Massachusetts is renowned for its high-quality oysters, many of which are sourced from Cape Cod.
Carley Rudd Photography
While Boston is home to storied restaurants spanning from the nearly-century-old Regina Pizzeria to the 1820s-era Union Oyster House, there’s a lot more to the city’s dining scene than just its historic prowess. In recent years, the Bay State capital has embraced modern innovation, ushering in a wealth of lavish hotels and upscale dining venues—and few properties exemplify both concepts as well as Raffles Boston. A recent addition to the Back Bay hospitality scene, this polished hotel provides a glimpse into the refined side of Massachusetts, providing guests with an opportunity to experience the height of Boston gastronomy and hospitality in one fell swoop.
Officially opened in September 2023, Raffles Boston stands 35 stories above Stuart Street, with 147 palatial rooms and suites in place for guests. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted with lush vegetation, a marble-clad Writers Room and a wealth of other design flourishes meant to evoke the sophisticated beauty of Singapore’s historic Raffles Hotel—and just a few steps past the main lobby, the Long Bar & Terrace offers some of the finest views in all of Back Bay. Perched on the 17th floor, this stunning space comes equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows that are perfect for enjoying the sunset, with cocktail options spanning from the bourbon and maple-infused Golden Hour to the Boston Sling, a fragrant drink that’s brimming with notes of cranberry and apple as a testament to the agricultural prowess of Massachusetts.
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The original Raffles Hotel was founded in 1887 in Singapore.
Raffles Boston
To keep the drinks flowing, neighboring Blind Duck offers an intimate speakeasy-esque experience for guests, coming complete with two separate levels that showcase the beauty of the surrounding city. While the drinks menu comes equipped with options like the mezcal and habanero-loaded Blaze On and the refreshing Lingonberry Spritz, options like the Jack, Kack, and Lack—a blend of duck fat-washed bourbon, Madeira and Chinese five spice—offers a particularly unique flavor profile that stands as a testament to the talent of Raffles Boston’s bartender team. Yet when it comes to a truly sublime dining experience, it’s tough to beat Amar.
The crown jewel of Raffles Boston’s drinking and dining program, this lavish restaurant brings a touch of European elegance to the Bay State, providing guests with a diverse array of Portuguese-inspired dishes crafted at the behest of Chef George Mendes. The venue is particularly well-suited for seafood aficionados, with dishes like Hokkaido sea urchin toast and chouriço and caviar-infused baby squid celebrating the centuries-old maritime culture of both Portugal and Boston—and for those who want an up-close view of the action, the Chef’s Counter is an essential experience. This eight-course tasting concept invites guests to enter the kitchen and watch the fine dining process unfold, with a dedicated row of tables placed just a few steps away from the line. During a meal, guests can enjoy a perfectly-crafted martini as they make their way through the menu, with dishes spanning from bluefin tuna with pickled watermelon radish to the superbly-crafted bacalhau à Brás, an ultra-savory blend of salt cod, egg and Périgord truffle.
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Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood was constructed in the late 1800s through land reclamation.
Raffles Boston
While Raffles Boston comes equipped with a truly marvelous dining scene, the property also offers a wealth of other luxurious amenities. Upon arrival, each guest is assigned a dedicated butler that can be consulted throughout the duration of their stay, providing visitors with an opportunity to receive recommendations from a local expert and plan activities ranging from Boston Celtics games to trips to some of the city’s most lauded museums. Meanwhile, those who prefer to stick close to the hotel can spend a day lounging in the Guerlain Spa, an idyllic space located on the fourth floor. While guests are welcome to make use of the steam rooms, king-sized fitness center and 20-meter pool, it also doubles as a top spot for a relaxing treatment, with options spanning from a Body Polish exfoliation to a 90-minute Deep Muscular Massage.
From the Berkshires to Cape Cod, Massachusetts is packed full of scenic regions that have long been renowned for their prowess at hospitality—and in the modern era, Boston is more than capable of holding its own against these iconic vacation destinations. Along with a thriving dining scene and wealth of world-class museums, the city comes complete with truly lavish accommodations, with Raffles Boston serving as a prime example. Whether you’re hoping to spend your stay lounging in the hot tub, sampling classic Iberian cuisine or just soaking in the skyline views with a Singapore Sling in hand, this palatial property is certain to leave you with fond memories of the Bay State at its very best.
Massachusetts families are stuck in the Middle East amid the war in Iran, and Democratic Sen. Ed Markey says the State Department needs to do more to get them home.
The Trump administration is telling Americans to leave the region, and families would love to, but they haven’t been able to get out.
Stacey Schuhwerk of Hingham has been sheltering in place in a Doha hotel since Saturday.
“We hear the missiles outside,” she said. “We can see them.”
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The Hingham mother and her son are among nearly 1,600 Americans trapped in the Middle East with no way to get home.
“Airspace is shut down. There’s no planes,” said Schuhwerk. “There’s no way to leave.”
Flights between Boston and the Middle East are canceled or delayed as travelers express anxiety over the conflict.
At first, U.S. officials told people to shelter in place and register with the State Department — something Schuhwerk did days ago.
“There’s no help there. The last time we called was 20 minutes ago, and they continue to say that ‘We don’t know anything about any plans for government help to get people out,’” she said.
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Embassies and consulates across the region — including the U.S. Embassy in Israel — have now suspended services, saying they simply can’t get Americans out.
“They did not have a plan to conduct this war, and they clearly did not have a plan as to how to evacuate innocent families,” Markey said.
The senator says his office is hearing from Massachusetts families, and he’s pressuring the Trump administration to come up with an evacuation plan fast.
“We are going to apply that pressure on the State Department until every American who wants to leave that region is out,” he said.
Back in Doha, Schuhwerk keeps watching the war outside her window.
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“The talk here is ‘How much defensive ammunition’s left?’ Good question, you know, because the missiles aren’t stopping,” she said. “So how long are we going to be safe here?”
With no clear end to this conflict, she’s worried she could be stuck there for weeks.
Happy Tuesday! While today started off dry, we’re already looking at snow out there across the area. While this event will primarily stay as rain on the Cape and islands, it will be an icy mix of snow, ice and rain for the rest of us.
The rain/snow line will continue to advance from the south to the north as the evening progresses. Before the changeover, there will be a quick coating to 2 inches for most of our area.
The threshold between the snow and rain will feature sleet and freezing rain, leading to that icing.
For the rest of the night, there will primarily be rain with continued pockets of freezing rain, leading to increasing spotty ice accretion. Be extremely careful on roads, especially since switching between rain and freezing rain can wash off any road salt.
The rain and freezing rain will exit by 6 a.m. Wednesday, but temperatures will still be close to freezing during the morning commute, so watch out for some spotty black ice.
The rest of Wednesday will be really nice! Highs will warm up to the mid 50s with the help of ample sun.
Thursday we start off in the mid 20s and top off in the mid 40s. We’ll be partly sunny with another chance for some wintry weather Thursday night. This primarily looks like some rain and freezing rain, rather than the triple threat with snow too. We’ll keep an eye on that for you.
That will continue into Friday morning. The rest of Friday: cloudy with a chance for a spot shower and highs cooler again in the upper 30s. Saturday will be dry, breezy and cloudy but gorgeous near 50 degrees! There’s a chance for some rain showers Saturday night. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour before you to go bed!
Sunday we start the day mild in the 40s and make it all the way into the upper 50s with more sun. Monday and Tuesday both look bright and in the 60s! Stay tuned.
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