Sheraton – Boston (SPG Preferred Guest)
This is a modern hotel adjoining the Prudential Tower building with a Boston T subway station nearby and on the route of the Old Trolley Bus Company for hop on hop off tours.

Having previously joined the SPG preferred guest scheme [free to those having stayed at a Sheraton], we were given an excellent room with panoramic views of the Boston Back area on the 25th floor which is reserved for Starwood preferred guests.

There is a Starbucks in reception with PCs available and a restaurant and bar. However, we chose to use the escalators in reception to access the Prudential Tower Mall and went to the Top of the Hub restaurant there for dinner. It is on the 52nd floor and all tables had a wonderful panoramic view of Boston. Service and food is excellent.

I've stayed at the Sheraton several times for conferences; this was my first time in the South Tower. The South Tower is further from the Hynes Convention Center and the entrance to the mall, which is only a problem if you have to race back to your room for something from the Hynes. You can access the South Tower from either the lobby or the 2nd floor. The elevators are tucked behind the ballrooms.

We live in the Boston area and stay at the Sheraton for convenience while at a yearly conference in January. This is the ideal place to stay in the winter during very cold or bad weather, since you can find almost everything you need in the connected mall without ever needing to go outside. The mall has an outdoor atrium, so you can at least see what's happening outside, and the Hynes has great views too. (And you can pay to go to the top of the Pru for a panoramic view of Boston, again without going outdoors.)

One major difference between the towers (at least, in comparing this one room to the ones we've stayed in in the North Tower in past years) is the decor. The South Tower room we had this year had a more masculine decor, with navy-blue plaid curtains and hassocks in the room. I preferred the North Tower's light orange chairs and off-white curtains. We had a king size bed, and the room was large.

I usually travel with a white-noise machine to drown out sounds at night, but I'd forgotten to bring it this time. There is no bathroom fan, and the heating system is quiet, so there was no other way to drown out noise. Fortunately the hallway we were on was quiet, but the person above us got up at 5 am and walked back and forth in shoes over our heads until almost 7 am... Not the hotel's fault, but it would be nice for early-risers to tread more lightly!

As for the lack of the bathroom fan, that's my only real complaint about this Sheraton. Even a short shower steams up the bathroom, as there's only one small vent in the wall. The bathrooms are nice, otherwise.

I was happy to see that the Sheraton has added recycling bins to the rooms since last year! We were able to recycle our newspapers and conference booklets. (I didn't notice if it also took bottles or plastics, but I didn't have either of these.)

My recent stay at was nothing less than wonderful -- house keeping couldn't have been friendlier, the room was wonderful and immaculate and the bar downstairs comfortable and inviting. But the best part of this visit was the valet Sony -- I had a fender-bender in my rental car on my way into Boston. It wasn't bad enough to end the trip, but the bumper was hanging off the back and I was certainly shook up. Sony, the young man who met me curb side, was so helpful. He not only helped me with my bags and was reassuring, when I asked him if he could help me tape up the bumper he said he would take care of it. What a surprise when I came to get the car after a couple of days stay for a conference -- he had carefully fit all the pieces together, and meticulously taped all the loose ends with duct tape. I drove the hour-plus back to the Cape on my way home to the Island with full confidence that nothing would come loose! What relief!

Super location, just out of downtown, part of the huge Prudential Centre for shops and restaurants; if you don't want to pay Sheraton prices for meals go to the Pru food court; typical food court, ok standards and great if you want to eat different styles.

Ideal for Fenway Park, 10 minute walk, built in 1912 even if you don't like baseball go for the history and the old time ambience.