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The Royal Sonesta Boston Reviews

The Royal Sonesta Boston

The Royal Sonesta Boston

Cambridge, MA
4.8 out of 5 rating, 42 Reviews
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Reviews

4.8 out of 5 rating
42 Reviews
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    4.8 out of 5 rating
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97% Recommended by couples

Awards

42
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
  • Ashley
    Ashley M. Sent on 01/13/2023
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    Amazing, helpful, and beyond accommodating - simply the best venue!

    The entire weekend was beyond our wildest expectations thanks to Bianca and the whole Royal Sonesta team! My mom and I are very much detail orientated perfectionists and everything was beyond perfect! For every step along the way, from the planning process (which was longer than anticipated thanks to covid postponements - which the Sonesta was so incredibly helpful and accommodating with) to the end, Bianca flawlessly guided, assisted, and implemented our vision. We appreciated how she responded immediately to all our numerous emails and questions, took care of ALL of our special requests, and gave us lots of great ideas. We were so worried about all the little details and Bianca continually made us feel more relaxed with her knowledge and command of the event and of the workings of the hotel! When the wedding weekend began, Bianca was so attentive to the whole bridal party, family members, and honestly every guest - making everyone feel so special! Bianca ran the rehearsal like a seasoned pro and then day of- she transformed the rooms to our exact plan and then some! Everything was beyond perfect! My mom visiting the area to check in, interrupting preparations; and each time, Bianca stopped what she were doing to show her the progress of what was done! Never a complaint, always a smile. Bianca was always so very calm and made us feel so comfortable constantly. The Sonesta staff was always present and available and always with a positive and happy attitude and took such good care of us!

    All of our guests kept telling us over and over how great the food was, how kind and attentive the staff was, and how wonderful everyone they encountered treated them. The food was outstanding! High quality restaurant level food, not normal wedding banquet food we have had at other weddings. Appetizers to dinner to late night treats to the brunch! We loved having the same staff help us over the weekend. They all seemed so focused and determined to make our weekend be perfect. And it was!

    After helping my brother plan his wedding which is unfortunately not able to be in Boston or at the Royal Sonesta - I have come to appreciate even more how absolutely amazing, helpful, and beyond accommodating the Royal Sonesta was on our big day. I cannot recommend the Royal Sonesta enough!!
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    Sherry L. Sent on 01/07/2020
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    Fabulous Place for a Wedding!

    We were helped every step of the way. Every detail of our daughter's wedding came out wonderfully. The food was very tasty, the view was superb and the help we received from the wedding planner, Sabrina, was beyond terrific. She gave us great recommendations for florist and photographer and was helpful in every way imaginable. Also, she was very familiar with what we needed for a Jewish wedding. You'll not find a better place to hold a wedding and a better person to help you with it.
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    Julie L. Sent on 10/18/2019
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    Perfection!

    I recently hosted my son's welcome reception at The Royal Sonesta Boston. I dealt with Ashley, who made my vision come to life. I wanted the event to take place outside on the terrace, in cocktail party style, so people would mix and mingle. Just in case of inclement weather, Ashley also held a room inside that overlooked the river. The weather did not cooperate, but Ashley and her team set up the room like the cocktail party I envisioned. I left the decorations in Ashley's care and without instruction, the room was set up beautifully. The food was amazing. My guests had a wonderful time, and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I highly recommend having an event here!
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  • C
    Courtney C. Sent on 07/05/2019
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    Amazing Wedding Venue!

    The Sonesta is a "hidden gem" in the city. It is right on the water with views of the city. The food is incredible, all food was served hot to our guests; and the service in planning our wedding along with the day of logistics were not short in meeting our high expectations. Highly recommend the Sonesta!
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    Alysse Sent on 12/21/2017
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    The perfect experience from start to finish! My husband and I got married at the Royal Sonesta this past fall and when we reflect back on our day, there's nothing we would've done differently. The team at the Sonesta is elite; Michael Foley helped us from the beginning and brought our vision to life. He personifies a high sense of urgency, is a very detailed planner, extremely knowledgeable, and infuses positive energy the entire time. Michael was always available to answer our questions and gave us helpful suggestions along the way. We planned our wedding out of state and Michael was integral to organizing our big day. We received so many compliments when it came to our venue, service, food, spacious dance floor, accommodating staff...truly a one-stop-shop with 5-star service. A dedicated team, a joy to work with, and committed to making the big day exactly what you want...The Royal Sonesta is your spot!
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    Casey P. Sent on 11/11/2019
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    Best possible experience we could have asked for!

