Review: Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston

Background & Location

The Fairmont Copley Plaza will always be a special place to me as I always associate it with the Disney Channel show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. It served as the location for the Tipton Hotel in the show.

Having opened in 1912, the hotel offers 383 guestrooms, including 17 suites. It’s quite centrally located in Boston’s Back Bay, right across the street from the Copley Place Mall, Boston Public Library, and a quick stroll to the upscale shopping Newbury Street. The Boston Common is also just a 15-minute walk away.

The hotel is known for being an innovator in the hotel industry, where it was the first completely air-conditioned hotel in Boston, the first hotel to accept credit cards, and the first hotel with an international reservation system.

Takeoff Points

Date of Stay: July 2024
Room Type: Deluxe Room King
Pros: Cool to take a step back into a historic property, comfortable beds.
Cons: Certain fixtures could use updating, small bathroom.

FORA TRAVEL BENEFITS

I work with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays. Fora is part of Accor HERA and Virtuoso. These partnerships give you special perks when booking with me. The Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston features:

• Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily Breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• USD 100 equivalent Hotel Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability

If you are interested in getting these perks and want to stay at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston, feel free to email me at takeofftotravel@fora.travel and I would be happy to help you plan your trip.

Check-In & Heading to Room

I arrived via train, and the Back Bay Amtrak station was just a 5-minute walk to the hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel, I was quickly checked in and handed my keys to the room. The lobby is beautiful, and it feels like you’ve stepped back in time.

My room was located on the 2nd floor, which is actually the 3rd floor (by US standards).

Deluxe Room

The room felt quite large as you walked in, and it opened up to the whole room. The Deluxe Room is stated to be 350 square feet, while the standard Fairmont Room is between 250 and 300 square feet. Many rooms offer an interior facade view, but mine has an exterior view of the city.

To the left of the front door are two large armchairs with an espresso machine, and hot water maker as well as Lot 35 teabags, espresso pods, and boxed water.

To the right is a walk-in closet with two robes, an iron, an ironing board, and a luggage rack.

Comfy Bed

There was a large king-size bed with two nightstands on each side and power ports. The beds & pillows were very comfortable, and I like the Fairmont bedding. It’s definitely an elevated 4.5-star level bed.

Then, at the window, there was a cabinet that contained the safe and a large countertop to put items on. Also, it was odd to me that the tissue box was located here, but perhaps because there wasn’t a lot of counter space in the bathroom.

Plus, it would’ve been nice to have perhaps more modern light fixture controls because you had to essentially go up to each lamp to turn them on. On a positive note, the AC worked well.

Next to the window, was a nice working desk. One issue with the desk area was that it seemed to be missing power plugs, yet it had this whole console for audio video, HDMI & USB charging, but it didn’t have power ports for laptop chargers unless I just couldn’t find them. There is a 46-inch TV with Chromecast, which did feel a bit small given that the room was quite large.

From the room, I had a view of the Westin Copley Plaza across the street and you can also see the Central Library in the corner. For me, it wasn’t too noisy being right on a main street, though if you are very sensitive to noise you may want an interior view.

The hotel does provide a basic turndown service, though I wish they added a small chocolate on the bed. They tidied up the room and put a box of water on the nightstand.

Bathroom

The bathroom was on the small side, but at least it still had a large tub. Though, I do wish there was more counter space.

In terms of the shower, the water pressure was good. Toiletries were provided by Le Labo in the Fairmont Rose 31 scent which I love. Also, a vanity kit and shower cap were provided.

One thing is that the toilet was older and needed some touchups, so I do wish they perhaps revamp and renovate that portion.

Dining

OAK Long Bar & Kitchen

The main restaurant is called Oak Long Bar & Kitchen. It was revamped in 2012 and has been open for over 100 years. A unique fixture is the Merry-Go-Round Bar which was installed during Prohibition and existed until the 1970’s. You can still see on the floor where the Merry-Go-Round used to be. I wish it was still there, that would be cool!

It also features the longest bar in the city of Boston.

I liked the decor of the restaurant, and in the evening it was bright and airy. I tried out a dinner and found the food to be quite tasty. My favorite was the BBQ Kalbi Ribs.

The other dishes I had were great as well like the Tater Tot Pave was fun.

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Room Service

Room service is also available, from 6:30 am to 10 pm.

Fairmont Gold

The “hotel within a hotel” is the Fairmont Gold floor. If you book a room here, you get a private check-in, concierge, and complimentary access to the Lounge and its perks. There is a breakfast buffet serves and evening appetizers.

Fitness Center

The property offers a 3,000-square-foot rooftop fitness center that is open 24 hours a day. I visited for a quick workout at night, and it was quite empty with a good number of machines, though I wish they had some Pelotons.

Boxed water and cold towers were available. Additionally, there was an outdoor deck, which is open during the winter months where you can take in views of downtown Boston.

They also have the Fairmont Fit program, where they provide Reebok workout apparel and footwear which can be delivered directly to your room upon request. The program is available to all Accor Live Limitless members. Though, it is complimentary to Silver, Gold, and Platinum members, there is a small service charge for Classic members and those who have booked their stay through an ineligible channel/rate.

Other Amenities

In the lobby, there is a business center.

And, I was able to look into some of the meeting/wedding spaces, and they are quite pretty. Plenty of movies have been filmed here, and for good reason.

The Verdict

Overall, I had a solid stay at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston. It was nice to relive my Suite Life of Zack and Cody’s childhood memories. The hotel provides a unique classical experience, and if you’re into more historical hotels it can be a good fit for you.

 

Have you stayed at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston before? How was your experience? Comment below!

 

Cheers,

Ty

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Have any questions? I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!