gsilliman

For some reason Doubletree actually has a lot of hotels in the Boston area --

Doubletree Guest Suites -- on the Charles River, between Boston Univ. and Harvard B School -- need a car. Originally a Guest Quarters Suite Hotel.

The Inn at Harvard -- Very nice, small atrium, good restaurant with new American cuisine. Mass Ave in Cambridge. Built and owned by Harvard. Filled with corporate recruiters.

Doubletree Hotel Downtown -- at the southern edge of Chinatown, 1 block from the Theater district, next to New England Med Center. short walk from financial district. Hotel is a stylish rehab of an old office building. Fitness Center is an attached, new YMCA with an Olympic pool. No breakfast privileges, but 10% discount at restaurant. Its not a great area -- not dangerous but not very upscale either. Someone has discovered it, because rates have gone up by over $100 in the last 4 months.

Beware of these next hotels if you like your HHonors benefits -- they are managed by Hilton but the owner does not particpate in HHonors. They are listed as Doubletrees on the web site. Front desk people tell me that travellers gripe all the time because they feel deceived about arriving at a "Doubletree" that doesn't honor HHonors:

University Park Hotel at MIT -- in Cambridge. Awesome design -- like a W Hotel, but more comfortable.

Harvard Square Hotel -- great location, guess where. Well-run; a former HoJos or Travelodge than has been extensively fixed up and redecorated, but the rooms are still smallish (some w/twin beds) and the place is built on stilts over the parking. Lowest rates in Cambridge for a good hotel. Only Gold benefit is a chit for 3 free items at the cafe for breakfast.

Scraping a bit here --

Hampton Inn in Revere isn't even in a neighborhood (on a gritty highway near the airport) but it has all the amenities of a Hampton. Travelocity regularly posts a $99 rate there.

FYI the Boston Harbor Hotel -- a beautiful hotel on the water downtown (right now it's next to the Big Dig) is managed by Hilton, but they don't publicize it. That would be a great place to use an HHonors award.

Tolarian Wind

I just spoke to the Boston Harbor Hotel and while they are managed by Hilton they do not offer HHonors reward stays.

TW

fastflyer

Is there an executive lounge at the Doubletree Downtown Boston? Any other HHonors privileges there?

Art234

I prefer the Hilton Logan Airport. I stayed there a few months after it opened-it's clean and very nice--and convenient to the airport-short cab ride downtown (is there such thing in Boston?)



------------------
Regards,

Art from ISP

mountain flyer

I don't believe there is a Doubletree Downtown. Its in Cambridge and about 10 minutes from the T.

Chris

wideman

The DoubleTree is neither Downtown nor in Cambridge. It's in Allston (a neighborhood that's part of the city of Boston), just off the Mass Pike.

The DoubleTree is a lousy place to stay if you don't have a car: it's neither near the T nor within decent walking distance of anyplace remotely interesting.

winstoda

But it is on the #70 bus route which will take you to Central Square's T stop in 5 minutes.

fastflyer

I am booked at the Doubletree Downtown, on Washington Street - between Chinatown and Bay Village. Is this a new property?

Anyone know about the executive/ concierge lounge services there (which floor/ what offered)? Breakfast in the lounge in the morning?

steve100

From the Doubletree web site:

"The new Doubletree Hotel - Downtown Boston is located at 821 Washington Street, adjacent to the New England Medical Center. The hotel is just a few blocks from the Boston Commons and the Back Bay, and just to blocks from Boston's Financial District, most downtown destinations can be easily walked to, but this location also has the New England Medical Center Orange Line "T" stop location on site. "

see: http://www.doubletree.com/en/dt/hote...tyhocn=BOSCODT

stimpy

I have a meeting at the Fairmont Copley in BOS which is a very nice hotel, but I can't pass up the current Hilton points deal (and hopefully I'll get a better rate) if there is something in the vast Hilton/Hampton/Doubletree/etc. chain within walking distance.

Anyone know what is near the Fairmont?

doc

Well the Fairmont is by the Hancock Observatory near the Westin Coply Place.

The Hilton Back Bay is at least six blocks away by the Convention Ctr & the Doubltree (Guest Suites?) is even further away to the east!

The choice is yours!

wideman

The Hilton Back Bay is actually only about 4 blocks away (D-E-F-G-H, for those who know what I'm talking about), and you can do almost all of it inside if the weather isn't nice for walking.

gsilliman

Re: Doubletree downtown (Washington St.)

No lounge

Front desk gives no special benefits to HHonors members. If you're Gold, they tend to put you on the 6th floor, but I can't really tell the difference between rooms. The self-serve business center is on 6.

If you ask, they usually give you a 10%-off restaurant coupon for any meal. In late May I complained to the manager about the lack of a breakfast for GGold members -- he graciously gave me a coupon for a free breakfast buffet but said that he had never heard of any free breakfast amenity for Gold members. Interesting comment, since I had complained about this to Hhonors in February and April.

fastflyer

The streets of Back Bay are alphabetical between the Garden and Mass. Ave:

Arlington
Berkeley
Clarendon
Dartmouth
Exeter
Fairfield
Gloucester
Hereford

Locals refer to the streets by the initial letter: "the store is located on Newbury between C and D."

Zip

I will be staying at the "Doubletree" Univ. Park Hotel at MIT tomorrow. I did locate it on the hhonors web site. Looking now to see how the front desk will acknowledge my hhonors card.