by Shannon Oliver

Boston is the quintessential mix of classic and modern. It’s not unusual to see 21st century skyscrapers rubbing shoulders with Revolutionary War-era churches and meetinghouses. The Morgans Hotel Group, in partnering with Normandy Real Estate Partners, is proud to add their newest hotel, Ames, to their Originals collection. Ames mixes historical touchstones with up-to-date modernism, old-world aesthetics with contemporary luxury and dedicated period homage with forward-thinking innovation.

The Ames is reinventing a building already lush with history. Built as Boston’s first skyscraper, this turn-of-the-century Richardsonian and Romanesque structure operated as the corporate headquarters for the Ames families’ agricultural tool company. In order to preserve the grandeur of the original building, certain fixtures such as the lobby’s dramatic marble and brass staircase, ceiling mosaic and robust exterior have been seamlessly integrated into the narrative of the new hotel’s aesthetic.

Located near Faneuil Hall, this 113-room hotel offers 95 guest rooms, one apartment and six deluxe one-bedroom suites. To transform the rooms into delicate cocoons, guests are able to draw sheer curtains along the length of the windows and bathroom walls. With a reverent nod to its history, Ames incorporated nightstands adorned with black chrome lamps, referencing the whale-oil lamps that once lit the city. Architect David Rockwell said, “We really wanted our design to reflect a contrast of eras, where the historical context and Ames family history would merge with a modern framework to bring a fresh, new experience to the hospitality market in Boston.”

Morgans, having partnered with Boston luxury and entertainment icon, Seth Greenberg—owner of Mistral and Co-Founder of Boston Common Magazine—is proud to have included Woodward, Morgan’s new restaurant-bar concept for Ames. Named for a tavern once housed in the Ames family home, Woodward will fascinate guests with its “Cabinet of Curiosities.” The Victorian-inspired display will be curated with hand-selected objects of inspiration and eye-candy. Each floor will feature a main bar as well as a dining area, inspired by personalized men’s tailoring with subtle unexpected details. Windsor chairs, epoxied in a high gloss white finish, will be scattered throughout the restaurant, complimenting the wood paneled walls washed in milky enamel. The regional ingredient-driven menu by Executive Chef Mark Goldberg is designed for sharing over a lively table of world-class, handcrafted cocktails, the latest inspiration for Morgans master mixologist, John Lemayer.