By Josh Resnek
Forget about revenue figures – which went through the top last month at the casino.
What really matters – besides the cash – is that Encore Boston Harbor Hotel was named a five star destination by the Forbes Travel Guide.
This is very big medicine in terms of receiving an award for service and the class of the operation.
It denotes the very best in construction, size, furniture, beds, sheets, towels, accessories, amenities, and most all, it calls attention to the services provided by the hotel.
Forbes found nearly all of that to be as good as it gets.
This was the first year Forbes reviewed and ranked Encore.
The property now has the distinction of being the largest Five-Star regional resort casino in North America and the largest resort on the East Coast to be awarded the honor.
“Our short time in Boston has seen unprecedented change, yet our commitment to Five-Star service and our immaculate resort have remained a priority since we opened our doors,” said Jenny Holaday, president of Encore Boston Harbor. “This achievement is a testament to the excellence our employees embody every day. I could not be more proud of this team.”
The Everett property, which has 3,300 employees, achieved the designation despite been fully operational
for only 16 months in the past three years due to the corona- virus pandemic, according to Holaday. Other local hotels with a five-star distinction include the Boston Harbor Ho- tel, Four Seasons Hotel Boston, Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, and Mandarin Oriental, Boston.
Some of the criteria for a five-star property, according to Forbes, are rooms with more than just luxurious beds for a restful night’s sleep (including blackout curtains and soundproofing measures), thoughtful guest amenities (such as jogging maps and yoga mats), and helpful housekeeping that goes beyond cleaning, (a microfiber cloth for your sunglasses and a bag of your favorite candy, for example). The property should offer memorable meals and distinctive drinks. And service should be supreme. As Forbes puts it: “Does the staff seem to magically know what you want, even before you ask it?”
Encore Boston Harbor’s spa also received a five-star rating from Forbes.
Two weeks ago the Leader Herald reported on the luxury suites available at Encore.
The luxury suites are tantalizingly gorgeous and well appointed, and very, very expensive.
According to Forbes, the money may be well worth spending for the high rollers looking to gamble and then to bed down in Five-Star luxury.