Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston Hotel - Page 1

The Fairmont Copley is as much a Boston landmark as the sites that surround it - the Hancock Tower, Boston Public Library building, Trinity Church, Old South Church, and many others. The lavish furnishings and rich details make guests feel like royalty. It's no wonder the Fairmont Copley is so popular for weddings - what bride wouldn't want to be queen for a day? Business travelers and tourists alike looking for beautiful surroundings to come home to during their stay in Boston should definitely consider this hotel.

After staying a couple nights in lovely Cambridge, it was nice to get into downtown Boston and see all the sights. Being right in Copley Plaza is a great starting point to check out the city. We walked the freedom trail, ate some deeeelicious italian in the north end, grabbed a cocktail or two at the Top of the Hub, and ended the night with a scotch at the Oak room. King sized bed and classic decorations were a perfect welcome for a good night sleep.

I definitely recomend staying at the Fairmont when checking out Boston.

On Sat. Dec. 15, '07 I was taken to the Oak Room with seven other people just after a "Pops" concert. We were all related by birth or marriage and my host raved about the Oak Room from his experience in the past.

Unfortunately, it was possibly the worst dining experience-especially at the outrageous prices- that I can remember- ever. We were greeted and escorted to a table for the 8 of us. The table was partially set and had 4 votive candles sitting on a plate in the center of this vast table. A small basket of crackers and a minuscule cup of blue cheese dressing were sharing their company with two pats of butter. After waiting about ten minutes, my host finally mentioned to a passing waiter that wanted to order drinks. In the meantime the hostess arrived and exchanged several of the men's white napkins to dark blue all of this with the story that the men with dark trousers might get lint on their trousers!! Please

More time waiting and the waiter appeared and took the drinks order. More waiting and the drinks arrived and had to be changed because several were not what was ordered. Bread plates were taken away and no bread or rolls ever appeared. Orders for dinner were taken and the waiting began again. When the food arrived it was passable and certainly not exceptional. As garnish on the small dinner plate was half an orange-sized cold hard pink tomato that had a thin coating of lightly toasted bread crumbs- it could not have been meant to be eating. Warned that the sides dishes would serve 2 or 3, we ordered accordingly. The best was a ragu of wild mushrooms. The worst was near raw asparagus. Raw crunchy not the crisp-to the bite cooked asparagus expected from a first class kitchen. When one side that had been ordered finally arrived the small cast iron casserole was served on a napkin despite the fact it too was tepid probably from languishing in the kitchen so long. Cast-iron in the Oak Room! Was this elegant room merely a bistro and at these prices?

From the time we sat down and all through the dinner the Oak Room waiters and staff provided a display that was astonishing. They bickered among themselves and there was much confusion as to who should be doing what. It did fill in the time waiting for their attention.

I did not pay the bill but it easily approached $1K. I didn't pay for the wine but I ordered it and it was over $200. No wine steward in the Oak Room! The waiter had to asked to uncork the reds to breath a little and because they were having such fun with each other we were left to serve ourselves.

Then the ceremonious cleaning the crumbs off the table was ludicrous-we never got any bread. Then the table cloth was removed and the cutlery removed and the lonely votive lights returned to cheer the dining experience. For me and the others it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience because my host will never return and we will rack this up as a learning experience!

The hotel staff could not check me into the hotel when I arrived. As a presidents club member they said they would expedite my check in, but six hours later they still did not have a room ready. I was in a group of three people who requested rooms in close proximity, but we ended up being on opposite sides of the property. During the stay we were stuck in one of the elevators and all the emergency bells went unanswered and the emergency telephone was not functional. We had to call a friend and have her actually argue with the front desk staff to get anyone to come to our aid. After departing I received a call from a manager who apologized profusely and said I would be receiving a coupon good for a complimentary night stay at any Fairmont property. That was in March and it is now the last day of June and I am still waiting.

Housekeeping got locked in my room. I had to wait for two unproductive hours until they got her out. They put me in the same room in a different location and they did not offer me anything for my trouble.