    Yes, I would 100% recommend Royal Sonesta Boston to a friend. Julianne, our coordinator, was amazing and made the whole process simple and wonderful. Our guests raved about the food, the views and the atmosphere. We had the absolute best experience.
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    Karen Sent on 09/11/2018
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    Oh my goodness I don’t even know where to start. Michael was our coordinator in the grand ballroom, and he was absolutely amazing. He kept everything so professional and made my wedding feel like a fairytale. I know I had been annoying with my emails but he always had a prompt and professional response. He truly helped us stay within our budget and gave us recommendations on where we could make our changes. The food was out of this world, and the late night snacks will be talked about for ages. Michael checked on us throughout the reception to make sure everything was perfect, and it was thanks to him. 10/10 stars if I could go that high. You guys were the best.
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    Ashley Sent on 05/21/2018
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    I selected the Royal Sonesta due to its location, view, and modern decor. That seemed like the makings of the perfect wedding for me, but the actual services were so much more than I could have ever imagined. The package included everything; food, cake, servers, day-of-coordinator, linens, tables/chairs, all table settings, and a bridal suite! My coordinator Michael organized all the vendors so that all I had to worry about on my wedding day was getting married. From the moment I checked in for the big weekend, the bridal suite, located on the top floor, was jaw-dropping with a full 180 degree view of the city, 2 balconies, 2 bathrooms, a parlor, and of course the bedroom. I was able to get ready in the room making me feel like a true princess on my wedding day. From there, everything was orchestrated perfectly. The waitstaff was so attentive, I had friends and family come up to me to comment on how impressed they were. The food was delicious and the cake package allowed me to design a gorgeous cake by The Icing on the Cake. My bridesmaid even said to me, "where did you get Michael, your coordinator?!" and I was able to say, "he came with the hotel!". Overall, the Royal Sonesta was able to be more than just the setting of my fairytale wedding that I will treasure forever.
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    Dani Sent on 03/05/2018
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    We got married here in February 2018 and loved every minute. We got to work with Michael and he was great -- he would respond to emails pretty much always same day. Michael even went above and beyond when we booked one side of the hotel and he realized the "nicer" side of the hotel was available on our day and let us swap spaces. He also made everything go smoothly after swapping locations on very short notice. The hotel is glam and extremely comfortable. The bridal and executive suites were absolutely perfect -- stunning views of Boston, plenty of outlets and space, and great for visiting hours we had with our guests the day before the wedding. The bridal suite was especially nice for ~14 women getting ready together the morning of. The food was also incredible -- we did a brunch wedding and Michael made sure we had great options for both breakfast and lunch. He even worked with us to ensure we had some food served before the morning ceremony so guests wouldn't be starving. We looked at a few other Boston venues, but we immediately knew this was the right place during our first visit, especially after seeing the sweeping view of Boston. Very romantic. It also rained our entire wedding day and the photos were beautiful because we got to take them along the foggy Charles under umbrellas. Highly recommend!
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    Tia Sent on 12/14/2017
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    The Royal Sonesta was the PERFECT location for our fall Boston wedding. With AMAZING views along the Charles River and being located in the heart of the city these are only a couple of the reasons why we couldn't resist having our wedding there. Michael Foley was my contact and was in constant contact with my about all of my wedding needs. Him and his team did not miss a beat from allowing me to deliver decor weeks before, dealing with vendors, hosting food tastings, arranging room blocks and parking and keeping me updated on everything. We are sure that we'll be receiving compliments for life after hosting our wedding there. We would recommend the Royal Sonesta AND Michael Foley time and time again!!
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    Michelle Sent on 07/01/2017
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    We cannot say enough about our experience with holding our wedding at the Sonesta. We toured many venues in the Boston area and from the second we toured the Sonesta and met the staff, we knew it was the place for us. Not only is the hotel (and its city view) amazing, but the staff surpassed all expectations. The wedding coordinator, Michael Foley, went above and beyond. The wedding planning process can be very overwhelming, but Michael made it very simple. He responded to emails SO quickly and always had answers to our many questions. He made any and all of our ideas a possibility. He also met with us in person multiple times, which helped to put all of us (including our parents) at ease.
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    Genevieve Sent on 10/23/2016
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    We just got married at the Royal Sonesta and everything about our wedding day was perfect! We loved the venue from the start because the staff was so easy to work with, the view was beautiful and the package included everything. We worked with Bianca who was so helpful and easy to work with - on the day of, we didn't have to worry about a thing and everything was seamless. The planning process was also incredibly easy because the hotel does so much for you. The space is beautiful, the view is breathtaking and the cocktail hour on the patio by the river was such a nice touch. The location is so convenient and it's great that everyone can just stay at the hotel. Also the food is amazing! Everyone had so much fun and raved about how great the venue was.
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    Caitlin Sent on 09/27/2016
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    I highly recommend Royal Sonesta for your upcoming wedding! When we first toured the Sonesta we knew this was our wedding venue. We loved the location, the beautiful views, and the food is amazing. We worked with Bianca at the Sonesta to plan our wedding and she was amazing to work with! She had really great advice and was receptive to our ideas for our wedding. On our wedding day she did a great job coordinating all of our vendors, and our wedding went exactly as we had planned ☺
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    Ronny Sent on 05/23/2016
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    We had a great experience at the Sonesta. We worked with Bianca McCann and she was extremely accommodating throughout the entire process. The entire event was very flexible and it seemed like we were able to change anything big or small, including food, size, seating, timeline, set-up etc. Bianca was very responsive and fantastic to work with. She also worked very well making everyone including my mother and husband, happy with the planning and the big weekend's events.
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    Jessica Sent on 05/31/2016
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    Royal Sonesta was the first place we contacted as the views of the Boston skyline was what we were looking for and something about this hotel caught our eye. Our wedding was a mix of Chinese-American traditions so we were looking for a venue that would allow us to host just our ceremony, at a reasonable price and without any extra add-on requirements like many of the other hotels in Boston require.

