Boston Hotel and rental car ?s

We will be cruising out of Boston in mid-September. I'm looking for the best option on staying in Boston pre-cruise. We will be flying in on September 10 and cruising on September 12, so we will have two nights in the Boston area.

I will say we just returned from a "land-cruise" in the Boston area and New England where we did the metro area and around New England but very little in Boston proper. When we were in the metro region, we stayed at an Extended Stay America (Woburn) one night and Comfort Inn (Dorchester) another night. I have heard that parking is rough in Boston, so I was hoping when we go for our cruise that we could stay closer to the port since Boston is supposedly pretty walkable. I wasn't too happy with paying over $150 for a Comfort Inn--I think of Comfort Inn as an "under-$100" type of place, but am I being unrealistic to think we can get a good hotel in a good location in Boston for the $150-170 range? Is it better (and cheaper) to get a hotel in places like Woburn or Dorchester and then drive in to Boston to do things in the Boston area like Freedom Trail, taking into account the high cost of parking? I am familiar (after just one experience) of how busy I-93 can be coming up from the south. Also, would it make more sense to stay in the Lexington/Woburn area or in the Dorchester area? Personally, I think Woburn was cheaper--a lot cheaper--but as far as getting into Boston itself, which would work out better?

The reason I was wanting to stay as close as I could to the seaport and the walkable areas of Boston was that I was hoping to not get a rental car. If I should stay further away, are there any rental car companies that will shuttle you to the pier, or have a location close to the pier for returning the car? Or is there a shuttle between the airport and the seaport?

Okay, in looking at other posts, it appears that Carol usually suggests staying a little further away from Boston, and in checking priceline and Hotwire, it appears that hotels in the area I was hoping to stay in are extremely expensive. So, relunctantly, I'm thinking we'll need to rent a car when we cruise out of Boston.

So,

1) what area would be best? Dorchester--Close to Boston but bad traffic, Woburn--further away but fairly good prices, and there was a restaurant there that my wife had wanted to try but we didn't get the chance, or the Newton/Waltham area.

2) How much can we expect to pay for parking when we go to the Boston Commons and Freedom Trail area for sightseeing, and how easy/hard is it to find during the week?

3) Best option for returning the rental car?

We will be cruising out of Boston in mid-September. I'm looking for the best option on staying in Boston pre-cruise. We will be flying in on September 10 and cruising on September 12, so we will have two nights in the Boston area.

 

I will say we just returned from a "land-cruise" in the Boston area and New England where we did the metro area and around New England but very little in Boston proper. When we were in the metro region, we stayed at an Extended Stay America (Woburn) one night and Comfort Inn (Dorchester) another night. I have heard that parking is rough in Boston, so I was hoping when we go for our cruise that we could stay closer to the port since Boston is supposedly pretty walkable. I wasn't too happy with paying over $150 for a Comfort Inn--I think of Comfort Inn as an "under-$100" type of place, but am I being unrealistic to think we can get a good hotel in a good location in Boston for the $150-170 range? Is it better (and cheaper) to get a hotel in places like Woburn or Dorchester and then drive in to Boston to do things in the Boston area like Freedom Trail, taking into account the high cost of parking? I am familiar (after just one experience) of how busy I-93 can be coming up from the south. Also, would it make more sense to stay in the Lexington/Woburn area or in the Dorchester area? Personally, I think Woburn was cheaper--a lot cheaper--but as far as getting into Boston itself, which would work out better?

 

The reason I was wanting to stay as close as I could to the seaport and the walkable areas of Boston was that I was hoping to not get a rental car. If I should stay further away, are there any rental car companies that will shuttle you to the pier, or have a location close to the pier for returning the car? Or is there a shuttle between the airport and the seaport?

You are super unrealistic to think you can get a good hotel in a good Boston location for $150-170 for a Wed and Thur night. The only place that comes to mind is the John Jeffries House and you are probably way too late to be able to book that, but check it out - maybe you'll get lucky.

If you want to do downtown Boston, a car is a waste - another $30-50/day to park. Public transit is the way to go.

I would look first at the Ramada in Dorchester at $155 tax included non cancellable. They offer airport transportation and shuttle service to the Red Line JFK Station. This is in a similar area near UMass as the Comfort Inn you stayed in before.

How much did it cost you to rent a car the last time? When you look at the total cost, you have to add the per day car rental AND the Boston parking cost to your room rate. That could easily add another $100/day.

I just saw that Hotwire has a 3* hotel in the Fenway/Kenmore area for $178 + tax with a 90% approval rating for your dates. This would be slightly farther out from downtown, but still very close in. They say they have 8 left. I have no idea what hotel this could be.

Okay, in looking at other posts, it appears that Carol usually suggests staying a little further away from Boston, and in checking priceline and Hotwire, it appears that hotels in the area I was hoping to stay in are extremely expensive. So, relunctantly, I'm thinking we'll need to rent a car when we cruise out of Boston.

 

So,

 

1) what area would be best? Dorchester--Close to Boston but bad traffic, Woburn--further away but fairly good prices, and there was a restaurant there that my wife had wanted to try but we didn't get the chance, or the Newton/Waltham area.

 

2) How much can we expect to pay for parking when we go to the Boston Commons and Freedom Trail area for sightseeing, and how easy/hard is it to find during the week?

 

3) Best option for returning the rental car?

