When it’s a rainy fall Saturday in Boston, after a day spent shopping, museum-hopping and walking the cobblestone streets of Faneuil Hall and Beacon Hill, there’s nothing better than ducking into a classic old hotel bar—one with club chairs you can sink into, brushed brass accents and a sense that life has happened here all around you. The kind of place that doesn’t need to manufacture history because it’s lived it: JFK proposing to Jackie at Table 40 in Parker's Restaurant, Charles Dickens debuting A Christmas Carol, the Boston Cream Pie born in its kitchen. For me, that place is the Omni Parker House. And on a blustery September weekend, it was just the warm, moody escape I needed.
Located right in the heart of downtown, Omni Parker house has been a Boston instuition for exactly 170 years. Bostonians all know it and go there for big moments and small—my mother told me she'd go there with colleagues after work in the 60s. "I’ve witnessed the deep connection this iconic hotel holds—not just for generations of Bostonians, but for travelers from around the world," says John Murtha, General Manager at Omni Parker House. "No other hotel offers such a strong sense of place and a story as authentic as ours. This hotel is more than just a place to stay, it’s a monument to one of America’s most charismatic cities."
This summer, the hotel recently underwent an entire $24 million renovation, and its served to only enhance, not erase its original lustre. With new marble flooring, furnishings and custom carpets with the Parker House crest, along with modern touches like marble showers and luxe amenities, the refurbishment feels like a seamless restoration. "My goal was to restore its timeless elegance, drawing from the experiences of its earliest guests while seamlessly integrating modern comforts, ensuring this legendary property inspires and welcomes travelers for generations to come," says Tonya Grine, Senior Director of Interior Design for Omni Hotels & Resorts.
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A Hotel With History
Walking into the lobby's rich, dark-hued American oak-panelled walls, you're immediately taken back in time. Its historic Press Room also features detailed, carved Mahogany wood. "Drawing from the hotel’s rich 19th century heritage, the design pays homage to the golden age of travel—an era when horse-drawn carriages epitomized travel elegance," said Omni in a statement.
In fact, it's the longest continuously running hotel in the United States and it's here where a lot of history was made. In 1923, a 6-year-old John F. Kennedy Jr. made his very first speach here, telling the crowds at a party for his grandfather, famed Boston mayer John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, that he was the "best grandfather a child ever had." In 1946, he announced his bid for congress here. And in 1953, he proposed to Jackie Bouvier—later that year, he also held his bachelor party here in the Press Room.
But that's not the only historic moment. Luminaries from Ralph Waldo Emerson to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry David Thoreau, Charles Dickens and Ralph Waldo Emerson have held spirited debates in its halls. Sports figures Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and David Ortiz have made it a homebase for their biggest sports celebrations. The hotel even boasts notable former employees, including Malcolm X, Ho Chi Minh and Emeril Lagasse.
"For 170 years, the Omni Parker House has been at the center of American culture, a gathering place where literary giants, baseball legends, and political leaders shaped ideas that still resonate with us today,” said Susan Wilson, Omni Parker House Historian and author of Heaven, by Hotel Standards.
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Rooms With an Ode to Boston Figures
The design team were thoughtful about weaving this big, historic past into every detail of the new design. Premier Suites were transformed into "Legend Suites," each uniquely designed to honor Boston’s most revered figures, institutions and landmarks. Some notable suites include the Harvey Parker Presidential Suite and the Freedom Trail Family Suite, offering guests a nod to what makes Boston so memorable and meaningful. I got to stay in the Tom Menino Suite—a stunner on the second floor overlooking the corner in Boston's historic downtown, and the large suite felt classic—with golden age molding and hues—and modern—with contemporary art and furnishings—and at the same time.
“Designing the Tom Menino Suite was about honoring Boston’s ‘People’s Mayor’ in a space as unique as his legacy. It’s the only Legend Suite with a circular living room, a shape created by the historic corner of Tremont and School Street, and we specially ordered a half-circle couch to anchor that space. Above it hangs a striking portrait of Mayor Menino, while a description of his legacy greets guests right at the door. Together with other Boston-inspired artworks and design, these elements make the suite both a tribute and a warm reflection of the mayor’s deep connection to the people of Boston," said Amy Steen-Humble, Director, Interior Design Management at Omni Hotels & Resorts.
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A Restaurant With Not Just One But Three American Classics
The hotel now serves a mini version of its classic Boston Cream PieIf one of your favorite donuts is the classic Boston Cream Pie, you have the Parker House restaurant to thank. Since colonial times, New Englanders have had versions of pudding in pies, but thanks to nearby Dorchester's chocolate mill, chefs at the Parker House thought to top one of their classic sponge cake pies filled with vanilla custard with it, and the Chocolate Cream Pie was born. They now serve up a mini portion for dessert, and it was delicious.
Parker house rolls were also invented here in the 1800s. The idea of a soft, buttery, crustless roll was unheard of at the time, says Wilson, but in 1870, a German baker working at the Parker House created the recipe for the soft, pillowy rolls. The secret ingredient? Butter, butter and more butter, said Wilson.
And if you've ever been to Massachusetts and seen an odd moniker for flaky white cod on the menu, you can also thank the Parker House. The origin of the term "scrod" derives here, too and is now synonomous in New England for fresh, caught fish.
I, of course, had to try them all while I was here, and while the restaurant isn't open on weekend nights, I was able to order them all for room service. They were indeed a treat!
A Bar With All The Classic Cocktails
Back to the moody bar on a cold night. If you're looking for a place to celebrate, commiserate—or a little of both—this historic hotel has not just one, but two bars—The Omni Parker Bar, great for after work or early cocktails, and open until 9 pm, and the Last Hurrah whiskey bar, open a little later until 10. Both have soft, leather chairs and menus featuring American classics. The Last Hurrah, right on the Freedom Trail, has seen many a historic moment, and framed photos of James Michael Curley and friends and images of congressman, senators and other politicians associated with Boston and the Parker House, adorn the walls. It was voted a "Great Whiskey Bar of the World" by Whiskey Magazine, and while I didn't get to try a whiskey there, I did have a perfect Cosmo at Parker's bar, toasting another great Boston woman—my mom—when I did!
Final Verdict: What's Old is New
From its iconic lobby to its legendary restaurant to its historic ballrooms and meeting spaces, the Omni Parker House has been around for Boston's historic moments and thanks to its recent update, it will be around for many more. It's the kind of place everyone should visit at least once—with a good book and a strong cocktail—or to celebrate life's big moments, as I saw a wedding party doing around me. Even despite the rainy night, everyone was in great spirits, thanks to the golden-hued ambiance the hotel creates. A special place for special moments of life, this hotel is a must-see.
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