Aloft by Marriott Boston Seaport District

The bed was comfortable, the blinds kept out the light, and the location suited us perfectly. We didn’t notice any mold, despite what other reviews said. But the air conditioning was loud, and it waited until the room got very hot before switching on, then made the room cold. That back and forth made it hard to sleep. At check-in for our one night, we were told the $15 voucher could go toward the bar or breakfast to offset the $25 destination fee. I planned to use it for breakfast, then waited in the front desk line to order and was told it had to be used the day before. Breakfast ends at 11 a.m. and check-in starts at 3 p.m., so that policy makes no sense. The rule was in small print at the bottom, but since we’d been told breakfast was an option, I didn’t think I needed to read every detail. I was really disappointed. I looked it up, and it isn’t a Boston tax, it’s the hotel’s fee. I don’t mind the $25 charge since I knew about it; I’d rather pay it with no perks than be promised something and let down. There were other annoyances too: the shower soap was empty, the drain was clogged so we stood in pooled water, there were no signs pointing to the ice machine on the third floor, and the latte machine dispensed hot milk without espresso. I might have overlooked those issues without the check-in misinformation. Update: the hotel saw my review on its platform and made things right. Well done, Marriott.

I could hear hallway noise, doors opening and closing, and knocking throughout my stay, even though I was in a corner room. The room’s overall construction felt cheaper than I expected from a four-star property, and the loud AC/heater seemed more like something from a budget hotel. The good parts were the location, with easy access to Boston Logan and the convention center, the helpful staff, and a clean room with large windows. The main frustration was a Destination Fee of almost $30 a night. It was in very small print and wasn’t clear when booking on Marriott.com. The $15 daily property credit I used at the lobby store didn’t make the charge feel any less like a surprise that should have been included in the upfront price.

The hotel was modern and very clean, and the service was good. Parking was $54 a night, but they didn’t tell us that valet was free after 8 p.m. We arrived at 3, checked in and paid for valet, then returned after 10. They removed the valet fee without any trouble. There’s also a $25 resort fee, with $15 returned as credit, but that credit had to be used the same day.

The room was clean and fine for the night, and everyone was nice, but the stay felt lackluster compared with the nearby Westin and Hyatt in Seaport. When I arrived, the hotel had no parking available. I asked for other options or recommendations and was told, “I don’t know, you can always try and find parking in the street.” I wound up using the Omni garage. At check-in I was also charged a $25 destination fee, which they immediately justified with a $15 snack bar voucher. I tried to use it, but there was nobody there to check me out, so I gave up.