Our stay at the Onyx Hotel was FABULOUS.  The Onyx Hotel is part of the Kimpton chain of hotels.  The words "hotel chain" usually brings to mind accommodations with "cookie cutter" looks and uninspired surroundings.  This image could not be further from the Kimpton's approach to travel lodgings. 

When we stepped through the revolving doors, we noticed the quality and style, but we also felt something a little bit different... we felt like we were some place with a sense of fun!  Maybe it was the large curved sofa and the throw pillows, maybe it was the funky lights in the Ruby Room, whatever it was ...we liked it!

We met many of the staff over the weekend.  Everyone was knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.  They knew all about the area, its history, and more importantly...the best local bar for a pint :-)

The Onyx is a pet friendly hotel.  Daisy, the hotel's energetic four month old puppy, was right there to greet us when we came and went.  If you have always wanted to travel with your four legged friend, the folks at the Onyx will take great care of you as well as your pet.

The Kimpton attitude of fun and relaxed elegance was everywhere... from the doggie treats waiting for visiting pets, to the choice of rug designs in the hallway, to the leopard pattern bath robes in our rooms.

We found the rooms inviting, comfortable, and very well appointed.  It didn't feel like we were staying at a hotel.  It felt more like we were staying at a friend's (...a friend that is doing very well) guest room.

Our rooms were up on the tenth floor and had a good view out toward the city.  The view from the North End is completely different now that the highway cutting the city in half has been dismantled.

We will have more about the North End in our other articles from this Spring Outing.   If you are visiting Boston or just want to treat yourself to a night on the town, book a room at the Onyx.  Let them know you read about the Onyx Hotel from RainyDayMagazine, they will make sure you enjoy your stay ;-)

We've decided to do things differently on RainyDaySports in 2006: instead of doing individual FirstUse reviews for each piece of gear, we'll be taking a bunch of gear with us on planned outings and reviewing them as a group.

Our 2006 SpringOuting will be an “Urban Hike” in Boston.  Many cities have beautiful outdoor spaces such as arboretum, parks, and converted railways which are perfect for day hikes and picnics.

Often, we stroll in them for a short period of time and then go back to our daily grind.  We thought...what if we planned a hike in the city the same way we would plan an outing in the country?  What would we bring? Where would we go?

In our planning meeting we realized that because it was local, we had planned WAY too many activities for this outing and it would be impossible to get it all done in one weekend.  So we have decided to break up the SpringOuting into two weekends... these interns here at RainyDayMagazine have it SO tough :-)

Our home base for the SpringOuting will be the fabulous Onyx Hotel in Boston.  The Onyx is one of Boston's newly renovated luxury boutique hotels.  We chose the Onyx for its "in the middle of everything" locaton.

For the first weekend, the "urban hikes" will be around the city of Boston (Freedom Trail, North End, etc...).  The next weekend, the hikes will be around Boston's Emerald Necklace.

We have a good list of vendors participating in this RainyDaySports Urban Hike: Spring Outing in Boston (BeyondFleece, Brunton, Nalgene, Magellan GPS, Kombi, etc...)!

Spring Outing:

1. The Gear

2. The Onyx Hotel

3. Hiking the North End

         The Freedom Trail

         Faneuil Hall

         Harborwalk

         The neighborhood

Related Reviews:

1. 180s (ExoLite, Mortise)

2. Brunton Binoculars

3. BeyondFleece

4. Julbo Sunglasses

5. Kata Camera Bag

6. Kombi Gloves

7. Magellan GPS

8. Nalgene OTG bottles

9. Technica Boots