The Newbury Boston
A historic luxury hotel overlooking Boston Public Garden and Newbury Street.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The Newbury Boston is a historic luxury hotel in Boston’s Back Bay, Massachusetts, occupying a prominent site at the intersection of Newbury Street, Arlington Street, and the Boston Public Garden. The property opened on May 18, 1927, as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and became one of the city’s best-known luxury hotels. Its location, distinctive high-rise architecture, and long association with the Ritz-Carlton name made it a significant landmark in Boston’s hospitality history. The building is recognized as a Boston Landmark and anchors the eastern end of fashionable Newbury Street beside the Public Garden. The hotel originated with Edward N. Wyner, who in 1926 acquired a parcel at Arlington and Newbury streets with his father, George Wyner, and business associate John S. Slater. The partners initially planned an apartment building called the Mayflower. During construction, Boston mayor James Michael Curley encouraged Wyner to convert the project into a major hotel. With permission from Hôtel Ritz Paris and the U.S. Ritz Carlton Investing Company, the property opened under the Ritz-Carlton name with approximately 300 rooms. Early nightly rates ranged from $5 to $15, with suites priced at $40. The hotel opened successfully, but the stock-market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression placed heavy financial pressure on the operation. The Wyner family supported the hotel through operating losses during the early 1930s. In 1964, after Wyner’s death and the eventual sale of the property, Gerald F. Blakeley Jr. and associates acquired the hotel. Blakeley spent years obtaining approvals for a major expansion. A new wing opened in 1981 with additional guest rooms, a grand ballroom, and smaller function spaces; residential units were also developed in the addition. During this period, Blakeley secured important North American rights to the Ritz-Carlton trademark, helping transform the Boston property from a single hotel into the foundation of a broader luxury hotel company. The property entered a corporate phase in 1983 when W. B. Johnson Properties acquired the hotel and the U.S. trademark. Johnson expanded the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company internationally. Financial difficulties later separated the Boston real estate asset from the worldwide trademark and hotel-management business. Blackstone Real Estate Acquisitions acquired the hotel’s mortgage at auction in 1998, and Host Marriott subsequently acquired the property. Marriott International acquired the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and worldwide rights to the name in a separate transaction during the same year. Millennium Partners purchased the Boston hotel in 1999. Marriott permitted the company to operate a second Ritz-Carlton in Boston, the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common, which opened in 2001. The original hotel underwent a reported $60 million renovation in 2002 to mark its 75th anniversary. In 2006, Taj Hotels, a Tata Group subsidiary, purchased the property for $170 million and renamed it Taj Boston on January 11, 2007. In 2016, ownership passed to a partnership led by New England Development, Rockpoint Group, and Eastern Real Estate. The Taj Boston closed on October 31, 2019, for a major repositioning. The hotel was renamed The Newbury Boston and extensively redesigned, with interiors associated with designer Alexandra Champalimaud. The renovation moved the principal entrance to Newbury Street, redesigned the existing 273 rooms, added 13 rooms, and enclosed the seasonal rooftop restaurant so it could operate year-round. A planned early-2020 reopening was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Newbury Boston ultimately reopened on May 18, 2021. It now operates as an independent luxury hospitality property, combining guest accommodation, restaurants and bars, event facilities, and a landmark urban setting rather than presenting itself under the Ritz-Carlton or Taj brands.
