Nestled where sophisticated Back Bay meets the majesty of Beacon Hill, our story is one almost as all-American as Boston itself.
First opening our doors in 1927, we began as one of the Nation’s first Ritz-Carlton hotels. Now, as Highgate and Major Food Group's first collaboration, we'll reclaim the grandeur and style of One Newbury Street under the leadership of Highgate, a world-class real estate investment and hospitality management company, and creative direction of Major Food Group, the acclaimed restaurant group behind Carbone, The Grill, and Dirty French.
We’ve been a beloved landmark, a distinctive symbol of Boston’s rich history, and soon—thanks to the visionary expertise of globally celebrated designers Alexandra Champalimaud, Jeffrey Beers, and Ken Fulk—a striking homage to the iconic neighborhood we call home.
We’re a timeless emblem of this city’s modern heritage. We are The Newbury Boston.
Our History
The hotel began as the first-ever Ritz-Carlton in the US under the Wyner family.
Situated on the corner of Arlington and Newbury Streets, The Ritz-Carlton Boston was built taller and grander than anything else in Boston’s iconic Back Bay neighborhood. Famed for its social scene and hospitality that included bespoke cocktails overlooking The Public Garden and rooftop waltzes, The Ritz-Carlton Boston enjoyed a successful opening, but like many, struggled through the Depression and wartime. Despite dwindling guests, Mr. Wyner continued to turn on the lights in every guestroom to give onlookers the impression of prosperity and Boston residents a feeling of hope.
The hotel has remained open under its original name, operating under different owners over the years until 2007, when the property was sold to the Indian-based Taj Hotels, becoming the Taj Boston. In 2018, Highgate Hotels purchased the property to restore the character and landmark status of this historic hotel, rebranding as The Newbury Boston.
Throughout these changes in name and ownership, the Old Ritz (as it’s known to locals) has remained a fixture of old-world glamour known to royalty and celebrities, and a landmark within Boston that offers services like Afternoon Tea—a tradition that continues over 90 years later. After all, what’s Boston without a tea party?
The Restoration
Throughout its near-century of operation, the hotel has maintained a high level of ornate detail and architectural grandeur.
Upon purchase, Highgate Hotels sought to restore the identity of this landmark hotel into an iconic space that marries Boston’s colonial heritage with the modern amenities customers have come to expect from a luxury hotel. Over the year-long project, the property underwent exterior construction and interior renovations that included the updating of 273 guest rooms and 40 suites, creation of an additional dozen rooms, modification of interior corridors, and relocation of the property’s 15 Arlington Street entrance to 1 Newbury Street.
These changes to the facade and interior architecture aim to reclaim the old-world charm of this iconic property while ushering it into the future with a more thoughtful layout, contemporary feel, and improved accessibility to the hotel’s guestrooms and public spaces. From lobby to guestroom, we’ve inserted a clean modern palette while maintaining the property’s original design features like wainscotting and antique crystal chandeliers. New furnishings and textiles bring the outside in, with moody ocean blues, garden-inspired jewel tones, and rich wood accents.
Like a gallery of Boston itself, we’ve lovingly restored the floor-to-ceiling windows of our ballroom and Street Bar and permanently enclosed the rooftop terrace to offer year-round dining overlooking the Back Bay. Taking inspiration from the very neighborhoods we call home, each space offers subtle hints of refinement, from the silver-leaf ceiling of the ballroom, which pays homage to the decadent parties of the past, to the sculptural lobby staircase lined with classic literature—an ode to Boston’s intellectual achievements.