Boston area motels -- any suggestions?
Ken Barr
Booked a tentative motel reservation (YIKES!) ...
Do any Boston area rezidents have any suggestions for
decent lodging (safe neighborhood, fair to nice
rooms, convenient to public transit, good value)
that aren't found via the Expedia/Travelocity/etc.
websites? Greater Boston area OK ... I usually stay
outside the downtown area with three or four other
people, spread out over multiple rooms, and we
either carpool in/out or take public transportation.
Any general or specific suggestions would be welcome ...
TIA.
--
Ken Barr Numismatics email: k...@kenbarr.com
P. O. Box 32541 website: http://www.kenbarr.com
San Jose, CA 95152 Coins, currency, exonumia, souvenir cards, etc.
408-272-3247 NEXT SHOW: Alameda Coin Club 06/27 (no table)
Michael Benveniste
> Do any Boston area rezidents have any suggestions for
> decent lodging (safe neighborhood, fair to nice
> rooms, convenient to public transit, good value)
> that aren't found via the Expedia/Travelocity/etc.
> websites?
I sent a couple of specific suggestions by email, but the
convention is taking place during high tourist season here,
so don't expect miracles.
I'll be driving in for a day or two, but I'm going to end up
parking a couple of miles away and taking the subway to the
convention center.
--
Mike Benveniste -- m...@murkyether.com (Clarification Required)
Its name is Public opinion. It is held in reverence. It settles
everything. Some think it is the voice of God. -- Mark Twain
som...@some.domain
>Booked my flight to BOS for the ANA next month (ouch!) ...
>Booked a tentative motel reservation (YIKES!) ...
>
>Do any Boston area rezidents have any suggestions for
>decent lodging (safe neighborhood, fair to nice
>rooms, convenient to public transit, good value)
>that aren't found via the Expedia/Travelocity/etc.
>websites? Greater Boston area OK ... I usually stay
>outside the downtown area with three or four other
>people, spread out over multiple rooms, and we
>either carpool in/out or take public transportation.
>
>Any general or specific suggestions would be welcome ...
>
>TIA.
>
hotels and really good access to the rest of the city. several t stops can
get you anywhere easily. when you get away from downtow, there's
cambridge hotels and a clump i allston. thos get you access to both sides of
the river.
there aren't any real bargain places. boston is expensive to stay, cheap to
get around by public trans and has an amazing chinatown for great food.
fresh pond was a bargain when no one realized how accessible it is, but now
everyone knoews and it's gone upscale.
there used to be several motels in brookline that were a steal, but they's
gone upscale, too.
boston is expensive, ordering early gets much better pices.
whatever you do, walk the freedom trail and go to quincy markey.
the market gets more visitors than disney land by a lot. great seafood
and nightlife abounds.
you made me homesick.
Jass
go for over 300. For a MOTEL!
Inside the city itself, the cheapest always seems to be Days Inn off
storrow drive. Problem is, it's in a little bit of an island, and the
only bus service is infrequent unless you dont mind a 12 block walk to
the 57 (through a residential neighborhood). I believe it does have
free parking, and it's next to one of the only 24 hour businesses in
town (IHOP).
Other hotels where Ive found reasonable rates in the past (but ive
also seen charging 300+ for a room I payed 70 in) include:
Cambridge Hyatt off memorial drive (short walk over the bridge for the
green line and 57, weekday only service on the CT2 bus)
Marriott in Cambridge near Kendall T stop
Convention center hotels when there is no convention
Nick Knight
07/16/2010
>Ugh, hotels in boston are extremely overpriced. Ive seen motel rooms go for
>over 300. For a MOTEL!
Not a direct answer to Ken, but it might help someone looking to rent a car.
I was in Boston in May. Flight was relatively cheap, as was the car rental
($200 for a week), as was the hotel (outside of the city, Marriott in
Billerica/Burlington, but with a car ...). Knowing we would be back in the
summer, we used this trip to see the city. Great trip! Did a good job,
leaving a few sites for summer ... but most of trip #2 will be into Maine.
So, planning trip #2, suddenly the same hotel is 2x the spring price! The
flight was also more expensive, but watching the ups and downs and changing
local airports and we did ok.
