I needed to be in Boston on business through Memorial Day weekend. Rather than stay at a conventional hotel in a typical part of town (Financial District, Seaport District, Back Bay, South End), I wanted to do something a bit more creative, inventive, and fun.
I checked out a bunch of bed and breakfasts, but they were too quaint. “Hip” hostels were an option, but the reviews were all horrific. A furnished corporate apartment seemed like a cool move, so I researched the available options.
The offerings of Oakwood Furnished Quarters, Churchill Corporate Housing, and Northeast Suites were acceptable, but on the sterile side. Since I’d be staying in the apartment for a span of time, I needed something with character that was situated in a happening area.
I then came across the website of the Hamilton Crossing apartments in the Downtown Crossing section of Boston. I clicked around, liked what I saw, and booked a room (details about the apartment below).
Downtown Crossing
Downtown Crossing is a small part of Boston that’s on the rise, both literally and figuratively. It’s located east of Boston Common and west of the Financial District.
Way back in the day (between 1895 and 1917), Downtown Crossing was an upscale residential area as well the central hub of department store shopping, where people from all over eastern Massachusetts would visit such retail giants as Filene’s, Jordan’s, Kresge’s, and R.H. White’s. With suburbanization and competition from big box stores, retail business in the area slowed dramatically. Buildings went vacant, rents dropped, red light businesses moved in, and by the 1960s, Downtown Crossing had morphed into the notorious “Combat Zone”.
But over the past 30 years, tremendous investment has been made in Downtown Crossing, and exciting stuff is going on. Major retailers are returning. Luxury apartments and condos are being built. Upscale restaurants are opening up. It’s where the gorgeous Paramount Theater and The Boston Opera House have relocated to. Shoppers and visitors fill the streets (many of which are closed to vehicular traffic) and there’s tremendous energy and activity throughout the day and into the night.
It seemed like quite the scene, and I was eager to check it out.
The Ride to Boston
Since I was planning to stay in an interesting Boston locale and reside at a novel lodging alternative, I decided that my choice of transportation to and from Boston should also be out of the ordinary. While searching for an option to the train and crowded economy bus lines, I stumbled upon LimoLiner, and it was an excellent solution.
LimoLiner is a luxury service with multiple daily departures between New York to Boston. The LimoLiner bus has only 28 seats, and they’re all plush, first-class airline style, and extremely comfortable. LimoLiner offers free WiFi, free beverage service, a free sandwich and snacks, power outlets, satellite radio choices, and free earbuds for each passenger. There’s also clear cell phone reception with no dead spots, news on Direct TV, and a DVD movie feature. The bathroom is clean, the service is attentive, and the vehicle is in great shape. Best of all, the trip took a little over four hours, which was around how long the train would have taken - but the roundtrip cost of the LimoLiner trip is a fraction of the one-way train fare, with a lot less hassle.
LimoLiner is the most convenient and smartest way to travel between New York and Boston, and I kind of hope it doesn’t get too popular - otherwise, it’ll be really tough to reserve a seat the next time I need to make the trip.
Planning the details of my visit to Hamilton Crossing was a breeze: my questions were answered quickly by the folks at Compass Furnished Apartments (they own Hamilton Crossing) and my special requests were accommodated without a hitch. I was confident that the company’s meticulous attention to customer service would result in a terrific stay for me at their property.
The building is located at 8 Winter Street, which is near the heart of the bustle of Downtown Crossing. It’s right next door to a Starbucks, directly across the street from a well-stocked CVS, and a one-minute walk from the MBTA subway.
The building is secure, modern, and pristine, and my spacious, energy-efficient furnished apartment’s many impressive features included:
An office area with high-speed Internet, desk, chair, lamp, ethernet cord, surge protectors, free WiFi, and free unlimited local/long distance phone service
32" Vizio LCD HD televisions with HD cable
Fully-equipped kitchen, including glassware, cookware, dishes, utensils, appliances, supplies, and an assortment of Jim's Organic Coffee and Bigelow Organic Teas
Central air conditioning and heating
24 hour access to a washer and dryer (available on each floor)
Bamboo hardwood floors and floor-to-ceiling windows with views
Gorgeous and comfortable living room and bedroom
Sleek and sizable bathroom
Housekeeping
The apartment couldn’t have been any hipper, and living there - albeit briefly - made me feel more like a resident than a visitor. There’s also no way that I could have experienced the same sensation of being in the center of the vigorous Downtown Crossing action if I had chosen to stay in a hotel. Hamilton Crossing was the perfect headquarters for my Beantown excursion.
Stuff to Do, Places to Eat, Etc.
Boston BID: Boston BID (Business Improvement District) is the ideal resource for what to do, where to go, and what’s happening in Downtown Crossing. Their helpful “ambassadors” are available by phone and they also patrol the area, providing tips and advice on how to get the most out of your downtown Boston journey. BID’s colorful website offers helpful facts, recommendations, and inside info. I was lucky enough to connect with Marsha, a superb ambassador who directed me to all of the destinations that I eventually visited during my trip.
If you’re travelling around by foot (which I recommend), BID’s maps of downtown Boston are all over the place, and they’ve very easy to figure out and navigate.
South Street Diner (178 Kneeland Street, 7 minute walk from Hamilton Crossing): Built in 1947, South Street Diner is “the place to grab something to eat, hang out with friends, celebrity watch, and keep the party going.” It’s Boston’s only 24 hour restaurant and attracts hipsters, workers (blue and white collar), and students from the area.
