Why Boston’s oldest hotel now has ‘Scrooge’ written on the carpet

BOSTON — Believe it or not, the most interesting element of the Omni Parker House’s $65-million renovation might just be in the carpets on the second-floor event spaces.

Framed by antique woodwork and historic chandeliers, the function halls feature curious writing decorating the carpet. It can take a moment to realize that it’s actual handwriting that dates back to the 19th century.

That would be the handwriting of Charles Dickens. Specifically, it’s the final two pages of “A Christmas Carol” reproduced in the carpet. If you keep a lookout, you can spot the names “Scrooge” and “Bob” among Dickens’ original scrawl.

Dickens is among the Parker House’s most famous guests. His 1867 visit is the stuff of legend, with his live readings of “A Christmas Carol” attracting crowds of over 2,000.

The carpet homage was an unlikely solution to a tricky problem that was presented to Boston’s oldest hotel this year. How do you give a facelift to a city landmark without stripping away its character?

The “rebirth” of the Omni Parker House

The Parker House underwent a series of major renovations aimed at a “complete rebirth” of the historic property.

There were some functional changes, including modernized bathrooms as part of a complete overhaul to better accommodate today’s travelers.

Other changes were a little understated. The rooms received a posh redecoration. The nightstands now resemble leather-bound trunks straight out of the golden age of travel in the 19th Century.

The main lobby has new marble floors and bespoke furnishings. The air conditioners have been upgraded. The upholstery has been modernized.

However, not everything was overhauled. You can still see the bones of the original construction. The elevators, ceilings, walls and doors still have an elegant, historic air to them.

Then there are the historical artifacts. On the second floor, you can see the mirror that Dickens used to rehearse his performances of “A Christmas Carol.” In the basement, you can see old menus, photos and even the door that once belonged to Dickens’ suite in 1867.

These days, the “Dickens Room” is among the many meeting rooms and suites named after Massachusetts legends with connections to the hotel.

If you want, you can book the Longfellow Room or the Hawthorne Room. If you’ve got the budget, you can book the luxurious Kennedy Suite, which has a picture of Rose Kennedy and Joseph Kennedy Sr. on the wall.

The storied history of the Omni Parker House

A phrase you’ll hear a lot around the Parker House is, “If these walls could talk.”

Fortunately, the hotel has the next best thing. Susan Wilson, a former Boston Globe columnist and history lecturer, has been the Parker House’s official in-house historian since 2012.

She wrote the book (literally) on the Parker House’s history and can tell you incredible stories of the building.

The most common story you’ll hear is that it’s the birthplace of Parker House rolls and the Boston cream pie. But did you know Ho Chi Minh worked in the bakeshop around 1922 and learned to make the pie? Wilson says the Vietnamese delegation comes on a regular basis to visit the table he worked on.

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She can also tell you about former U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s strong ties to the Parker House. It was on the second floor that he announced his candidacy for Congress. One floor down, it was at Parker’s Restaurant where he proposed to Jackie Bouvier.

Then there are the more curious details. Wilson says that periodically, the hotel’s No. 1 elevator has been called to the third floor without anyone ever pressing the button. They’ve never managed to find out why.

“Over the years, Otis Elevators has checked it out many times,” Wilson says. “There’s nothing wrong with it. Dickens stayed on the third floor. The legend has grown.”

The hotel is located at 60 School St. in downtown Boston. To find out more about the historic hotel, visit its website.