I have just returned from a four night stay at the Charlesmark due to a business conference in Boston. I had done a lot of cheking prior to making a reservation because it is a pretty expensive town in which to stay, and even the "conference rates" for other hotels were out of my limited budget. Then I discovered the Charlesmark, which is a true diamond in the rough. Sandwiched between a Ritz Camera store and a really cool Thai place, the hotel is small and lean. I had read some critiques of the rooms being somewhat small and dark, and they were accurate. I could live with the size, but despite the best efforts of the staff, they could not find me a lamp. But that was cool, because the Charlesmark staff is second to none in terms of the personality and customer service skills of the staff. Unfortunately, I can't remember all the names, but Nikki - who took my reservation, helped get me a sweet deal (for the area) on the room and never acted annoyed with my umpteen million calls with an equal amount of questions; Vanessa at the bar who makes a mean margarita and always had a welcoming, friendly smile, and Scott, the other guy who worked the desk, stand out in particular. There are others, but in general, I was very happy with the staff, as many of the other area hotels won't give you the time of day when you call to ask a question, or need some help, or just a friendly face when your hoisting a drink or two at the end of the day. And the location of this place is awaesome as well, as you can pretty much walk to all the cool spots, and cabs are all over the place if you're not up to it. The only real negative, aside from the aforementioned minor inconveniences mentioned above is that there is a large population of homeless folks in this area, and while safety was never really a concern, they constantly hit you up for change. It got a to a point where I was recognizing them and even got a few of their names. But I understand this is a problem with the city in general, so it's not a beef with the hotel itself. Would I stay there again? You bet! In fact, I'd still be there now were it not for the fact that I have an early flight and wanted to be cloer to Logan. Plus they were booked tonight when I tried to add a fifth one on when my travel plans changed. But even then, they put me on a list to let me know if anything opened up, and no doubt would have set me up, as right as I was leaving, there was a cancellation. Unfortunately, I was set to get closer to Logan so I passed it up. I wouldn't stay here (sorry guys) if this were a family trip due to the room size, but if you're a business traveller on the go, or a couple looking for a cool place to stay for a Boston getaway, the Charlesmark could be your home for a few days. They sure treat you like family. Cool places nearby - Bukawski's, Uno, lenox, Whiskeys, ust to name a few. Hope this helps and that the good folks over there read this stuff too. And this is not something I usually do. Definately check this place out! Cheers...TRP in 403...
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