Located on Clarendon Street just across the street from the old John Hancock building, Hotel 140 offers one of the city’s best priced accommodations at under $200 a night. The boutique hotel is situated in a recently renovated historic landmark building listed on the
National Register of Historic Places in Boston’s Copley Square. The Lyric Stage is also located in this building, so you can simply step outside the hotel and check out a production.
Hotel 140 offers a variety of rooms from king bedrooms to suites with full kitchens. If you are looking to stay in the city for an extended period of time, be sure to ask about the special weekly or monthly rates and rooms. The modest and affordable accommodations offer the best value for the dollar in the city- including deals on theater productions to college visit specials- and you can’t beat the downtown location. There are numerous great places to go for drinks or dinner; the on-site Stuart Street Grill is an ideal spot for grabbing a quick breakfast before heading out to a day on the town.
Location, location, location – when you are looking for a stay in Boston, finding a reasonably priced hotel in the center of all the action is what most people have in mind but actually finding that property can be difficult – until now. The Charlesmark Hotel located right on Boylston Street across from the Boston Public Library and the Copley T station, the modern hotel sits prominently at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. With Free wi-fi, a complimentary continental breakfast, a super cool lounge, a Thai dinner menu and rates as low at $119 per night, the Charlesmark Hotel just might be the best value in town.
Named after the beloved pub from the 80s sitcom Three’s Company, The Regal Beagle in Coolidge Corner, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary is anything but a vintage throwback. The modern interior with dark red walls and intimate seating with a small rear bar at this award-winning neighborhood restaurant offers comfort food with a twist. From dates stuffed with gorgonzola cheese wrapped in bacon and tacos filled with chicken mole to pistachio brittle crust scallops and a roasted half chicken with bacon gravy, Chef Laura Henry-Zoubir seems to have outdone herself. Visit 
The Beehive has set a trendy scene here in Boston combining live music dining and art. Students and even celebrities can be seen at this South End location listening to regional national and international performers from jazz, salsa and blues to African and world music, even burlesque. The Beehive is located underneath the Boston Center for the Art’s Cyclorama. Be sure to hang out after the performance to sample some of acclaimed chef Rebecca Newell’s rustic comfort food infused with American, European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. Check out the menu and schedule at 
MET Back Bay, the latest venture from restaurateur Kathy Sidell Trustman, has opened in an historic 1877 brick townhouse on the corner of Newbury and Dartmouth Streets. The menu here pays homage to the former Joseph’s restaurant, which previously occupied the space. Here you can find Trustman’s interpretations of Joseph’s classics, including oyster Rockefeller and clams casino with MET’s baked crab wrap with creamy coconut rice baked in a soy wrapper served in the Living Room, Library, Game Room, Terrace or Townhouse. Prime steak, tuna toro and other tartares are also prepared tableside. Check out the website at 
What started out as a simple idea by Skip Bennett in 1992 has turned into a worldwide bivalve sensation known as Island Creek Oysters, which sells more than 100,000 a week. Today, most major restaurants in Boston offer the made-in Duxbury oysters but the brand, which has grown to be one of the largest oyster companies in the country, has also become a worldwide sensation. They are now even being flown into the JW Marriott in Hong Kong so it isn’t surprising Bennett and Co. would open an oyster bar at the Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square where you can slurp some of the best oysters in the world. Visit 
Co-owners Brian Piccini and Executive Chef Christopher Coombs (who appeared on The Food Network’s show Chopped) have come together to showcase American Nouveau Cuisine with the opening of Deuxave Restaurant & Bar in the Back Bay. The duo from Dorchester’s dbar fame named Deuxave after its location at Massachusetts and Commonwealth Avenues. Be sure to check out the back bar, which was designed with an array of mirrors by Piccini to reflect the Back Bay skyline through the expansive bow front windows. The French-inspired restaurant serves up everything from Moroccan spiced Colorado lamb saddle to seared Hawaiian ahi tuna. Visit 
