1. The 148-room Mandarin Oriental Boston opened in October 2008 as part of a mixed-use complex with the Prudential Center in Back Bay. The 4,400-square-foot ballroom seats 380 guests for banquet-style dinners or holds 750 for receptions.
2. Local architects oversaw a renovation of the 1851 building that formerly housed the Charles Street Jail, opening the Liberty Hotel Boston in September 2007. The hotel's 3,000-square-foot ballroom holds 225 for a formal sit-down dinner and 300 for a theater-style presentation. Another perk: The hotel's Clink restaurant is a great spot for drinks.
3. The Ritz-Carlton Boston Common reopened an expanded ballroom in November 2007, adding 3,000 square feet to the 7,500-square-foot space. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the renovated space provide views of Boston Common below and the city skyline beyond, making the space a popular destination for corporate groups.
4. The Boston Marriott Copley Place is home to the largest ballroom in the city. The 23,000-square-foot space holds 3,138 guests for a theater-style reception or 1,990 for a banquet-style dinner. In late 2007, the hotel completed a $9 million renovation that includes brand-new digital lighting, sound systems, fiber-optic cabling, and wireless capabilities.
5. The highly anticipated Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel opened in January 2007 next door to the Word Trade Center in downtown Boston. The massive 21-story hotel includes 471 guest rooms and a 10,000-square-foot ballroom that holds 1,016.
