Help me choose between 2 hotels in Boston
 

I am attending a conference at Seaport World Trade Center. I stayed in the area last time and hated it - all business and no character. I'd like to try something else this year.

I'm looking at either Intercontinental Boston ($450), or Holiday Inn Express @ TD Garden ($320). The Intercon is highly rated and a 15 min walk to the conference, but it's in the "financial district", which conjures up unpleasant images of what I'm trying to avoid - stuffy and overpriced. I could be wrong though, so please correct me if so - is there great food and character in that area or nearby?

The HIE is obviously not in the same league, but it's a 15 min ride on bus #4 + 5 min walk, and walking distance to North End and the river path, which I will enjoy after work. I assume there is better food options than the Intercon - yeah? There are games @ 7pm on 3 of the 4 nights though, so it will be crowded with possible noise issues.

I already have a rough idea of the extra commute and downgrade in quality of HIE. I am looking to understand how much I will gain in food and character to determine if it's worth the trouble. Thanks.

hotels
 

The financial district is not so fussy and has some fine resturants. The walk to the North End is not more than 15 or 20 minutes at most. If there are games going on I would probably avoid that area as it will be quite crowded especially if the weather is respectable. The eating and drinking estblishments will be busy both before and after the games because they start at 7PM I believe. Walking 20 minutes from the INC can take you quite a few different areas.

The Intercontinental isn't in the Financial District, it is in an area with many good restaurants (and some great ones). Although walking along that part of the Charles is nice, the Intercontinental is right on Boston Harbor, so you will also have water views available -- for your entire walk to the Trade Center, in fact.

IC for sure - no contest. Great location.

The Financial District can be rather dead and quiet at night, but the IC is really on the edge of the Financial District and on a busy road, so it does not have that desolate quiet feel. It is an easy walk to the North End and Faneuil Hall which would give you several dining options. Plus there are some dining options on the same road as the hotel (e.g, Nebo). It is also an easy walk to the red line, where you could always hop on the subway to cross the river to Cambridge where you will find several other good dining options and some more character depending on where you go.

Agree with Ireland47 in that the area around the Garden will be busy before and after the games. Plus I feel like a lot of the places to eat in the area around the Garden are bars and pubs, so if you are looking for great food, that may not be the best area to try and eat in.

I would not want to try and deal with a public bus to get to a conference, so I would personally choose the IC for the mere fact that you can walk to the conference. Obviously though, if price is a factor, the HIE may work better.

Also, not sure when you were last in the Seaport area, but there has been a major build-up in that area over the last 5 years or so. I agree that the area once seemed so far out there on its own, but there are now many more dining options out that way, including a bunch on the water and a bunch that go beyond the typical dive bars that used to be out that way.

Thanks for all the information.

I've stayed at that HIX, it's nothing special. The neighborhood is dead at night though you can walk to the North End and eat really well. The hotel is small and cramped with a really odd layout and small rooms.

I'd be at the IC for sure.

Like others have said it's not much of a competition in my view. IC has a better location, better rooms, better facilities, closer to your conference, better nightlife options near by (unless you want to hit pubs with the Garden crowd). Only thing I would even consider for the HIX would be the price difference but all hotels in Boston cost a fortune.