Boston, Massachusetts founded in 1630 is a delightful combination of historic and hip, where tradition enchants and gracefully melds into the modern. Nicknamed "Beantown," home of the Boston Bruins hockey and the Boston Celtics basketball teams, Boston is an easy-to-walk city with much to discover from diverse historical and cultural attractions, and boat trips to appeal to a wide audience.
Battery Wharf Hotel
Where to Stay
We stayed at the luxurious 150-room and suite Battery Wharf Hotel in the North End of Boston. With Boston Harbor as their "backyard" the hotel has a secluded urban resort feel to it, a delightful oasis that is minutes away from major attractions for the leisure traveler, and its close proximity to the financial and business district is desirous for the business traveler.
Spacious guestrooms offer waterfront views and sumptuous amenities to enhance the guest experience. Their many amenities include the award winning 13,000 square foot Exhale Spa and Fitness Center, Aragosta Bar + Bistro where the focus is on Mediterranean cuisine and contemporary New England seafood recipes and the open-air restaurant, The Terrace, featuring Executive Chef Joseph Adamo and Chef Donna Spina as the talents in the kitchen.
Welcome to Battery Wharf Hotel
The Battery Lounge is the place for innovative cocktails and on Friday and Saturday night there is the added bonus of Live Jazz from 9:00 pm until 12:00 am. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons traditional Afternoon Tea is served at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. There is also an onsite Maritime Museum that is open daily from 8:00 am until 9:00 pm.
Business travelers will appreciate the Business Center, high-speed wireless Internet access, and the 6,000 square foot meeting space. The hotel is pet-friendly, making it ideal for guests who want to travel with their 4-legged best friends.
Read about the Battery Wharf Hotel in more detail in the Hotels and Resorts section. Visit www.Facebook.com/LuxuryExperience to watch a video clip and see more photos.
Battery Wharf Hotel
Three Battery Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
United States
Toll-Free: +1-877-794-6218
Telephone: +1-617-994-9000
Fax: +1-617-994-9092
Website: www.BatteryWharfHotelBoston.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BatteryWharfHotel
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BatteryWharfBOS
Things to Do
Lobsters, Lobsters, Lobsters!
One of Battery Wharf Hotel’s innovation experiences is their 2.5-hour Keep the Catch Lobster Excursion, a unique opportunity to spend time on an actual lobster boat watching the crew haul, bait, and remove the catch from the lobster traps around Boston Harbor. As part of the experience, Chef Joseph Adamo will cook the lobsters for your dinner, which is quite fitting, as the restaurant’s name, Aragosta, is Italian for lobster.
Chef Adamo and Captain Fred Penney
We experienced the excursion and it was great fun and very informative. Dining al fresco on the lobsters we had caught earlier in the day, sitting beside the hotel’s fire pits, under a beautiful summer evening sky was the perfect culmination.
The excursion leaves from the hotel every Saturday at 1:00 pm and returns at 3:30 pm. The cost for the excursion is $60 per person. The Lobster Bake for two at their Fire Pits is $45 per person with your catch. The boat accommodates a maximum of 6 guests per excursion. Reservations are required at the time of booking, with 5:00 pm or 7:00 pm dinner reservation options. The excursion is currently available on Saturday’s only.
Read about our Keep the Catch Lobster Excursion experience and learn more about lobsters in the Adventures section. Visit www.Facebook.com/LuxuryExperience to watch a video clip and see more photos.
Attractions
We love to experience as much as we can and maximize our time while traveling and the Boston CityPASS® saves time by purchasing tickets online or at any of their 5 attractions, and also saves money, making it a very smart choice. What we also liked about the Boston CityPASS® is that the booklets are valid for nine consecutive days beginning the day of first use, allowing us to go at our own pace.
"Booklet of admission tickets to 4 must-see tourist attractions in Boston. You’ll save 47% compared to combined regular box office prices. Boston CityPASS® booklets are valid for nine consecutive days beginning the day of first use. Visit the attractions in any order you wish. Purchase tickets online or at any Boston CityPASS® attraction for the same price. Pricing: Adult: (Age 12 and over): $49, Child: (Ages 3 – 11 years): $36."
You can select 4 of the following CityPASS® attractions: New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, Skywalk Observatory, or the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Founded in 1997, CityPASS is available for Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California, Tampa Bay, and Toronto.
For more information on the Boston CityPASS®, please visit their website: www.CityPass.com/Bos-Plan
CityPASS®
Toll-Free: +1-888-330-5008
Website: www.CityPass.com
As we were only in Boston for 3 days, we opted to use the CityPASS® to experience the New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Turtle at New England Aquarium
Whenever we are in Boston we always make time to visit the New England Aquarium, located three blocks from Faneuil Hall Marketplace to give you a point of reference. This is an exceptional aquarium where penguins greet you as you enter, there are interesting exhibits throughout, and the Giant Ocean Tank is sure to enchant with its sharks, sea turtles including a "grand dame" around 85-90 years old, and the plethora of colorful and exotic fish.
