Hyatt Place Boston Seaport: Bottom Line Review

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Hyatt Place (HP) is probably the most uneven brand within Hyatt’s portfolio. Some, like the Hyatt Place Knoxville, are sharply-designed and well-run, offering excellent value for award and cash stays. Others are beaten-up and dingy, desperately needing some investment and repair. The Hyatt Place Boston Seaport is among the new domestic HP’s, having opened in September of 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. I was recently able to check it out for the first time and came away very impressed.

a table and chairs on a balcony overlooking a body of water

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport Bottom Line Review

This doesn’t feel like a Hyatt Place in the best way possible. The voluminous common areas are bright, airy and chic. There are two fabulous, harbor view outdoor patios with firepits…including one on the top floor of the hotel. It has something that I’ve never seen at a Hyatt Place before: a complimentary top-floor guest lounge with chairs, couches, TV’s and panoramic Boston Harbor views. The rooms, while not large, are well-sized for Boston and maximize the space well. A good location in the Seaport district and easy transportation from Logan Airport makes this one of the best values in downtown Boston.

  • Price: A Hyatt Category 5, so 17K/20K/23K points off-peak/peak/standard. The cash price varies tremendously. When I was there in January 2023, it was $135/night for a midweek stay. In May/June, it can go above $500/night.
  • Value: At the low-end cash price, it’s an excellent value for Boston, where hotels can be ridiculously expensive. However, that makes it a tough points proposition (17,000 pts or $135 when I was there). At peak cash prices, it’s a great deal at 20-23K/night.
  • Location: Excellent. It’s in the revamped Seaport area, just south of downtown Boston. There’s a ton of of restaurants and bars within walking distance and you can cross the bridge to downtown proper in about a 20 minute walk. Boston Common is about a 30 minute walk. A huge plus is that it’s less than a block from the second downtown stop of the SL1, which is the public bus that goes to every terminal at Logan Airport. It runs every 10-15 minutes and is free from the airport to downtown. On the way back to the airport, it’s only $2.40. Using the bus, tt took about 15 minutes each way between the airport and the hotel.
  • Room: I was upgraded to a “Specialty King,” which is effectively a junior suite. It was a nice-sized room with a kitchenette and floor-to-ceiling windows that had a partial Boston Harbor view. The rooms here aren’t huge, but they’re a decent size for Boston. The Harbor View rooms on the East side of the hotel have lovely vistas.
  • Parking: Valet parking is $52/night or $40/night if booked in advance. There is also overnight parking across the street in a garage for $15/night, but with no in/out access. There is also metered street parking that is active from 8am-8pm, making it another option for overnight parking if you feel comfortable leaving a car on the street.
  • Resort/Destination Fee: None.
  • Internet: Excellent, able to stream throughout the hotel.
  • Service: Surprisingly good, given that it’s a Hyatt Place. Good elite recognition, helpful in explaining the hotel, service, f&b options, etc.
  • Turndown service: None.
  • Dining:
    • Free breakfast from 6:30-9am on weekdays, 7-10am on weekends.
    • Bar with sandwiches and appetizers open 3-10pm weekdays, 11pm weekends.
    • Grab and go market with food, drinks and coffee bar open 24/7.
  • Spa: None.
  • Fitness Room:There is a large fitness room on the top floor that has great views but a rather small amount of actual equipment. Supposedly, they are in the process of filling it out with a wider variety of options.
  • Hyatt Globalist Benefits: 
    • Suite Upgrade: I booked a standard city-view room and was upgraded to a junior suite with a very partial harbor view.
    • Free Breakfast: Included for all guests, regardless of elite status. A step above most Hyatt Place’s in quality, but certainly not gourmet.
    • Late Checkout: Automatically given 4pm.
    • Parking: Free on award stays
  • Would I stay again?  Absolutely. It’s a great value for downtown-ish Boston.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Located in the Seaport within walking distance of a plethora of bar and restaurants, as well as the downtown core.
  • Terrific common spaces including both ground and top-floor patios with harbor views and firepits.
  • Nice-sized rooms for Boston.
  • Better than average Hyatt Place breakfast.
  • Decent parking options for those that don’t want to plunk down $40-52 for valet
  • Extremely convenient transit to Logan Airport.

Cons

  • Odd fitness area without much equipment.

Image Gallery

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport King Junior Suite

This room is sold as a “Specialty King.” In reality, it’s a Junior Suite and is almost the same size as the One Bedroom Suite.

a kitchen with a table and a chair
Junior Suite Kitchenette
a room with a desk and a bed
Junior Suite Kitchenette
a living room with a couch and a tv
Junior Suite “Living Room” Area

a room with a bed and a television

a bathroom with a mirror and a shower
Junior Suite Closet/Bureau Area
a bathroom with a glass shower and sink
Junior Suite Bathroom

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport 1st Floor Common Areas

The common areas on the first floor are terrific, both indoor and out. Tall ceilings and huge floor-to-ceilings windows give it a very airy feel and there is almost an absurd amount of separate hangout areas, both for singles and groups.

a room with tables and chairs
Breakfast Area
a bar with a television and a table
Bar Area
a room with chairs and tables
Lobby
a room with a fireplace and couches
I loved all of the nooks and crannies in the public areas….like these private areas for working, watching TV, etc.
a room with couches and tables
Common Area/Lounge
a store with shelves and shelves of food
Grab and Go Market
a room with a couch and chairs
Lounge Area by Bar

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport 1st Floor Outdoor Patio

a patio with chairs and tables on a sunny day
TI was chilly while I was there, but the firepit made the patio a nice place for an evening drink
a table and chairs on a patio
First Floor Outdoor Patio and Firepit

