Just spent six nights at the Omni Parker House and loved every minute of it. I don't really understand the reviews complaining about small rooms, what do people expect in such an old hotel ?

Unlike many of Boston's newer hotel's the Parker House is within walking distance of T stations covering most lines, making all the sights accessible.

All the staff we met were happy to provide anything we wanted, and did so with a smile

I just recently stayed at the Omni Parker House and was very pleased with the entire experience. I'd read about the rooms being small--we had a Deluxe room and, while smaller than the new modern hotels, I didn't feel cramped at all. We actually enjoyed it more because of the style--it was impeccably clean and cozy with high ceilings and beautiful decor, and we felt right at home.
Walking into the lobby makes you feel as if you are in a different time. I would highly suggest reading the detailed history of the hotel, which can be accessed on their website--it really makes the experience so much better. After all, part of the reason to go to Boston is to appreciate it's history. And, we arrived four hours before check-in, but they still got us right into an available room.
Parker's Restaurant is gorgeous, and the food was incredible. The service was a little slow, but our waiter was friendly and we didn't mind the wait. We also really enjoyed Parker's Bar--our bartender was very fun and drinks were reasonably priced.
The location is great, especially for those travelling without a car. It's a block away from the T and Boston Common, and within walking distance from Quincy Market and many other sights.
I would highly recommend this hotel. The only drawbacks I would see is if you were travelling with children--due to the size of the rooms and there is no pool--but what it lacks in amenities it certainly makes up for in beauty and character.

We stayed two nights at the Omni. I booked a one-bedroom suite for my husband, teenage son, and me, because I'd read reviews saying rooms were small. We had a king bed in the bedroom and a fold-out couch in the living room -- plenty of room for the three of us. The bathroom was indeed small (pedestal sink, one-person walk in shower, toilet, no tub) for a suite, but it was well stocked and spotless. The room was very quiet and we never heard anyone around us.

We had late-night light dinner in the Parker Bar on the first night and the food was very good. Both mornings we ate at the breakfast buffet in the restaurant. The buffet was also very good and the service impeccable (the first morning the buffet chef making omelets went to the kitchen to make us fresh pancakes and our server brought us complimentary shots of fruit smoothies; both mornings our server charged us half price for our teenage son since the server noticed he didn't eat alot).

The concierge booked us tickets for the Duck tour and recommended dinner at Teatro restaurant, which was fantastic. Super clean, great location, efficient and friendly service -- we highly recommend the Omni.

I've stayed twice this summer at the Omni Parker House in Boston, and both my stays have had an identical feel: grand older property, nicely renovated common spaces, lovely amenities, and a great location -- all in fairly stark contrast to very small, oddly shaped rooms, at least in the category I booked.

Both my stays were last-minute extensions of business trips, booked through Hotwire for a very competitive price. In both cases I booked a "standard double", which may be the key to my mild disappointment. On both visits, I found myself in a small room, somewhat oddly shaped, with either one or two windows overlooking a dingy, depressing air-shaft view. Both rooms had tiny -- but well-appointed -- bathrooms that suffered from one unforgivable trait: absolutely no vanity counter space to place shaving implements. In the end, I balanced my shaving kit precariously and hoped my toothbrush wouldn't end up on the lovely old Deco tile floor.

Another nit: technology. Omni dudes: it just doesn't cost that much to provide free wireless internet to guests. Trust me, I don't want to check my email badly enough to pay to use your wired connection.

That's the bad news. The good news is, the room, tiny as it is, is well-appointed, with a comfortable (double) bed, cushy mattress, very nice linens, and a stunning array of pillows and bolsters. Somehow, they managed to jam a desk/dresser combo into the room, and it was topped by a very nice 42" LG flat-panel TV, which, in a room this size, is like having your own movie theater on tap. Once in bed, with the lights dimmed, you definitely feel like you're in the lap of luxury. Too bad that opening the thick shade in the AM and peering out into the airshaft brings it all crashing back down.

The Parker House is a venerable property in a great location, close to Boston's small financial district, an easy walk to Quincy Market, the Boston Common, and countless historic sites. I can well imagine -- in a bigger room -- this would make a great base of operations for a family vacation. That said, I would also consider another of Boston's century-old grand hotels, the Park Plaza, which is often available for similar or lower rates. You give up a little in amenities but (at least in the room I stayed in), you get a lot back in space and comfort.