Battery Wharf Hotel
One of the growing number of lodgings clustered along Boston's ever-expanding Harborwalk—a pretty pedestrian path that runs from Charlestown to Dorchester—the recently renovated Battery Wharf Hotel looks more like a gated community than a chain hotel. The four guest and residence buildings are accessible by water taxi ($15 from Logan Airport); inside, savvy decorators resisted the obvious nautical theme and went for a "manly modern" look, which translates to tons of polished nickel, maple, and granite, with sparkling contemporary glass sculpture by artist Nikolas Weinstein. Rooms include marble baths, flat-screen TVs, ergonomic chairs, European linens, and high-tech coffeemakers. On-site Battery Wharf Grille features a seasonal menu with views of Boston Harbor on its breezy open-air terrace, and Cafe Amalfi is a sleek grab-and-go patio café. The hotel is also home to Exhale, a 13,000-square-foot upscale spa that includes Zen-inspired rooms for massage, acupuncture, and other energetic therapies, a salon for hair and nail services, New England's only Turkish co-ed hammam, and a temple-like studio for award-winning barre, cardio, yoga (outdoor waterfront practice is also available), and core cycle classes.
