Best of the New: The Ames

FOR A SOPHISTICATED, INTIMATE WEDDING, look no further than the Ames, which opened last November to much (deserved) fanfare. The designers of this downtown boutique hotel restored the best of the classic 1889 building, including its mosaic vaulted ceiling, cast iron-and-marble staircase, and mosaic-tile floor. But in the European tradition, they also added thoroughly modern glitz: high-back chairs painted an impossibly glossy white, a glittering custom-made chandelier, and display cases arranged by local artists and filled with curious vintage objects. The black-and-white motif manages to be cool without the usual chill.

STANDOUT FEATURES: The hotel’s 111 rooms and 13 suites feature Agua by Korres products, down bedding, and luxurious marble bathrooms. But the Woodward restaurant downstairs is where every in-the-know Bostonian wants to be on a Saturday night. Fortunately, you can have it all to yourself when you reserve one or both floors. After cocktails on the second-level balcony, gather in the dining room to savor choice selections from Mark Goldberg’s New England menu; the adjacent patio on the first floor can also be tented for indoor/outdoor affairs. The floors are connected by an internal white-marble staircase, and each seats 60. A separate, smaller room called the Gallery, which accommodates 40, is available for more-intimate gatherings.

CAPACITY: 60 seated guests for dinner on the second floor of Woodward; 160 for cocktails.

CATERING: Must be provided by the hotel; food and beverage minimums depend on the type of space and number of guests.

FIND IT: One Court St., Boston, 617-979-8120, ameshotel.com.