Luxury

What’s the difference between a great hotel and one whose door you’ll never, EVER darken again?

Quality of service.

Often but not always, the opulent caravansaries have the best customer care goin' on. It's a total joy to have innkeepers treat me as a human who matters. I’d dearly love to only ever stay at the four and five star luxury joints but, eh, who can afford that?

How is "luxury" defined anyway?  What qualifies a hotel as a luxury place? Is the term meaningful? Can Holiday Inn or the local No Tell Motel get away with it?

According to Travelocity it’s a berth with a “luxury setting and flawless guest service.” Expedia notes that it’s the “finest hotels.” It has "luxury, superlative service and the highest comfort standards.” Orbitz also says that a luxury hotel has, em, "luxury along with first-class services. It should be well equipped and have state of the art facilities."
Wow, VERY fuzzy definitions!

At Loews, that awesome joint where I just stayed:

Beds feature pillowtop mattresses and are dressed with 350-thread count Italian cotton linens and down duvets. Marble-clad bathrooms include heated towel racks, telephones, terry-cloth bathrobes, and complimentary toiletries. Bathrooms feature showers or bathtubs. Most bathrooms feature rainfall showerheads.

The complementary soaps smelled of spring buds. The shampoo and conditioner had a light, clean, warm scent. There was a nightlight that came on as you walked past the john. No need to fumble for the room's light switch when you're up for a two AM slash!

There’s a tremendous lounge on the first floor, just off the magnificent lobby. There’s a stack of board games, a television the size of a movie theater screen and THE most amazing complimentary coffee maker. On Tuesday morning, while waiting for the heroic Steve Daignault, I had a cup of espresso and cocoa infused coffee. Oh my, that was just what I needed!

So then, if you’re lodging here during a blizzard or just feel like cocooning, you can stay inside, play monopoly, drink cocoa, watch the news AND the snow fall all at the same time.

At the fabulous lower level pub/restaurant, Precinct, I had the clam chowder and a hot toddy. Both warm and wonderful.

They’ve got more going on too of course—they’re four star luxury after all.

Here’s the big reason why, when spring finally gets here, I want to splurge and stay there again—the service is exquisite. Rebecca, Steve and Leslie really took care of me during a time when I was alone (sans Jen!) and in need. Big need. I don't trust easily but, even before I met Leslie and Steve, I knew that I was in good hands. This place most def qualifies as luxurious AND, as an occasional big treat, it's even affordable.

I’m thinking Helen, who found this gem for me, and I will have a girls day/night out. We’ll go to the MFA and take in the Hokusai show. We’ll stroll Newbury Street—window shopping and people watching. We’ll hit the Public Garden and gawk at all the gorgeous blooms. Then we’ll head back for dinner and adult bevs at Precinct and luxury at Loews.

Oh yeah, we're SO doing this!