Exotic Fish
One of our favorite exhibit "discoveries" this visit was the Australian Seadragons exhibit. These stunning creatures resemble their "relatives" the seahorse and the pipefish albeit wearing colorful plant-like costumes. There are only 2 species of Seadragons, and the aquarium is fortunate to have both Weedy and Leafy seadragons in their exhibit.
Seadragons
We also enjoyed watching the frolicking antics of the harbor seals, were mesmerized by the hypnotic-like undulations of the giant jellyfish, and experiencing the Shark and Ray Touch Tank, where we had the opportunity to touch the graceful, and velvety smooth manta rays and sharks.
Ray in the Touch Tank
Watch the video clips of our experiences at the New England Aquarium on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LuxuryExperience.
Aquarium Hours: Monday through Friday from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9:00 am until 6:00 pm. Extended summer hours July 1 – September 7: Sunday through Thursday 9:00 am until 6:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
New England Aquarium
1 Central Wharf (Off Atlantic Avenue, near Faneuil Hall Marketplace)
Boston, MA 02110
United States
Telephone: +1-617-973-5200
Website: www.neaq.org
Edward holding up things as usual
The Museum of Science is always interesting for families as well as for the inner-child in all of us with its interactive exhibits. One of the many fascinating exhibits we saw was a sheep heart and lungs which the docent pumped air into the lungs to provide a unique look at the inner workings of these incredible muscles.
Incredible exhibits at Museum of Science
Museum Hours: Open daily from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, and from July 5 until Labor Day from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm, and Friday from 9:00 am until 9:00 pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Museum of Science
1 Science Park (On the Charles River)
Boston, MA 02114
United States
Telephone: +1-617-723-2500
Telephone: +1-617-589-0417 TTY
Website: www.mos.org
Museum of Fine Arts
You can easily spend days at the Museum of Fine Arts which its vast collections. One of the highlights of our visit was the musical instruments exhibit especially the hand-painted harpsichords and an unusual harp guitar (from around 1920) which had two openings.
Antique Musical Instruments
Other interesting exhibits we enjoyed included the Gold and the Gods exhibit which was a combination of jewelry and art, Art of the Americas with its exquisite furniture, and the Herb Ritts’ black and white photography exhibit.
Dining Room
Museum Hours: Saturday through Tuesday from 10:00 am until 4:45 pm, and Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 am until 9:45pm. Closed New Year’s Day, Patriot’s Day (3rd Monday in April), Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Musuem of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Avenue of the Arts
465 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
United States
Telephone: +1-617-267-9300
Telephone: +1-617-369-3188 TTY
Website: www.mfa.org
Historic Faneuil Hall is a must see, and while there we visited the Armory and Museum of The Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company located on the 2nd and 4th floor, which provided a an interesting view of Boston’s impressive past. The Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company was chartered in 1638 by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the many military uniforms and other artifacts bring history to life.
Hobnailboots
Museum Hours: Monday through Friday from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Free entrance.
Debra Argen at Armory and Museum at Faneuil Hall
Armory and Museum of The Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company
Faneuil Hall
4th Floor
Boston, MA
United States
Telephone: +1-617-227-1638
Website: www.ahac.us.com
Food, Glorious Food!
Edward Nesta at Haymarket open-air market
Haymarket open-air market is a Boston tradition on Fridays and Saturday where vendors sell fruits, vegetables, plants, and seafood at reasonable prices. It is always fun to take a stroll through the market to hear the vendors calling out their wares and perhaps purchase some fresh fruit to eat while enjoying the ambience.
North End – come and visit
Boston’s famous North End, was home to Paul Revere and the North Church (officially know as Christ Church) built in 1723 where Sexton Robert Newman climbed the church’s steeple and held two lanterns aloft as a signal from Paul Revere on April 18, 1775 that the British were approaching. It was also home to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, mother of President John F. Kennedy, and Tony De Marco "The Flame and Fury of Fleet Street" the welterweight champion of the world 1955, whose statue stands at the corner of Hanover and Cross Streets.
Edward Nesta in North End at Paul Revere statue
The North End is also a renowned Italian neighborhood, and we took an interesting tour with Michele Topor’s Boston Food Tours where we had an insider’s view of Italian history, culture, and cuisine through our knowledgeable guide.
Tony Demarco
In addition to learning about the different regional cuisines, we also had the opportunity to eat our way through the North End making frequent stops and indulging in small tastes of artisan breads, freshly made mozzarella, olive oils, produce, desserts, and more. Delicious!
Standard Weekly Schedule: Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 am (tour runs until 1:00 pm), and 2:00 pm (tour runs until 5:00 pm), Fridays at 10:00 am (tour runs until 1:00 pm), and 3:00 pm (tour runs until 6:00 pm). They often add additional tours when the regularly scheduled tours are sold out. Please visit the website www.BostonFoodTours.com/north-end/ or call for more information. Pricing: $54.00 plus 5% tax per person. Exact meeting location details are provided immediately upon ticket purchase. Tours limited to 13 people.
