Raffles Boston

Here's your edited review: There aren't enough positive adjectives in the English language to capture how much I love Raffles. As someone who has spent more than a year living primarily in Boston's luxury hotels, I say this with real experience behind me: Raffles is the best hotel in Boston, full stop. The hard product speaks for itself. The rooms are gorgeous at every price level, and the linens are softer than anything I thought possible in a hotel. But what truly sets Raffles apart is the incredible team of people who work there. I could easily name 20 of them, and I plan to in future reviews, but tonight I want to shine a light on Malik, Filman, and Flaudio. They went above and beyond to take care of me this evening, working together on a late night accommodation that no other hotel would have made happen. Along with Cynthia, PJ, and so many others, they are what makes Raffles such a special place to stay. There are so many other people (shout out to the bell desk, butlers and all the door guys) that deserve shout outs, but for brevity’s sake I will get them next time around. I've spent somewhere around 45 nights here this year, and I plan on spending many more in the months ahead. Even once I finally close on a home, which will likely be nearby, I know I'll still be stopping in regularly just to say hi to everyone. To me, that says everything about how extraordinary Raffles really is.

Everything from the moment we arrived was seamless, and the accommodations were exceptional. La Padrona was a standout—the food was outstanding and easily rivaled some of the best meals we’ve had in Italy!

I'm awarding this hotel 5 stars in recognition of the beauty of the property, its outstanding dining venues, and the many things it already does exceptionally well. Located in a prime Back Bay location that's perfect for exploring Boston, the hotel has quickly become the city's "it" luxury property. While I believe it still has some work to do refining its service to meet the extraordinarily high standards associated with the Raffles name, I'm confident that will come with time as the frenzy surrounding this relatively new hotel settles down and the staff gains additional experience. The rooms are beautifully appointed and exactly what you would expect from a hotel in this category. The bedding is excellent, the views from the higher floors are terrific, and I especially appreciated the Saratoga water provided in the rooms... a personal favorite. The hotel's restaurant venues have become destinations in their own right and are understandably very popular. During my stay I enjoyed both Long Bar and Blind Duck (see my separate reviews). Unfortunately, I missed our family's dinner at La Padrona on this trip, they loved it. Given Chef Jody Adams' involvement, that's hardly surprising... she has an impressive track record... still think my many great meals at her Rialto restaurant. Raffles Boston is already an impressive addition to the city's luxury hotel scene. As the service continues to evolve and mature, I believe it has the potential to become one of Boston's truly great hotels.

It is a pity that you smell food in your room in the evening through the airco. It’s not nice to sleep in this smell

The service was remarkably poor. At check-in, nobody explained the property, amenities, or even the room itself. A request regarding spa services was dropped entirely - even after confirming my phone number to ensure I would be contacted. Room service orders arrived incomplete. Our room wasn’t serviced despite the service light being on while we were away for hours during the middle of the day. The much-publicized butler service was consistently behind the curve and showed no ability to anticipate guest needs. Everything felt reactive, disorganized, and indifferent. The apologies were either written by AI or scripted. The room itself was nice! Nothing about this stay justified the premium price point and I’ll now avoid any branch of this brand internationally.