# Back Bay Boston **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 3, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878 "2012-12-03T17:57:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/1 "2012-12-03T17:57:08Z")
I am not familiar with Boston. The wedding will be at Alden Castle. Where is a good place nearby (assuming people will be attempting to stay near that venue) for a Rehearsal dinner for about 60? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/2 "2012-12-03T18:19:40Z")
I’ve lived in the Boston area for decades, and never heard of Alden Castle until your two threads. A word of advice -=- ask the mods to change your thread title. Not only isn’t it helpful, it’s actually misleading. Alden Castle, according to its website, is in Brookline, which is not especially close to Back Bay Boston. [http://www.longwoodevents.com/venues/alden-castle.shtml](http://www.longwoodevents.com/venues/alden-castle.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/3 "2012-12-03T18:33:32Z")
That’s not far from where I work, but I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. How are people getting around? Foot? MBTA? (Egads, not…) Car? ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/4 "2012-12-03T20:05:17Z")
So you can tell that I know nothing about Boston, huh? Anyway, there was talk of the Commonwealth Hotel, and I thought that was described as being in Back Bay. I will welcome advice on the correct title to use. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/5 "2012-12-03T20:20:17Z")
There’s apparently more than one Hotel Commonwealth, one of which is in Back Bay proper. You should find out exactly where these locations are, and confirm that the hotel listed is the correct one. If people are staying in the Copley Square one in Back Bay, they’ll be nowhere near Brookline, and they won’t be walking to the reception. Driving would be best, but parking in Boston – especially in Back Bay – is an expensive nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/6 "2012-12-03T20:28:09Z")
So this one is at 528 Commonwealth Avenue, with the attached Eastern Standard Restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/7 "2012-12-03T20:29:36Z")
It’s a few neighborhoods away, but the Algonquin Club worked great for both a corporate party and a friend’s wedding reception. It might be pricey but it’s very nice. My married friends somehow managed to book it on really short notice. It’s in Back Bay proper, a bit of a walk for energetic people in comfortable shoes. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/8 "2012-12-03T20:31:46Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > So this one is at 528 Commonwealth Avenue, with the attached Eastern Standard Restaurant. The Algonquin Club is at 217 Commonwealth Avenue, so that’s a nice walk for people in uncomfortable shoes. Sounds perfect! That’s a really nice neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/9 "2012-12-03T21:01:38Z")
Thanks, I will check that out. Any other suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/10 "2012-12-03T21:07:52Z")
By the way, I read all of Robert Parker’s books. It is certainly fun to see the streets and places (like the Algonquin Club) on a map. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/11 "2012-12-03T21:41:55Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > Any other suggestions? Sure, the Park Plaza Hotel. I’m assuming you have a dumptruck full of cash for this. Actually, considering what people spend on weddings, it might not be that unreasonable. The Copley Square Hotel is nice too. I don’t know about big dinners, but my above mentioned married friends spent their wedding night there. They invited a few of us up to party, and… Swankaaaaay. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/12 "2012-12-03T21:49:06Z")
The Elephant Walk on Beacon Street might work for you. I’ve not been to the one on Beacon Street; I’ve only been to the one in Cambridge, but its nice. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/13 "2012-12-04T02:41:25Z")
So I look up the Park Plaza Hotel and it looks great. Plus, it seems really inexpensive. Sure, their rack rate is around $250 but if I wanted to stay there tomorrow I could get a room for 120 dollars or less, which does not sound bad at all. So is it a nice place, or old and run down? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/14 "2012-12-04T03:39:03Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > So I look up the Park Plaza Hotel and it looks great. Plus, it seems really inexpensive. Sure, their rack rate is around $250 but if I wanted to stay there tomorrow I could get a room for 120 dollars or less, which does not sound bad at all. So is it a nice place, or old and run down? Both. The lobby and ballroom areas are nice; the rooms run the gamut from dodgy to dilapidated. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/15 "2012-12-04T03:42:54Z")
Maggiano’s Little Italy would be a good spot for a rehearsal dinner. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/16 "2012-12-04T14:33:57Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > The Elephant Walk on Beacon Street might work for you. I’ve not been to the one on Beacon Street; I’ve only been to the one in Cambridge, but its nice. I don’t think it’s big enough. I had lunch in the big party room last year, and our small party (11 of us, counting from the picture) nearly filled the table. Seconding the rec for Maggiano’s. The food is great and they can handle really large parties. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/17 "2012-12-04T19:40:15Z")
Maggiano’s looks great. Thanks for the tip. I would love The Elephant Walk, although I have never had Cambodian cuisine, in general I love Asian food. I suspect it will be borderline in size however. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/18 "2012-12-04T20:56:42Z")
I was also going to mention Elephant Walk since I’ve actually been there for a wedding reception and it was quite nice. One of the nicer Wedding’s I’d been to. However, that was over a decade ago so take the recommendation for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/19 "2012-12-04T21:03:29Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > Maggiano’s looks great. Thanks for the tip. I would love The Elephant Walk, although I have never had Cambodian cuisine, in general I love Asian food. I suspect it will be borderline in size however. Their website states: "The Boston Elephant Walk: In Boston we have one private dining room with a capacity of 25-30. Our main dining room in the center of the restaurant can accommodate up to 90 people. Our front dining room can seat a maximum of 60. The restaurant will accommodate 140 guests in its entirety." Perhaps contacting them would be the place to start? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-bay-boston/642878/20 "2012-12-04T21:19:31Z")
Maybe I never saw the main dining room.