Boston Hotel Commonwealth ★★★★★

The hotel of Kenmore Square

Hotel Commonwealth occupies the whole curve of Kenmore Square at 500 Commonwealth Avenue, where Back Bay hands over to the Fenway and to Boston University. The building is a modern one built in the manner of the neighborhood, all stone and mansard roof, and inside the register is contemporary and classic at once: a grey-and-white palette with a few touches of color, generous proportions and a feeling of calm that the square outside does not always share. The hotel describes Fenway Park as its backyard, and the terrace on the upper floor looks straight at the ballpark's lights.

Rooms built large, and a suite for the ballpark

The 245 rooms come in twelve categories, and even the entry-level rooms run from 470 to 515 square feet, which is far above the Boston average. Suites reach 700 square feet, with views over Kenmore Square and Commonwealth Avenue or toward Fenway, and the Fenway Park Suite with Balcony is the showpiece, dressed in baseball memorabilia with a private balcony over the park. Bathrooms pair white tubs and showers with creamy marble counters and Malin + Goetz amenities. Dogs are welcome, with bowls and beds provided, and a fitness center with Precor equipment is open to guests.

Row 34, Blue Ribbon Sushi and the Upper Deck

The ground floor of the hotel is one of the Fenway's dining addresses. Row 34, the seafood house across the lobby, is the place for oysters and New England beer; Blue Ribbon Sushi at the front entrance brings the New York sushi institution to Boston; and the Sam Adams Upper Deck handles the pre-game crowd. In-room dining is available for quieter evenings.

Kenmore Square, Fenway and the Charles on foot

Fenway Park and the Charles River are both about eight minutes' walk, and the MGM Music Hall sits beside the ballpark. Boston University begins across the avenue, Newbury Street and the rest of Back Bay are about ten minutes away, and Boston Common is a quarter of an hour on foot. The Kenmore Green Line station is at the corner, with three branches to downtown and the museums. Check-in is at 4 pm and check-out at noon, and valet parking is available.

Why we selected it

Our brief asks for hotels close to the university campuses and Fenway as well as the landmarks of Back Bay, and Hotel Commonwealth is the address that covers both without compromise on comfort: large rooms, real restaurants downstairs and the ballpark at the end of the street. We recommend it to baseball travelers, to families visiting students at BU or Harvard, and to anyone who wants Back Bay's shops within reach at a slight remove from its formality.