Where to Stay - Boston 2009 - page 88

1986. Aramark, the national-park and sports-arena concessionaire, manages the hotel
for the eponymous insurance firm, which books the whole place in the weeks before
the Boston Marathon. The closest competitor, the funkier Hotel 140, sometimes beats
this hotel on price.
40 Trinity Place (off Stuart St.), Boston, MA 02116. & 617/933-7700. Fax [phone]. www.jhcenter.com. 64
units. $189 double. Rates include continental breakfast. Children under 18 stay free in parent's room. Extra person
$15. Off-season discounts available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking $18 in nearby garage. Closed to the public 1st 3
weeks of Apr. T: Orange Line to Back Bay or Green Line to Copley. Amenities: Rooms for those w/limited mobility. In
room: A/C, TV, wireless Internet access, hair dryer, iron.

The MidTown Hotel This centrally located two-story hotel is popular with
families, budget-conscious businesspeople, and especially tour groups. The boxy white
building is on a busy street across from the Prudential Center, within walking distance
of Symphony Hall and the Museum of Fine Arts. The hotel has been completely reno-
vated since 2006 and the second floor will get its turn in 2007 and early 2008; ask for
a refurbished room, and if one isn't available, be sure to request a unit away from the
work area. Throughout the building, rooms are large, bright, and attractively outfit-
ted in no-frills contemporary style, although bathrooms are on the small side. Some
units have connecting doors that allow families to spread out. The best rooms are at
the back of the building, away from Huntington Avenue traffic. Photocopying and fax
services are available at the front desk. Although the MidTown is no longer that rarest
of birds, a super-convenient hotel with free parking, the fee is the lowest around—less
than one-third of the charge at some fancier lodgings.
220 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02445. & 800/343-1177 or 617/262-1000. Fax [phone]. www.midtown
hotel.com. 159 units. $119-$259 double; $139-$279 suite. Extra person $15. Children under 18 stay free in parent's
room. Packages and AAA, AARP, and government discounts may be available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking $12. T:
Green Line E to Prudential or Orange Line to Mass. Ave. Amenities: Heated outdoor pool; access to nearby health
club ($5-$10); concierge; airport shuttle; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning; rooms for those w/limited mobility.
In room:A/C, TV w/pay movies, wireless Internet access ($10/day), coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
Newbury Guest House After just a little shopping in the Back Bay, you'll
appreciate what a find this cozy place is: a bargain on Newbury Street. The comfort-
ably furnished, nicely appointed guest rooms take up three 1880s brick town houses.
The largest and most expensive are the bay-window units, which overlook the lively
street. Breakfast is served in the ground-level dining room, which adjoins a brick
patio. The Newbury Guest House opened in 1991 and operates near capacity year-
round, drawing business travelers during the week and sightseers on weekends. At
these prices in this location, there's only one caveat: Reserve early.
261 Newbury St. (between Fairfield and Gloucester sts.), Boston, MA 02116. & 800/437-7668 or 617/670-6000.
Fax [phone]. www.newburyguesthouse.com. 32 units, some with shower only. $135-$195 double. Extra per-
son $20. Rates include continental breakfast. Rates may be higher during special events. Minimum 2 nights on week-
ends. Packages available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking $20 (reservation required). T: Green Line B, C, or D to Hynes
Convention Center. Amenities: Access to nearby health club ($25); rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room:A/C,
TV, wireless Internet access, hair dryer, iron.
INEXPENSIVE
Hostelling International-Boston This eco-conscious hostel near the Berklee
College of Music and Symphony Hall caters to students, youth groups, and other trav-
elers in search of comfortable, no-frills lodging. Accommodations are dorm-style (all
men, all women, or co-ed), with six beds per room. A couple of private units sleep one
or two. The air-conditioned hostel has two full dine-in kitchens, 29 bathrooms (men

Value

Value