What it is

A former jail turned into a luxe Boston boutique.

What it isn't

One of Boston’s ye olde yankee inns.

What we think

Before the old granite building became The Liberty, the guests who checked in were a wholly different sort. Formerly the Charles Street Jail, the crucifix-shaped building is now The Liberty, a swanky, upscale boutique. When it opened in 2007, the hotel’s soaring central cavity (where Alibi and Clink serve up craft cocktails and farm-to-table fare) was a bit of a riot - albeit one made up of techies from Cambridge, young bankers and the assorted, well-heeled crew that passes through Boston. It’s still a scene, just one that’s now calm enough to walk through. Metal catwalks, well-done nods to the jailhouse past, snake up the sides of the communal space and lead off to the guestrooms. The 300 rooms and suites, in both the original granite building and in the adjacent 16-story tower, are prime examples of where high-brow contemporary style and the allure of reclaimed space should meet. Moody exposed brick and original ironwork stop just before guests enter their rooms; upon opening the door it’s all pale rose, mahogany and floor to ceiling windows. A far cry from the old Boston cells.

You're here because

You’re looking for a new, distinctive scene where young professionals are mingling over Blood and Sands.

The Moment

Up on the elevated Catwalk, you lean back in the soft leather couch and look over the iron railing and into the hotel’s central cavity. Where inmates used to file past, there are now lines of cocktail dresses and smartly pressed button downs chatting over champagne flutes.

Restaurants & Bars

Scampo, CLINK - Modern America

Alibi bar

Alibi

CLINK

Location

The Liberty is on the far edge of Beacon Hill, right by the Charles River. The narrow, cobbled side streets that crisscross through Beacon Hill are filled with red-brick rowhouses, old gas lanterns and all the trendy new hotspots. It’s just a 15 minute drive away from Logan.