Boston Hotel Help

[138east]

What is your hotel budget?  2 beds?

 

Before I suggest hotels, could you be more specific about what you want to do in Boston with your 83 year old mother?  Can she get on and off a Hoho bus?  How much walking can she really do?  Boston is a walking city with some hilly areas. 

 

I would recommend using uber to get around. Most of the “T” stations are accessible, but it’s sometimes hard to find the accessible way into or out of the station. 

 

I’m thinking the Back Bay Hilton could be a bit out of the way depending on what you want to do. 

There are other areas with hotels.  Renting a car is not recommended at all. Running around on Uber will be much less expensive. 

[Alberta Quilter]

I don't want to spend more than $300/night, preferably around $250 and we'd prefer an included breakfast.  Either two beds or one king will be fine.  Yes, DM can use a HOHO.  She walks twice a week for 5 - 7 km here but that is flat level walking.

 

I'll have to talk to her to see what she wants to do there; I'm not sure what she did before with my father.  We've been to Harvard and to Faneuil Hall; we don't need to do either one again.

 

I have yet to use Uber but do have it set up on my phone for travelling purposes so that is a good option.  That will be a lot less expensive than renting a car and paying to park it.

[138east]

2 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I don't want to spend more than $300/night, preferably around $250 and we'd prefer an included breakfast.  Either two beds or one king will be fine.  Yes, DM can use a HOHO.  She walks twice a week for 5 - 7 km here but that is flat level walking.

 

I'll have to talk to her to see what she wants to do there; I'm not sure what she did before with my father.  We've been to Harvard and to Faneuil Hall; we don't need to do either one again.

 

I have yet to use Uber but do have it set up on my phone for travelling purposes so that is a good option.  That will be a lot less expensive than renting a car and paying to park it.

Don’t get hung up on free breakfast. That is not a usual offering in downtown Boston hotels and could even be a red flag that the property is not up to snuff. 

 

I recommend that you look at Marriott.com right now and book a placeholder refundable reservation.  Look at the Sheraton Back Bay, Marriott Copley, and Westin Copley. These hotels are attached to Copley Place/Prudential Center and offer lots of indoor walking space, shops, and food in case of bad weather. I have most recently stayed at the Sheraton (this is across the street from the Hilton Back Bay) and it was lovely. Marriott also offers the Element, Aloft, Westin, and Renaissance in the Seaport area. The Westin is enormous and is primarily.a convention hotel However, if I recall correctly, does have an incline to get up to the lobby area. The Renaissance is close to the T (totally accessible) and the waterfront.

 

Then keep an open mind and monitor hotel prices to see what happens. Your dates are Labor Day weekend and prices could drop, particularly in the Seaport area where there will be very low business travel.  Lastminutetravel.com and Hotwire are good resources for this info. 

 

Feel free to post back with questions. 

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks very much.  One question - what is the T?

[138east]

51 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Thanks very much.  One question - what is the T?

Boston public transit - www.mbta.com - https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/maps/2018-04-map-rapid-transit-key-bus-v31a.pdf

 

The Silver Line bus services the Seaport area with free transfer to the Red line at South station. The green line and orange line service Back Bay. As I said all stations are not accessible and accessible transfers can be complicated. The Boston T is very old. South Station has been renovated to be very accessible.  Back Bay on the Orange Line and all stations on the Silver Line as well. 

[Alberta Quilter]

Thank you again.  You've been very helpful.  I've booked the Sheraton at what I think is a good rate:  $179 for the Saturday night and $164 for the Sunday & Monday nights.  I could have gotten it for less but that would require pre-payment and would be non refundable.  I went for the refundable rate!

 

It turns out that DM wants me to see the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library so that's why I booked in that area.

 

Is there somewhere close by for breakfast?  The price differential to include breakfast was quite high so went without.  I even checked the Club rooms but, again, I thought we could eat less expensively than the price differential.  I'll keep checking the prices in case they drop.

[138east]

 

45 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Thank you again.  You've been very helpful.  I've booked the Sheraton at what I think is a good rate:  $179 for the Saturday night and $164 for the Sunday & Monday nights.  I could have gotten it for less but that would require pre-payment and would be non refundable.  I went for the refundable rate!

