<p>Be aware that the Charles River is the great divide locally - like the Mason Dixon line used to be? Especially for Cantabridgians (i.e. Cambridge residents), those north of the river can’t acknowledge that civilization may exist south of the river, except (perhaps?) for the City of Boston itself.</p>
<p>The Newton Marriot is on the wrong side of the river for those “northerners”. So interpret such comments at will.</p>
<p>Seriously, the Charles IS a big divide, especially mentally. You might make note of that when visiting. North of the Charles, you have the Tufts/Harvard/MIT axis.</p>
<p>South, you have Brandeis/BC/BU/Northeastern. </p>
<p>Where you want to stay could be influenced by where you want to visit. </p>
<p>A final note, while Cambridge located hotels certainly have their fans (see above!), getting to them is nontrivial. You will need good directions and a good navigator.</p>
<p>No digs, please! You can get to Brandeis on the commuter train, which you pick up at Porter Square; it’s one stop on the Red Line from Davis Square (Tufts) and one stop from Harvard Square. Anyone who thinks getting to Cambridge hotels challenging should not attempt to drive in either Cambridge or Boston (or perhaps anywhere in MA as traffic signs seem to be designed to befuddle out-of-towners).</p>
<p>Just checked both local tv and paper websites before I responded to this. With several sections of the tunnels closed “indefinitely”, there are many detours in and around the city and as anyone familiar with Boston driving is aware, one “kink” in the flow of traffic can greatly affect all traffic in and around the greater city. Driving in Boston is a feat in the best of circumstances and right now is not one of those times. That being said, I agree that there is no need to “panic” over it. I would suggest that you try to choose a hotel that is close to the T and use it. You can get to all the schools you listed and I agree, the closer you are to the city, the more you will appreciate it. Living in Metrowest, I naturally think Mass Pike and what is near that. I guess I tend to think south of that Mason-Dixon Line!!!</p>
<p>When I first moved here, 25 years ago, I tried to get to the Museum of Science from MIT. It literally took me an hour, as I kept “seeing” the museum, and couldn’t figure out how to “get there”. Round and round I went. </p>
<p>Street signs, schmeet signs…this city is impossible to drive in for out-of-towners, but we have a great public transportation system, which I highly recommend.</p>
<p>I was a “north” of the Charles for undergrad and am now a "south"of the Charles for work. The latter has alot easier access to BC, BU, Emerson, NE.</p>
<p>Allmusic is right about the Newton Marriott. Great for weddings and bar mitvahs but NOT to visit the best college town in the country.</p>
<p>The hotel is next to the Colonnade (near the Prudential Center) and directly across the street from the Christian Science Center and accessibe to the Green Line (Symphony and Copley stops). Northeastern is literally up the street and BU is a short T ride (B Line from Copley). From the Copley or Symphony T stops, you could ride to the Arlington stop (Emerson College) and then to Park Street. From Park Street you could then switch to the Redline which will take you to Harvard Square and Davis Square (Tufts). There is also a bus that stops in front of Symphony Hall which is near the hotel that will take you to Harvard Square. If my memory is correct, you want the No. 1 Bus.</p>
<p>My family and i are staying at the pennsylvania hotel in new york and we booked through hotel club. It was the best price/location i could find. I have no idea what its like but thought i would just mention it. </p>
<p>We are staying at best western Terrace Inn while in boston. Its quite close to BC but i think it may be a bit out of the way for the rest of your colleges, although there is a T stop across the road which goes strait into boston so it may be worth checking out. (We did not book that on hotel club)</p>
<p>I REALLY hate to tell you this, but the Hotel Pennsylvania is probably the worst hotel in all of NYC. If you can get something else do it. Use Tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews. Seriously, it’s horrible.</p>
<p>“sid: I REALLY hate to tell you this, but the Hotel Pennsylvania is probably the worst hotel in all of NYC. If you can get something else do it. Use Tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews. Seriously, it’s horrible.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I have to second that. It’s just gross and is the hotel of choice for animals when there are dog and cat shows. Is there any possibility of getting out of this?</p>
