Here’s how to impress a travel blogger and her husband: put them up for the night in your enormous 18th floor penthouse suite, with amazing views and a television in the bathroom mirror.

TV in the bathroom mirror. Photo: C. Lincoln

Yes, there is a TV in the mirror — in one of the two bathrooms — in the Admiral Suite at the Seaport Hotel, located in the increasingly popular South Boston Waterfront area.

It would be hard to top the lovely stay we enjoyed the night before at the Four Seasons, Boston, but my husband and I were pretty blown away when we opened the door to the Admiral Suite, which is bigger than the apartment we shared when we were first married.

The furniture was nicer than what we had back then, too!

The Admiral Suite: Space and views! Photo: Seaport Hotel

About the Admiral Suite

So yes, the Seaport Hotel got our attention with the Admiral Suite. I’m not made of stone!

I do love a view, and the Admiral Suite boasts panoramic views of Boston’s waterfront and skyline. It was a stormy day and we were mesmerized by the clouds racing across the sky, and the planes taking off and landing at Logan Airport 4 miles away.

The suite includes a king sized bedroom, tucked away around a corner for privacy, and a main area with two sitting areas, a dining room table, a semi-separate office, and a kitchen/pantry area which is perfect for a catering set up.

Even more views from the bedroom. Photo: C. Lincoln

There was that TV in the bathroom, plus a 36″ flat screen TV in the sitting area. And another one in the bedroom, of course.

One neat feature that I’ve never seen before (which doesn’t mean no one else has it, I just haven’t seen it) is that the Seaport Hotel has a channel with all of the airport arrival and departure times. That makes it super easy to figure out if you need to race to airport, or if you have an extra hour or two because of a delay.

While I was clicking through channels, my husband poked his head around the corner and said, “The bathroom floor is hot.”

Yes, a TV and heated floors! And a rainfall shower. And good light for putting on makeup. It’s The Bathroom of Peak Luxury!

Seaport Hotel – A Green Property

I actually discovered the Seaport Hotel about a year ago, when I was researching a post about the Top Green Hotels in Boston.

They have an impressive green program that extends to every aspect of their operation, from laundry to supply sourcing to waste management, including an impressive composting program. One of the best green practices is a “smart” motion sensor that activates the overhead lighting and adjustable temperature control. So even if you forget to turn off the lights, the room can tell when you’ve left the room and does the eco-friendly thing on your behalf.

After seeing the post, Matt Moore, the hotel’s Director of Rooms & Environmental Programs, reached out and invited me to stay at the hotel on my next trip to Boston.

It was a pleasure to finally meet Matt in person on this trip, and hear first-hand from him about the things that make the hotel special. He was our host for a terrific breakfast (which was just as delicious as my Twitter friends told me it would be!) followed by a deluxe tour of the property, showing us the full range of rooms.

The Non-Suite Parts of the Seaport Hotel

Obviously the majority of the hotel is regular rooms. And even though they don’t have TVs in the bathrooms, they’re still pretty nice.

Even the smaller rooms have great views! Photo: Seaport Hotel

Even the most basic room has 300-thread-count sheets and your choice of pillows from the Pillow Library. There are Bose Wave Radios and flat screen TVs, complimentary wireless internet access, and in many rooms a desk top computer. The list of amenities is comprehensive and long, including fitness and business centers, an on-site florist and car rental desk, and translation services.

It's nice to know the gym is there, even if I didn't use it! Photo: Seaport Hotel

Add in several dining options, including the very tasty restaurant in the lobby and Morton’s Steak House across the street, and you have a nearly perfect hotel for business travelers!

Easy Going and Attentive Service

An interesting thing about the Seaport Hotel is that they have a service-inclusive policy — i.e. no tipping. I don’t know how it works for the staff, but it was certainly easier for me. And the vibe was really friendly, but without the occasionally suffocating attentiveness you get at some luxury properties. I actually found the resulting feeling of privacy quite refreshing, and the service still quite good.

Great service & location: the perfect combo! Photo: Seaport Hotel

Family — and Pet! — Friendly

For a hotel so geared toward making life easy for business travelers, the Seaport Hotel is surprisingly family friendly. They offer a variety of specials during the year, making it affordable to bring the kids, and it’s a great location for getting to Boston’s many family attractions. It’s just blocks away from the Children’s Museum. And they even have a pet-friendly policy!

A Hidden Gem (For Now)

Right now the Seaport Hotel is relatively unknown, compared to some of the more traditional business and luxury properties. However, I can see it easily becoming a favorite of experienced travelers, particularly as the neighborhood matures. It’s close to the airport, across the street from the convention center, and there is major construction happening all around.

Even if I can’t score the Admiral Suite again (which would totally and obviously be my first choice, now that I’ve experienced The Bathroom of Peak Luxury — did I mention the whirlpool tub?) I will be quite happy to return for a second visit!