Boston. Where seafood & beer couple like salt and pepper, where rich history cogs churn with fast-paced tech, and where a small-town vibe riddles its way through bustling streets. Boston is at the top of the list for many staff retreats, trumping hubs like New York and Chicago for its affordability and walkability.
So, if you’re considering your next company retreat in this booming arts and culture hub, read on. We’ve rounded up ten of the best areas and hotels to stay in and coupled them with team-building activities well worth checking out.
5 Neighborhoods perfect for your next corporate retreat in Boston
1. Beacon Hill: where cobbled streets line Boston’s heart
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Team building events in Beacon Hill are a must if you’re the outdoorsy type. Team members will love staying in Beacon Hill for its cobbled streets, quaint cafes, and copious coworking spaces. Beacon Hill is a 10-minute drive to the international airport and even sits on an airport shuttle route—if you’re booking for a large group, this is a great plus.
Although Beacon Hill is on the pricey side, its walkability is unchallenged. The neighborhood has plenty of points of interest for “OOO” outings. Plus, it’s home to Boston Common, the Frog Pond—perfect for ice-skating if you’re planning your corporate event in winter—and the iconic Swan Boats, guaranteed to win pride of place in an employee’s Instagram grid. A location to remember!
- Team building activities: Swan Boats, Black Heritage Trail, Frog Pond, Citizens Bank Opera House.
- Best time of year: Winter-Spring
- Price meter: $$$$
2. West End: build bridges alongside the Charles River
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Out of all of our locations for your offsite in Boston, West End definitely needs to be one up for serious consideration. Team members will have plenty of walking opportunities in their downtime and catch a game or two at TD Garden—whether basketball fans or ice hockey fans, this unique stadium has both covered.
Today, the neighborhood is ethnically diverse and vibrant. The neighborhood is packed with green spots: Lederman Park, Thoreau Path, North Point Park, Nashua Street Park. Plus, the Craigie Drawbridge and Museum of Science. Being just twenty minutes from Downtown, your team will have plenty to do if they choose to extend their trip through the weekend.
- Team building activities: The Sports Museum, Museum of Science, Lederman Park, make the trip to the Lego Discovery Center, take a trip over to Cambridge to see Harvard and MIT, visit the North End
- Best time of year: Summer
- Price meter: $$$
3. Fenway-Kenmore: Boston’s academic and cultural hub
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Every event facilitator will need to consider Fenway-Kenmore as a neighborhood for a staff retreat in Boston. Why? Apart from it being one of the safest neighborhoods to stay in the Boston area, Fenway-Kenmore is also home to Fenway Park and the Red Sox—a great activity for your team to let off some steam and get a feel for Boston at its finest.
A little further away from the heat of the city, Fenway-Kenmore makes the most of the extra space with Back Bay Fens and the James P. Kelleher Rose Garden—perfect for summer visits. It’s just worth keeping in mind that this location may not be a fit for shorter staff retreats as, although one of the perks of Boston is its airport accessibility, this area is a little more complicated to reach from the airport than other neighborhoods, and Downtown is around a 20-minute ride on the train.
- Team building activities: Rose Garden, Kenmore Square, Museum of Fine Arts
- Best time of year: Summer
- Price meter: $$$
4. Downtown: for startups looking for a fast-paced getaway
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Downtown Boston is renowned for its eateries, impressive stores, and rampant nightlife, making this an impressive pitstop for any company retreat looking to keep their younger talent on the go. The fast pace of this neighborhood also makes it a great location for an overnight retreat; you won’t be short on places to eat and drink!
Aside from their free time, Downtown is packed with workable coffee shops and coworking spaces, from boutique spaces to over five WeWorks—there’s no shortage of a meeting room and caffeine to fuel your trip!
- Team building activities: Citizens Bank Opera House, Boch Center Wang Theatre, eat your fill at Union Oyster House, check out Versus arcade bar
- Best time of year: Spring - Fall
- Price meter: $$$$$
5. East Boston: perfect for locals looking to branch out
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Maybe, just maybe, you’ve come to this article, and you’re already set up in Boston. Perhaps you’re looking for a change of scene but don’t have the budget or the operational team to help take you out of the city, or perhaps you’re planning holiday parties and don’t actually need to leave the city at all. If that’s the case, then East Boston is the best in-city getaway for your Boston retreat.
