HOTEL REVIEW: STAYPINEAPPLE, A DELIGHTFUL HOTEL, south end - BOSTON, MA

Having finished up a site visit in Hudson, Massachusetts for work, I decided to extend my stay in Boston through the weekend. Initially I had been looking for airbnb apartments for rent, but had stumbled on a very attractive booking through the AirBn app for a stay in a boutique hotel. Due to COVID’s impact on tourism, the rooms at StayPineapple - A Delightful Hotel were comparable in price point to apartments for rent in the neighborhoods I’d wanted to stay in - so I thought it would be a nice change of pace as my only major trip of the year.

Hotel is in a retrofitted 19th century building, presumably an office or tenement tower. And quite fitting of the Staypineapple brand, which typically occupies buildings that have been adaptively reused. As a brand, you can count on a boutique experience, with upper tier amenities in the heart of your destination - with a cheeky and playful touch.

Located on the south end of Boston’s Back Bay Neighborhood, it is walking distance from amazing food options & surrounded by a beautifully preserved historical neighborhood. It was an incredibly walkable area, with charming brick buildings & plenty of interesting storefronts. Restaurant options within a 15 minute walking distance abound, and because of proximity to the Back Bay MBTA Station the rest of the city is also conveniently accessible. I spent most of my weekend walking around the neighborhood - using my feet as opposed to public transit in order to get a feel for the city as I visited points of interest. I had the chance to see everything between Boston City Hall and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, as well as a walk through MIT’s Campus.

Booking
As mentioned above, I booked through Airbnb - and I didnt have a sugar daddy at the moment so it was paid out of my own pocket. I used my CitiBank thankyou Preferred Card - through which I earned 1x points for every dollar I’d spent on the booking. With 3 nights at a rate of $169 a night, I earned around 580 Citi ThankYou Points. Airbnb also charged an additional $50 fee for cleaning & amenities.  

Arrival, Check In & Lobby
I dropped off a rental car near the airport and took a train to the Back Bay metro station. The walk from the station to the hotel was incredibly convenient & quick, and barely a block away.

Check in was quick and easy.There were no noticeable changes due to COVID, other than the hotel restaurant being closed & face masks being required. Every hotel room had a sticker to confirm that it was cleaned & disinfected before arrival.

The lobby was sparse and small, but inviting & fairly unintimidating. To the left of the lobby was the elevator bay, and to the right an entrance into the hotel bar/restaurant. At the far side from the door a mirror wall backs a fairly small & sparse reception Island, barely bigger than a cafe table. The overall interior scheme was fairly subdued - not really giving any hints about the campy decor waiting for you in the guestrooms.

Guestroom 
The room was fairly small, the first impression you get walking in is of the narrowness of the entry corridor. There was a fairly shallow bathroom at the entrance to the suite, beautifully marble tiled with a sink directly in the way of entering the shower. Despite the limited space in the bathroom I was happy to see that the hotel had a green approach to toiletries, with dispensers for all the typical lotions and shampoos mounted in the shower (which had excellent water pressure). 

The main space of the room made up for the claustrophobic bathroom with incredibly campy decor - a profile of Marie Antoniette with her rumored extravagant hairstyle on the window shade, pineapple motifs on everything, and a plush queen bed. The bedding included individual duvets and ample pillows - literally some of the most comfortable linens I've had the chance to enjoy sleeping in.  The space in the room was ingeniously designed to accommodate luggage under the bed, and a fold out desktop to use for work & take advantage of the hotel’s great wifi.

Amenities & Features
The building was too small to host any major amenity spaces - but I was able to use the closed off restaurant for a few conference calls on the morning of my remote working. Although I didn't really take advantage of it, the hotel included free wifi & tv streaming. Coffee & tea keurig cups as well as unlimited water bottles were also included and restocked - and there were complimentary bikes that were available for checking out in the lobby. 

Food & Beverage
Given the size of this hotel, no on site food & beverage options were available, beyond in room coffee and tea; however, the neighborhood abounds with great options! The Trophy Room was unfortunately closed due to COVID, but its menu usually includes a large brunch spread and whimsically named cocktails as well as standard american fare & pizza.

COVID Effect
I was the only person on my floor, and housekeeping operated normally. Standard mask procedure had to be followed in common areas - in the lobby, elevators, and through to the door of the room I had to stay in. Hand sanitizer was available in the lobby, but there were no social distancing markers - likely due to the small space.

Final Thoughts
The hotel was a fantastic value, and I’d recommend a stay there even at full price after COVID. The cocktail bar at the ground level of the hotel is one of (ONLY) 2 popular gay bars in the area, and I was a bit disappointed that it was closed due to virus restrictions. Definitely looking forward to another visit in the future!