The Omni Parker House – Dickens Slept Here
The Omni Parker House is Boston’s oldest existing hotel and arguably the most “Bostonian” in atmosphere, with mahogany woodwork and crystal chandeliers in the lobby, comfortable chairs of the kind you can sink into, plus gracious service to match.
Built in 1855, this icon of hotels, where Parker House Rolls and Boston Creme Pie were invented, has hosted all manner of famous folks, from Charles Dickens, to presidents and Olympic Gold Medalists. John F. Kennedy reportedly launched his political career here at the age of six by standing up at a party honoring his grandfather, to announce, “My grandfather is the best in the world.”
Later, he chose the Parker House as his political headquarters, and its dining room for his proposal of marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy, or so legend would have it.
During the 1800’s the famed Saturday Club of literary lights met regularly at the Parker House, attended by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Charles Dickens himself as a guest.
Dickens, in fact, loved the Parker House so much, it is said his spirit still inhabits the place.
The hotel’s elevator is known to arrive mysteriously at his floor on occasion when nobody is there to summon it.
The dining options at the Parker House include:
Parker's Restaurant - “the Parker House dining room,” where Executive Chef Gerry Tice blends nostalgic “traditional” cuisine with contemporary innovation. Boston Scrod is said to have made its debut on these premises.
Parker’s Bar - A cozy haven of burnished and low-key “club” atmosphere, this is the place to close a deal, or enjoy a drink by the fire.
The Last Hurrah® - A venerable landmark downstairs and a Bostonian bar of a more gracious time. Pub fare and house specialty drinks served here.
For all its historic tradition, the Parker House has been modernized to include a state-of-the-art fitness center, luxury suites, the Omni Kids Program and other amenities. Its central location on the Freedom Trail, steps from the Boston Common and Public Garden, make it perfect for your first visit to Boston.
For further information, about the Omni Parker House
The Parker House
60 School Street
Boston, Massachusetts02108
Phone: (617) 227-8600
- Barbara Sealock
