The Newbury Boston

After nearly a century in service, including stints as a Ritz-Carlton and a Taj — and after a thorough renovation, including guest rooms by the celebrated designer Alexandra Champalimaud — this Back Bay icon is back in business under its own name: the Newbury Boston. This is top-tier luxury by any name, made more desirable by its inimitable location, its impressive art collection, and its close-up views of the Boston Public Garden.

The rooms and suites are handsome and confidently, subtly stylish; it’s an aesthetic that’s perfectly fitting for Boston, even while it avoids any obvious New England gestures. Some rooms face the garden, a few feature wood-burning fireplaces, and all are classically elegant and impeccably well-equipped, with luxe details that include custom-designed furniture, thoughtful reading lights, in-room espresso machines, and the hotel’s own custom line of Byredo bath products.

Contessa, the Northern Italian restaurant, takes full advantage of its perspective, offering impressive views over the Back Bay from its glassed-in terrace, 17 floors above street level. Meanwhile the Street Bar, the Library, and the Newbury Salon offer further opportunities for gathering, and there’s a very fine fitness center as well.