Once the big chains got wise to the fact that people like to stay in quirky, independent places when they travel, the term “boutique hotel” started to get watered down: Suddenly, any place with a Louis Ghost chair or free cookies in the lobby was branding itself with the B-word. Columbus Hospitality Group’s 63-room XV Beacon hotel, however, is the real deal — a locally owned gem that’s straight luxe, from the cashmere throws to the complimentary car service.

XV Beacon | 15 Beacon St., Boston, MA | 617-670-1500 | http://www.xvbeacon.com/