History
The Newbury Boston traces its history to the development of Boston’s Back Bay in the 1920s. In 1926, 29-year-old Edward N. Wyner acquired a roughly one-third-acre parcel at the corner of Arlington and Newbury streets. He formed the Ritz-Arlington Trust with his father, George Wyner, and John S. Slater. The group initially planned an 18-story apartment building called the Mayflower. The structure was designed by Strickland, Blodget & Law Architects and was unusually tall for Newbury Street at the time. While construction was under way, Mayor James Michael Curley encouraged Wyner to develop the project as a major hotel. Wyner obtained permission from Hôtel Ritz Paris and the U.S. Ritz Carlton Investing Company to use the Ritz-Carlton name. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel opened on May 18, 1927, with approximately 300 rooms. Its launch positioned the building as a leading luxury hotel in Boston and established the property’s enduring connection with international hotel branding. The hotel’s strong initial performance was undermined by the 1929 stock-market crash and the Great Depression. The Wyner family supported operating losses during the difficult early 1930s. The property continued to operate despite severe financial pressure; one well-known account describes the hotel displaying lights in every room in 1933, when only a small number of guests were registered, to make the building appear occupied. Edward Wyner died in 1961. His six sons attempted to continue operating the property but ultimately decided to sell it. In October 1964, Gerald F. Blakeley Jr., a principal of Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, acquired the hotel with Paul Hellmuth and Charles Spaulding for $3.8 million after a lengthy legal effort to resolve outstanding bond obligations. Blakeley regarded the hotel as an important public-relations asset even though it was profitable in only a minority of the years during his ownership. From 1972 through 1979, he worked to obtain community approvals and permits for a major addition on adjacent land near Commonwealth Avenue and Arlington Street. The expansion opened on September 13, 1981, adding 80 hotel rooms, a grand ballroom, three smaller function rooms, and, later, 52 residential units. Blakeley also strengthened the property’s role in the development of the modern Ritz-Carlton brand. He obtained North American rights to the Ritz-Carlton name in the late 1960s, excluding certain markets, and received U.S. service-mark rights in 1978. In August 1983, W. B. Johnson Properties purchased the Boston hotel and the U.S. trademark for a reported $75.5 million. Johnson used the Boston property as the base for expanding the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company from a single prominent hotel into an international luxury-hotel business. The corporate structure became financially complicated during the 1980s and 1990s. The property supported substantial secured borrowing, and by 1996 the mortgage was in default, with accumulated interest and penalties increasing the debt. In 1998, the mortgage was separated from the worldwide Ritz-Carlton trademark rights. Blackstone Real Estate Acquisitions bought the hotel’s mortgage at auction, and Host Marriott acquired the property soon afterward. Marriott International separately acquired the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and its global naming rights in a transaction completed in 1998. Millennium Partners acquired the original Boston hotel from Host Marriott in October 1999. The arrangement allowed Millennium to develop a second Ritz-Carlton property in Boston, the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common, which opened in 2001. For several years, the two Ritz-Carlton hotels operated across from one another near Boston Common. The original property received a major renovation in 2002 in connection with its 75th anniversary. Taj Hotels, a subsidiary of India’s Tata Group, acquired the hotel from Millennium Partners in November 2006 for a reported $170 million. It was renamed Taj Boston on January 11, 2007. In July 2016, a partnership involving New England Development, Rockpoint Group, Eastern Real Estate, and other partners purchased the property in a reported $125 million transaction. The hotel closed on October 31, 2019, and was reintroduced as The Newbury Boston. The subsequent renovation included design work by Alexandra Champalimaud, a move of the main entrance from Arlington Street to the former Newbury Street side entrance, complete redesigns of the 273 existing rooms, and the addition of 13 rooms. The seasonal rooftop restaurant was enclosed to support year-round operation. Although the reopening was initially expected in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed it until May 18, 2021. The property now operates under The Newbury Boston name as a luxury hotel centered on accommodation, dining, events, and its historic Back Bay setting.
- 2021
The Newbury Boston reopens
[1]The renovated hotel reopened on May 18 after a pandemic-related delay.
- 2019
The Newbury Boston identity is introduced
[1]Taj Boston closed on October 31 for renovation and was renamed The Newbury Boston.
- 2016
New England ownership partnership acquires the hotel
[1]A partnership led by New England Development, Rockpoint Group, and Eastern Real Estate purchased the property.
- 2007
The property becomes Taj Boston
[1]Taj Hotels renamed the hotel Taj Boston on January 11 after acquiring it from Millennium Partners.
- 2002
75th-anniversary renovation
[1]The original hotel underwent a reported major renovation associated with its 75th anniversary.
