Home Sales Begin at Under-Construction Raffles Development in Back Bay

With a unique twist, sales commence today for homes within Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences. The development team has created an original short film inspired by the iconic children's book, Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (1941; Viking Press), which celebrates its 81st year in print this April. The work captures what it would be like if Boston’s favorite feathered friends, the Mallard family, were to move into the residences at Raffles Boston. Raffles Boston is developed by local Boston firms, The Noannet Group and Saunders Hotel Group in partnership with London-based Cain International.  Raffles Hotels are part of world leading hospitality group, Accor.

As the Mallard family comes to life in animated form, viewers will enjoy watching Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings waddle from their storybook setting in The Public Garden, through the Back Bay, and into their next home: Raffles Boston.

How would they choose to spend their first day? Would they get into mischief at the 20-meter indoor pool? Sip on a Singapore Sling (famously invented at Raffles Singapore) at the Speakeasy? Waddle up the three-story Grand Stair to check out the soaring Sky Lobby, perched on the 17th floor of the building? Indulge in a meal at one of Raffles Boston’s restaurants?

Viewers will find out as they watch this charming two-minute film, linked here and screening to prospective buyers within the Raffles Boston Residences Sales Gallery (185 Dartmouth Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA). The marketing and sales program for Raffles Boston’s Residences is being handled exclusively by two renowned firms, Boston-based The Collaborative Companies and New York City-based The Marketing Directors. The film was concepted and created by the Raffles Boston team, which then tapped internationally acclaimed production house The Mill for top-tier production. Animation Director Jamie Lancaster directed the film and has also created a series of illustrated drawings of the ducklings, which will soon be found in the way of exterior signage along the project’s perimeter (430 Stuart Street Boston, MA). 

“We are very excited to launch residential sales to the public today, and we also want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the McCloskey family for granting us permission to draw from the iconic Make Way for Ducklings. Make Way for Ducklings and the Mallard family are an essential part of Boston’s legacy and this charming story, centering on the search for the perfect home, has touched people all over the world since it was first published in 1941. The Raffles brand, much like the city of Boston itself, is renowned for its love of art and literature, and a distinguishing feature of Raffles properties worldwide is the extent to which they truly embrace the heritage of their local communities. What is more central to the local heritage of Boston than this book? It crosses generations as a story that nearly every Bostonian listens to as a child and then reads to their children as an adult. We let our imaginations run wild and suspended reality for a few minutes, allowing the ducklings to be our first residents - and mischievous ones at that. We hope that this film – and city signage - will bring a big smile to Bostonians of all ages,” says Jordan Warshaw, Co-Developer of Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences.

“The rich history and character of Boston offers a wonderful setting in which to bring Raffles’ first hotel address and private residences to life in North America. With luxurious private residences discreetly set apart and yet seamlessly connected to hotel services and amenities, this flagship property will embody the very best of the city’s culture and social heritage,” said Jeff Tisdall, SVP of Development, Residential and Extended Stay, Accor. “Raffles brings nearly two decades of experience creating privately-owned homes that feature the brand’s strong sense of place, thoughtful design, and legendary service – greatly contributing to Accor’s ascendancy as a leading global player in the fast-growing branded residences sector."

"We were thrilled that Raffles Boston chose to celebrate the Mallard family's very important role in Back Bay. As a time-honored story, Make Way for Ducklings is able to delight readers of all ages from near and far. It was great fun to see an internationally renowned brand like Raffles embrace the book with such imagination," says a representative of the McCloskey family.

Upon opening in early 2023, Raffles Boston will make international and local history, marking the first mixed-use development in North America for the illustrious, world-renowned, 135-year old Raffles Hotels & Resorts brand, and writing a new story for Boston’s hospitality and real estate industries alike. Offering an unprecedented residential and hotel experience in the heart of the Back Bay, Raffles Boston is a 35-story, $400 million+ LEED Gold building with 146 branded residences, 147 guestrooms, and 16 distinct gathering spaces. From top to bottom, Raffles Boston will showcase and celebrate what makes the Raffles brand so special: a sense of adventure and style, gracious and intuitive hospitality, and thoughtful, locally inspired design, all while enhancing the cosmopolitan charm of the Back Bay.

The residences are true havens in the heart of the Back Bay. One- to three-bedroom homes are found on the building’s 21st through 33rd floors, and seven striking penthouses grace the building’s 34th and 35th floors. Each residence is beautifully designed, yet without pretense; subtle modern finishes in cool marbles and warm woods are coupled with thoughtful architectural details. In a first for Boston, the entire 15th and 16th floors are devoted to pied-a-terre homes, speaking to those who desire a smaller city refuge that offers all the benefits of owning at Raffles Boston. Further details on Raffles Boston’s pied-a-terre homes will be shared in the months to come.

As part of its storied history, Raffles originated in 1887 in Singapore. It is renowned for introducing private butlers, creating the Singapore Sling, and serving as a haven for writers, artists, film stars and royalty, from Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling to Elizabeth Taylor and Queen Elizabeth II. Raffles currently boasts a collection of 17 individually unique and timeless properties in fascinating cities and vibrant destinations around the world: Singapore, Paris, Bali, Warsaw, Phnom Penh, and the Maldives to name a few.

A predominantly local team, united by its members’ deep appreciation for Boston, leads Raffles Boston. At the helm is Trinity Stuart Development LLC, which is a partnership between two Boston entities: developer Jordan Warshaw of The Noannet Group and hotelier Gary Saunders of Saunders Hotel Group, alongside their equity partner Cain International, the privately held investment firm led by CEO Jonathan Goldstein. Locally based partners include The Architectural Team, Inc., spearheading the project’s architecture; McNamara and Salvia, overseeing Raffles Boston’s complex structural engineering, and Suffolk, managing the build. Stylish and refined residential interiors are led by Rockwell Group, and stunning hotel interiors are fashioned by Stonehill Taylor. Accor, multinational hospitality group and the Paris-based parent of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, is the hotel management partner, and Madison Realty Capital provided construction financing. 

Raffles Boston is located at 430 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts. The Raffles Boston Sales Gallery is located at 185 Dartmouth Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA.

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