<p>What is with these astounding prices, folks?? The whole clan seems to want to visit the big H with DD1, requiring three rooms for two nights for a whopping $1700 plus parking. Not even breakfast included. They are already grumbling about those mean Yankees up north. Is there a trick to this? I’m looking at courtyard marriott, days inn, you get the picture - we’re not talking plush in the slightest. Help!!</p>
<p>When we drive to Boston, we stay at the Home Suites Inn in Waltham. Prices range from $139-$159 during the week and $89-$99 on the weekend, with breakfast and parking included. It’s very nice for the price.</p>
<p>To get into the city, we drive to the Alewife T and park our car there. Very convenient.</p>
<p>(You can get a discount at Home Suites with either an AAA or AARP membership.)</p>
<p>Oh thank you so very much - we have always like homewood. We just don’t know the Boston geography at all so it’s hard to figure out where the outlying areas are that still provide good access to the Harvard campus. Many thanks!</p>
<p>You might consider booking one room for the busiest day in close proximity of the school. This room could be your headquarters and offer the possibility of resting and regrouping.</p>
<p>Check out some of the small B&Bs, like the Irving House in Cambridge. </p>
<p>Generally good suggestion, xiggi, but many hotels require 2 night bookings during peak times. The prices really are outrageous now. Last year I splurged and stayed at the Charles Hotel for $229.00 per night in September. This May they want $419.00! Who does that??</p>
<p>Not near Cambridge area but last time I stayed at the Oasis Guest House, a B&B. Very reasonable and near the T. Second the recommendation for a B&B.</p>
<p>Agree with post above, check out the hotels in Waltham along Route 128.
It is not far to Cambridge, Boston from Waltham and the prices are much more reasonable. There is a Best Western in Waltham that I think is in the 89 dollar per night range</p>
<p>We usually stay in the Waltham area, too.</p>
<p>P.S. Edited: Yup, just checked Quicken (our treasure trove of tourism info). Homewood Suites, Waltham. They take pets, too.</p>
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<p>Is this for graduation or freshman orientation? Not sure about your clan numbers and genders, but are you being indulgent or mean (I go for mean…)? </p>
<p>Get a room with 2 double beds, bring in a cot. That sleeps 5. People change in the bathrooms. If there are snorers, hand out earplugs. Etc. </p>
<p>If they don’t like the plan, they might visit once the student is established in a dorm room and can be housed on the sibling’s floor. </p>
<p>It sounds exciting, but it’ll cost a fortune to feed everyone that weekend.
Perhaps consider spreading out the visiting instead of piling on for orientation. If you mean graduation, however, you’re kinda stuck. Ah well.</p>
<p>Mammall: If you are looking at hotels in the Cambridge area, many give the “Harvard rate” if you ask.
Also, did you try Priceline or Hotwire?
Congratulations on your daughter’s admissions!</p>
<p>The Doubletree in Waltham has some affordable corporate rates… not sure if they do AAA…but they do have a Living Room with a king bedroom set up … and chocolate chip cookie at arrival… Homewood Suites is affordable but really stark… my advice is to pick a chain and then book all your trips/stays at that chain so you build nites…and points… do it all on-line. There are a few Sheratons in the area too…</p>
<p>We stayed at the Doubletree Suites in Waltham a couple summers ago. It was very nice & the price was very reasonable.</p>
<p>Mammall- Maybe a reason to choose Stanford???</p>
<p>When I was last there in the fall(in Boston) for the “Head of the Charles” our room rate was unbelievable…but we had to be close for D1 who was coxing…I just can’t get over what hotels cost these days (I realize I sound like an “Old Fart”)</p>
<p>:(</p>
<p>Maybe a reason to choose Grinnell???</p>
<p>Rates are dirt cheep in Iowa–and the boy is VERY happy!</p>
<p>Try [Boston</a> Hotel, Harvard University, MIT, A Cambridge House, Bed and Breakfast Inn MA](<a href=“http://www.acambridgehouse.com%5DBoston”>http://www.acambridgehouse.com) – it’s a B&B with free parking with easy access to Harvard, MIT and Red Line. My DS recommends this place for out of town employees and business clients. Will be staying there first weekend in May and they are already booked. Prices seem reasonable ($169-179) although for three rooms… One room has a queen/king and a twin. Perhaps there are weeknight vacancies. Good luck.</p>
<p>Try the Best Western in Concord, MA–Concord is 15 miles from Cambridge–it’s an easy commute (Rt. 2). The rate there is just under $100. It’s clean, it’s quiet and there’s a decent restaurant next door.</p>
<p>again, are we talking about moving her in or orientation or whatnot?</p>
<p>cause what are their expectations for being there? do they want to “help”, tour while this is going on? cause when we moved my D in, two of us was almost too many</p>
<p>if you need three rooms are we talking 10 people here…I just can’t imagine that for moving in</p>
<p>and if its for graduation, how many tickets do you have anyway</p>
<p>sometimes, you just have to say NOPE, this ain’t gonna work and would you have two-three cars for that many people, becuase I would guess they won’t let that many park, pull in, whatever</p>
<p>you need to think about this whole plan, imo</p>
<p>my younger D didn’t come out with us when we moved in D, but for family weekend,we sent her out…it was the best decision we could have made-</p>
<p>ps- you won’t see your D very much anyway- we actually left her campus early after getting her moved in- she was chomping at the bit to get started</p>
<p>and as for why its expensive? its boston and many colleges are moving in kids, did you expect it to be cheap</p>
<p>160 a night is nothing…</p>
<p>Just to clarify, my suggestion is for the Home Suites Inn and not Homewood Suites. I don’t think Home Suites Inn is a chain. It’s owned by the Park Lodge Hotel Group in Boston, which also owns Marriott Courtyard and Holiday Inn Express in Waltham. Home Suites is warmly furnished and not all stark. Most rooms have a microwave and minifridge, and all rooms have down comforters. Rooms are fairly large.</p>
<p>We’ve also stayed several times at the Doubletree Suites in Waltham (when Home Suites was full), but Home Suites Inn is just as nice and more affordable. Doubletree does not have a free breakfast. </p>
<p>We’ve probably stayed at Home Suites more than several dozen times, as all our family lives in Boston. I know it like the back of my hand.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>This is kind of off topic, but my husband travels a lot for business. We have found the less expensive hotels like Holiday Inn ect. give you a decent breakfast and free internet, the expensive ones 8 dollars a day and up for internet and a 30 dollar breakfast in their restaurant. If its clean and has free internet thats usually all we need.</p>
<p>Problem solved - extended family not coming and DD1 and I are staying with friends in Lexington. Hotel price: $0. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. Have printed for future reference.</p>