Bricco Salumeria and Pasta Shop
Read about our Boston Food Tour experience in the Gastronomy section. Visit www.Facebook.com/LuxuryExperience to watch a video clip and see more photos.
Michele Topor’s Boston Food Tours
Telephone: +1-855-249-1163
Telephone: +1-617-523-6032
Email: Michelle@BostonFoodTours.com
Email: info@BostonFoodTours.com
Website: www.BostonFoodTours.com/north-end/
Where to Dine
We had excellent breakfasts and dinners at Aragosta Bar + Bistro at Boston Wharf Hotel where Executive Chef Joseph Adamo and Sous Chef Donna Spina focus on New England favorites and Mediterranean cuisine. Healthy and hearty breakfast highlights included the Jansal Valley Cranberry Almond Granola with Honey Greek Yogurt, Fruit Salad, and Assorted Berries, and "The Irish" one of the Battery Wharf Benedicts, which was a Toasted English Muffin, Corn Beef Hash, Smoked Bacon, Poached Eggs, Scallion, and Hollandaise Sauce.
Chef Joseph Adamo
We had a creative 5-course tasting where a few of the highlights included Lollipop Kale Sprouts, Black Garlic, and Pistachio Sarvechio; House Cut Ravioli with Hand Packed Ricotta, and San Marzano Brodo; Nocerella Poached Local Cod with Romesco, Borolo Yellow Raisin Tapenade, and Pignolias; and for Dessert, Mascarpone Custard, Roasted Mission Figs, and Cantucci Brittle.
Poached Cod
On another night, we dined al fresco and enjoyed a lobster dinner as part of their Keep The Catch Lobster Excursion, which is a perquisite for shellfish lovers as it does not get any fresher than this.
Mascarpone Custard, Roasted Mission Figs, Cantucci Brittle
Watch a video clip of our lobster boat experience and see more photos on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LuxuryExperience.com)
Lobster Pot
Read about our dining experience at the Aragosto Bar + Bistro in the Restaurants section and read the interview and get recipes from Executive Chef Joseph Adamo in the Chefs’ Recipes section.
Aragosta Bar + Bistro is open from 6:30 am until 10:00 pm, the Dinner menu is served until 10:00 pm, the Bar is open from 11:00 am until 12:00 am, the Bar Menu is available until 11:00 pm, and the Patio is open from 9:30 am until 10:00pm (the last dinner seating at 9:30pm). In Room Dining Menu is available from 6:00 am until 11:00 pm.
Aragosta Bar + Bistro at Battery Wharf Hotel
Battery Wharf Hotel
Three Battery Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
United States
Telephone: +1-617-994-9001
Fax: +1-617-994-9092
Website: www.BatteryWharfHotelBoston.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BatteryWharfHotel
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BatteryWharfBOS
Spa Indulgence
We believe that a vacation should allow time for pampering, and we experienced a Fusion Swedish massage at the attractive and spacious 13,000 square-foot Exhale® Spa at Battery Wharf Hotel.
Core Fusion Barre class
The Exhale Spa Menu features a diverse selection of treatments including acu-organ detox therapy, acupuncture, cupping and vibrational therapies, assorted facials, massage treatments include: craniosacral, deep tissue, Exhale flow signature, fusion Swedish, glow reflexology, reiki, shea butter, shiatsu, sports, and Thai stretch, as well as nail treatments.
In addition to the intriguing treatments, guests can also take barre, yoga, and cardio classes. We took an excellent and intensive 1-hour Core Fusion Barre class where our instructor, Victoria, pushed us to our limit, and we not only lived to tell the tale, but felt healthier, stronger, and energized. The Spa also conducts special Workshops, so be sure to check out their website for more information.
Read more about the Exhale® Spa in the Spas section.
Exhale® Spa
Battery Wharf Hotel
Three Battery Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
United States
Telephone: +1-617-994-9001
Fax: +1-617-994-9092
Website: www.BatteryWharfHotelBoston.com/Exhale-Spa
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BatteryWharfHotel
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BatteryWharfBOS
Boston Celtics – 17-time NBA World Champions
Boston, Massachusetts is an easy to walk city offering diverse experiences that range from historic to hip and everything in between. Whether traveling for leisure or business, Boston will enchant and engage, and leave you with lasting memories.
Bobby Orr – NHL Hall of Famer
For information on Boston, please visit the website: www.Bostonusa.com.
The beauty of Boston’s harbor
Read more about Boston in the Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Chefs’ Recipes, Spas, Adventures, and Gastronomy sections.
Follow Boston Wharf Hotel on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BatteryWharfHotel
Debra Argen, Fred Penney, and Edward Nesta
Catch you in Boston
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