The area is close to the airport for any out-of-state joiners attending your event, and it’s well-connected to the rest of the city—jump on the blue line, and you’re back in Downtown in ten minutes. East Boston has been on the rise in popularity in recent years thanks to its ocean views, vibrant Latino culture, and Constitution Beach—perfect for a summer’s dip if you dare!
- Team building activities: Constitution Beach, Piers Park, East Boston Farm Stand, Winthrop Beach, visit the Boston Harbor Islands, Archery Games Boston, head to Tallship—an outdoor bar on the water
- Best time of year: Summer - Fall
- Price meter: $$$$$
5 Hotels for a team building retreat to remember
Whether you’re planning your next team bonding experience for a large group, looking for a year-round location, or just a hotel with decent Wi-Fi, we’ve covered five hotels you’ll need to consider for the perfect business retreat.
1. Boston Yacht Haven: idyllic views, quite literally, on the waterfront
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The Inn at Boston Yacht Haven is truly a one-of-a-kind stay. The marina is a hotspot for team building activities on the water, but the Inn itself is where the true magic lies. Recognized for its unique architecture and sitting on an exclusive strip of marina real estate, the Inn is clean, quiet, and serves up a delicious breakfast.
- Team building activities: Sailing, The Paul Revere House, Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, New England Aquarium, cross the river for Puttshack
- Best time of year: Summer
- Price meter: $$$
2. Beacon hill hotel: feel at home in the center of it all
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Foster teamwork in style at the heart of Beacon Hill. This hotel is flooded with light, has a beautiful terrace area, and surprisingly spacious suites with plenty of living room, given its central location. Inspired by European sensibilities, the Beacon Hill hotel offers world-class dining, 14 boutique rooms, and an on-site restaurant for your employees to grab a bite on those busier days of your retreat.
- Team building activities: Nichols House Museum, Black Heritage Trail, Boat rides down the river, eateries galore, Paddle Boston
- Best time of year: Fall - Winter
- Price meter: $$$$
3. The Whitney Hotel Boston
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Located on Charles Street, The Whitney Hotel is perfect for those larger teams looking for a group booking with 65 guest rooms, including four suites.. This 4-star hotel is clean, spacious, and offers an award-winning dining experience—perfect for the team foodies!
- Team building activities: Lederman Park, Museum of African American History, Boat rides
- Best time of year: Summer - Fall
- Price meter: $$$
4. Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street
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You may be familiar with this iconic hotel chain already, maybe not, but it will be one that will stick with you after your stay. Standing high between Back Bay and Fenway-Kenmore, this hotel has speedy access from the airport and most of Boston’s highlights. Plus, if you’re looking to host a private event, you can take your pick from two ballrooms, five function rooms, built-in audio-visual equipment, and an on-hand team to help with your itinerary.
- Team building activities: Bukowski Tavern, Skywalk Observatory, The Mapparium
- Best time of year: Summer
- Price meter: $$$$$
5. Citizen M
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Laid-back work environment meets easy living; CitizenM is a popular meeting space for teams across the globe. They’re known for their quality of service and ability to help you do your work on the go—and Boston’s is no exception.
Meeting rooms and coworking galore, and quirky decor make this a great option for startups. CitizenM has great access to the rest of the sitting, sitting snugly alongside North Station. It’s also very affordable when lined up with other business-serving hotels and those on this list.
- Team building activities: Catch a game at TD Garden, visit City Winery, walk the Harbor, grab Italian food in the historic North End, visit Mike’s Pastry
- Best time of year: All-year-round
- Price meter: $$
If that wasn’t enough for you, we’ve rounded up a few more hotels to consider that didn’t make our top five, but still well-worth considering:
- The Newbury Boston
- Encore Boston Harbour
- Hyatt Regency Boston
- Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Back Bay/Fenway
- Hotel CommonWealth
- The Westin Copley Place, Boston
- Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Boston Seaport District
Boston calling! Make your next company retreat unforgettable
From Boston Common to Boston Harbor Islands, the Freedom Trail to a game at Fenway Park—Boston is packed with activities to keep your team happy, entertained, and connected at your company retreat.
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