View's
in, breakfast out in the North End
by Joe Yonan , Globe Staff
November 28, 2004
It
was the first snow of winter, and after hauling my bag through
the narrow, slippery streets of the North End and getting
slightly lost, I found it: a little red-brick building set
several yards back from the others, behind a wrought-iron
fence and up a few stairs.
There was no sign, but I knew from the address and the website
photos that this was La Cappella Suites, a one-story chapel
built in 1941 and now a five-floor home and tiny inn. Innkeeper
Tricia Muse had e-mailed me a code for the front-door security
system, and had left me a key in an envelope in the front
entryway, which had all the markings of a family: coats, boots,
scarves, and gloves, big and small. It would have felt as
if I were staying with friends, except all other signs that
this is the Muses' home were invisible from the common hallway.
They live in the first three floors of La Cappella, with the
guest suites on floors four and five. I made my way up the
stairs to the top floor, went into the suite, and immediately
rushed to appreciate the most appealing quality of the place:
the views.
From
a little balcony off the common kitchen area, I could see
the Custom House and other downtown towers, peeking up behind
the snow-covered rooftops of neighbors. Then I went into my
room, where a larger balcony looked onto a breathtakingly
intimate convergence of residential buildings: roofdecks above,
courtyards below, and windows into living rooms and kitchens.
The
views make La Cappella Suites a beautiful perch for a weekend
in Boston's Little Italy. The place is scaled to fit the neighborhood,
with only three rooms on two floors, each floor with a sunny
common kitchen area. The decor is light and airy, with polished
Italian marble floors, white and off-white walls, and lots
of windows and skylights.
The
fifth-floor suite would be perfect for a family or two sets
of friends, because its Messina Room where I stayed with a
friend one night, and my sister the next is right off the
kitchen area, behind pocket doors that don't block much sound.
It is also the only room of the three that doesn't have a
bathroom "en suite," meaning you have to go through the kitchen
and down the hall to the little bathroom, which is barely
big enough to hold your toiletries bag, let alone a change
of clothes. (The fourth floor, meanwhile, has just one room,
which is where anyone interested in complete privacy should
stay.)
Thankfully,
our suite-mates, young British newlyweds, were quiet and polite.
If they had been loud, the weekend would have much less pleasant.
Our
bigger complaint was with the breakfast setup. The refrigerator,
freezer, and pantry were stocked with frozen waffles and pancakes,
cups of yogurt, English muffins, boxes of cereal, and cans
of Maxwell House coffee. That seemed a shame, especially in
a neighborhood full of cannoli and espresso.
La
Cappella's website honestly describes the morning offerings
as "modest, complimentary, self-serve," but we couldn't help
but wish for something less modest. Even a continental breakfast
could feature excellent coffee and freshly baked pastries.
Worse, La Cappella describes itself as a bed-and-breakfast,
which is only half right. (If you have to go out for a hot
breakfast, or bring one in, then it's not a B&B, it's a B
& BYOB.)
The
kitchen space seemed a bit wasted, frankly, with all those
counters and cabinets but no pots, pans, or stovetop. Our
suite-mates one night tried to make a pasta supper after foraging
in one Italian market or another, and the cooking process
involved multiple rounds in the microwave, which we heard
from inside our room as a half-hour series of beeps.
Even
so, it was hard not to be charmed by La Cappella's tucked-away
feel, light-filled rooms, and quiet location just around the
corner from the hubbub of Hanover Street. On Saturday morning,
while Muse and her toddlers tidied up the room left vacant
by the departing Brits, I made just enough coffee from a can
to power myself out for a real breakfast and shopping: limoncello,
olive oil, dried favas, and espresso beans.
On
Sunday morning, with the floor to ourselves, my sister and
I lounged about in the kitchen area, reading the newspaper
and drinking perfect lattes and warm croissants she had fetched
from Caffe Graffiti and Modern Pastry while I slept in. We
figured the Eggos and Maxwell House could wait for the next
guests.
~ •
~ • ~
Sidebar Story:
La
Cappella Suites
290 North Street
Boston, MA 02113
Tel 617-523-9020
www.lacappellasuites.com
What
we liked most:
The location, the $140 room rate, and the skyline views from
the common kitchen area and private balcony.
What we liked least:
The self-serve breakfast offerings, including frozen waffles
and Maxwell House coffee.
What surprised us:
The peace and quiet, even in the middle of such a busy neighborhood.
You know you're at La Cappella Suites when . . . After a night
out in the North End, your resting place is only steps away.
Directions:
From the intersection of Hanover and Cross streets in the
North End, go north up Hanover several blocks and turn right
onto Fleet Street. Turn right onto North Street. La Cappella
is the third building on the right.
Rates:
December - March: $140-$170
April - November: $160-$190
Rates are flexible for longer stays, especially in winter.
Call for details.
