All is Well in Boston at Hotel Marlowe
February 21, 2018
Well, Cambridge actually. But close enough. NPS has not been here in many months (since October 2016), and apparently we missed it.
The Hotel Marlowe reminds us of everything we like about Kimpton:
- a great property with our kind of showers
- a gracious and welcoming staff (especially the great valets)
- a welcome cocktail
- a beautiful room(s)
- GMs who care
It’s all good. Sure is nice to be back.
Thanks to Joe Capalbo for alerting the troops, and to the troops for giving a damn. Lets spread this goodness to the rest of the IHG universe, shall we?
This time we’re in 825 (tantalizingly close to the Presidential suite). This exec class room is perfect, with plenty of room to exist, a comfortable bed, and a real shower.

825 sitting room

825

825 bedroom
We were welcomed with a note, water (almost sparkling, and promptly swapped out), a nice snack including fresh fruit, and a cocktail ready to mix put together by Patrick. Speaking of which, we visited with Patrick for a drink, and he is still at his professional best.

English cup
The shower in here has a new showerhead. NPS approves.

yes please
There is also a huge tub that once again remains completely unused. Alas.

big giant tub 825
On the first night in town, we took a cadre of business colleagues to Craigie on Main. This is one of our favorite Boston restaurants, and it is still super fantastic. Pork plate. Pork plate. Pork plate.
On the second night, after a cocktail with Joe, we headed to a new restaurant called Row 34. The staff at the Marlowe figured this all out somehow and called ahead to order an appetizer for me. It was delivered by the gracious Row 34 manager. Row 34 is very good indeed. Recommended.
The it was off to Drink for the usual shenanigans. Pretty sure the late night tequila shots were a bad idea. Ezra Star is now the manager of the bar. Sadly she was in Japan when we visited. Eric the barman, though fairly new, was an ample substitute for fun.
Here is the Meal Worm, which is apparently verboten to make unless Ezra is in Japan
2 oz ancho reyes
.5 oz demerara
.5 oz lime
(4 dashes of tobasco+mezcal rinse)
rise highball. Shake. Strain. Serve neat.
Five showerheads and wishing that somehow the future involved slightly more Boston and slightly less Germany. These things happen.
No fly July just barely ended this morning and I am still down South working on the screened in porch. Round about this time of year we usually head up to Boston and see our good friends at the Hotel Marlowe. Sadly, this year’s plans call for a different route, so we can’t say hello as usual and break our no fly July travel drought in the most perfect way possible.
The incredible staff at the Hotel Marlowe has pooled together a donation to support the Team Tartan Leukemia Cup boat two years running. (See this post from last year and this one from two years ago.) I figured since this year we are skipping Boston, we might be out of sight, out of mind. But no. Joe Capalbo and his staff made a very sizeable donation anyway.
Just wow. You guys are the best. Thank you for helping us fight blood cancer!
When we hit our goal (a formidable $42,000 this year), we sail in kilts. We’re well on our way to that again thanks to Hotel Marlowe and Kimpton Karma.
You’re welcome to donate too, dear reader. Every penny counts.
Hotel Marlowe and the Ungrateful Bast@%d
June 1, 2016

Spring Rose: Virginia
We left the Spring rose in Virginia for a short visit to Boston on Jet Blue and a quick overnight at our home away from home the Hotel Marlowe. All day meetings and dinner was interrupted by a quick cocktail with GM Joe Capalbo who runs a very tight ship. Joe was rewarded with slightly defrosted pork.
After a fantastic meal at the always great Cragie on Main we finally made it upstairs to 820, our very most favorite room on the property. Maybe we just like the word presidential??

Amenity in the presidential suite
But wait, what is this cocktail? The
Really?? LOL. Nobody suffers at the Marlowe. We can be ungrateful though!
This cocktail needs some adjustment into what we’ll call the Ungrateful Bast@%rd as follows:
1 oz cask strenth bourbon
1 oz Dolin’s dry vermouth
1 oz lemon
stir down. in an ice filled high ball, add Fever Tree ginger beer to the top.
Serve with a cheese plate.
No really, we’re actually very grateful!
820 has some new gear and some old gear. It is a gorgeous room.

Sleeping quarters

Sitting quarters

Bathing quarters
One of my favorite parts of visiting the Hotel Marlowe is the valet guys who I have come to know over the years. It is always nice to see them.
Marlowe circle art.

Is it green? Is it blue? who knows?
Fiver showerheads in perpetuity for the Hotel Marlowe (and some pork ribs xrayed by the TSA).
Innocence at Highball Lounge
September 24, 2015
Shaher Misif is a dangerous man. But he does feign innocence well.
Highball Lounge has become quite the fantastic place to have a drink, or to get a tattoo.
But it can be dangerous.
Hotel Marlowe (Boston): Kimpton Karma Supreme
August 6, 2015
Last year, the fine folks at Hotel Marlowe served up the best amenity ever by making a collective donation to my Leukemia Cup boat. Talk about Kimpton Karma! Wow.
How could they ever top that? Well pull up a chair…
The first thing they did this year was double their donation! I mean holy cow, that is the coolest thing ever. Supporting a good cause and fighting blood cancer. You guys rock.
(You’re welcome to join the fun by making a donation of your own, dear reader.)
The valet Jonathan said hello when I arrived. He knew my name!
Then my friend Joe Capalbo plussed up the room to the gorgeous Presidential Suite (820). Awesome.
But wait, there’s more. The very nice amenity involves bacon(!!!) and a craft cocktail from downstairs. And a personal note from Joe.
This is definitely the way to ease in after no fly July. Thanks you guys!
Kimpton rocks.
Of course the shower in here is way not plastic.
Anyway, ten showerheads (double the max) for Hotel Marlowe and Joe. Home away from home in Boston.