Back Bay Real Estate

Main streets of Back Bay.

Culturally speaking, the Back Bay is known for being the home of the wealthy and the upper middle class. It is best-known for its expensive housing and shopping areas. Most stores are located on Newbury and Boylston Streets, with the ends closer to the Boston Public Garden traditionally more expensive. The Back Bay is dense with luxury hotels that include The Colonnade Hotel , Westin Copley Place, Fairmont Copley Plaza, and the largest hotel in the city, the Marriott Copley. The new Mandarin Oriental, Boston is due to open in June 2008, with an arcade area housing a number of upscale designer boutiques and restaurants.

The Copley Square area is close to the Back Bay railroad terminal , and is the eastern nexus of a system of hotels and shopping centers connected by a set of glassed-in pedestrian overpasses.

The large Copley Place mall includes the first Neiman Marcus opened in the New England area. The system of overpasses extends over half a mile^{[citation needed ]} to the Prudential Center and the shops surrounding it. The 52-story Prudential Tower , thought a marvel in 1964, is now considered ugly by some.^[4] However, the Prudential Skywalk observatory offers wonderful views of Back Bay, Boston, and surrounding areas.