Places to Stay

My Favorite Airbnb: A Downtown Boston Loft With Unbelievable Natural Light

It was the perfect place for two to explore everything Boston has to offer.
My Favorite Airbnb A Downtown Boston Loft With Unbelievable Natural Light
Courtesy Airbnb

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A decade ago, I visited Boston with my family for the very first time. I fell in love with the city’s charm—the history, the great restaurants, and how it somehow felt homey, while still offering all the perks of a big city. I’ve been longing to return to Boston since then and this year, I finally made it my mission.

My partner and I decided to take a quick fall weekend trip together—somewhere within driving distance of New York City—and so my opportunity to finally return to Boston had arrived. We planned to stay for two nights, just enough time to explore some of the city and still relax a bit. Looking for something a bit cozier than a hotel, I began my search on Airbnb. After researching different apartments and other rentals just outside the city, I landed on a spacious loft downtown, located just minutes from Boston Common, America's oldest public park since 1634. 

It was just about a four-hour drive from NYC. After parking in a nearby public lot, the loft was easy to find and the elevator made carrying our bags in a breeze. My first impression when I opened the door: wow, look at this lighting. This beautiful, bright loft had plenty of windows that let in unbelievable natural light throughout the whole day, but especially in the morning. It had a completely open layout—connecting the dining room, living room, and kitchen—that made it feel much bigger than I expected. This unit was spotless; modern with concrete floors, high ceilings, and pops of colorful decor, and it had more than enough space for two.

The bedroom was clean and bright.

Courtesy Airbnb

The bedroom was tucked away in the back of the loft. It had a comfortable queen-size bed, a full-length mirror, and plenty of wardrobe space for two over-packers who seemed to forget that we were only staying for a weekend. We didn’t have time to utilize the kitchen, which was fully equipped with a stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher, basic dishes and silverware, kettle, and drip coffee maker. However, we did thoroughly enjoy the kitchen bar stools—where we sat to sip our coffee and admire the morning sunlight that filled the whole space. 

Exploring some of the city's history was definitely on my itinerary and luckily, this Airbnb was only a four-minute to walk to the start of the Freedom Trail. I walked through Granary Burying Ground, where Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and members of Benjamin Franklin's family are laid to rest. My walk through Boston Common also included stops at the Old Corner Bookstore, downtown's oldest commercial building, and the Old South Meeting House, home to historic meetings like tea tax debates.

I was told by a few Bostonian friends that I simply must stop by the city's beloved Tatte Bakery. The loft is about a 10 minute walk away from the Parisian-style bakery, so we stopped in to enjoy a delicious cappuccino and (too many) desserts. Our Airbnb was a short Uber from Newbury Street, where I spent an afternoon shopping; the Seaport, where there's countless amazing restaurants to choose from like Lola 42; and the North End, where we visited the Paul Revere's House and ate . After all that exploring, we managed to save some time to relax on the comfy L-shape couch and watch a few rom coms on the 55” HDTV (with Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix to choose from). 

Although a great space for two, this Airbnb has enough room for up to four people, thanks to its sofa bed and spacious layout. In just a short weekend, I was reminded of why I couldn’t wait to go back to Boston for all those years. This Airbnb's convenient location and sleek design made it the perfect place for a New England weekend getaway