Last night was TripAdvisor’s annual holiday party. Don’t worry, we all made it to work today. Your reviews will be processed, the forums will be moderated, and new listings will be added. Phew.
Guests at the party this year included staff from TripAdvisor, FlipKey, and Smarter Travel, plus guests all around. With hundreds of employees across these companies, it was a huge and energetic crowd! The holiday party is always a highly anticipated event. Weeks in advance, food and drinks are tasted, entertainment is selected, and outfits are chosen. (“What are you wearing?” was a popular topic in the TripAdvisor lunch line yesterday.) Because we’re all so busy and the three companies are located in separate offices, we don’t get to hang out as much as we’d like. Each year, the party is a welcome chance for everyone to mix, mingle, and meet each other’s “others.”
The Liberty Hotel was the perfect setting for our event. Ironically named “liberty,” it used to be the Charles Street Jail. A listing in the National Register of Historic Places, it was in use as recently as 1990, when it was closed due to overcrowding. The setting gave us a great chance to enjoy some real Boston history while celebrating a special occasion. The exposed brick and warm lighting throughout the four-story lobby made a perfect glow for our evening event, but I’m sure those brick walls had quite a different meaning for inmates back in the day. Kinda spooky.
TripAdvisor’s party spanned the top two floors of the lobby balconies, plus rooms off the lobby for dining (on sliders and pasta), karaoke, and dancing. There were several memorable karaoke performances and countless memorable dance moves. Note that memorable doesn’t necessarily mean good, but we love them all for trying.
The open balconies and small tables provided a great venue for meeting new people, which we don’t get to do very often in our busy work lives. We can’t thank the Liberty Hotel enough for treating us like rock stars. The next time you’re in Boston, you must check it out. With a few great dining options and a historical exhibit and tour on the premises, it has something for everyone.

