Darryl Settles, creator of the BeanTown Jazz Festival, has opened Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen in the former spot of Bob the Chef’s. The neighborhood restaurant focuses on “the intersection of friends, food and music.” The lively spot offers a southern-inspired menu (think fried catfish strips, jambalaya and bourbon pecan pie) but also specialty items, including blackened sirloin steak. Relax and sip Darryl’s famous Chicken Martini or a Roxbury Raz and nosh on a late night menu while listening to some live jazz music playing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Visit 
The American Repertory Theater (better known as ART to locals) has been welcoming major American and international theater artists since it opened in 1980. The theater, which hosts reinterpretations of classical texts and provocative new music theater productions (think Cabaret or Alice vs. Wonderland), has received numerous awards, including the Tony Award, the Pulitzer Prize and numerous local Elliot Norton and IRNE awards. The staff here also teaches undergraduate classes in acting, directing, dramatic literature, dramaturgy, design, and playwriting at Harvard University. In 1987, the theater also created the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. Discount tickets are available for college students. For informaton and schedules, chgeck out 
The latest newcomer to the city is The Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel located in the Seaport District offers amazing views of Boston Harbor. The oceanic designed hotel offers 450 rooms with a Starbucks on the first level along with Capiz Bar, a hot after-work gathering spot for a freshly muddle mojito. Renowned Chef Michael Schlow has recently added another restaurant to his roster of establishments – 606 Congress, the hotel’s on-site restaurant that features modern American cuisine (think local sea scallops, Brandt Farms ribeye and lobster club sandwiches). Be sure to request a suite for a waterfront view.
Imagine a cupcake shop that offers zero carbs, sugars and fats! Impossible, you say? Not when you are Johnny Cupcakes, the quirky clothing store designed with cupcakes on them. Started by a kid who sold T-shirts out of his car, the company is now a multi-million dollar business and owner Johnny Earle was ranked #1 “Best Entrepreneurs 25 and Under” by BusinessWeek. Inside the shop, you will find a uniquely decorated interior, including antique refrigerators and all sorts of baking products with fun clothing items sitting prominently on display on baking trays and in glass pastry cases. Visit 
Nearly eight years ago, the InterContinental Boston hit the hotel scene running and hasn’t stopped to look back. With more than 400 guest rooms and even a collection of private residences (for those who never want to leave), the all-glass contemporary property designed to resemble a Tall Ship, has an unbeatable location. The international dining scene here is impressive – start off with a rum cocktail while listening to Latin and Caribbean music at RumBa, order up a spicy tuna roll at Sushi-Teq and then end the evening with a relaxing dinner at the French brasserie known as Miel. Don’t miss a walk in the InterContinental Gardens, a two-acre waterfront promenade along Fort Point Channel. Click 
Encore Bed & Breakfast, which has been open since 2001, offers just four contemporary accommodations in the South End neighborhood. The alternative to typical hotel lodging, Encore offers 21st-century comfort in a 19th century Victorian town house. Each room features modern amenities, including a private bathroom with shower, queen-size bed, cable TV with DVD player. In keeping with the theatrical theme of the Inn, the rooms are named after choreographer Jerome Robbins, conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, playwright Edward Albee and composer Stephen Sondheim. A continental breakfast is served each morning featuring European-strength coffee, pastries, granola, and fresh fruit.
Haru has taken center stage with its first modern Japanese location to open in Boston. The sushi restaurant is located below the Shops at Prudential Center, and is beautifully decorated with a Japanese garden, bamboo floors and wooden footbridge, along with alfresco dining. The menu here ranges from sushi, sashimi and creative salads to signature dishes like carpaccios, ceviches, tartares, filet mignon, grilled spicy shrimp and specialty rolls. Don’t miss the sake and cocktail bar for an after-work drink or late night people-watching. Haru also provides delivery and catering services, private rooms and lounges, and a vibrant bar scene. Click 
