Plaza, you may need to bid for extra rooms to accomodate yourselves.

But if you're traveling solo, don't fret about getting this hotel. It worked out fine for me, and the location cannot be beat.

Link to comment
  • 5 weeks later...

I've stayed here a few times on PL bids and believe it is good for the money but beware..most of the rooms ARE small once you are assigned a room and find it too small you can sometimes get around the size by requesting two beds or if in a smoking room request a non smoking or vice versa. A bit of a gamble but I have done all three and ended up with a nicer room each time. I suppose I could have just asked for a larger room and that may have worked too. :)

Link to comment
  • 4 months later...

Just stayed at the Park Plaza this weekend.

No problems at check-in. I needed accomodations for 2 people and I received a room with 2 double beds and a nice view of Columbus Ave & Stuart St from the sixth floor.

The room was large but the mattresses and pillows weren't up to my standards. If you're a fan of firm college-like mattresses, then this is the hotel for you. Location is great; Close to Boston Common, the T and walking-distance from many good restaurants.

Not a bad stay considering I paid under 1/3 of the going rate.

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

We stayed at Boston Park Plaza in May. It has an excellent location, nearby many attractions, restaurants, and metro station. We requested a corner room and had a complimentary upgrade on one room to deluxe which is larger and has a small sitting area. The other room is smalll and adjacent. The hotel don't have connected room, the configuration has another exterior door for the 2 rooms that allows privacy if we close the extra exterior door. Our rooms were on the 9th floor. One of the room had AC climate control problem; the engineering tech told us the climate is controlled by the central one; the individual controller did not work for that room. We just opened the windows to get cool air.

Service is fine. We accidentally locked ourselves out of one room; they send some one up w/ a key within 5'.

Rooms are clean. Door is super heavy but that does not bother us. Bathroom is renovated w/ marble tiles; the double shower heads & curved shower rod are a plus.

The hotel looks elegant. Free newspaper & apples in the lobby. Complimentary happy hour everyday offers good cheese, crackers & chips. The bar makes money on the drink purchase. :>)

I looked at the floor map; certain rooms in the middle of the floor are quite tiny!

We really enjoyed our stay.

Link to comment
  • 4 months later...

I stayed here this weekend with my husband for a convention which was held at the Park Plaza. After staying at the Doubletree Downtown and enjoying a spacious room, this was a big letdown. Our group had booked about 25 rooms with the hotel, and we were some of the first people to check in. We got room 1197, one of those horrible 10x14 rooms with a single double bed against a wall on one side, a desk light, and no view.

I thought perhaps my company had booked small cheap rooms so I didn't complain. Later when I started visiting my co-workers I was shocked to find that several of them who were traveling solo got MUCH bigger and better roooms than we did. In fact, we were the only ones stuck in such a lousy room.

When I went down to the clerk, the same one who checked us in, I asked him why he gave us such a tiny room compared to the rooms he gave solo travelers in our group...he said "The hotel has many different sized rooms." I said I know I've just seen them, so why did you give the two of us a room that is only good for one person.... He repeated what he said. So I told him I was not happy with his decision, especially in light of the fact that my company had booked so many rooms. I told him we were very unhappy. He just shrugged. No apologies.

So just be forewarned...As others have said there are some very small rooms here.

Another problem with the room, it was too hot and the climate control wouldn't go any lower. In general the room was bleak not a fun place to linger. On the positive side the double-headed shower was good.

The lobby of the hotel is great fun, there are lots of restaurant options and getting a drink is no problem. Our group dined one evening at McCormick & Schmick's. I found the food very so-so for the price, and the Boston Cream Pie was a dry, flavorless embarrassment.

There are better options outside the doorway.

Forgot to add... Valet parking is $36 a night.....ouch.

Link to comment
  • 4 months later...

I have just returned from my stay at the Boston Park Plaza from Jun 6 - Jun 8, and all I can say is that I'm positively surprised.

