A few weeks ago, I partnered with Amtrak to celebrate the one year anniversary of their Dunkin Donuts x Northeast Regional partnership. I could choose any city on the Northeast Regional line to travel to — and I knew this was my opportunity to visit Boston for the very first time. As someone who grew up in the D.C. area, I’m not sure why I haven’t found my way to Boston until this year. It’s a city that’s full of charm and some delicious eats.
The kind folks at the Royal Sonesta Boston were gracious enough to host me during my stay — and honestly, I could have stayed inside of the hotel for the entire visit. It was a beautiful property, had the most hospitable staff, and is home to some incredible restaurants. Every single Sonesta property I’ve stayed at so far has been phenomenal — and their Boston location was no exception to the rule.
Location, Location, Location
The Royal Sonesta Boston is right across the river from Boston proper in Cambridge, MA. However, we had no issue getting into town — most of the neighborhoods we frequented were only a 10-15 minute Uber ride away, depending on traffic. For public transit to/from the hotel, you can take either the Green or Red subway lines. The hotel is only 3 miles away from both Logan International Airport and South Station.
Since we were across the river in Cambridge, we also got to soak up some of the most incredible riverfront views. The CambridgeSide Galleria Mall was right across the street from the hotel, which was perfect for someone like me who always manages to forget something when they’re traveling!
The Rooms
The rooms at the Royal Sonesta Boston are guaranteed to make you feel like royalty (pun intended). We opted for their Executive Suite with River View, which was incredibly spacious: this room was a whopping 450 square feet!
Since I’m a travel blogger and this was technically a work trip for me, I appreciated the large conference table in the room. Every morning, I got up, brewed some coffee, and answered some emails and worked on the blog before it was time for me to head out for the day.
I loved the decor at the Royal Sonesta Boston — it was colorful, modern and fun, yet still had a luxury feel. There was a morning or two (or three) where I hit snooze a few too many times since the bed was so comfortable, and it was super relaxing to stretch out on the sectional sofa once we came back to our room for the evening. Also, for any brides-to-be: I think this would be the ideal bridal suite. Plenty of space to hang out and get ready with your bridesmaids!
Dining at the Royal Sonesta Boston
The Royal Sonesta Boston has three restaurants on site: ArtBar, dante, and STUDIO. We opted for STUDIO express for breakfast the first morning, which is a fresh, in-room dining concept where guests can order reasonably priced, delicious meals that are delivered almost instantly. I ordered the bagel with lox plate, and I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of salmon I received!
We enjoyed a quick happy hour at dante the first day we arrived, which they host daily from 2:30-6: 00 pm. They offer $1 oysters, $1 bruschetta and $1 arancini — you really can’t beat that deal!
For a proper sit-down dinner and breakfast, we opted for ArtBar. I loved both dining experiences at ArtBar because they use the freshest ingredients possible (including some New England seafood staples), and they switch up their menu seasonally. We got to try out some of the dishes on their summer menu, including the Tuna Tartar, Hummus, and Burrata, and they did not disappoint. They also had an incredible selection of signature cocktails and a fantastic patio that overlooked the Charles River.
Other Things to Do in the Area
If you don’t feel like crossing the river into Boston, there were plenty of things to do right around the hotel. Harvard University is a quick, 8-minute Uber ride away and MIT is within walking distance if you’d like to play tourist. The dining at the Royal Sonesta Boston was incredible, however, if you wanted to switch things up, I’d definitely visit Tatte Bakery for breakfast and grab some ice cream at Toscanini’s — they have the most unique selection of flavors I’ve ever seen, and it’s easily one of the best ice cream shops I’ve visited in the country!
