Staying at The Liberty Hotel in Boston, MA

Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street, Boston, MA.

Question: what to do on a less-than-24 hour trip to Boston, MA, a town you’ve been to many times, in the cold of November? Answer: book a swanky hotel room you’ve never been to in a new (for you) area of town.

We’ve wanted to try the Liberty Hotel at 215 Charles Street in Boston for some time. A renovated jail which opened in 1851 and operated until 1990 has been morphed into a hip destination with 298 rooms, 2 restaurants (3 in summer) and three bars serving food, all ideal for congregating and socializing. We finally get there.

The exterior of the building speaks volumes of architects “back in the day”. Designed by Gridley Bryant, one of the foremost proponents of “mid-19th Century Granite Style”, it consists of granite block construction, lots of open space and large leaded windows. For a jail. I know! During the renovation, a modern tower was added to accommodate guests, but it blends in tastefully with the original building. Enter on the first floor and take the escalator to the second floor where reception is located. The lobby is cavernous, exposing 5 floors and keeps intact some of the catwalks and cells from the past.

Liberty Hotel lobby, Boston, MA.

We are greeted with champagne and efficiently checked in to a Corner Double King. The room is lovely, done in grey, slate blues with a few burgundy highlights here and there. The bathroom features a soaking tub and separate tile shower. Our corner location gives us views as far as Fenway to the left, and Cambridge past the Charles River straight ahead. The layout is nice. We like it.

Liberty Hotel Corner King room. courtesy of Liberty Hotel web site.

After settling in, we head to the Lobby Bar to catch some of the Patriots game. It is crowded, and not really set up as a sports bar, which I can respect, so we grab a glass of wine and head back to our room, settle into the two leather chairs with an ottoman between us, angle the screen and it is quite comfortable. I can see the CITGO sign twinkling in the distance. I know I am in Boston and I am loving it! Very relaxing.

When it is clear that the Pats are going to dismantle the Raiders in Mexico City, right about the beginning of the 4th quarter, we head down early to our dinner reservations at Scampo, an Italian/Mediterranean inspired restaurant by Boston restaurant legend Lydia Shire. They usher us in immediately and we secure a lovely seat by the window with a view of the kitchen and bar. The interior is brick, with discreet nods to the jailhouse theme, and copper accents all around. It is 7:30, the bar is low-key (it is Sunday, after all), but the restaurant is packed.

Scampo at the Liberty Hotel, Boston, MA. courtesy of Liberty Hotel web site.

One look at the menu makes you realize this is gonna be good. Really good. It’s chock-full of inventive dishes using both local and imported items, as far as I can tell. Totally unique. Click here for the dinner menu. Oh, and there is a mozzarella bar. Stop it.

Hmmm… shall I have the duck, the venison, the swordfish or the lobster? I settle on the grilled pink swordfish w/ corn fritter, cauliflower cous cous & brown butter hollandaise. For a starter, I have the tandoori fired large sea scallops on an eggplant puree. Bob does a Caesar salad and the charcoaled coriander & black peppered venison rack w/crush of concord grape & barolo .. delicate white truffle robiola raviolini. All four dishes are visually amazing, and the taste is to die for. This may be the best piece of swordfish I’ve ever had, and a taste of Bob’s venison results in a burst of fruit and coriander with a tender piece of venison rack, perfectly cooked. The flavors of all dishes blend together for a fabulous end result. Amazingly executed! It may be in our top ten, definitely in the top 15 best meals ever. No joke.

Tandoori fired sea scallops with eggplant puree and house made flatbread.

Pink Swordfish with corn fritter, cauliflower cous cous and brown butter hollandaise.

Coriander and black pepper crusted venison loin with crushed Concord grape & barolo wine reduction and white truffle robiola raviolini.

