Rudi

in June 2003, Gisela and I will visit a very good FlyerTalk friend (a young FlyerTalk oldie, who was very activ on this board in the early 1988 days, but since hade to concentrate on her studies), who will then graduate (MBA) at Harvard.

I just booked our flights and will try now to use 2 of our weekend certificates, good on any 4* Marriott or Renaissance unfortunately the Ritz doesn't qualify ...), from Friday to Sunday.

Any recommendations? the nearer to Harvard, the better. Tube connections/stations appreciated.



[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 02-19-2003).]

wideman

I can think of three legitimate choices, and one can make a case for any of them:

• Marriott Copley – This hotel is in the center of Boston's most interesting and busiest area for shopping and street-roaming. The hotel is within an upscale shopping arcade (Copley Place/Prudential), and you've got lots and lots of easy choices for eating, even a Mövenpick. The hotel is within a block of 2 subway lines (Copley on the green line, Back Bay on the Orange line), and it's about a 20-30 minute subway trip (1 connection required) to Harvard.
• Marriott Cambridge (Kendall Sq.) – This hotel is the closest Marriott to Harvard; it is 2 subway stops or a 5-10 minute drive or about a 5km walk. The hotel itself is at the Kendall subway stop and is adjacent to MIT, but it's not in a "downtown" location, so there are few restaurants and virtually no shopping in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. However, you're just a block from the Charles River, and the walk along the Charles from the hotel to Harvard Sq is one of the most delightful you can imagine, especially in late Spring.
• Marriott Long Wharf – This hotel is on the Boston waterfront, and you can see Logan Airport from the hotel. The hotel is just a few steps from Quincy Market, one of the livelier shopping/eating/nightlife sections of town, though those few steps unfortunately involve crossing a major construction project. For public transportation, the Long Wharf is just across the street from the Aquarium station on the Blue Line, and you can also get to/from the airport on the water shuttle (by far the most elegant way to reach Logan except for a helicopter). Because you have to make a double connection to get from Aquarium to Harvard, it's about a 30-40 minute subway trip between to two.

Rudi

thank you very much.

ChazDawg

Not sure if those already suggested are Cat 4, but I know for sure that the Peabody Marriott is. My wife and I just spent 2 nights there this weekend with Cat. 4 weekend certs. We had a very nice room and good service. They had my platinum welcome gift available and since the Conceirge wasn't going to be open, I was given breakfast for 2 for each morning we'd be there ($12.95 per person). It is relatively convenient from Logan about 15 miles away. Very close to Salem...if you want to check out the Witch Museum or the House of Seven Gables (Nathaniel Hawthorne's house).

My 2 cents...

rtpflyer

I'm also not sure any of the in-town Marriotts are Category 4, but the Residence Inn Cambridge (about one block from the Marriott Cambridge at Kendall Square) is, and I stayed there using a Category 4 Weekend certificate in January this year with no complaints at all. On the other hand, getting award inventory for the June graduation period is likely to be VERY scarce - good luck!

[This message has been edited by rtpflyer (edited 02-19-2003).]

Just Passing Thru

The Long Wharf is a nice property, and well-located, but it is a Cat 6 or 7.

SFnFlaGuy

Hello there,

Never been to Boston before and am going there over memorial day weekend with a friend of mine.

1)Has anyone stayed here before?

2)Is it a good hotel? Good Location?

3) Any special rooms that I should request to get the most space and good views?

Thanks for the info in advance. We got this hotel for $85/night.