    Julie Bourque, Catering Sales Manager, was amazing. She was responsive, helpful and understanding of our need for a mix of traditions without breaking our budget.

    During the time of planning our wedding the Royal Sonesta went through a major update to the decor/style of hotel and many people questioned our trust in the outcome. Prior to the updates, the hotel's style was already something any bride and groom could turn into their own as the color palette was neutral beige tones. The updates now make the hotel a more modern hotel with its gray and blue tones which still keep it neutral enough for any bride and groom who may not want to splurge on extra decor, as we kept our decorations to the minimum since the skyline was the main attraction.

    Our wedding took place on May 7th so you can imagine with all the college graduations happening at this time and the beginning of wedding season, prices for hotel accommodations were definitely on the high end but we were also able to book hotel rooms for our out of town guests at a very reasonable rate. We also stayed at the hotel/got ready at the hotel in one of the suites which was overlooking the water. The rooms feel luxurious, as you would expect, and the hotel staff were friendly and helpful.

    Overall, we loved everything about the Royal Sonesta and definitely would do it all over again with this vendor.
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    Ariana Sent on 04/30/2016
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    Hands done the best experience of our lives. From start to finish Julie was a pleasure to work with! She handled every single detail and helped me get the exact room that I wanted in a short time frame! The service was incredible from all the staff at the reception. Also the food was excellent! It was my dream wedding and Julie made it happen as I always pictured it would be. My husband and I will always remember this night as one of the best nights of our lives. We thank you all so much!

