Nothing fancy

The hotel seems to be made up of kitchenette suites. It's fine, but nothing special, and out in the suburbs. Everything is a drive, including meals. Housekeeping service every second day, if that makes a difference to you. Included simple breakfast. I don't even know if they realized I had a dog there, but they didn't have any problems with it. Sufficient green space around the perimeter of the parking lot. Nothing to complain about, but also nothing to celebrate.

Feb. 16, 2024

Good location, limited green space

Of all the Kimptons I've stayed at, I think this one has been the most pet-indifferent as opposed to pet-positive, which was a bit of a change of pace. The room was fine, and I'd stay here again. However, it's downtown-downtown and every patch of green space in the vicinity appears to be privately owned. All three were closed off during my stay there. For example, two parkettes nearby are owned by BNY Mellon, and each had signage saying "open dawn to dusk." They seem to have left out some significant info, such as which month(s) this might be true for. Fortunately the edges of the property were exposed enough for my dog to use, but that's it. I haven't experienced this situation before.

Feb. 13, 2024

Pet fee too high

Nice enough room, in a low-rise motel format. It's right out near the airport and by a highway, but it was quiet enough. Lots of green space around the edge of the property. If in town again, I'd stay here. If somewhere with a comparable quality, but lower fee, I'd stay there.

Feb. 11, 2024

Nice place, fairly cozy room

What can I say - I like Kimpton properties. No pet fee, no size restriction, and very friendly to pets. Rittenhouse Square is two blocks away for some green space. Additional "resort fee" but most of that can be used as credit in the attached restaurant. Lots of other good restaurants in the area. I'd stay here again.

Feb. 11, 2024

No off leash area, but decent space for some on-leash exercise

Lots of green space, and poop bags supplied in a couple of places. Very nice to stroll and hang out with your pooch.

Feb. 11, 2024

Great open area for your dog to run around and burn off some energy

The off-leash area comprises part of the park at the highest point near the ice rink. The whole park is *not* off-leash, and the area that is is not fenced in. Decent recall is a must. There are occasional times when the site is closed to dogs for events or maintenance.

As noted in the main description, visitors also have have to pay to use the space. Rates as of this writing are $5 for 2 days, $10 for a week. You’ll need to send in copies of relevant license and vaccination paperwork online, and you get a temporary permit in return.

All that said, if you are only stopping by once, I’d say skip the hassle, let the dog have fun, and be prepared to bow out gracefully if challenged. Lots of space for running, and additional areas for on-leash walks. If you do get a pass, note that it is also good at about a dozen other locations in Brookline.

While I’d gladly pay a fee for upkeep if a regular user, I do wish that governments could see their way clear to extending free courtesy permits to visitors, along with presentation of vaccination paperwork if asked by park staff. Really - it’s just showing the kind of (very low-cost) generosity you would hope to experience if you were travelling. (Rant over.)

Dec. 31, 2019

Modern and central hotel

Staff I met were VERY dog-friendly, and there were no problems with the stay. There is limited green space in the immediate vicinity - enough for a dog to do their business, but you’ll need to go a bit further afield to get in some exercise. No particular amenities offered for dogs, but then I had everything I needed and didn’t need anything. Received a bag of dog treats on arrival, though. Would stay here again,

Jan. 04, 2020

Average urban dog park

Ok. Fairly small. With the size of Parc Lafontaine, I think they could have managed to set aside a bit more room. Winter when I was there (so, snow-covered), but I seem to recall it’s pea gravel. Fine, but nothing special. The park is very nice for on-leash walking, though.

Jan. 03, 2020

Great dog-friendly hotel

Just across the Charles River from Boston in Cambridge, and around the corner from the Museum of Science and a sizeable mall. Staying here with my dog was (once again) a great experience. Very welcoming and no pet fee. Walkable parkland next door, across the street along the river, and a couple of blocks away. A nice place for us humans as well.

My third stay at a Kimpton Hotel because of their pet policy. Why can't all pet-friendly hotels be like this?

Dec. 31, 2018

*Looks* like a great place to take your pup, but…

A few others have talked about the fact that this is for local residents only, and there are varying opinions on enforcement. I won’t weigh in on that, since I never got that far.

Noting that BringFido is primarily a travel site, I’ll assume that many readers are coming from away. If you can walk to the park, then by all means, go ahead and roll the dice on taking your non-resident dog in. If, however, you arrive by car, any convenient parking is also resident-only. Having an out of state plate is pretty much a red flag for enforcement. I met a very nice local dog owner, who welcomed me, but also assured me that my car would be ticketed if I left it there. I chose to go to Larz Anderson park in Brookline. Not nearby, but far more welcoming!

Thanks to the person who warned me, and I’m passing it on to others. If you are in a clearly non-resident vehicle, you’ll need to find somewhere awkward to park, or give this park a pass.

Dec. 31, 2019

Largish Urban Off Leash Area

Largish urban off-leash area with chain link surround. Walking track around the perimeter if you aren’t a stander, or if the ground is muddy. Not split by dog size. Lots of surrounding parkland for on-leash walking.

Nov. 25, 2019

Small, but a nice spot on the river

Two small enclosures. Pea gravel surface, which is good to have in the spring when other local dog parks are a muddy mess. Nice spot on the river.

Jul. 30, 2019

Great place for the dog to run around, but…

A sizeable portion of the Common is loosely fenced (parade fencing) as an off-leash area. Lots of space to run and fetch, but the area is not completely enclosed and your dog should have decent recall, or not be a bolter. Still, a good place to burn off some energy, and a beautiful area to walk on-leash in the rest of the Common. Not that the actually off-leash area moves periodically to prevent over-wear of the grass. Check their website for the current location if you are not a regular.

Jul. 30, 2019

Gem of a dog park

As noted, the entire 14 acre (?) island is a dog park, "fenced in" only by water and a gate at the bridge to the parking lot. Shady in the summer. Accessible all year round, except for about a month in spring when the place needs to dry out from snow melt and not get torn up. Check out their FB page for any current notices. Highly recommend!

Jul. 30, 2019

The best part of the park is outside the fences

The two off-leash areas are quite large. The large-dog one is mostly wide-open grass, if your dog likes to run and fetch.

My suggestion is to spend some time there, then take your dog for a walk around the periphery of the whole park. Although not off-leash, most of the time there is no one else there and you will not disturb others (if your dog has good recall).

Jul. 25, 2019

There is more outside the off leash area

It's a large park - there are also some good on-leash areas outside the dog area. If your dog needs to work off a bit of their cabin fever before being turned loose to play with others, there are some trails and open parkland for a good walk.

Jul. 25, 2019

Large open area, fenced in.

A large-sized leash-free area. Generally in good shape. Somewhat windy and exposed, but a nice place to visit with your dog.

Jul. 25, 2019

Small urban off leash area

Single fenced-in area at the end of a park. Nice for nearby, but there are better places in the city if you want a bit more room.

Jul. 25, 2019

A great urban dog park

A series of semi-enclosed trails winding through a forest that is being re-naturalised. Nice and cool in the summer, out of the wind in the winter. Also connects with an extensive set of on-leash trails. One warning: the trails are not maintained in winter, so they can get a bit treacherous during met/freeze cycles. Still lovely, though.

Jul. 24, 2019

Very large off leash area

If an urban "off-leash area" suggests to you a half-acre of pea gravel or worn grass surrounded by chain link fence, you will be astonished at the size of this dog park. I'd guess that this one is a few dozen acres in size, including a large open sandy area (dog hill) and lots of fenced in hiking trails through the woods. Take your dog(s) and get lost in there for a while.

Jul. 08, 2019