The Revolution Hotel

Boston’s got so much history it sometimes feels as though there wouldn’t be any room for something new. And while the Revolution Hotel does draw a little bit of near-history inspiration — it occupies a mid-century modernist building in the mostly brick-lined South End — the past doesn’t exactly weigh heavily on its designers’ minds. That modernist inspiration is plainly visible in the guest rooms, which pursue the style much further than did the YWCA that once stood on this site, and which, in their muted blues and reds, pay explicit tribute to New England’s specifically local modernist tradition.

If it sounds a bit austere, that’s only because we haven’t mentioned the murals, which in the bedrooms are adorned with Boston-specific song lyrics, and which in the public spaces make oversized references to street and Pop art. And the Revolution, stylish though it may be, isn’t exclusive — this is a very affordable boutique hotel, aimed at a younger generation of traveler who’s not interested in the luxury hotels of nearby Back Bay. You’ll find them working (or just online) at Conspire, the hotel’s multi-purpose events space, which serves breakfast in the morning, drinks at night, and coffee all day.