Dawn/Boston Hotels?

[roger001]

Has anyone this past Boston to Bermuda season stayed at a Boston hotel that doesn't cost a fortune and you would recommend? I just took a look at lodging for that cruise (Boston) and wow! Booked on the Dawn in May.

[roger001]

Having done further research.....has anyone stayed at the La Quinta Inn & Suites

Boston Somerville and lived to tell about it? All we want is one night sleep, fancy not required......clean and safe necessary though. Is that reasonable taxi commute from airport and cruise ship dock?

[sjbdtz]

Boston is an expensive city. Depending on what rates you can get, the W hotel is nicely situated about 5 mins from Beacon Hill, and W has the Acura program where they will drive you anywhere in the area at no charge (in an MDX SUV).

 

They happily dropped us off at Black Falcon, luggage & all. I tipped the guy $5 which he took....plus he'd dropped us off earlier in the day for some sightseeing.

 

 

So if you discounted the hotel cost by the amount you save in taxis....

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[Jim Avery]

I will second that Boston is an expensive city. Even cheap hotels cost quite a bit. We always stay at the Marriott Long Wharf. Basically across the street from Faneuil Hall and easy walk to the North End for great Italian meals. Like most downtown Boston hotels, it is an easy cab ride to the docks.

[luckycanuck]

Does the Long Wharf have a shuttle from the airport?

[roger001]

Thanks everyone. With further research, I guess I'll go with the La Quinta. They have a free shuttle from the airport and get pretty good reviews. Cab fare down to the cruise terminal is about $23 the next day. A one night room rate is AARP/Senior $125, which is for that area, pretty good it seems. We're not going to sight see Boston. Just need a place to sleep one night.

[jdvmd]

Has anyone this past Boston to Bermuda season stayed at a Boston hotel that doesn't cost a fortune and you would recommend? I just took a look at lodging for that cruise (Boston) and wow! Booked on the Dawn in May.

 

Have you thought about Hotwire or Priceline?

 

We stayed at the W Boston for our trip last July and had a great time there. Used Starwood points so the stay was free.

[dznymom]

I've used Priceline several times for rooms in town for different things, and have scored some very nice deals. It is critical to do some research first though as there are some areas that should be avoided.

 

From what I can see, the La Quinta looks like a pretty good choice. If you need dinner, the 99 Restaurant right across the parking lot is a New England chain, with decent food (especially appetizers) and friendly service at a good price.

 

Have fun on the Dawn. We sailed her last summer and had a fabulous cruise. Bermuda is delightful!

[1025cruise]

Boston is expensive and May is college graduation season. If you plan on doing any Boston touring, the La Quinta is not where you want to stay. Also, keep in mind that it is not an airport hotel so expect to be spending sometime in the shuttle, and waiting for it.

[roger001]

I think May maight have something to do wth it. I checked the other two pricing services and they both had some very pricey offerings.

[Langley Cruisers]

We recently stayed at the Boston Common Hotel (and Conference Center). We found it online and booked a larger suite. It is older and not really close to anything but it is right on the Hop On Hop Off Trolley loop and that's what we spent two days doing. It was fantastic! The hotel itself is older but clean and comfortable and a light continental breakfast is included. A cab from the airport to the hotel was about $30.00 and two days later a cab to the pier was $13.00 on the meter, plus tip - very reasonable.

 

Just another option for you to check if you want.

[138east]

If being in Boston to sightsee is not important and price is important, look at the Best Western in Quincy, which has both an airport and a cruise port shuttle. Another budget option is the John Jefffries hotel in Beacon Hill, which is actually in town in a very nice area.

[mytern2]

As mentioned, Boston/Cambridge are expensive. And since May starts graduation season, and we do have the most colleges per capita, the market gets tighter. There are also a couple of city-wide conferences that are eating up rooms. The discount sites are definitely the way to go. If you want to take advantage of the city pre-cruise, definitely make sure you're near an MBTA stop.

[Nitemare]

There are many threads here about Boston Hotels and how to snag a deal. That La Quinta in Somerville is in an industrial neighborhood and not at all convenient to transit (there may be a bus, but there is no subway/rail at all). Cab is going to be much more expensive to/from here than any of the "in the city" hotel locations, taking away a chunk of your savings. I'd be surprised if the fare is really only $23 from there to the ship.

 

Being near a "99" wouldn't be one of the top 100 reasons to chose a location -- yes, you won't starve, and it's probably better than Applebees, but that's about it.