 

It turns out that DM wants me to see the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library so that's why I booked in that area.

 

Is there somewhere close by for breakfast?  The price differential to include breakfast was quite high so went without.  I even checked the Club rooms but, again, I thought we could eat less expensively than the price differential.  I'll keep checking the prices in case they drop.

Great prices!

 

The Sheraton is part of the Prudential Center complex. Lots of eateries. You won’t go hungry and it’s all accessible without going outside

 

http://www.prudentialcenter.com/map/map.html

 

http://www.prudentialcenter.com/dine_category.html

Edited December 29, 2018 by 138east

[1025cruise]

There's at least one Dunkin Donuts in the Prudential mall. Plus at least one Starbucks.

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks, again!  You're right, we definitely won't starve!  Is the Top of the Hub a good place for a meal?  Might be a special lunch because the dinner prices are too high, especially after conversion to C$!  Is the view worth it?

 

Any recommendations for good lobster near the Sheraton?

 

 You've mentioned a couple of times about inclement weather.  What is the weather typically like in Boston in early September?  
 

[138east]

23 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Thanks, again!  You're right, we definitely won't starve!  Is the Top of the Hub a good place for a meal?  Might be a special lunch because the dinner prices are too high, especially after conversion to C$!  Is the view worth it?

 

Any recommendations for good lobster near the Sheraton?

 

 You've mentioned a couple of times about inclement weather.  What is the weather typically like in Boston in early September?  
 

 I haven’t eaten at the Top of the Hub for a long time.  I seem to remember the view was very good.  

 

Boston weather should still be warm.  A thunderstorm is more likely than a 100% rainy day.  If you’re sailing north, you should have layers.

 

The indoor option can unexpectedly work out well.  Several years ago I came back from a cruise on the train in a blizzard.  I had Hotwired a last minute Back Bay hotel and got the Sheraton.  I more than happy to scoot into Copley Place from Back Bay Station and walk all the way indoors over the sky bridge into the Prudential Center and on to the Sheraton!  No worries for snow in September.

[Nitemare]

Top of the Hub is a restaurant known for it's views, not for it's food.

[Alberta Quilter]

10 hours ago, Nitemare said:

Top of the Hub is a restaurant known for it's views, not for it's food.

 

Ahh, we have some of those here, too.  Thanks for the frank assessment.  I think we'll give it a pass.

[Alberta Quilter]

On 12/29/2018 at 4:02 PM, 138east said:

 I haven’t eaten at the Top of the Hub for a long time.  I seem to remember the view was very good.  

 

Boston weather should still be warm.  A thunderstorm is more likely than a 100% rainy day.  If you’re sailing north, you should have layers.

 

The indoor option can unexpectedly work out well.  Several years ago I came back from a cruise on the train in a blizzard.  I had Hotwired a last minute Back Bay hotel and got the Sheraton.  I more than happy to scoot into Copley Place from Back Bay Station and walk all the way indoors over the sky bridge into the Prudential Center and on to the Sheraton!  No worries for snow in September.

 

Yes, we have many of those skywalks here in Alberta, too.  We really need them in the winter months and on inclement days!

[1025cruise]

There are restaurants in the Prudential Center mall. In addition, there are plenty of restaurants in the Back Bay.

[baltic17]

Thank you, 138east.  Your answers for Alberta Quilter have been very helpful.  After looking around, the Back Bay area looks like a good fit for my husband and I for our 3 Sep cruise departure. 

 

Alberta Quilter, are you on a HAL cruise? 

 

Cheers

[Alberta Quilter]

On 1/28/2019 at 2:08 PM, baltic17 said:

Thank you, 138east.  Your answers for Alberta Quilter have been very helpful.  After looking around, the Back Bay area looks like a good fit for my husband and I for our 3 Sep cruise departure. 

 

Alberta Quilter, are you on a HAL cruise? 

 

Cheers

 

Sorry, just saw this post.  Yes, I am on a HAL cruise.  Boston to Quebec, 12 days on the Zuiderdam.  Is that the same cruise that you are on?  

Edited February 27, 2019 by Alberta Quilter