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SFnFlaGuy

BeantownFlyer

The Marriott is a large convention hotel. The plusses: it has an very good location - connected to the Copley Place mall with lots of shops (including Neiman Marcus) and restuarants (including Legal Seafood, and in the adjoining Westin, The Palm and Turner Fisheries), and also connected to the Prudential Mall with Saks and other shops; you can walk to all the Back Bay shops and sites, including Newbury Street and even Fenway Park; you get Marriott Points. The minuses: relatively small rooms, in a nondescript hotel (River views from high floors can be spectacular, though); convention hotel service (i,e. low service level); intolerable parking - they frequently try to tell overnight guests parking is full, even at $30+/nt and you need to fight to get them to take the car (I actually just left it once, and walked away - but that was a rental...). There are many better hotels in Boston - if you want Marriott points check out the Custon House timeshare location. Otherwise try the Four Seasons, XV Beacon, Ritz (either of the two), Boston Harbor, Nine-Zero, etc.

bdschobel

I stay there a couple of times a year. Last time was October 2002. BeantownFlyer described it accurately. That $85 rate is quite a bargain!!!

Bruce

SFnFlaGuy

Thanks to you both beantownFlyer and bdschobel for your input!

I guess we should be happy with it with the good location and all. I hope that we get decent rooms on the high floors with a good view. (I already called them and input my Marriott Silver Number and put it the room type request. We'll see if they follow it.)

Yes $85 is a good rate I guess for that hotel. Including taxes, we are paying around $95 per night total.

Are the rooms practically the same in size? Should I request like a corner room for more space/better views? Or are they all the same?

Thanks again!


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SFnFlaGuy

Rudi

* the Long Wharf is in cat 7
* the Copley in cat 6
* the Cambridge one is (as predicted) fully booked (and awards are blacked out)

I did book online today and got confirmed:

Wednesday, june-4 to Friday, june-6
2 award nights, cat 6 (55'000 points), at the Marriott Copley Place (the quoted price would have been $279/night, the Wharf would have been over $300/night).

(and for the remaining 2 nights: Friday, june-6 to Sunday, june 8: I booked the BOS Logan Hilton for $129/night = AAA weekend rate. I already stayed at that place 2 years ago).

Thank you all for your help and tips.

Karen2

If you could get Long Wharf for a similar price, I would go with that one. It is really well located - better than Copley, in my view. You can walk to historic places and shopping. Subway is at the end of the bldg. Access to the freeway is a half block away so you have little driving on Boston's awful streets. The aquarium, children's museum, etc are next door. It has interesting architecture. Copley is meant for people attending conventions at Prudential. However, it is attached to a mall which has the Westin at the other end. So for shopping and restaurants, it is good.

rtpflyer

As it happens, Ms. rtpflyer and I are tentavely planning to be in the Boston area June 6 - 9 for my 30th class reunion. If you want to get together for drinks or dinner or something feel free to e-mail me. We are currently booked at a Doubletree near the theatre district on the Orange line at $119/night that I have stayed at before.


[This message has been edited by rtpflyer (edited 02-23-2003).]

Rudi

rtpflyer

I just emailed you my cellular phone number. Let's arrange a meeting when we are there.

Looking forward

Rudi & Gisela

Xyzzy

I just got back from this hotel today. It's really a convention hotel, as others have said. For me it's very convenient since I'm usually in town for conventions.

Floors 28 and 29 are the concierge floors. The breakfast is okay. The food in the lounge isn't anywhere near as good as what they have at the NY Marriott Marquis, and the lounge is rather small. Dessert service always seems to be just cookies.

$85/night is a bargain. I've never been able to get a room for less than $139 or so, and usually it's quite a bit more.

The hotel is near three T stations, and you can get to the Back Bay station (orange line) entirely indoors. I've not stayed at other downtown Boston Marriott properties recently so I can;t comment on them.

It's nice that the hotel is connected via a walkway to lots of shopping, the convention center, etc. If you like going to the top of tall buildings, check out the Prudential Center, part of the complex. It costs $7/head to go to the observation deck on floor 50 and look out. Drinks at the Top Of The Hub on floor 52 cost about the same -- with the same view for free -- and provide far more value for your money!

Parking at this hotel is a (sometimes necessary) rip-off, and they take 15 minutes to find your car when you do ask for it.