 

You've got nearly 6 months until you sail. Check out the Boston threads here, and try to stay some place nice. Don't start off your vacation in an industrial zone to try to save $75 or so.

[Post Captain]

Having done further research.....has anyone stayed at the La Quinta Inn & Suites

Boston Somerville and lived to tell about it? All we want is one night sleep, fancy not required......clean and safe necessary though. Is that reasonable taxi commute from airport and cruise ship dock?

 

Sorry, duplicate post. Gremlins at work!

[Post Captain]

Having done further research.....has anyone stayed at the La Quinta Inn & Suites

Boston Somerville and lived to tell about it? All we want is one night sleep, fancy not required......clean and safe necessary though. Is that reasonable taxi commute from airport and cruise ship dock?

Roger ~

 

I stayed there about eight years ago. At the time, the hotel was under different ownership and went by a different name (the Tage Inn), but indeed that hotel and the present La Quinta are one and the same.

 

The area is okay--I wouldn't call the immediate environs "industrial," but the place certainly isn't scenic. The hotel itself is located outside of (directly north of) Boston and right next to a highway. There are some office parks and warehouses in the area, and that famous "99" restaurant is right next door.:D The town of Somerville itself was nowhere to be seen.

 

The hotel itself, at least as I experienced it eight years ago, fits your criteria of "clean and safe."

 

Contrary to what an earlier poster said, the hotel is near a T (subway) stop--I think it was either Malden Center or Wellington, on the Orange line. The hotel ran a shuttle van between the hotel and the T stop; the van ride took just five minutes; I was able to walk it in 20-25. IIRC, the T train took about 20-25 minutes into downtown Boston.

 

I suspect that a taxi from the hotel to the Black Falcon cruise terminal would cost somewhat more than $29.

 

It is possible to get from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to Black Falcon entirely by public transport, with the exception of that short section between the hotel and the T stop on the hotel shuttle. Check out the MBTA subway map:

 

http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/

 

Having said all that... While the hotel itself was more than adequate, and was a terrific bargain for a visit to an expensive city, I haven't been back. Because of its out-of-the-way location outside of Boston, it wouldn't be my first choice when visiting Boston. It's largely a trade-off between cost and convenience. All else being equal, it was fine as a place to stay for a night or two. But nowadays I go the Hotwire/Priceline route to find a more centrally located Boston hotel at a reasonable price.

(Sorry--duplicate post. Some weird glitches appeared in my initial post!:eek:)

[roger001]

Thanks everyone for the additional thoughts. I'll look into them some more. As mentioned, since we get in late afternoon and sail next day, don't need to or will have energy to sight see. Beginning next day, we will be spoiled anyhow. We were platinum on last cruise and this one going to try a suite for the first time. Thanks.

[Nitemare]

Wellington station is a short ride away. It's a 20 minute walk, across a bridge over the Mystic River per Google Maps, but a hotel shuttle would be a good solution to that. If you're just looking for a place to sleep, I'd suggest closer to the airport to save cab fare. Both from airport to hotel and from hotel to terminal.

[138east]

Could you post the exact date you are looking at? Can you manage your luggage so that public transit could be an option?

 

For example, you can cut your cab costs by taking the Silver Line bus (similar in difficulty to a rental car shuttle bus) to South Station and taking a cab from there. This eliminates the tunnel tolls and surcharges that apply to cab rides originating at Logan Airport. Logan to South Station is an easy ride with elevators and escalators at South Station (no stairs only like at some T stations).

[roger001]

Thanks again for the suggestions. It looks like the Best Western in Quincy is the best solution, price, plus airport and cruise terminal shuttles, and believe we'll go with that. My wife has some knee and back mobility issues, so public transportation or walking with luggage can't be done. Thanks again for the help.

[138east]

Please read the Trip Advisor reviews for the Best Western so you know what to expect. It's not a hotel that we regularly recommend on this board, but given both budget and mobility constraints, it should satisfy your particular requirements.

[biker@sea]

Check out flights to MHT .

Stay overnight up north with a 1hr. logan shuttle in the A.M.

[138east]

The OP is traveling with someone who has mobility issues. They need to minimize their number of transfers while watching their budget. Staying at the Best Western in Quincy addresses these needs.

[cruisincorgi]

WOW! I was looking at Boston hotel prices for August 2013, as I will be on the Dawn to Bermuda then. The prices are extreme. What is up? I also would like to know of some cheaper hotels. Thanks

[138east]

What are your exact dates in August? What kind of prices are you seeing? What's your budget and how many people?