S. HUNTINGTON—The Gazette received an exclusive tour of the new boutique hotel on S. Huntington Avenue.
EnVision Hotel Boston offers 39 stylish and well-proportioned rooms, including two two-bedroom suites that overlook Olmsted Park and Leverett Pond.
“You want to make people feel warm and welcome,” Manager Trevor Cross told the Gazette during the recent visit.
Besides the tasteful and comfortable but simple rooms, the Gazette also toured the lobby lounge, café and fitness center, which includes a Nintendo Wii Fit system and is decorated with Boston-themed movie posters.
The lounge is decorated with sleek, modern furniture and artistic light fixtures. The fixture over the front desk made a particular impression, reminiscent of wine glasses. A metal beaded curtain, that separates the front desk from the café comes across more industrial than shabby-chic.
A public grand opening celebration is scheduled for Sept. 13, Cross said, when live music and refreshments are expected.
The hotel also welcomes pets and serves coffee supplied by Forest Hills-area vendor Fazenda. Fazenda Coffee Company—a specialty coffee distributor based in Needham—has its own café at 3710 Washington St.
Within a month, the hotel café is expected to be expanded to include an espresso machine and a greater selection of food, Cross said.
Parking for hotel guests is valet only, at $18 per car, which includes a $10 voucher toward café purchases. Their valet lot can accommodate 18 to 20 cars, Cross said.
The hotel was planned before the halting in the MBTA’s E Line weekend service, but Cross said that most guests have been using taxis.
“So far, [parking] hasn’t been an issue,” Cross said.
A boutique hotel is smaller, trendier and more tailored to a younger clientele than large chain hotels, Cross told the Gazette.
Jamaica Plain residents who want to indulge in a hotel stay will receive a 15 percent discount, he added.
The hotel building was formerly the Pond View Nursing Home, which closed in 2008.
EnVision Hotel Boston can be reached at 617-383-5229 or envision-hotel-boston.com.