Where to Stay - Boston 2009 - page 94

EXPENSIVE
The Courtyard Boston Cambridge, 777 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, MA 02139
( & 888/236-2427 or 617/492-7777; www.marriott.com), a former Radisson,
opened in 2008. The 203-unit, 16-story hotel is across the street from the Charles
River, meaning the views are great but public-transit access isn't. The property has a
restaurant and an indoor pool; the best accommodations have private balconies. Rates
for a double start at $149 and peak north of $300 in high season.
The Hyatt Regency Cambridge The location of this dramatic pyramidal
building is a plus and a minus. Across the street from the Charles River, the hotel is
convenient to Harvard and Kendall squares and Boston University. Shuttle service and
plentiful amenities help make up for the distance from the T. The spacious, well-out-
fitted guest rooms have pillow-top beds; most face the 16-story atrium, others over-
look central Cambridge, and the best enjoy breathtaking views of Boston. A weekday
business destination, the Hyatt Regency courts families (see “Family-Friendly Hotels,”
on p. 87) with special two-room rates, subject to availability. If you plan to rely on
public transit, allow time for the bus or the hotel shuttle. If you're driving, downtown
Boston is about 10 minutes away. The closest competitor is the Doubletree, which is
even farther from public transit but consists of all suites.
575 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, MA 02139. & 800/233-1234 or 617/462-1234. Fax [phone]. www.cambridge.
hyatt.com. 469 units, some with shower only. $179-$359 double; $300-$750 suite. Extra person $25. Children under
18 stay free in parent's room. Weekend packages available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $39; self-parking $35.
T: Red Line to Harvard or Kendall/MIT, then shuttle bus (no luggage permitted) or $6 cab ride. Pets under 25 lb.
accepted; $50 fee. Amenities: Restaurant and lounge (eclectic); 75-ft. indoor lap pool; rooftop health club; Jacuzzi;
sauna; bike rental; concierge; shuttle to Cambridge destinations; business center; room service until late evening; in-
room massage; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning; ATM and currency exchange; rooms for those w/limited mobil-
ity. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies, fax, wireless Internet access ($10/day), coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.

Kids

The Inn at Harvard The red-brick Inn at Harvard looks like just another col-
lege building—it's adjacent to Harvard Yard, and its Georgian-style architecture
would fit nicely on campus. Inside, however, there's no mistaking it for anything other
than an elegant hotel, popular with business travelers and university visitors. Guest
rooms were extensively renovated in 2006 and have pillow-top beds; each holds a
work area with an Aeron chair, and a flatscreen TV. Some units have dormer windows
and window seats. The four-story skylit atrium holds the “living room,” a huge, well-
appointed guest lounge that's suitable (in furnishings and volume level) for meeting
with a visitor if you don't want to conduct business in your room.
1201 Massachusetts Ave. (at Quincy St.), Cambridge, MA 02138. & 800/458-5886 or 617/491-2222. Fax 617/520-
3711. www.theinnatharvard.com. 111 units, some with shower only. $179-$419 double; $1,500 presidential suite.
AAA and AARP discounts available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $45. T: Red Line to Harvard. Amenities:
Restaurant (New England); dining privileges at the nearby Harvard Faculty Club; fitness center; room service until
10:30pm; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room:A/C, TV, wireless Inter-
net access ($10/day), hair dryer, iron, umbrella, robes.
Le Méridien Cambridge The only sizable lodging close to lively Central
Square, this hotel primarily attracts visitors to MIT and the tech-oriented businesses
nearby. Le Méridien acquired the former Hotel@MIT in 2007 and plans to spruce it
up in stages; ask for a room away from the work zone. Rooms are spacious enough to
hold a small seating area, oversize desk, and decent-size bathroom. All boast the up-
to-date technology you'd expect, with features such as the ability to send documents
from your room to a networked laser printer. The eight-story building encloses a