The killer was the car. Expedia listed the SAME CAR that we had in the
spring from the same vendor at the airport for $800!!! And there was no
real break from any of the competition. Since a car was necessary to get to
Maine, this was problematic. We considered driving the 10.5 hours each way,
but adding onto that a trip into Maine at 6 hours each way, that's a lot of
driving for a week.
Here's the tip, albeit a minor inconvenience: Rent a car from a Government
Center (downtown) office ... I think many of the rental car vendors have
offices there or nearby. You can take the subway from the airport to here
and rent a car for $300/week, STILL returning it to the airport when
leaving, if you want. All of the non-airport rental car branches had much
cheaper rates that Logan's. Even taking a cab would pay off big-time. What
a racket. HOWEVER: watch the hours that these offices are open, they are
not 24x7. If you can do it, though, you can save a bundle.
When actually in Boston, we plan on staying in the Billerica/Burlington area
again. With a car, and our previous experience with the trains/subway, this
will work out well. And it's still much more inexpensive than downtown.
Question for one of the locals: In the spring we drove to the Riverside
station and rode the train to Fenway for a game. Looking at the maps, it
appears you can get to the convention center just as easily from the
Riverside station. Is this correct?
Question #2: Is driving all the way to the convention center something to
avoid? (this is what I understood about Fenway, and downtown during
rush-hour from some online reading). What does parking at the CC cost,
typically, please?
Thanks in advance,
Nick
Michael Benveniste
> Question for one of the locals: In the spring we drove to the Riverside
> station and rode the train to Fenway for a game. Looking at the maps, it
> appears you can get to the convention center just as easily from the
> Riverside station. Is this correct?
Yes. Riverside is the end of the "D" line, and all D line trains stop
at the Hynes Convention Center stop. The train can get quite crowded
by that stop -- try to get near the doors at the previous stop.
The ANA should have really posted this stuff, but you may wish to look
at the convention center's website:
http://www.mccahome.com/jhcc.html
> Question #2: Is driving all the way to the convention center something to
> avoid? (this is what I understood about Fenway, and downtown during
> rush-hour from some online reading). What does parking at the CC cost,
> typically, please?
In general, driving in Boston is a pain, although the Hynes is in one
of the few areas of the city which is laid out in a grid. The Prudential
Center Garage is the largest garage near the convention center. Unless
the convention has worked a deal, their daily rate is $39. Other lots
in the area are also in the $32-39 per day range.
If you make a $10 purchase in the attached mall, you can get your
parking ticket stamped. That entitles you to $12 parking for up to
4 hours and $20 parking for 4-5 hours.
P.S. If using a car service or cab, be sure you specify which
convention center you are going to. Otherwise, you may end up at
WASTECON 2010:
http://wastecon.swana.org/
Jass
people say "the convention center" they mean the new one by the
waterfront. Hynes convention center is always referred to as hynes.
Parking in the area varies depending on if fenway park is in use or
not. If not, you will find ample parking around fenway park, for a bit
cheaper than the prudential area. It's then an easy walk to the
convention center (15 minutes) or 1 t stop.
If there is a game, then yes, youll want to park further out, such as
riverside.
If its a sunday, and theres no game, you will find ample street
parking for free close to the convention center (closer to fenway).
Just note the signs to see if you need a residential permit or not
(usually when there is a meter you do not, but check anyway, rules
vary widely block by block)
Nick Knight
>P.S. If using a car service or cab, be sure you specify which convention
>center you are going to. Otherwise, you may end up at
Thanks to you and Jass for the responses. Hopefully others will find this
info as useful as I did.
With parking so high, I think I'll stick with the train idea. If we get
into rush hour, we can always find a place to eat downtown and wait it out
(with schedule in-hand, so we don't get stuck!)
Oh, to answer the other fellow, the Red Sox are NOT in town that week at
all. Which is why we made sure we hit one of the 2 games that were possible
when we visited in May :).
Nick
Bob
> In <8ah2e5F9c...@mid.individual.net>, on 07/18/2010
Though somewhat off-topic, I will be presenting a program, "Curious
Currency of the World," at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 11, in the
Numismatic Theatre, 209 Convention Center. I invite all rcc'ers to
attend! You will learn absolutely nothing about sleepers, FBLs, the
future price of gold, etc., but will (I hope) come away with a better
understanding of what money really is and why it has any value.
Bob Leonard