Via e-mail, I have reserved a room with two double beds, and got this room without any Priceline comments upon check-in. I should remark that my check-in was 10:30AM, and absolutely no problems. The girl at the desk (Ana) was VERY nice.

My room was on the 11th floor and had a view upon Chinatown. The room was quite spacious, the bathroom small - compared to other hotels - and rather old. Only the shower was very modern, a twin shower head with a lot pressure. Beds were OK, not uncomfortable but far from the Mariott's Revive bed, which I could sleep in for 3 nights on this stay.

The most important thing - the room was very clean, housekeeping did an excellent job and provided me with many fresh towels and toiletries during my stay. When leaving the tip on the night desk, I wrote "Thank you" on a piece of paper. When I came back, the same piece of paper said "You're welcome !".

Altogether, I can't say anything bad about the Boston Park Plaza. It is not a deluxe hotel, but a good 3* and for $85 per night via PL, I won't complain. Plus, the location is excellent and very convenient.

I would definitely return to this hotel. Look at realhotelphotos.com, where I will try to publish the pictures I made of my room.

Regards,

Daniel

Link to comment
  • 3 months later...

Overall the stay at the Park Plaza was a good one. On many online review sites it has received mixed ratings. I was traveling with one other person and although our room was small, one double bed, it was comfortable and clean. The bathroom was also small and you could tell the age of the tiles on the floor but no complaints. The location of the hotel is great. It was right in the middle of many activities with a short walk to Newbury Street and its shopping and a T stop was only a block away when we needed to travel other than by foot. Parking was had at the Boston Commons Parking Garage, only 3 blocks away, and a steal at only $30 from Saturday to Monday afternoon. For the hundred dollar range I would rate the Park Plaza as an excellent deal.

Link to comment
  • 3 months later...

We're back from the trip, and I am happy to report that the Boston Park Plaza did right by us! We were given room 1234, an executive king corner room (two windows), with a lot of space and even a partial view! When we checked my daughter in on the hotwire bid, I asked if she could have a room on the same floor as us and they gave her room 1244. A smaller room than ours, but comfortable and also with a king bed.

No complaints this time around. So if you win the Park Plaza, try to get something on the 12th floor.

Also, the burgers, frappes and onion rings (and raspberry lime rickeys) at Bartleby's Burger Cottage in Harvard Square seriously rule.

Link to comment
  • 1 year later...

Stayed here for two nights in June 2008. I found both Pros and Cons.

My husband loved it's old charm and found it really cool while I was scared, thinking of the movie The Shining. The place is large and magnificent with busy patterns on the carpet, making me dizzy at times though. Great staff. Our room was very, very small with one little window. Smaller than any room I had in Manhattan.

The doors are old fashioned and the closet door kept creaking open. The location was great - we could walk to the Public Garden, tons of restaurants and shops are within walking distance.

So I liked it a little and my husband loved it. Small, older rooms but great location and staff.

Link to comment
  • 2 years later...

Stayed 2 nights in Feb, Sunday and Monday of Presidents weekend.

We checked in quite late at around 11pm due to a late arrival by AMTRAK from Chicago, but we still received quite a large room (Deluxe King) with a nice view down 2 streets.

Location is good, close to the hop on/hop off Trolley Tour of the City's ticket office.

I wouldn't be disappointed to win this hotel again.

Link to comment
Need help with your own trip?

Register now, we have a huge community of travel enthusiasts to answer any questions you might have.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account
Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
EXCLUSIVELY at BetterBidding:
10% OFF

PRICELINE COUPON


(click here) and use

promo code

: EASTEREGG

(Hotel and Car Express Deals max $60 discount... expires 03/31/2024)
QUICKQUOTE [X]
PRICELINE & HOTWIRE on one screen!
NOTE: Priceline searches for
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ONLY
Room %roomN%:
Age of child:
FINDFAST[X]
×
×
  • Create New...