    -Ariana and Marco Fosco
  • User2521022 Sent on 01/28/2016
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    We looked at about 8 or 9 different venues around Boston and instantly fell in love with the Royal Sonesta. The fact that you can have EVERYTHING in one location was incredible for us and our guests (everyone loved it....way better than shuttling people back & forth to different locations. I highly recommend this convenience factor - especially during such a stressful event like a wedding!)....we did our pictures, ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, after party and brunch the next day ALL there (my wife even had her wedding shower there too!). The staff were all so wonderfully professional and nice. The view of the Charles River through the floor to ceiling windows was spectacular. Great backdrop for our pictures during the day. Food was tasty! No complaints anywhere! I can't say enough good things about our wedding coordinator, Julie Bourque (she was actually a large part of the reason we ended up choosing Royal Sonesta....it was a close tie between The State Room and Royal Sonesta...convenience of all activities in one location and getting Julie is what pushed us towards the Sonesta). Julie was responsive leading up to the wedding (we planned the whole thing in less than 5 months so she was a rock star), left cute secret presents for us the night before and after our big day, jumped through a ton of hoops and bent over backwards the day of all while being a calming factor and ensuring everything went off without a hitch....and still stays in touch to this day with HANDWRITTEN birthday cards!
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    Juliet Sent on 09/28/2015
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    There are no words to describe how special our wedding weekend was at the Royal Sonesta. The entire team - especially Julie and Bianca were an absolute joy to work with. The view from the hotel is absolutely priceless and inside the hotel is the most amazing collection of curated art and gorgeous decor. Every detail of the weekend from the catering menu to the rehearsal dinner was handled flawlessly. We were so lucky to have been married in such a beautiful, intimate setting. A very big thank you and a very strong recommendation from myself, my groom, and our families!!
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    Isabelle Sent on 08/20/2015
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    We had the most amazing wedding in the Riverfront room at the Royal Sonesta. We worked with Karie to plan our wedding, and she was wonderful. She responded to all my questions very quickly, and she worked to accommodate all of our requests. The location is stunning with beautiful water views with the city in the background during the day which turn into great views of the city all lit up at night. The food was delicious, and the hotel was great and comfortable for our overnight guests. I have had so many people reach out to me to tell me how perfect of a venue we chose. We couldn't be happier!
  • User2157329 Sent on 06/01/2015
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    Absolutely outstanding venue. Our wedding was around 50 folks, so we were able to use the stunning river view rooms on the second floor along with the outdoor reception area facing the Charles River. The entire team was excellent from first contact and RFQ/Bid all the way through the actual day of the wedding. Everything was handled with great care and precision, and they heard and listened to everything that we had to say and also offered great advice, ideas and feedback. We would absolutely recommend this venue for weddings or other private functions. Our guests also loved their hotel rooms and the location (out of owners)
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    Lindsey Sent on 10/08/2013
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    My husband and I had no doubt when we got engaged where we would get married - when we were dating we would stay at the Royal Sonesta, it was the place of our first kiss and where we got engaged. Little did we know how AMAZING the Banquet staff and the catering would be. From day 1 we worked with Katie D, the Sonesta's Catering Manager, to design our perfect wedding. Katie listened to us and followed through with every detail we asked - trust me, I asked a lot!! She worked within our budget and helped bring to life the wedding of our dreams. As a slightly OCD bride it would have been impossible for me to relax not controlling every detail of the preparation the day of the wedding but with Katie in charge, I knew I was in good hands. I cannot tell you how amazed our guests were at the stunning views from the hotel, the excellent food and the professionalism of the staff. I honestly cannot say enough good things about the Royal Sonesta and Katie! If I could give them 10 stars, I would!!
  • User1071413 Sent on 01/17/2013
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    From day one, the Wedding Coordinator, Trang made my experience far superior than any hotel I have ever worked with. She was always punctual, organized, and willing to go above and beyond to make me happy. Her attention to detail, passion for event planning, and knowledge of the industry made our wedding experience at the Royal Sonesta impeccable.
    We have received several calls from friends and relatives raving over the meals, especially the filet! Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. We are so pleased with the quality of service and food provided that we will be sure to highly recommend the Royal Sonesta for events!
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    Amanda Sent on 03/18/2013
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    We got married at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge in August of 2012. Jim who worked with us made the entire process seamless. From the first meeting at the Art Bar to a follow up about how everything went it was more than perfect. He was receptive to ideas, had some of his own that we had not thought off and recommended some vendors which we used. The package was in our budget for our Sunday wedding and although we added a few food items everything was to die for. People are still talking about how good the food was as well as the Skyline Room where the reception was. We had our cocktail hour outside below on the patio which was awesome and very cool. If you have any questions about this venue or anything let us know. If we had to do it again, we would not change a thing with our vendors or the reception. Thanks Jim and Royal Sonesta!

    Josh Shama and Amanda Esar
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    Allison Sent on 06/05/2012
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    Everyone at the Sonesta was amazing! Austin Horn was the coordinator/event manager and he made my day incredibly special. My family and I still can not believe how nice everyone was, from the front desk staff, to the servers, bartender, rehearsal dinner crew and event coordinator! They are accommodating, respectful and passionate about making your day special. We had our rehearsal dinner at the restaurant Dante, and they were also wonderful! The food was amazing and Samantha made sure we had the experience we hoped for. I am grateful to everyone at the Sonesta for truly caring about myself, my new husband and our family and friends (especially Austin)!
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