The Boxer ★★★★

A flatiron in the Bulfinch Triangle

The Boxer occupies a narrow, wedge-shaped building put up in 1904 on Merrimac Street, in the small grid of streets known as the Bulfinch Triangle, between the North End, Beacon Hill and what remains of the old West End. The brick and steel structure was converted into an 80-room boutique hotel with its industrial character deliberately kept on show, and the hotel presents itself as a tribute to challengers and independent spirits. The design follows that idea: Scandinavian restraint meets a warm industrial mood, and a reproduction of an 1860s map of Boston stretches across the lobby ceiling.

Rooms with steel wardrobes and marble

The rooms come as king rooms, junior suites, family suites and accessible suites. Steel-gray tufted headboards, riveted steel wardrobes, cable-knit accents and lighting inspired by the 1970s set the tone, and the bathrooms are finished with Calacatta marble tops, bathrobes and L'Occitane amenities, with walk-in showers in some categories and tubs in others. The Family Suite connects a king room to a second room fitted with wooden bunk beds, one of the few genuinely family-minded layouts in a downtown boutique of this size. Pets under fifty pounds are welcome, and a fitness room stays open around the clock.

Finch, the restaurant under the brick

Finch serves a locally sourced American menu for breakfast and dinner, with beer, wine and creative cocktails from a handsome wooden bar. The dining room makes the most of the building, with exposed brick walls, velvet banquettes and long communal farmhouse tables that suit a pre-game crowd as well as a quiet dinner. Room service is available for those who would rather eat upstairs.

North Station, TD Garden and the North End on foot

The address is one of the most practical in the city for a first visit. TD Garden and North Station are about five minutes away on foot, which means Bruins and Celtics games, concerts, the commuter rail and the Amtrak Downeaster are all at the end of the street. The restaurants of the North End, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are roughly ten minutes away, Government Center and the Freedom Trail slightly less, and the Museum of Science sits within walking distance on the Charles River dam. Beacon Hill begins a few blocks to the south, and the river paths are close enough for a morning run. Check-in is at 3 pm and check-out at noon, and parking is available on site.

Why we selected it

The Boxer brings something the grand hotels of Back Bay do not: a landmark building at human scale, a design scheme with a point of view and a location that puts the Freedom Trail, the North End and the arena within a short walk. Its listing in the Michelin Guide and Tablet Hotels confirms the standard. We recommend it to couples on a sightseeing weekend, to visitors in town for a game or a concert, and to families who will appreciate the bunk-bed suite.