WOBURN, MASS.–Hilton Boston/Woburn completed a $16 million renovation spearheaded by a joint venture between The Davis Companies and The Rubicon Companies and opened Matadora, the hotel’s Spanish tapas restaurant. The property’s top-to-bottom renovation drew inspiration from the area’s historic shoe and leather-making industries, articulating Woburn’s legacy of craftsmanship throughout the transformed lobby, guestrooms, and event and meeting spaces.
“After 10 months of construction, the Hilton Boston/Woburn has been completely transformed with a layered redesign that is a tribute to Woburn’s rich industrial history while conveying a modern sensibility,” said General Manager Brett Woods. “Our associates and I are excited to welcome guests and the community to experience the brand-new rooms, event spaces and incredible menu at Matadora.”
Matadora is a modern tapas restaurant created in partnership with COJE Management, the team behind Boston’s social dining spots Yvonne’s, RUKA, and Lolita. The menus, which were developed by COJE’s Culinary Director Tom Berry and will be executed by Matadora’s Chef de Cuisine William Jimenez, are focused on tailored tapas and flavorful cuts of meat and fish from the kitchen’s centerpiece–a custom, wood-fired grill. Among the menu highlights are a curated selection of Spanish meats, cheese and olives; tapas stand outs like Shrimp Toast, Charred Galician Octopus, Wood Grilled Broccoli, and Basque Street Corn; entrees from the wood-fired grill, including Vermont Raised N.Y. Strip, Spanish-inspired Grass Fed Burger, Rare Yellowfin Tuna, and Long Bone Pork Chop; and classic Spanish desserts such as Hot Churros and Cantabrian Ricotta Cake.
Matadora’s patio with firepits and lounge sofas leads inside to a central bar and a variety of seating options ranging from high-top leather banquettes to a large, rolling communal table and stools at the Chef’s Counter, nine seats overlooking the open kitchen and custom grill. Reclaimed wood, distressed leather, lighting installation, and pops of terracotta and red punctuate the space. A series of murals depicting the matadora, the restaurant’s namesake, serve as focal points.
The $16 million renovation revitalized the Woburn hotel’s lobby, guestrooms, and event and meeting spaces, which pay homage to the town’s legacy of craftmanship that dates back to the 17th Century. Cobblers and cordwainers dominated the city’s industry through the mid-1800s when manufacturing shifted to leathermaking by 1865. In 1885, Woburn became New England’s leading leather producer and its talented tanners are credited with innovations still used today. In fact, it was Woburn’s Henry Thayer who developed chrome tanning in 1901, a process that makes leather water-resistant, more durable, softer, and suppler than traditional vegetable tanning.
Lobby renovations include a new lighting installation, reclaimed woods, layered area rugs, retail-inspired check-in desks displaying vintage artifacts and accent walls inspired by a Brannock shoe measuring device. The lobby flows into a six-story, open atrium and past the Rivet Room, a new social space with oversized leather armchairs and billiards overlooking the refurbished indoor swimming pool.
“We knew this development had immense potential to benefit from our repositioning strategy as one of the city’s few full-service hotels. Matadora adds a spectacular destination dining experience which aligns with our vision for this property,” said The Davis Companies Founder and CEO Jonathan G. Davis. “We look forward to witnessing the vitality this hotel brings to Woburn and its visitors.”
Marc Gordon, principal of The Rubicon Companies added, “We saw a spectacular renovation opportunity at the hotel to improve the overall guest experience and the local social functions and meetings offerings. The property has been completely transformed and is effectively a new hotel that should appeal to business and leisure travelers and the community seeking a stylish, tech-forward experience in a great location. Our beautiful indoor/outdoor Matadora restaurant and bar provides a dramatic centerpiece not just for hotel guests but for patrons from throughout the Boston area.”
The 344 newly renovated guestrooms, including two Junior Suites, showcase the city’s industrial character by highlighting elements of cobbler shops and tanneries while infusing contemporary touches, including forged metals, lacquered hard goods, embossed leather headboards, and 3D wire art. Rooms have Serenity Beds with Serta Perfect Sleeper Suite Dreams mattresses, Peter Thomas Roth bath products, and interior balconies overlooking the indoor pool.
Hilton Boston/Woburn’s 18,000 square feet of newly renovated event space offers flexible options for all styles of corporate meetings, social events, and weddings with full-service catering influenced by the culinary team at Matadora. The Grand Ballroom as well as the thirteen meeting and function rooms, named after historic Woburn figures, are fitted with technologies for today’s planner and punctuated with vintage design elements. Spaces are accented with pressed-tin ceilings, high-backed winged chairs, industrial-style chandeliers, and finely-crafted leather booths.
