The Hotel Story

The Eliot Hotel

Location: 370 Commonwealth Avenue at Massachusetts Avenue in Boston.

Rating: Mobil Four Star

Amenities: Multilingual concierge staff: complimentary morning newspaper, valet parking, baby-sitting, overnight complimentary shoe shine, laundry and "secretarial services."

Accommodations: Italian marble baths, two televisions, private pantries and fully stocked mini bars.

Rates: $195 to a high season rate of $320.

Notable Architect: Charles Eliot, then president of Harvard.

Famous Guests: ICA Artists, BSO guest musicians and conductors.

What the Eliot Says About You: "I'm class of '64."

The Scoop: Boston marathon runners would gather at the Eliot Lounge after the race, where their wacky antics went unquestioned. The bar closed two years ago. According to Eliot concierge Michael Kauer, the hotel was robbed many years ago. The robbers entered into the hotel and held up the manager on duty. After forcing him to hand over the contents of the hotel's vault, they proceeded to infiltrate various guests' rooms. Later that evening, when a 70-year-old female resident returned to the lobby, she was shocked to find the hotel manager-naked, bound and gagged. At first, she thought that the manager was involved in a bizarre sexual advance so she did not aid the manager. Instead, she called the police. His embarrassment was ended only after Boston's finest charged into the building.

The Four Seasons Hotel

Location: 200 Boylston St. overlooking the Public Garden

Rating: New England's only AAA-Five Diamond Accommodation. One of the top five hotels in the U.S.

Amenities: Indoor health club (complete with pool sauna, massage rooms and exercise equipment), free town car service, and 24-hour multilingual concierge, overnight shoeshine.

Accommodations: 288 Rooms including 72 suites and one Presidential Suite. The most exquisite of the guest rooms is this 1,925 square foot, 2-bedroom suite. The room has its own private dining room with a hand painted mural depicting 18th century Boston and a parlor that holds a baby grand piano and a private patio which looks out onto Public Garden. In the boudoir stands an elegant four poster bed trimmed with extravagant linens and a down filled comforter. The Presidential Suite also boasts a miniature garden, ceiling-high mirrors and an oversized sunken marble bathtub (large enough to accommodate a intern?)

Rates: Singles $430- $585, doubles $470-625 depending on view, suites $1050-3250.

Opened: June 1985

What the Four Season's Says About You: "The 80's were very nice to us"

Stories: With a stated mission of providing pampering to all guests, it is no wonder that every celebrity visiting Boston makes a stop at the fabulous four seasons including the Rolling Stones, Oprah and the members of U2. But shhhh don't tell anyone. All employees are sworn to secrecy and refuse to divulge any dirt.

Special Programs: A full Kosher menu and kids' eating programs. In addition, for those of you traveling with an animal companion look for the unique "pet menu" featuring such delicacies as poached ham with rice ($6.00), grilled chicken liver and rice ($6.00) and chopped meat with egg yolk ($7.00) For dessert treat Princess to ice cream ($3.50), sponge cake with whipped cream ($3.50) or good old fashioned strawberries in fresh cream ($3.50).

The Copley Place

Location: 138 St. James Avenue at Copley Square

Rating: Four Star, Four Diamond

Amenities: Swanky Oak Bar, 24-hour concierge, 24-hour private dining, multilingual staff, beauty salon, babysitting service, Executive Business Center, 24-hour valet parking, same-day laundry, health spa (with security cameras for those who might be cheating on their exercises) and lobby gift shops.

Accommodations: Extra-long mattress, goose-down pillows or hypo-allergenic pillows, mini bar, hand milled soap, luxury bathroom including bath gel and moisturizing lotion.

Rates: standard room $379; suites $650; $429 for a deluxe park-view room.

Fact: Every U.S. president since Taft including President Clinton and soon to be President Gore have stayed at this veritable Boston-as-Boston-can-be institution.

Stories: One of the landmark features of the hotel is The Oval Room. The Oval Room ceiling showcases a trompe l'oeil sky and cloud mural. According to hotel legend, John Singer Sargeant would lunch at the Oval Room while painting the Boston Public Library murals. Inspired by the grandeur that the room emanated, he joined the painters of the dining room's ceiling mural and added an angel. Unfortunately, 30 years later the hotel painted over the angel while remodeling. It is also rumored that Olympic gold medalist Sonia Henning, when visiting Boston, would often have the Oval Room flooded and frozen over so she could practice her majestic figure skating routines.

What the Copley Plaza Says About You: "Hey partner, I'm a wealthy socialite from Dallas."

The Ritz-Carlton

Location: Downtown Boston; Arlington and Newbury Streets.

Rating: Mobil 4-Star, Triple-A 4-Diamond Accommodations:

Dining: The Dining Room (Continental); Roof Restaurant (Seasonal Dining, Dancing, Sunday Brunch); The Bar (Gourmet Buffet Lunch, Raw Bar, Boston's "Best" Martinis)

Amenities: Golf at the Woburn Country Club (30 min. away); fitness center, complimentary access to not-so-nice health spa, Candela; Chanel boutique.

Accommodations: Twice daily maid service, 24-hr. room service, closet safe, fully-stocked mini-bar (a lush's delight), marble bath, laundry service, plush terry cloth robes, etc.

Rates: $280 for a single, $320 for a double. Rooms over looking Public Gardens $320, Suites $450-600.

Opened: May 18, 1927

What the Ritz Says About You: "I can't afford the Four Seasons because I blew all of my cash on a Louis Vuitton steamer."

The Scoop: If you re willing to shell out $100,000, then you and your lucky companion can revel in the Ritz Carlton's "Millennium Experience." This super-luxe package delivers millenial-themed keepsakes such as 18-Carat gold Bvigari watches for him and her, a set of two Baccarat flutes, a magnum of Taittinger champagne, a chauffeured Jaguar (or Mercedes) for the weekend, and a signature gift from each Ritz-Carlton hotel reflecting the culture and character of the region. Better book fast, only one couple in each of its 35 locations worldwide.