Housed in a former Federal Reserve Bank building dating to 1922, the Langham Boston reigns over the city's Financial District, a part of town that boasts many other historically significant buildings and monuments.  A 10-minute walk from the park at Boston Common or the Amtrak station, the shops of Faneuil Hall or Quincy Market, and 15 minutes from the theatre district, this location is easy on strollers yet too quiet for teens. Families interested in an elegant getaway sprinkled with sightseeing will find it perfect.

As part of a long established luxury group, the Langham Boston does indeed present a posh appearance. The subdued Franklin Street entry and creamy marble lobby dim in comparison with the lushly decorated salons upstairs. In the Julien restaurant and bar, an imposing square room crowned with gold coffered ceilings, are two restored murals by N. C. Wyeth, one depicting Abraham Lincoln and the other, George Washington meeting with Alexander Hamilton, America's first Treasurer, to discuss the banking business of the day. A collection of old New England and Canada maps and charts decorate other public rooms.

Be sure to walk the family through the Café Fleuri, the hotel's more casual restaurant, which hosts a Sunday Jazz Brunch, some Peg Perego highchairs, and the hotel's most popular event for local families, a chocolate feast.

After 19 years, the hotel's legendary "Chocolate Bar" presents an assortment of more than 125 chocolate desserts. There's something for everyone in the family:  pastries and bonbons – even low-cal ones made with Splenda; a creperie and a table for bunuelos; another full of fruit, brioche and other dipping items at the base of a "fountain" oozing chocolate syrup; and adult beverages with chocolate infusions. You can order a chocolate strawberry brioche panini or other special treats created by the hotel's executive pastry chef Alejandro Luna, who, incidentally, credits his baking skills and love of chocolate to his grandmother. Priced at $35/adult, $17.50/ages 5-12 and free for under-4s, this Bostonian tradition (held midday each Saturday from September to June) is a fun outing for families not staying at the hotel.

Family Welcoming Guestrooms

During its conversion from bank to hotel in 1981, the Langham's guestrooms were built under a three-story glass mansard roof, creating spacious upper floor rooms with angled windows. Each room's unique layout and traditional European décor, embroidered bedspreads, and brocade and tasseled drapery in colors ranging from navy and gold to mint green or plum, enable the contemporary addition to blend easily with the historic structure.

Within the attractive family rooms are two queen beds; larger families should request suites like 815 that connect to 819 through an outer hallway, or simply the one-bedroom suites with sofabeds. Welcome touches include a small nightlight built into the foyer wall, bathrobes and slippers for those using the pool downstairs, a coffeemaker, and fine toiletries from Bulgari (surprisingly, neither was replenished during our stay.)  The sunlit fitness club, with a range of workout machines and a good-sized pool, is open to hotel guests as well as local members, so it can get busy during the weekends. Family guests will enjoy the noodles and waterwings at the pool, and the large hot tub, off limits to those under 16-years.

The Langham Boston coddles new parents with a V.I.B. program, essentially a weekend getaway package that includes infant supplies, a helpful amenity made even more useful by the airlines' latest carry-on luggage restrictions. The V.I.B. guestroom is stocked with a house crib made up in crisp pink or blue linens from Jacadi, stuffed toys, complimentary baby foods from Apivita or the guests' choice, and boutique baby toiletries. Loaner strollers and high chairs are available, as is a Concierge to arrange the pre-ordered food, diapers, and other amenities for parents and their Very Important Baby. V.I. big brothers and sisters are entitled to snacks, and a copy of the terrific guide, "Kidding Around: Boston." Year-round, the hotel provides a fun children's menu at its restaurant that is much more reasonable than room service, and parents may opt to substitute fresh fruit for French fries with meals.

Seeing the City With Older Kids

The Langham's comfy rooms and on-site facilities may convince parents of infants and toddlers to stay put all weekend. But with school-age children, be grateful that the hotel' s location offers easy access to the Freedom Trail, a self-guided or escorted tour of the city's landmarks marked by red lines on the sidewalk.

With our teen, we joined the 90-minute "American Revolution" tour guided by a costumed historian, whose anecdotes amused the adults in the crowd and put the kids to sleep (almost).  A map and sign-posted sights enable families to make their own guided tour along the 2.5-mile route, probably the best investment with young or disinterested kids.  During the winter months, the 90-minute Holiday Freedom Trail tour leaves from Faneuil Hall, pauses at the Paul Revere House and other sites, and ends at the Omni Parker House (said to be America's oldest hotel), for a warming cup of hot milk or chocolate, tea, or hot toddy, and crumpets.

That evening, we earned our way back into our son's good graces with a performance of "Shear Madness," after 28 years, the city's longest running show. A great introduction to live theatre for kids above the age of 10 or so (some of the humor is a bit risqué), it plays Tuesday to Sunday at the intimate Charles Playhouse, 74 Warrenton Street. The seven-time winner of Boston's "Best Comedy of the Year" award is a kooky and charming murder mystery set in a local hair salon, and the cast is terrific at getting attentive audience members involved in solving the crime.  If your kids liked "Clue" they will adore "Shear Madness." Tickets are $40/person, available online, and college student rush specials are $20 per ticket at the box office. If you miss the Boston show, you can catch it in Chicago or Washington DC.

Another highlight of our weekend was a visit to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (866/JFK-1960), which depicts the late president's political career in a waterfront setting filled with multimedia displays. Kids are particularly taken with the TV monitors showing clips from JFK's presidential debates against Richard Nixon, known to today's young because of the Watergate scandal.

Of course, any parent traveling with a high school student must visit Cambridge, home to Harvard Yard, myriad shops and some of the nation's foremost centers of learning. Families who have a Boston Citypass booklet (at $39.50, it's a savings on admission to several attractions) can visit the rich collections at the Harvard Museum of Natural History (617/495-3045) and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Museum of Science, the Skywalk Observatory, and the New England Aquarium.

Details, Details

Boston is a great food town, and staying near Quincy Market, a 1826 central market that was converted into a popular food court, makes it easy to sample some of the city's best known dishes. Within a 535-foot-long corridor are Philly Cheesesteaks, Boston Chowder, myriad Japanese and Chinese places, dessert shops and more, but you'll have trouble navigating the crowds with a stroller. In Cambridge, the small Grendel's Den, an indoor/outdoor café at John F. Kennedy Street and Winthrop, is typical of the casual and cheap student dining options where kids can roam freely.

If you call ahead, you can plan a fancier meal at the celebrated Union Oyster House (617/227-2750), known for its atmosphere more than its food, or Legal Seafoods (617/742-5300) a boisterous chain that's known for its wonderful seafood more than its atmosphere. All the restaurants are welcoming to kids. We had a burger with rock music at the Rock Bottom, a fun micro-brewery in the theatre district that is loud enough to tolerate crying babies.

To book the V.I.B or other packages at the Langham Boston (617/451-1900), contact your travel agent, or the hotel directly at 617/451-1900 or 800/791-7761.  Families with older kids may be interested in the family specials offered periodically by the many Courtyard Marriott locations in the city (the South Boston hotel has a pool), or the Royal Sonesta Boston.   For more city information from a kids' point of view, pick up a copy of the helpful "Kids Love Boston" guide published by the Greater Boston C&VB (888/See-Boston or www.BostonUSA.com).