OT: Hotels in Boston (City)

[Kitaman]

My wife and oldest daughter are going to Boston to celebrate my youngest daughter's 28th birthday this weekend. We are going up Saturday and leaving Sunday (from CT).

In the past being thrifty we stayed in Cambridge or the nearby suburbs when she was in college. She's out of college, working (making good money) and paying off her tuition now. Well I'm ready to spend more pennies this time and am looking for a 'reasonable' hotel in the City. She lives in Dorchester but I will put her in the hotel with us that night.

Budget for one night (2 beds) is about $250. Quite honestly I've never paid that much for one night, but stayed at many Ritz Carlton's and similar on business. Lots of choices online but I figure Yarders would have better suggestions.

Its a short stay so location and amenities are important. Hope to arrive early to take advantage of the time.

 

[Jay-Bone]

My mom stayed at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel the last time. I used to have her stay near Assembly Sq in Somerville to save money but splurged this time. Its really nice and I think she paid around $250. That was around the cheapest I could find on hotels.com at the time. May have just got lucky. Boston's downtown portion is so small its really expensive. Great central location too. The kicker is that she had to pay a lot to park in their garage. How does that not come with the room?

 

[polycom]

My wife and oldest daughter are going to Boston to celebrate my youngest daughter's 28th birthday this weekend. We are going up Saturday and leaving Sunday (from CT).

In the past being thrifty we stayed in Cambridge or the nearby suburbs when she was in college. She's out of college, working (making good money) and paying off her tuition now. Well I'm ready to spend more pennies this time and am looking for a 'reasonable' hotel in the City. She lives in Dorchester but I will put her in the hotel with us that night.

Budget for one night (2 beds) is about $250. Quite honestly I've never paid that much for one night, but stayed at many Ritz Carlton's and similar on business. Lots of choices online but I figure Yarders would have better suggestions.

Its a short stay so location and amenities are important. Hope to arrive early to take advantage of the time.

It depends on what you want to do while you're here. With a budget of $250 you should be able to find something in the
Faneuil Hall, area of town. Boston's hotel market like all things in Boston is expensive.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Liberty Hotel. It used to be a prison, easily the coolest hotel in the city.

 

[Deepster]

Try Magellan Vacations. I use them whenever I go to one of their cities.

*

Sometimes you can get a 4.5 or 5 star spot for your price range. I don't know how they do it.

 

[Pmurph678]

Liberty Hotel. It used to be a prison, easily the coolest hotel in the city.

Bed bug capital of the world

 

[Cheddie]

I like to stay in the Copley Square area, where a number of chain hotels are located. It's easy in, easy out traveling from Connecticut. Depending on who has a sale, we stay at the Westin, Marriott, Sheraton, Fairmont, Lenox or other hotel. You're also close to restaurants, shops and T stops to travel around the city. If you're not a member of a loyalty program, try Expedia or a similar site. I also use Parking Search Engine - Cities & Airports - Daily/Monthly Garages & Lots. to find reasonably priced parking.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

What area of the city are you looking at? Back Bay, Fenway, Downtown Crossing, West End, etc.?

 

[Kitaman]

What area of the city are you looking at? Back Bay, Fenway, Downtown Crossing, West End, etc.?

I don't know, I guess anywhere downtown central.

 

[Jerry1714]

My wife and oldest daughter are going to Boston to celebrate my youngest daughter's 28th birthday this weekend. We are going up Saturday and leaving Sunday (from CT).

In the past being thrifty we stayed in Cambridge or the nearby suburbs when she was in college. She's out of college, working (making good money) and paying off her tuition now. Well I'm ready to spend more pennies this time and am looking for a 'reasonable' hotel in the City. She lives in Dorchester but I will put her in the hotel with us that night.

Budget for one night (2 beds) is about $250. Quite honestly I've never paid that much for one night, but stayed at many Ritz Carlton's and similar on business. Lots of choices online but I figure Yarders would have better suggestions.

Its a short stay so location and amenities are important. Hope to arrive early to take advantage of the time.

I would check a site like Hotels.com for deals because without one you will be limited in options at that budget (the Holiday Inn in the west end/BH use to be +$300 a night), but your choice will depend on where you want to be.

Battery Wharf in the North End on the Water
Fairmont Copely if you want to be in Copley Square/Back Bay
Omni Parker House is around downtown crossing and near the common and start of the freedom trail
Taj if you want to be on the common and in Back Bay
Elliot is closer to Fenway but on Comm Ave in Back Bay
The Bostonian if you want to be in Faniuel Hall
Liberty Hotel for Beacon Hill

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I don't know, I guess anywhere downtown central.

