Boutique hotels add intimate luxury and European flavor in Boston and Cambridge

You’ll know you are about to enjoy a hospitality experience unlike any other when you step through the 60-foot archway at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Nestled right on the water, this Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond urban resort also sits in the heart of history and the hub of culture, close to the Freedom Trail, the Tea Party ship, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the New England Aquarium and the theater district. Lush fabrics, bold decor and harbor and city views greet you in your chic room or suite. Enjoy 24/7 access to a state-of-the-art fitness center with lap pool, sauna and steam room. Dine on the region’s freshest seafood at the renowned Rowes Wharf Sea Grille.

One of Boston’s most celebrated neighborhoods, Beacon Hill, is home to one of its most celebrated boutique hotels: XV Beacon. The turn-of-the-century Beaux Arts building features 63 elegant rooms, all with gas fireplaces, heated towel racks, luxurious bathrooms and bedding and individually curated art. There’s a popular high-end steakhouse (providing 24/7 room service), a fitness center and a concierge happy to help with tickets, private tours, maps for jogging and biking routes and in-room massage services. Stroll the area’s gas-lit cobblestone streets, visiting shops, galleries, museums and restaurants, or attend a theater performance, concert or sporting event. Walk the Freedom Trail, which begins in nearby Boston Common. Ask about special packages for romantic getaways and winter and spring escapes.

The Inn at Hastings Park, 15 miles from Boston, both honors its past and gives a creative nod to the present with its 22 rooms and suites in three thoughtfully restored 19th century buildings. Decor throughout is creative and stylish, and the rooms feature luxurious linens and rain showers. The inn calls its hospitality “revolutionary,” drawing on its location near the battle green where the Revolution began. The staff has recommendations for area activities, from trolley tours of historic sites to visits to local orchards and the homes of famous authors. The inn’s restaurant, Artistry on the Green, offers farm-to-table dining as well as Saturday afternoon teas and Sunday brunches. The inn belongs to the elite Relais & Chateaux association.