Friendly attentive service in a lovely old style hotel. When people say a hotel has "character" and "charm" that often means some sort of compromises, but the hotel's conveniences are thoroughly modern, in a distinctively elegant setting. It's nice to have the doorman greet you with "Welcome back," when you come back from your day. Our room included a functioning wood burning fireplace (unused in July). The only item we missed was more storage space for our clothing. You can self-park nearby but we were extravagant and chose valet service. Once there, you're in one of the best Boston neighborhoods (Back Bay) for shopping, dining, and exploring central Boston on foot.