On a Saturday morning, I saw a counter full of sweaty CrossFit bros and helmeted construction guys, tables of webbys and disheveled young couples with their kids, and booths filled with families of grads and giddy tourists - all absorbing the genuine atmosphere and digging into their food. Three cooks (flat top, grill, fry station) worked in harmonious, non-stop motion, and meals were prepared and delivered quickly.
I sampled the Diner Special (three eggs, two pancakes or French toast, home fries, and toast, with choice of bacon, corn beef hash, ham or sausage) and the Chocolate Fantasy French Toast (double-thick slices of bread stuffed with chocolate chips, dipped in egg, and fried on the flat top). The steaming mini-mountains of food could have fed three people, and the Chocolate Fantasy French toast was messy, creative, and insanely indulgent.
If you pull into Boston after hours and are craving a solid meal, South Street Diner is most definitely the spot. The crowd will be entertaining, the price will be right, and the food will be fantastic.
Boston Sports Club (10 Franklin Street, 4 minute walk): Boston Sports Club is 30,000 square feet of fitness awesomeness. Check out the statistics:
- 10 classes per day (Power Pilates, cycling, outdoor workouts, strength, ABS, kick boxing, yoga, UXF circuit training, and more)
- 3 fitness and exercise studios
- 125 bicycles and cardio machines
- Extensive free weights and strength machines
- Individualized personal training, small group training, and sports massage
BSC is big, bright, and immaculate. The staff is friendly and helpful. The Club’s facilities smack the crap out of the miniscule sweat closets - I mean, fitness centers - of most hotels, even top tier ones. On any given day, there are deals, discounts, and specials that are affordable and attractive (as well as contests and games with fitness-related prizes).
For an efficient and wide range of challenging workout alternatives that’s close to Hamilton Crossing, BSC is your best choice.
Boston Common Coffee (515 Washington Street, 3 minute walk): If you need a fix of corporate coffee, Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts are everywhere. No really, they’re everywhere. Ev-ree-where. But for a truly artisan and authentically local coffee experience, you must try Boston Common Coffee.
BCC roasts their own coffee locally, their pastries are created in small batches and delivered to their stores around Boston each day, and their café menu items are prepared - fresh and from scratch - in-store.
To savor a quality, hand-crafted java experience, BCC is an ideal place to eat, sip, and hang.
Brattle Book Shop (9 West Street, 3 minute walk): Founded in 1825, Brattle is one of America's oldest and largest used book shops. The three-floor store - which also features an outdoor area of stalls when weather permits - “carries an impressive stock of over 250,000 books, maps, prints, postcards and ephemeral items in all subjects. In addition to its general used and out-of-print stock, The Brattle Book Shop also maintains an inventory of first editions, collectibles and fine leather bindings in its rare book room.”
It’s a browser’s and bibliophile’s paradise.
The Merchant Kitchen & Drinks (60 Franklin Street, 6 minute walk): When I asked Marsha from BID for a recommendation of a great restaurant in Downtown Crossing, she said “you MUST go to The Merchant! It’s new and it’s so hot right now!”
The Merchant is housed in the former London Harness Company, which opened in 1776 as a saddlemaker (Benjamin Franklin was a customer), and is believed to be the oldest continually operating retail store in the United States (it’s now located in Wellesley). The Merchant took over the space and opened in early 2014. The owners’ ambitious vision was to offer upscale food and beverages with an emphasis on warmth, approachability, and integrity.
The space is massive and deep, with nosebleed high ceilings and a wide open interior. The original columns and deep brown wooden floors remain, with many charming architectural accents and a dignified, upscale ambiance. But while the setting may seem stately, the atmosphere is anything but. It’s loose, friendly, and unpretentious.
From speaking with Josh (the manager), Shane (a co-owner), and Nick (my most righteous server, who steered me to some stupendous dishes), I learned that The Merchant seeks a very high standard of quality for each component of their meals. For example, all produce is purchased from local farmers when available. Fish and seafood are caught wild and purchased that day (aka “day boat”). Their meats are all-natural and hormone free, and their bacon and smoked meats are cured on-premises. Their Sunday brunch bagels are baked fresh and in-house.
(BTW, their beer selection - for which they’re gaining a large following and respected reputation - is also quite impressive: 36 are on tap, and 28 more are available in bottles and cans.)
My meal consisted of…
Mixed greens with crispy onions
A South Bay oyster and a Powder Point oyster
Pan-seared day boat scallops with grapefruit and spinach
Almond brown butter cake with mescat sorbet
A glass of Gazzera pinot grigio
A Southern Cooler cocktail, which was an artful blend of crushed watermelon, brandy, fresh peaches, Dolin Blanc vermouth, lime juice, and orange bitters
Each dish was beautifully plated and served, and the taste of everything was superb and memorable. It was one of the finest meals I’ve ever had the privilege to experience.
A dinner (or brunch or lunch or drinks) at The Merchant is highly recommended, whether you’re staying in Downtown Crossing or elsewhere in Boston.
***
There are endless places to see, delicacies to taste, and discoveries to make in Downtown Crossing and the nearby area. It’s a lively neighborhood for extended stay visitors (business or pleasure), and Compass Furnished Apartments’ Hamilton Crossing is a sleek, stylish, and relaxing home base for your Boston expedition.
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