After dinner we decide to try a dessert, even though we are not hungry. We order Lydia’s Tiramisu, although I would have preferred the Pears Two Ways. The tiramisu is good, covered in crushed coffee beans and some toffee. I spend a lot of time picking the toffee off the top while I finish my wine. I chose a white Umbrian chardonnay by the glass where Bob chose a bottle of 2014 Nickel and Nickel Cabernet, which he enjoys and brings back to the room. All in all, an amazing dining experience. Great service, great atmosphere, GREAT menu, and some fantastic food. And a decisive Patriots win. All adds up to a great night.

Lydia's tiramisu with toffee and espresso bean topping

The next morning, Bob heads to his business meeting and I head to Charles Street. I have been here as a child, since my uncle had an apartment here back in the day, but it has been a while. Time to explore.

Charles Street is an eclectic collection of independent clothing and antique shops, restaurants, art galleries, food purveyors and the like set on brick sidewalks, in brick buildings with antique-style streetlights and signs. If you were in shopping mode you could definitely do some damage here! It’s not that long — maybe 4 - 5 blocks — but it is jam-packed with things to see and places to peruse! The end of the street takes you to Boston Common, which leads you to the Boston Public Garden, and then onto Newbury Street, where the chain shops live intermingled with the independents. Or Commonwealth Ave., or Mass. Ave, each with a different vibe. If you go in another direction, you can immediately find the Esplanade, which is a parkway along the Charles River, or in another direction you will shortly find Boston’s Historic North End, filled with Italian restaurants, markets, pastry vendors, and the Boston Public Market, a somewhat new addition to the Boston scene. I think of heading there, but my phone dies (no photos), it is windy as all get-out, and since I skipped breakfast, it is time for lunch. I need to check out the Liberty’s other restaurant, Clink, and I hope it is half as good as Scampo.

Clink Restaurant, Liberty Hotel, Boston, MA.

Clink is, according to hotel literature, “the Liberty’s signature restaurant” serving North Atlantic seafood, locally sourced meats, heirloom produce, artisanal cheeses all featured in seasonal New England dishes. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a Saturday and Sunday brunch. OK, I’m game.

I arrive at Clink and again am immediately seated at a lovely table. The space is bright and sunshiney (today) with a lot of brick and the jailhouse theme done just enough. I order a glass of chardonnay and they provide some delicious, warm, and seemingly homemade rolls with a nice soft salty butter. Happy.

The menu is diverse but not overwhelming. I decide on a beet, goat cheese, walnut and mixed greens salad with a balsamic vinaigrette and some grilled salmon to accompany. It is delicious! Upon asking I learn it is a farm raised North Atlantic salmon (New Hampshire). I know, farm-raised salmon is not supposed to be that great, or great for you, but this is delicious! I look at the dessert menu which is a nice selection, but I am so full! I decide to pass and move on. Almost time to go home. I would try it for dinner for sure. Nice space, great service, very good food.

Beet, mixed greens, walnut and goat cheese salad with grilled salmon from Clink at the Liberty Hotel.

So, here’s an overview of the other food and beverage options where I did not go.

The bars include the Liberty Bar, set in the spacious lobby, with great ambience, upscale bar food and an extensive cocktail list. There are live music nights and a DJ Thursday - Saturday. We were here on a Sunday. Not a great sports-viewing bar, but I am ok with that.

The Catwalk is a hotel guest-only bar which literally sits on one of the catwalks of the former prison, overlooking the lobby. It too offers dinner service and a bar menu. It is open on Thursdays from September - May, Fridays and Saturdays year round.

Alibi is on the entry level of the hotel, housed where the original cells and the drunk tank once stood. Ironic. Decorated with celebrity mug shots and incarceration-themed decor, it is a great place for locals to come and convene. Open daily from 5:00 on.

Lastly, The Yard, an outdoor courtyard for seasonal dining and beverages, sits in a garden-like patio. Being November, it is obviously closed, but the photos look awesome!

There is also an extensive room service menu available around the clock.

The Liberty Hotel is a member of “The Luxury Collection Hotels”, which features properties around the world. We loved our stay here and hope to be back soon!

Confirmation Code: GFVBHMSX211804759