- 2001
Ritz-Carlton Boston Common opens
[1]A second Ritz-Carlton-branded property opened nearby, creating a period when Boston had two Ritz-Carlton hotels.
- 1999
Millennium Partners acquires the hotel
[1]Millennium Partners purchased the original Boston Ritz-Carlton from Host Marriott.
- 1998
The hotel and global Ritz-Carlton business are separated
[1]The Boston real estate asset was separated from the worldwide trademark and hotel-company rights during a complex refinancing and ownership transition.
- 1983
W. B. Johnson Properties acquires the property and U.S. Ritz-Carlton rights
[1]The acquisition supported the creation and international expansion of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
- 1981
Major expansion opens
[1]An adjacent wing opened with 80 additional rooms, ballroom and function facilities, followed by residential units.
Products and positioning
Luxury urban hotel with historic architecture, a prominent Back Bay location, destination dining, and high-end event services.
Luxury accommodation · 1927
Guest rooms and suites
The hotel provides luxury guest accommodation in Boston’s Back Bay. During the conversion from Taj Boston to The Newbury Boston, all 273 existing rooms were redesigned and 13 additional rooms were added. The accommodation offering is closely associated with views of the Boston Public Garden, Newbury Street access, historic architecture, and a high-end urban hospitality experience.
Hospitality and dining · 2021
Restaurants and bars
Dining is a central component of the hotel’s positioning. The property has operated restaurant and bar venues across its different identities, including a rooftop restaurant. As part of the Newbury Boston renovation, the seasonal rooftop venue was enclosed to enable year-round service, extending the hotel’s dining and social offering beyond peak-weather months.
Meetings, weddings, and banquets · 1981
Events and meetings
The property offers event-oriented hospitality supported by a grand ballroom and smaller function rooms. These facilities were added as part of the 1981 expansion and support weddings, private gatherings, corporate meetings, receptions, and other large-format events. The hotel’s central location and landmark setting contribute to its role as an event venue in Boston.
Brand decisions
2020
Delay reopening during the COVID-19 pandemicStrategyBackground
The renovated hotel had been expected to reopen in early 2020, but the pandemic disrupted travel and hotel operations.
Action taken
The reopening was postponed until May 18, 2021.
Aftermath
The property eventually launched its new identity after the pandemic-related delay.
2019
Reposition the property as The Newbury BostonStrategyBackground
After a change in ownership, the hotel closed for a substantial renovation and a new independent luxury-hospitality identity.
Action taken
Taj Boston closed on October 31, 2019, and the property was renamed The Newbury Boston. The renovation redesigned rooms, moved the principal entrance, added rooms, and converted the seasonal rooftop restaurant for year-round operation.
Aftermath
The hotel reopened in May 2021 as a locally situated luxury property focused on its Back Bay setting, design, accommodation, dining, and events.
2007
Rebrand the property as Taj BostonStrategyBackground
Taj Hotels acquired the former Ritz-Carlton Boston from Millennium Partners in 2006.
Action taken
The hotel changed its name to Taj Boston on January 11, 2007.
Aftermath
The property operated under the Taj identity for approximately twelve years before another ownership-led repositioning.
1981
Add a major hotel and events wingGeneration changeBackground
The existing property required additional capacity and modern event infrastructure, but the proposed expansion faced extended community and municipal review because of its proximity to the Boston Public Garden.
Action taken
After years of approvals and permits, an 18-story addition opened with 80 guest rooms, a grand ballroom, and three smaller function rooms.
Aftermath
The expansion broadened the property’s accommodation and event capabilities and added residential units later in 1981.
1927
Convert the Mayflower apartment project into a luxury hotelStrategyBackground
The development team initially planned an apartment building, but the project was redirected toward a major hotel after encouragement from Boston mayor James Michael Curley.
Action taken
Edward N. Wyner and his partners developed the property as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel with permission to use the Ritz-Carlton name.
Aftermath
The decision created one of Boston’s most prominent luxury hotels and established the property’s long-running association with the Ritz-Carlton identity.
Sources1 sources
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