Where to Stay - Boston 2009 - page 96

220 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge, MA 02138. & 866/333-8742 or 617/491-8000. Fax [phone]. www.
hoteltria.com. 69 units. Mid-Mar-Oct $149-$299 double; Nov-mid-Mar $119-$179 double. Extra person $10. Rates
include continental breakfast. Rates may be higher during special events. Children under 17 stay free in parent's
room. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking $12. T: Red Line to Alewife, then a 10-min. walk. Pets accepted; reservation required;
$25 fee; $100 deposit. Amenities: Indoor pool; exercise room; Jacuzzi; tour desk; shuttle service; same-day dry clean-
ing. In room:A/C, TV, wireless Internet access, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, robes.
Harvard Square Hotel The Harvard economics department could use this hotel
as an illustration of the law of supply and demand: At busy times, including pretty
much every night in the fall, rates seem high for such modest accommodations (sup-
ply)—but you can't beat the location (demand). Smack in the middle of “the Square,”
the six-story brick hotel is a favorite with visiting parents and budget-conscious busi-
ness travelers. The lobby and the unpretentious guest rooms were renovated in 2006
and 2007. The rooms are relatively small but comfortable and neatly decorated in
contemporary style. Each has a flatscreen TV (important when every inch counts),
and some overlook Harvard Square. The front desk handles faxing and copying.
110 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138. & 800/458-5886 or 617/864-5200. Fax [phone]. www.harvard
squarehotel.com. 73 units, some with shower only. $99-$249 double. Extra person $10. Children under 17 stay free
in parent's room. Corporate rates, AAA and AARP discounts available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking $35. T: Red Line
to Harvard. Amenities: Dining privileges at the Harvard Faculty Club; free access to nearby health club; car-rental
desk; laundry service; dry cleaning; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room: A/C, TV, wireless Internet access
($10/day), fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, umbrella.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites A limited-services lodging on a busy street,
the Holiday Inn Express is comfortable and convenient—just a 5-minute walk from
the Green Line—for businesspeople on a budget as well as vacationers. Each decent-
size room has a fridge and microwave, making this a good choice if you plan to eat
some meals in. The eight-story building sits slightly back from the street, but you'll
still want to be as high up as possible to get away from traffic noise. If you're willing
to do without a restaurant, business center, or exercise facility, you'll probably find that
the reasonable rates, which include local phone calls and parking—a big plus in Cam-
bridge—more than make up for the lack of extras.
250 Msgr. O'Brien Hwy., Cambridge, MA 02141. & 888/887-7690 or 617/577-7600. Fax [phone]. www.hi
express.com/boscambridgema. 112 units. From $140 double; from $150 suite. Rates include continental breakfast.
Discounts for hospital patients and families available, subject to availability. Children stay free in parent's room. AE,
DC, DISC, MC, V. Free parking. T: Green Line to Lechmere. Amenities: Access to nearby health club ($10); laundry
service; same-day dry cleaning; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies, high-speed Inter-
net access, fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
12 At & Near the Airport
VERY EXPENSIVE
Hyatt Harborside This striking 14-story waterfront hotel on the edge of the air-
port offers unobstructed views of the harbor and city skyline. The good-size guest
rooms afford dramatic views, especially from the higher floors. Extensively renovated
in 2007, they have oversize work desks and a sophisticated no-frills style that contrasts
with luxurious touches like pillow-top beds. The hotel is primarily a convention and
business destination, with easy access to the airport (a 5-min. shuttle-bus ride away)
and to downtown Boston—water taxis, which serve the adjacent dock, make the trip
in 7 minutes. Sightseers on a tight budget for either time (on public transit) or money
(for parking, cabs, or water taxis) will be better off closer to downtown. Bonus: The