<p>No, unfortunately i dont think we can get out of it </p>
<p>Its so hard to know as when i looked up reports it got really mixed reviews and everything seemed so expensive. I have stayed in some dumps in morroco etc so maybe i can just pretend i am at some exotic location. I will look into the possiblity of changing hotels, thanks for the heads up!</p>
<p>Well, we tried to make reservations at some of the great suggestions, and found most all of the Cambridge hotels booked. So two were many in the downtown / Copeley area Others were just way too expensive for us (200 - 300 plus per night). Something must be going on the first few days of August! So, we’ will probably stay in the suburbs afterall, as Coureur has done. Several additional questions:</p>
<p>If we stay in the suburbs, but still want to use the “T” during our day to and from the colleges, as well as downtown, are there public lots or garages available for the full day (8am -11pm) at all T stations? Just a few? Where (ore easy to find)? Typical cost? </p>
<p>We might be able to Priceline the Brighton / Brookline area. It seems to coincide with a T line, so our chances of being within walking distance are good. However, I noticed NoOne has booked in this area on the sister site comparing going rates, and the quality of the hotels appears lower. Not knowing Boston, is that a red flag? What is this area like?</p>
<p>Allmusic, We don’t have a hotel yet. That’s why we’re considering the suburbs. I’m wondering on the logistics of parking at a T-line if we do so. Suburban areas that have been suggested include Waltham or Newton (and drive into a parking facility). The Amerisuites in Medford has availability and is reasonalble, or we may possibly Priceline the Brookline / Brighton area, hoping they will have availability (We won’t know the hotel until booked), but strong probabilities there include the Courtyard Brookline, or Holiday Inn, which were suggested as near the Green Line. (So far, the other ones I checked were booked…mostly in Cambridge (Doubletree, Hyatt, Radisson, but also some near or in downtown including the Doubletrees), and some of the bnb’s. Given how many were booked, I am assuming something is going on (convention, etc.).</p>
<p>Check the marriott website for the Brookline Courtyard. right now, they show a AAA rate of 161/night for the 5th and 6th.</p>
<p>There are some pretty dumpy places in Brighton, such as a Days Inn (used by some 9/11 folks, if I recall, so maybe you want a historic property to stay in), so I’d be wary of priceline. </p>
<p>Add: Brookline Holiday inn is showing a $176 rate early august. AAA might even be better.</p>
<p>You can head to the burbs like Dedham or Woburn and pay a lot less, but you lose a lot of the charm that makes the Boston area what it is. </p>
<p>I can guarantee you would like the environment and convenience of either of these Brookline properties, unless you are a strip mall fan. There are no strip malls anywhere near either one!</p>
<p>Another possibility, the Best Western Tria in Cambridge, near the Alewife station. Not a great location, but the hotel is supposed to be very decent. Other hotels: Hotel Kendall, near MIT and Harvard Square hotel (this one shows rooms available in August but has not posted rates). Also, check out B&Bs.</p>
<p>For Priceline: In Brighton there appears to be a 2 1/2 star Courtyard (that would be good) and a 2 star Holiday Inn (iffy I bet). You could get a free 2 1/2 star rebid by adding World Trade Center (it has no 2 1/2 stars).</p>
<p>A Cambridge House Bed & Breakfast Inn is a decent bed and breakfast, not too $$, in Porter Square. A friend of DS’s and her mom ended up staying there a few weeks ago after they discovered a lot of the hotels were booked. They thought it was nice, and walking distance to Porter Square, which puts you right on the Commuter line or Red line. One can also walk into Harvard Square from Porter.</p>
<p>Actually,the Holiday Inn covered by priceline is a good place. Tons of restaurants within a few blocks. One of the best, but pricy, Japanese restaurants is one block west.</p>
<p>Interestingly, even though Priceline calls the area Brookline/Brighton, just about all of it is Brookline. The dumpy places in Brighton, like the Days inn, are not in this zone, at least not by the map.</p>
You can get to Brandeis on the commuter train, which you pick up at Porter Square; it’s one stop on the Red Line from Davis Square (Tufts) and one stop from Harvard Square. Anyone who thinks getting to Cambridge hotels challenging should not attempt to drive in either Cambridge or Boston (or perhaps anywhere in MA as traffic signs seem to be designed to befuddle out-of-towners).</p>
</p>