Years ago, in another century, my godfather hosted a graduation dinner for me at The Copley Plaza, which is where my then-boyfriend, now-husband met my parents for the first time.
It was our memory of this celebratory occasion that caused us to return to The Copley Plaza (now with the addition of Fairmont in its name) to spend a weekend in celebration of our wedding anniversary.
(Source: Fairmont)
Now commencing its second century of elegance and gracious hospitality, The Copley Plaza has been the “Grande Dame” of Boston’s Back Bay since its gala opening in 1912, which is why my godfather, born in Boston in 1909, always stayed there whenever he returned to his hometown.
Built on the site of the original Museum of Fine Arts, The Copley Plaza was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, architect of The Plaza Hotel and The Dakota apartment building in New York. Throughout its storied history, the hotel has hosted every US President from Taft to Obama, as well as sports stars, dignitaries, and screen stars, including Liz and Dick who chose The Copley Plaza for their second honeymoon.
(Source: Fairmont)
In celebration of its centennial, The Copley Plaza embarked upon a $20 million comprehensive restoration project, which has burnished the palatial structure and its opulent décor. The hotel’s Lobby Lounge features signed lithographs by Chagall, Matisse, and Picasso, while the floor of Peacock Alley has been restored with original mosaic tiles from 1912. Even Catie Copley, the hotel’s canine ambassador, received a brand-new lobby bed.
The 383 guest rooms and suites at The Fairmont Copley Plaza display the same reassuring bourgeois level of comfort that once marked the interiors of Beaux Arts institutions meant to signify trust and well-being. Walls are nearly impenetrable and lined with significant moldings and baseboards, while linens and textiles reflect the hotel’s Brahmin heritage.
(Source: Fairmont)
What was once the iconic Oak Room, that most Edwardian of Back Bay restaurants (and the scene of that long ago graduation dinner), is now the OAK Long Bar + Kitchen, which features an 83-foot, copper-topped bar.
Staples of continental haute cuisine such as oysters Rockefeller and beef Wellington and Yorkshire pudding and Welsh rarebit (all of which were favorites of my godfather) have been replaced with a farm-to-table American menu that features local ingredients and purveyors. Deliciously-charred flatbreads from the wood stone hearth are inventively paired with vegetables and fish – and succulent crab benedict is perfect for a weekend brunch.
(Source: Fairmont)
What’s old is new again at The Fairmont Copley Plaza – and my godfather would be pleased.
