Upside Down Christmas At Boston’s Liberty Hotel

Gravity defying Christmas trees!?

We love the Boston’s Liberty Hotel hotel and covered it in our Boston Now/Next (ManAboutWorld October issue).

They’re getting a little funky for the holidays hiring handsome designer John LaRoche of blueGuava Design Group to transform their already dramatic interior lobby into an upside down Christmas tree-a-palooza. Check out the picture from last year above. If you’re not staying at this national historic landmark and architectural gem built in 1851, stop by for a drink and to gaze upon this unexpected holiday treat.

The installation is scheduled to go up November 26, 2012 and will remain in place till just after the new year.

SUITE DREAMS: NINE ZERO HOTEL, BOSTON

If Beantown is in your summer plans — and it should be! — check out the fabulous Nine Zero Hotel. Managed by the super gay-friendly Kimpton Hotels, Nine Zero is located in a historic part of town along the famous Freedom Travel, near the Boston Common.

Some of the rooms overlook a historic cemetery that’s a popular stop along the Freedom Trail. Have a glass of wine during the complementary happy hour, every evening from 5pm to 6pm in the lounge with floor-to-ceiling views of the hustle bustle along Tremont Street.

Or just grab your laptop and enjoy the free (with caveat) wireless. The very minor caveat is you have to join the In-Touch Loyalty program to get free wireless. You can even check a box letting them know you are LGBT and receive specials and deals you may find very interesting.

Speaking of gay, here is a list of Kimpton’s LGBT programs.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

A Shiny New(ish) Hotel Graces Boston’s Waterfront

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com

InterContinental Boston has been open since late 2006 and is popular with the business crowd during the week. As a former Bostonian, I don’t think this fabulous hotel has gotten its due.

Most new buildings are like most old buildings in the city: staid and made of brick. Right away The InterCon Boston explodes that old-fashion notion with its curving glass façade. The lobby is grand and airy and begs you to walk from busy Atlantic Avenue entrance to right out to the back patio and walkway facing Fort Point Channel and the old converted factories of South Boston. (In fact this area is considered the ‘New Boston’ and features hot restaurants, stores, condos and lofts.)

This is so not your grandma’s Boston!There are three terrific dining options. Miel Brasserie Provencale is their fine dining choice with crisp attentive service in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s priced incredibly reasonably, especially during lunch. The RumBa is a Caribbean-infused bar/lounge with lots of rum drinks and great nibblies and a strong raw bar selection. Boston is known for its seafood, of course.

My favorite choice is Sushi-Teq and the more intuitive of you may have guessed correctly that that refers to its rather unique sushi-tequila pairings. There’s a diverse menu of a la carte items but for $65 you’ll get a multi-course meal of delicious sushi choices paired with a wide arrange of skillfully curated tequilas, which contrary to popular belief are not meant as a shot drink. There’s a lot of complexity in some of the higher-end tequilas you will try.

The rooms are light filled and airy. One of the nicest lines in the building is the “02″ line. I was in room 802, a corner suite with an angular bedroom with two entire walls floor-to-ceiling glass offering stunning views of South Boston. The fitness center is much larger and better equipped than most and boasts a pool and a steam room.

To get to Boston from New York, I took LimoLiner, which is a luxurious alternative to some of the cheap but cramped bus lines offered these days. It’s not that much more expensive than MegaBus or Bolt but you also get free WiFi, much more space per passenger and the attentions of a bus attendant as well as lunch and unlimited beverages.

Boston: Newly Improved Gay Paradise

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com

Boston, the “Hub of the Universe” hasn’t exactly been known for its hot nightlife these last few years. Considering that Manhunt and Grindr were both started here, it may not be surprising that nightlife was adversely affected early and severely by the rise of online dating sites.

Maybe there’s a little backlash brewing against the anonymity and somewhat unsocial aspect of online dating outlets or maybe bars and clubs are finally stepping up their game to entice men away from their laptops and smart phones.

Paradise in Cambridge, Mass., just over the river from Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, has vastly expanded its downstairs, more than doubling its space and adding a bar, and remains one of the most popular clubs in town, especially fun on Fridays and Saturdays.

The bar/club still offers six nights of hot male dancers so on most days you can sneak away from that conference or meeting and check out some hot guys.