Boston! The next natural city to visit for a quick getaway, and quick it was – 46.5 hours to be exact! When time is limited it’s best to find yourself a lovely hotel to stay in that’s both relaxing and right in the middle of it all. Lora, the travel planning ninja, found Nine Zero. Location, location, location.
Post sponsored by Kimpton Hotels
Planning trips away with your bestie couldn’t be more fun. It normally goes something like this
Me – “I think it’s high time we do another getaway feature.”
Lora – “How about Boston?”
Me – “That sounds fun!”
Five minutes later…
Lora – “I found us a really nice hotel and have written up a rough itinerary including shopping, eating, and a bit of history. “
The night before we set off usually involves many messages, pictures, and texts of what we must remember to bring. Bloggers come with a lot of baggage! This particular night, I told Lora that I hadn’t finished packing yet (it was 10pm) and that I was procrastipacking. Anyone else out there a procastipacker?
Fast-forward. Arrive in Boston at the Nine Zero hotel!
Before we even enter the lobby, the pavement outside tells us to….
This is Sheriff, or The Sheriff as we renamed him…he helped us with our luggage.
We got a couple a queens and an 18th-floor view (channel Humphrey Bogart when you read that sentence, and hold an imaginary cigar).
Quick scope out of our room before heading out to make the most of our 46.5 hours in Boston!
View from our lovely room!
Directly across the street from Nine Zero is the Granary Burial Ground. Lora, the history lover, suggests that to be our first stop on our whirlwind Boston tour.
The whirlwind Boston tour…
Just across the road from Paul Revere
Lora just happened to crouch down at Paul Revere’s headstone to take a picture. What a stroke of luck! Only later we find out that many visitors mistakenly think this grave is THE Paul Revere. It’s actually that of his father, whose real name was Apollos Rivoire, but he changed it when he came to America. Trivia fact of the day.
We did wonder why there was no big group of school kids standing around the headstone. Learn from us – the headstones with the crowds are the famous dead people.
Next up, join the Freedom Trail, directly outside the cemetery. A 2.5-mile, red-lined route that leads you to 16 historically significant sites. Way to keep things nice and condensed for us, Boston!
Pretty amazing timing, Lora! Pigeon acrobatics. Two seconds later a 3rd and 4th landed on the 2nd pigeon. Sorry, Lora missed that.
We had to stop in to see King’s Chapel – gorgeous!
Stopping at Quincy Market we try to fit in with the locals. Lora picks up a very understated lobster hat. Ellen Christine would be proud.
And I stock up on Declarations of Independences.
Freedom Trail – check
Now it’s time to make a quick freshen-up pit-stop at Nine Zero, then head out in the opposite direction, across the street, and into Boston Common.
You will either find the next three pictures really cute or really revolting. There seems to be no in-between. If you’re in the revolting group, just scroll fast.
He’s totally saying, “whaddup?”
Yup.
After convincing Lora that she doesn’t have “the rabies” as she calls it, we continue on and stroll through the very beautiful Beacon Hill district.
Well over the daily recommended 10k steps later, we’re beat and head back to our hotel for some R+R. We get back just in time to enjoy a glass of wine from the hosted wine reception in the lobby, and make a quick stop at the concierge desk to book a table for the best Indian restaurant around. We both love Indian food and get our fix whenever we can!
Cheese & Nibbles
Lo and behold, a plate of cheese and nibbles has been left in our room, the perfect compliment for our vinos.
Straight to work uploading pics…
And straight to work writing up notes on our adventure so far. This is how we do “relaxing.”
Time to get ready for our delicious dinner at Kashmir on Newbury Street followed by a nightcap at the Highball Lounge, conveniently located in the hotel.
Do you know about the Caracaise? Life changer!
A brief interlude to tell you about our great discovery! We usually have to schedule in 30 minutes of getting ready time to untangle jewelry when we use our “regular” jewelry bags. Not anymore!! I spotted the Caracaise on a friend’s FB page (this friend travels A LOT, so she knows all the tricks) and had to get us 2 of them immediately. Basically, it’s a snazzy, memory foam lined slim case that keeps your jewelry exactly how you place it. Eureka!
Good morning!
It’s morning, we’re on a 46.5-hour vacation, therefore, the weekday eating rules are on vacation too. The Highball Lounge is a very different place in the daytime (last night it was filled with a fun crowd enjoying the cool bar scene). By day, the Highball Lounge offers a southern, soul, and Asian-inspired menu, plus a very delicious breakfast menu.
We try to leave our mark wherever we can.
Time for a fashion fix! Of all the times Lora and I have been to Boston, neither of us had discovered the heavenly shopping mecca that is Newbury Street.
And then we found Goorin Bros. hat shop. Such a great store – have you ever been?
And that’s it! Tomorrow we’ll share with you the last little portion of our getaway, a visit to Boston designer Daniela Corte’s atelier on Newbury Street.
Lora’s Fave Bit: The hotel! The staff was amazing and extremely helpful, location perfect, and room was gorg.
Bev’s Fave Bit: When there’s a knock at the door in the early evening and we’re being offered ice or chocolate. Uh, chocolate please!
A little birdie told us about a very cool, unique thing about the Nine Zero hotel. At the hotel’s concierge desk, guests of the Cloud Nine suite “enroll” their eyes so that they can access their room using the Iris ID system. A-list celebrities, athletes, dignitaries, and former President Bill Clinton, have stayed in the Cloud Nine suite. And possibly they will add Unlocking Litchfield to that list next time we visit 😉
90 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108
(866) 906-9090 or 1-800-KIMPTON
Pics: Lora Words: Bev