Lucky Ducks

A Getaway weekend in Boston at The Four Seasons

The Exercise gym, spa and pool in Boston's Four Seasons hotel & resort overlooks
the Boston Garden and its Swan Boats.

The Swan Boats in Boston Garden are across Boylston Street from the hotel.

Among the amenities are child-size bathrobes.

The Duck Boat tours on the Charles River are a few blocks away.

Overlooking the Boston Garden with two small guests

By Walter & Pat Brooks

Remember how terrible the weather was in May? Well, we found an antidote by taking a "Lucky Ducks" Getaway Weekend with our grand kids at Boston's only five star hotel.

The Four Seasons looks across the Boston Garden at The Ritz which used to be a five star hotel as well, but the former reaches a level of excellence unmatched in our state capital.

And the Four Season specializes in impressing that most discerning of guest, children. Their attention to detail is most evident in how they treat these small guests.

When you arrive with children at check-in, the staff hands your youngsters several gifts, including a stuffed duck and other elegant touches.

When the moppets arrive in their room they find child-size terrycloth bathrobes and children's toiletries. Later they will be served complimentary bedtime milk and cookies and Four Season's has children's menus in its restaurants and in-Room dining , see this sample.

It would be impossible to exaggerate the level of service here. When the children took their bath the first evening they discovered not only a rubber duck, but a floating rubber duck soap dish with duck soap and a duck-scrub pad. It was indeed a "Lucky Ducks" weekend in Boston.

Children's Menu
All Beef Hot Dog with French Fries
Hamburger or Cheeseburger, French Fries
Spaghetti, Buttered or with Tomato Sauce
Macaroni and Cheese
Grilled Chicken Breast with Steamed Rice
Grilled American Cheese Sandwich
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Chicken Fingers with Sweet Mustard Sauce

The Bristol for dinner

The hotel has two restaurants, and we opted for The Bristol on the main floor which looks out on Boylston Street and the Boston Garden.

The children's menu (on right) was a kid-pleaser, and the dessert medley guaranteed a "sugar high" for hours.

The adults were also quite pleased. We started with the Tuna Sampler which included Hawaiian Poke, Sashimi, Tuna Maki Roll and Wonton Chips  and the Kobe Beef Carpaccio with Pickled Onions, Shaved Asiago, Black Truffle Oil.

For entrées we ordered  Miso-Glazed Mahi Mahi which was served with Jasmine Rice, Baby Bok Choy and Lemongrass Ginger Broth and the Petite Filet and  Espresso Braised Short Rib served with Broccoli Rabe and Celery Root Purée in a Red Wine Reduction.

The sides included Sautéed Garlic Spinach, Truffle-Roasted Wild Mushrooms, Yukon Gold Whipped Potatoes and Maine Lobster Risotto.

We shared the dessert selections with the children.

Near Everything downtown

Boston's Four Seasons is
New England's Only AAA Five Diamond & Mobil 5 Star Hotel
#1 Hotel in Massachusetts - Conde Nast Traveler Gold List 2005 and
#1 Hotel in New England, one of Top Ten in US - Zagat Survey 2005

The Four Seasons is conveniently located on The Boston Garden within walking distance of Newberry Street shops, the Washington Street shopping area as well as Copley Place. It's one block from the theater district and you can stroll through the garden to the Charles Street shops two  blocks away.

Coming in from Cape Cod take Exit 20 and head for South Station, then The Common or Charles Street.

We guarantee that you will have a ducky time in Boston.

By the numbers;

1. The Four Seasons in Boston
2. The Duck Boat Tours
3. The Museum of Science
4. The Children's Museum

...and so, goodnight.

The cookies and milk came as promised each night at bedtime in Boston.

Walter and Patricia Brooks are the founders of Best Read Guides, eCape.com and this online newspaper.  They started these companies in 1988 after extensive careers in the newspaper business beginning at The Village Voice and New York Post and culminating at MPG Communications and The Cape Codder before launching their own companies. They live in East Harwich overlooking Pleasant Bay. Pat is a native Cape Codder and Walter is a Connecticut Yankee. They have lived on the cape since 1965. They have two sons, two grand children and two cats, Todd, Jay, Will, Marina, Rama and Shiva.