Check out the Godfrey Hotel in the Downtown Crossing area, it just opened and has gotten some excellent reviews. There's a lot of new restaurants, bars, etc. in the area. You're close to the T, close to the theater district, and a short ride to the Back Bay shopping area. Only downside would be whether you need parking - that area is brutal for finding parking and I imagine hotel valet there would be insanely expensive. But worth a look: Boutique Hotels Boston | Godfrey Hotel | Downtown Boston

 

[HooperScooper]

What area of the city are you looking at? Back Bay, Fenway, Downtown Crossing, West End, etc.?

I was going to ask the same thing. What are you planning to do in Boston? Personally I like the Back Bay (Copley Square is in the Back Bay) because of all the reasons people pointed out above - easy access, restaurants, shopping, etc. The downtown area is very quiet on the weekends, except near Faneuil Hall and the North End. Boston is so small though that you can easily walk between the Back Bay and downtown if you want.

A quick search on aaa.com shows there isn't much decent in your price range. You're not going to be living large for $250 a night in Boston, that's for sure. Maybe you'd have some luck with Priceline and web sites like that. This weekend is not a vacation time and it's before college graduations so maybe there are many unsold rooms.

Courtyard by Marriott at 275 Tremont Street is not a bad location. Pretty much in the middle between the Back Bay and downtown.

The Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill used to be a Holiday Inn. Decent location. Friends stayed there and they said it was good.

The Bostonian Boston Hotel is nice. Right next to Faneuil Hall.

Doubletree Hotel Boston - Downtown is a decent location but you probably wouldn't think it's a nice area. It's in Chinatown but literally a 5 minute walk into the downtown area.

A suggestion on the parking. Self park in a garage and avoid the hotel valet which charges you way more. Most of the hotels in Boston don't have their own parking and just valet your car to a parking garage and charge you at least double what it would cost you to park your own car. For example, downtown you could park your car at the Post Office Square garage and leave it overnight and I don't think it would be that much. In the Back Bay it will be more because the Back Bay garages charge more on the weekends than the downtown garages. If you tell me where you end up staying I could give you some suggestions.

 

[HooperScooper]

Check out the Godfrey Hotel in the Downtown Crossing area, it just opened and has gotten some excellent reviews. There's a lot of new restaurants, bars, etc. in the area. You're close to the T, close to the theater district, and a short ride to the Back Bay shopping area. Only downside would be whether you need parking - that area is brutal for finding parking and I imagine hotel valet there would be insanely expensive. But worth a look: Boutique Hotels Boston | Godfrey Hotel | Downtown Boston

Good call. Just opened and it's very nice and I bet they are giving away deals to get people to try it. They don't have parking there but there's the Pi Alley garage a couple blocks away.

 

[huskypantz]

Not sure about the price, but Marriott Long Wharf is a great location. They have a parking garage and you'll have an additional fee for parking if you stayed their. It's very local to the north end, Faneuil hall/gov ctr, etc and it's on the waterfront with good restaurants around for various price points.

 

[SubbaBub]

Boston has a great mass transit system, but you don't want to spend any extra time underground. You need to pick a neighborhood first, preferably one near said transit system.

After that bookingdotcom will tell you everything you need to know about which hotel.

 

[Scoe]

Battery Wharf in the North End on the Water
Fairmont Copely if you want to be in Copley Square/Back Bay
Omni Parker House is around downtown crossing and near the common and start of the freedom trail
Taj if you want to be on the common and in Back Bay
Elliot is closer to Fenway but on Comm Ave in Back Bay
The Bostonian if you want to be in Faniuel Hall
Liberty Hotel for Beacon Hill[/QUOTE]

Nice hotel dont get me wrong, but a lot of aggressive pan handlers hang around that area, perhaps they have cleaned the area up a bit but the area itself has too many damn people, I would prefer to be in an area where you can walk around freely outside the hotel, have some breathing room.

 

[Hoophound]

Back Bay is the best place to stay, especially on a weekend because it is full of life all weekend long. I recommend The Lenox. If the price is too high, try something nearby.

