A New Landmark for Back Bay: The Copley Plaza Hotel

The Copley Plaza Hotel, which opened in 1912, is historically significant to the City, the Commonwealth, and the New England region as one of Boston’s most prominent hotels for over 110 years. The hotel has outstanding historical significance within the evolution of the hospitality industry; as it was the first hotel in the world to have an international reservation system and to accept credit cards, in addition to other advances. The hotel has hosted many notable events and guests, including the majority of American presidents since 1912,foreign dignitaries, and entertainment celebrities.

The Copley Plaza Hotel is also a character-defining element of Copley Square, which is also bordered by the Boston Public Library and Trinity Church. By the 1870s, Copley Square had begun to emerge as a new civic center lined by monumental institutional and religious buildings. Designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, the Copley Plaza Hotel is a palazzo of pale brick and rusticated limestone blocks that harmonizes with the adjacent Boston Public Library.

The exceptional interior of the hotel is significant for its complex first-floor layout and elaborate decorative finishes of multiple spaces. The interior treatments include the use of mosaic, marble, plasterwork, painted murals, and other architectural decorative finishes by skilled designers and craftsmen. In the 1970s, the original first-floor plans and historic photographs were used to accurately restore many original features of the hotel. The proposed Landmark designation of the Copley Plaza Hotel includes several significant interior spaces on the ground floor, such as the lobby and the grand ballroom.

When the Copley Plaza Hotel study report was posted for public comment, an anonymous commenter wrote to the Commission stating: “It is imperative that The Copley Plaza be preserved as a Landmark. Not only is it a magnificent piece of architecture with glorious workmanship, it's a welcoming and usable place of respite for locals and visitors alike. Moreover, its presence anchors Copley Square and the Back Bay providing a sense of place. The Back Bay just wouldn't be the Back Bay without it. Please preserve this Landmark for future generations locally and the world over.”

At a public hearing on March 24, 2026, the BLC agreed with the staff recommendation to designate the Copley Plaza Hotel as a Landmark under Chapter 772. The designation was subsequently approved by the Mayor on March 31, 2026, and the City Council on April 29, 2026. As a result of the designation, review by the BLC and/or Commission staff shall be required for any proposed alterations to the exterior envelope of the building.

This article was prepared by Jennifer Gaugler, Architectural Historian.