Boston's Hot Hotel Market

Hotel development in Boston & Cambridge, just like multi-family & office/lab sectors, has been booming. New offerings, One Dalton & the soon to open Encore may be amongst the most high profile but there are numerous other projects in the pipeline. Currently, there are around 40 hotel projects in Boston and Cambridge under construction, approved, or pending approval, totaling around 9,000 rooms. With such an increase in product however, vacancy rates for 2019 are predicted to be around 82% showing a 3.4% growth in demand (according to a Pinnacle Advisory Group Report).

Let's take a look at some of the largest upcoming project.

Encore Boston Harbor
The Encore set to open this weekend on June 23rd is sure to draw massive crowds eager to check out the 3 million square foot casino (and the $28M Popeye statue). Located on the waterfront of the Mystic River in Everett, the $2.6 billion project owned by Wynn Resorts features 671 five-star hotel rooms along with 3,158 slot machines and 231 total gaming tables. Wynn Resorts have also committed 26,000 square feet to their spa and have established 15 restaurants and 5 shops. The Encore projects the joint hotel and casino to see 8 million visitors per year and the casino to make $800 million within the first year.

citizenM at The Hub on Causeway
The Dutch hotel brand is set to open it's Boston location late this summer/early fall as part of The Hub on Causeway development. The 260 rooms in the hotel may be small but still boast "everything you need, and nothing you don't". Travelers will have access to a quick one-minute kiosk check-in process and large comfortable open communal space great for working or relaxing.

Omni Seaport

The Omni Seaport Hotel, upon completion in 2021, will open with 1,055 rooms which sit on a 2.1-acre parcel directly across from Boston's Convention Center. The hotel, whose concrete cores are now climbing, will combine two 21-story towers to be connected via a 3rd-floor walkway. The 788,500 square-foot project will include 120,000 square feet of meeting and event space, 35,000 square feet of dining space, 5,000 square feet of retail space, and an 8,500 square foot fitness center.

Moxy Hotel
Set to open in the coming months, the new Moxy Hotel features 346 “micro” rooms measuring 175 sq feet per room. Amenities will include a rooftop bar and lounge, meeting rooms, a kitchen and dining area, and a fitness center. While a fire in April resulted in $250,000 in damages to the exterior construction, the hotel believes they will still open in summer 2019.

The Whitney 
Formerly the John Jeffries House, The Whitney in Beacon Hill is nearly complete and set to open on August 1st. Throughout the construction process, Related Beal committed resources to renovate and redesign the John Jeffries House while also adding 12,000 sq feet of hotel space. The hotel sits on 3 parcels of land which total 1 acre and features 65 rooms along with 4 suites.

Along with new construction, several of Boston's iconic hotels are also scheduled to undergo massive renovations projects to keep up with the new projects steadily coming online across the city.

The Taj Boston
The Taj, a staple of Boston since 1927, recently won approval from the BPDA for a large scale renovation project. The renovations include moving the front entrance from Arlington Street to Newbury Street, enclosing the rooftop restaurant, and updating the existing 195 hotel rooms while adding 16 new rooms.

The Langham
The Langham, across from Post Office Square, closed its doors to begin renovations in March. Plans call for renovations of the hotels 218 rooms along with the hotel’s BOND bar. The renovations are expected to finish in 2020 and aim to highlight the hotel’s history while emphasizing the building’s magnificent architecture.

Seaport Hotel
One of Boston’s most well-known venues for conferences, meetings and exhibitions, the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center has submitted plans now under review for the revitalization of the Commonwealth Pier. The project will finish in 2024 and incorporate improved conference rooms, 45,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space along Seaport Boulevard, and a 25, sq-foot public plaza that will allow access for outdoor activities.