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The Emerald Lounge –

Hot Spots

Tiffany Probasco

Boston is known for its hotel lounge scene with venues like the Westin’s Bar 10, the InterContinental’s RumBa and the W Hotel Lounge. The newly-erected Revere Hotel’s Emerald Lounge falls in line with the quality of these longstanding venues as a four-diamond standard hotel, but in addition to quality, they are elevating the downtown hospitality experience by infusing it with a young, vibrant vibe.

The Décor:

The Emerald’s name holds two meanings. The first is obvious as you walk through the hotel labyrinth of twists and turns and the green lighting guides your way to the venue. It’s a play on Dorothy’s journey in The Wizard of Oz sans the yellow brick road. More loosely, the name pays homage to Boston’s landscape masterpiece, The Emerald Necklace that links the Boston area’s largest green spaces.

The steel sculptures lit with various colors of LED lighting give the space a masculine, futuristic décor. In contrast, sleek yet comfortable chairs are decorated with plush pillows. Away from the center of the room, cozy nooks invite you to have the most intimate of conversations. Within moments of stepping inside, you have forgotten that you are attached to a hotel, or that you are even in Boston.

Drinks and Bites:

Before delving into the menu delights, Bar Manager Teodora Bakardzhieva explained her unique approach to The Emerald’s cocktail menu.

“When I approached the drink menu, I thought a lot about how people are trying to be healthier, so I thought, why not make the drinks healthier too? You’ll see that a lot of our drinks are made with fresh ingredients: fresh herbs, fresh fruit, and most of our syrups are made in house,” she said.

Mixologist Tyrese whipped up a staple on the menu: the Blueberry-Vojito, their twist on the traditional mojito, made with fresh blueberries and mint. It was as refreshing as it was delicious. They change the menu seasonally, but the Blueberry-Vojito has been in demand since summer. Other invigorating notables are the Grapefruit Cosmopolitan, Apple Crisp and Boston Tea Party — made with Earl Grey tea syrup.

All of their food menu items are made to be eaten without the use of silverware, and are for sharing. Unfortunately, though, it isn’t as expansive as I would have hoped. I tasted the truffle fries, homemade hummus and vegetable spring rolls. The hummus was bland and almost inedible, but the spring rolls were decent, though a bit salty, and the food service was a bit slow. This may not be the spot for foodies, but it’s nice at least that there is food available.

Entertainment:

General Manager Aggelos Panagopoulos described the entertainment scene as charming.

“We’re a lounge first with a night club [feel] as a bonus. The age range is about mid 20s to early 40s,” he said. “You have your after work crowd starting around 4 p.m., then there’s a transition with those coming for a drink before they head to their next destination around 9; and those who want to stay until 2 a.m. We have something for them, too.”

Their most popular nights are Fridays and Saturdays, when they invite world-renowned DJs to spin.

“There’s never a cover,” he said, “All we ask is for people [to] adhere to the business attire dress code.”

On Wednesdays, the after work crowd usually turns hipster with Assemble Boston’s weekly event highlighting local artisans, and on Libation Thursdays you can experience cocktails inspired by the week’s featured spirit.

As for celebrity sightings, Panagopoulos shared, “Mark Wahlberg has been here; Olympians Ryan Lochte and Aly Raisman have stopped by. We’ve had industry nights where Clinton Sparks came, so in our eight short months, we have had our share of celebrities.”

Things to Come:

Summer is coming — at some point — and when it does you’ll want to check out their patio seating. Also for those who want a more exclusive Emerald experience they will be adding a secret — I mean more intimate — space coming in the future.

Why You Should Go:

If inviting décor and tasty drinks weren’t enough to convince you that you should stop by this “hot spot,” the thing I found most inviting was the attentiveness and friendliness of the staff and management. Director of Public Relations Bryan Barbier commented, “When creating the Emerald we really took into account the stigma that comes with downtown bars — basically that people are snobs. We want to be that upscale venue with the local bar feel where everyone who comes through our doors feels welcome. We want to be inclusive.”

The Emerald Lounge is located inside the Revere Hotel on 200 Stuart St. in the Theater District. For menus and detailed entertainment information visit www.emeraldultralounge.com.