Best public observation decks?

palindrome

palindrome

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Where are they located? I heard there was one in the Intercontinental but I can't find any info.
 
palindrome said:
Where are they located? I heard there was one in the Intercontinental but I can't find any info.
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Prudential (fee)
Customs Tower ($3 "donation), Marriott discourages visits
12th floor of building next to intercontinental (free, open during business hours)
 
jass said:
Customs Tower ($3 "donation), Marriott discourages visits
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I've heard this a few times that the Marriott dislikes visitors for the top deck, but I found this to be false. My girlfriend and I wandered in one day and the person at the desk was happy to inform us that a tour would be occurring in an hour if we could wait. While talking with them a manager came out and said he'd take us up himself if we wanted and was very nice and happy to do so. I can't recall how much the donation was, though. After he used some hotel card to allow us to use the 2nd elevator (need to transfer elevators at some point, and apparently the 2nd one needs a room key or employee key) he just let us go up by ourselves and chill. Would definitely recommend it to anyone.
 
BostonUrbEx said:
I've heard this a few times that the Marriott dislikes visitors for the top deck, but I found this to be false. My girlfriend and I wandered in one day and the person at the desk was happy to inform us that a tour would be occurring in an hour if we could wait. While talking with them a manager came out and said he'd take us up himself if we wanted and was very nice and happy to do so. I can't recall how much the donation was, though. After he used some hotel card to allow us to use the 2nd elevator (need to transfer elevators at some point, and apparently the 2nd one needs a room key or employee key) he just let us go up by ourselves and chill. Would definitely recommend it to anyone.
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The lower bank of 2 serves G-19, the center elevator serves 19-26. The lower elevators require a Marriott room key. The shuttle elevator does not. You used to have to punch in a secret code on the buttons to get to the deck. It was 26-26-24-25. They've since disabled that feature.

Free tours are given at 4PM daily for non-Marriott guests. My family has 4 Marriott timeshares, so we get to enjoy the view quite often when they invite us to owners weekends. The observatory has arguably the best view in Boston. Also of note is the AWESOME 4-sided clock mechanism on Level 24 (Game Room/Laundry). The whole building is an archigasm.

Getting back on track, the Hancock really did have a killer observatory. I really miss it.
 
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The Rowes Wharf (Boston Harbor) hotel has a nice observation deck, but I no longer remember which floor it is on.
 
The building next to the Intercontinental Hotel (not Atlantic Wharf, the other way, red cladding with green glass). That has a pretty neat, free outdoor one.

The Tower at Mount Auburn gives an amazing, unobstructed 360 view of probably 5 miles in every direction, including Boston.

There is a tower at The Fells by Exit 33 on Route 93 that has a great view of Boston. Also there is a similar tower at Blue Hills.

Also, parking garage roofs make excellent observation decks. Just be aware that somebody is going to come speak to you at about 1 out of every 8-10 garages you go up. It can be slightly embarrassing/annoying, but you will never get into any real trouble for doing it.
 
Best View used to be the top of the Hancock -- glass from floor to ceiling with just a smallish steel rail at about knee height -- too bad it wen away

Pru has good views from the Skywalk -- especially you can look down on the top of 111 Huntigton
 
whighlander said:
too bad it wen away
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...illegally. That was one of the provisions of building the tower - a public observation deck. Apparently, it was only made by verbal contract though. Tbh, I'm not surprised at that, but the citizens of Boston are losing out on a real gem.
 
DZH22 said:
There was a time about 3 years ago that many of us were able to gain access to the 58th floor. (elevator's weren't properly locked) Here is the link to what we are missing out on... http://www.archboston.com/community/showthread.php?t=2647
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Was this before the turnstiles were installed? They've discouraged me from trying to go up. I know some tricks to overriding lockouts on Otis elevators. I also miss Boston's only double-deck elevators @ 1600fpm (200fpm more than the Pru)
 
I had friends who worked in the building and signed me in, if that is what you mean. I'm pretty sure you can't just walk past the front desk or anything. However, there was work being done up there, and normally they disabled that floor stop on the elevator, but sometimes they forgot.
 
DZH22 said:
I had friends who worked in the building and signed me in, if that is what you mean. I'm pretty sure you can't just walk past the front desk or anything. However, there was work being done up there, and normally they disabled that floor stop on the elevator, but sometimes they forgot.
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Ah yeah, you got in the legal way. It's impossible to get past the turnstiles/security without the RFID chip. The paranoid post-9/11 world really gets frustrating.
 
BostonUrbEx said:
I've heard this a few times that the Marriott dislikes visitors for the top deck, but I found this to be false.
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Try to find a single official reference to the existence of the deck and how to get there.

They clearly dont like it. I assume the only reason they let people there is because of some agreement to do so.


Also, the bunker hill thing supposedly has windows on top right? Whenever Ive been there, the doors were locked though.
 
Ron Newman said:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosch-marriotts-custom-house/

"visit the 26th floor observation deck"
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They certainly don't discourage visitors, but you are only allowed up during very specific times of day. Last I knew of it was 6 days a week (not Sunday I think?) at 2:00 only. Before that it used to be 10:00 and 4:00. I absolutely recommend calling and asking somebody if you want to check it out. Also, it used to be free, but the last time I went up it cost $3.
 
DZH22 said:
They certainly don't discourage visitors, but you are only allowed up during very specific times of day. Last I knew of it was 6 days a week (not Sunday I think?) at 2:00 only. Before that it used to be 10:00 and 4:00. I absolutely recommend calling and asking somebody if you want to check it out. Also, it used to be free, but the last time I went up it cost $3.
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I still think people overreacting. The Marriott staff are incredibly friendly even to people not staying there. They're proud of that observation deck (they're also proud of the Presidential Seal in the dome - one of 3 in existence). They also get to pitch their timeshares on the 2 elevator rides up. If anything, it's a sales ploy and it WORKS. That was how my parents got involved with and deeply invested in Marriott.
 
They might not be as nice to you if you don't look like someone who might be interested in buying a time share.
 
And for $3 you still can't really complain. That view is worth up to $10 imho.
 
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