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport Top Floor Guest Lounge

I’ve never seen anything like this guest lounge at a Hyatt Place. It’s free for all guests, has a capacity of 150+ and is filled with TV’s, couches, tables, even a wet-“ish” bar. Best of all, it has both indoor and outdoor panoramic views of Boston Harbor…as well as another outdoor firepit.

a room with tables and chairs and a view of water a room with a table and chairs and a view of the water a patio with a covered couch and chairs on a rooftop a table and chairs on a rooftop overlooking a city a table and chairs on a balcony overlooking a body of water a room with a table and chairs

a room with tables and chairs a room with couches and tables a rooftop patio with a city view at night

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport Fitness Area

a gym with exercise equipment
The fitness area is on the top floor as well and is a sizeable space. That said, there’s hardly any equipment there, making it feel oddly empty.

a exercise bikes in a room with windows

 

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17 Comments
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Rachel

Stayed here with my tween after taking him out to his first concert across the street! Worth noting that the Leader Bank Pavillion is a stones throw away and you can actually hear the music fairly well from that first outdoor seating area (when my kid got tired, we went back to the hotel and sat out there to hear the rest of the show). Someone also mentions Yankee Lobster across the street for great lobster rolls. Wonderful place to stay if you want to walk Boston along the waterfront, or along the Greenway.

DonDover

This sounds like a comprehensive review except location is a problem for most visitors to Boston and should appear under the “Con “ heading. If proximity to the airport is key, then it works well but if you want to be central, close to the reasons to tour Boston, it is an inferior choice and there are other hotel options that get you closer to the City Center sights: Theater district, Freedom trail sights, Chinatown, the Common, Symphony Hall, Museums, the Garden, Fenway, etc.

Clara

What about Hyatt Centrics or Hyatt Regency, both more downtown location? All three are cat 5, which one would you recommend (couple prior cruise nights)? TIA!

Kirby

All else equal, if you’ve never done Boston’s historical sights before, the Centric is probably where you want to be. Otherwise, you might also want to consider the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor by the airport. Cost is usually cheaper, the views are great and you still have mass transit access. Also note that the cruise terminal is only about 4 blocks from the Hyatt Place.

Last edited 1 year ago by Kirby
Clara

Thanks Kirby! between Centric and Regency, which one is better? am hoping Regency would have a lounge… not sure about Centric

Kirby

Honestly, I’m too cheap and haven’t stayed at either. Lived in Boston for college so feel no need to spend the money (or points) to stay in those locations. I’m happy using public transportation and Staying at the alternatives that are cheaper.

Clara

Totally understand, I never have the need to stay at hotels 20 min from my house either 🙂

Kathleen

I live in Brookline, stayed at the Regency Downtown once after a show, when it was a cat 4 and I had a free night cert to burn. Don’t recall if there was a lounge, but the breakfast in the restaurant was great. Location is good for theatre. Centric is closer to Faneuil Hall & part of Freedom Trail.

PeterSFO

There are 3 Hyatt Regency’s in Boston: Cambridge, Boston Harbor and Boston. The one that’s close to the Hyatt Centric is Hyatt Regency Boston. That one is very close to Chinatown.

If you are planning to do touristy things such as Faneuil Hall, Centric is more central. The Hyatt Regency Boston is around 20-25 minute walk from the sights, through streets lined with pretty boring apartments and commercial buildings. We stayed at that Hyatt Regency a year ago and it wasn’t terribly memorable. (It was during COVID so maybe things have gotten better.) My wife said that the Globalist breakfast was decent and the serving size was very big but I don’t remember anything about it.

Clara

Lol, I trust your wife! It’s actually for my parents’ pre-cruise stays, I’ll pass on all the great comments

Kirby

This is my goto hotel in Boston due to a very good corporate rate at this location. Fast, cheap links to the airport and anywhere the MBTA can take you. Yankee Lobster across the street has top notch lobster rolls if you need that fix. Avis/Budget have an office a couple blocks away that often rents cars way cheaper than the airport.

miafll

Which one? I lost the trail while reading it – do you mean the Hyatt Place in this article, the Hyatt Regency Boston, or the Hyatt at the Harbor?

Reason I want to check is we have a trip to Asia that BOS is our departure city / arrival city. We would need to make position flight to / from Boston.

The departure (outbound) flight to BOS for start of the Asia Trip would arrive in BOS in daytime and we plan to spend a day or 2 at Boston. Hence any property that is easily accessibly from Logan would be fine, even though the actual flight to Asia leaving at 1:45am.

However on our way back to US, the arriving flight to BOS is after 10pm – so we are thinking to just use the Hilton instead.
What would be your suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Kirby

This comment was specific to the Hyatt Place reviewed in the article. If you are staying for a couple days, I think it’s a great choice if you find a good price. For a quick overnight, the Hilton and the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor are most convenient. Hilton is walkable, and the Hyatt is a quick shuttle away. If the stay is under 10 hours, I’d probably go with the Hilton if the price isn’t outrageous.

miafll

Thanks a lot Kirby, really appreciate it.
I saw Hilton is very close to the airport, and it has 24/7 shuttle. If it is a walkable distance that is even better for late night arrival.
Hilton wants 60K pts a night since March thru the year. Cash prices are about a tad lower value than the usual 0.004/pt HH pt. For one night stay and fly out tomorrow I think your advice is on target.
I will monitor the Hyatt Place and the nearby Renaissance since I would have some benefits at Renaissance.
Again, Thanks!

Kirby

If you’re coming in on an international flight, then it is probably at Terminal E. There is a covered walkway to the Hilton from terminals A and E.

miafll

Indeed it is Cathay Pacific on going and coming. So the Hilton would be the most convenient option. Need to bite the bullet for the 60K and just monitor it hoping for a break. LOL.