 

[Jerry1714]

Battery Wharf in the North End on the Water
Fairmont Copely if you want to be in Copley Square/Back Bay
Omni Parker House is around downtown crossing and near the common and start of the freedom trail
Taj if you want to be on the common and in Back Bay
Elliot is closer to Fenway but on Comm Ave in Back Bay
The Bostonian if you want to be in Faniuel Hall
Liberty Hotel for Beacon Hill

Nice hotel dont get me wrong, but a lot of aggressive pan handlers hang around that area, perhaps they have cleaned the area up a bit but the area itself has too many damn people, I would prefer to be in an area where you can walk around freely outside the hotel, have some breathing room.[/QUOTE]
It is still crowded around there, but the pan handlers are not right there anymore, more near the Park Street T stop. Omni provides easy access to the red and green line along with BH and North End, but I can definitely see it not being someones preferred area to stay in.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Nice hotel dont get me wrong, but a lot of aggressive pan handlers hang around that area, perhaps they have cleaned the area up a bit but the area itself has too many damn people, I would prefer to be in an area where you can walk around freely outside the hotel, have some breathing room.

It is still crowded around there, but the pan handlers are not right there anymore, more near the Park Street T stop. Omni provides easy access to the red and green line along with BH and North End, but I can definitely see it not being someones preferred area to stay in.[/QUOTE]
That section of DTX is still a bit wonky. It's not unsafe per se if you hang around on the main roads at night, especially on a weekend. During the day it's fine.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

This time of year, it can still be cold around the waterfront, so I would avoid my favorite area around Long Wharf down around the Seaport Distinct. Thus, I would go with Copley. I have stayed in the Westin, Marriott, and Sheraton, which are all good upper-mid hotel and as an added bonus on a rainy day are connected to both Copley Place and Prudential Malls. Another nice spot outside of downtown is the Marriott Courtyard Coolidge Corner in Brookline. Coolidge Corner is a cool little neighborhood, plenty of food and drink options while it is only a 15 minute ride on the T to Copley and a 20 minute walk from Fenway.

 

[LIuconn]

I vote for Copley as well. The great thing about Boston is the walkability. You can see the entire city in a day but it takes months to get to know, which is a testament to the compact nature and diverse neighborhoods. Don't miss the South End, Esplanade, Coolidge, Fort Point if you're into beer, and off the beaten trail is Union Sq in Somerville - great food and Taza Chocolate is nearby (take a tour!). Have fun!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I vote for Copley as well. The great thing about Boston is the walkability. You can see the entire city in a day but it takes months to get to know, which is a testament to the compact nature and diverse neighborhoods. Don't miss the South End, Esplanade, Coolidge, Fort Point if you're into beer, and off the beaten trail is Union Sq in Somerville - great food and Taza Chocolate is nearby (take a tour!). Have fun!

Small world: my cousin's letterpress shop Albertine Press is in the same Windsor Street building as Taza, and Taza is having an open house of sorts this Saturday. And yes, Boston is walkable, just as Cambridge & Sommerville are.

 

[TitleTown]

I like to stay in the Copley Square area, where a number of chain hotels are located. It's easy in, easy out traveling from Connecticut. Depending on who has a sale, we stay at the Westin, Marriott, Sheraton, Fairmont, Lenox or other hotel. You're also close to restaurants, shops and T stops to travel around the city. If you're not a member of a loyalty program, try Expedia or a similar site. I also use Parking Search Engine - Cities & Airports - Daily/Monthly Garages & Lots. to find reasonably priced parking.

The Fairmont in Copley Square is a great hotel!

 

[HuskyHawk]

I've had good lucking finding very reasonable rates at the Renaissance in the Seaport area. I wouldn't worry about the weather. Lots of great restaurants and bars near there now.

 

[Kitaman]

OK Guys thanks so much. After much deliberation and back and forth I booked a room on the other side of the river in Cambridge MA. My daughter lives in Boston but goes to church in Cambridge (where she went to college), so staying in there gives us more time and flexibility on Sunday.

The hotel is the Marlowe (linky) with a river side room with views of Boston Skyline. It was about $340 for the four of us.

What was nice is that after I booked they asked did anyone have a birthday. The hotel will hook my daughter up with snacks and stuff. There will be a telescope in the room. Couple of nice touches already. Should make up for the 'extra' parking expenses! I'm learning Boston ain't cheap.

Not that it matters but they won a nice US News and World Report Hotel Award: (Linky). I hope they don't spoil me because my cheap arse am usually fine with just a clean room, comfy bed and clean bathroom, anywhere. Staying in various Africa hotels makes the Super 8 feel like the Hyatt.

Will let you all know the experience but for one night it won't be detailed.