The one thing I don't recommend for sightseeing in downtown Boston is a car. Public transit is the way to go.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm thinking we may still rent a car, even though it is expensive to do in Boston. If we did rent a car and stay in an outlying area, do the rapid transit stations have cheap parking where we could park for the day and then just jump on the rapid transit to get us into downtown Boston to do our sightseeing?

I'm also thinking then we'd return the car to Logan and get on the Silver Line to the cruise terminal. I'm assuming that it would be easy to find the Silver Line station from Terminal A?

Thanks for the advice.

 

I'm thinking we may still rent a car, even though it is expensive to do in Boston. If we did rent a car and stay in an outlying area, do the rapid transit stations have cheap parking where we could park for the day and then just jump on the rapid transit to get us into downtown Boston to do our sightseeing?

 

I'm also thinking then we'd return the car to Logan and get on the Silver Line to the cruise terminal. I'm assuming that it would be easy to find the Silver Line station from Terminal A?

If you were doing this on a weekend, I'd say no problem. However, on a weekday many of the T subway commuter parking lots are full by 9 am. An exception might be the Anderson park/ride on the Lowell train line where train parking is $4 and train fare is $6.25/pp each way.

There are 5 T "subway" lines, the Red, Green, Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines. The basic fare on these lines (with a few exceptions) is $2.50 or $2 with a plastic Charlie Card. There are numerous T train lines with zoned fares. For example Anderson is zone 2 with a fare of $6.25. A zone 10 fare would be $11.50 and the in between zones would be priced proportionally. The further out you stay, the more it is going to cost you to get in and out of Boston. Subway service runs pretty frequently, but train service is much less frequent outside the commuting hours. My husband is currently riding the Lowell line and it takes him about 1 1/2 hours to get to the station, ride to North Station, transfer to the Orange Line, and get over to Back Bay. If he misses the 5:45 pm train, he has to wait until 6:45 pm for the next train. Rapid Transit is a highly subjective term

Perhaps others will have creative suggestions for you. My expertise is really the northwest area of Boston plus 15 years commuting on the train and subway. I'd also like to hear others opinions on renting a car in Boston. I think if you took the total cost of the car and added it to your hotel budget, you could find some kind of in town accommodations for similar money.

In researching the 3* Fenway hotel on Hotwire, I'm thinking it could be the Holiday Inn in Brookline, which is right on the Green Line. Another option I haven't researched is staying at an airport hotel northeast of the city which runs a shuttle to one of the Blue Line Stations. And still another thought is the Constitution Inn in Charlestown just across the bridge from the North End - I think I saw a base price around $210 for your dates for that hotel.

If you do rent a car, you would want to drop your luggage at the pier before you return the car. The Silver Line stops at all the Logan terminals - lower level for A, B, and C and main level for E. You tell the driver you want to get off at the indoor World Trade Center stop (second WTC stop) so you can transfer for free over the track to the SL2 bus to Black Falcon.

Just an FYI, Charlie Card is now $2.10/ride, Charlie Ticket is $2.65. Both as of July 1st.

You're so right about that. Thanks. I try to block out the price increase. My senior card only went up $.05.

Carol,

I see you live in Boston so I would like your advice on staying close in town within walking or bus to all the main attractions. We will be leaving out of Boston in October on a rccl cruise. I have checked for days all the hotel rates and they are out of site for October which I expected. Can you make any suggestions on a good area and possible hotels within reason. Also, what about a Bed and Breakfast?? What is your opinion on that? thank you.

If you can afford the hotel or BnB rate then stay in the city. No need for a car. Boston's subway/bus system (called "the T") is safe and easy to navigate and the city is easy to walk. I live in the western 'burbs and only drive into the city in the summer, when schools are out-of-session, or on Sunday.

What is your "reasonable" rate?

Have you looked into the South Shore area - Braintree or Quincy come to mind. They have the express shuttle to and from Logan and the T is a relatively easy and painless ride into Boston.

What are your exact dates? How many people? What's your budget? Are you flying or driving and what's your timeline for arriving in Boston?

No,I haven't looked into any other areas as I have never been to Boston or the area. I will check out Braintree and Quincy since you said it is easy to get back to the airport and take the T into Boston. Are those areas a safe part of town?

Mid October , 2 people and flying into Boston Logan, unless it would be better to fly into Providence or Worcester?

Mid October , 2 people and flying into Boston Logan, unless it would be better to fly into Providence or Worcester?

What is your exact date? That is the height of the tourist season in Boston. What is your budget?

Look at the Ramada on Morrissey Blvd. I think they have a shuttle to the Red Line.

No,I haven't looked into any other areas as I have never been to Boston or the area. I will check out Braintree and Quincy since you said it is easy to get back to the airport and take the T into Boston. Are those areas a safe part of town?

I wouldn't hesitate at all staying either place. Very safe, and like I said, an easy commute on the T.

Mid October , 2 people and flying into Boston Logan, unless it would be better to fly into Providence or Worcester?

You would have a more difficult time getting into Boston from Rhode Island or Worcester, unless you rented a car. They would both be about an hour's drive on a good day with no traffic (right, like that ever happens). There is also a Holiday Inn in Somerville and a LaQuinta in Somerville. A little closer to Boston and still an easy commute by the T.

Rhode Island airport has commuter rail service to South Station in Boston.

can you even fly into Worcester? Cost is all relative. The closer you are to public transportation, the more expensive the hotel. The further away, the more time and cost of rental/gas/parking. If I were doing Boston on a budget I would fly into Logan and stay in either revere/saugus where most hotels have a shuttle service, or quincy/braintree where I could still get on the red line.

We are flying into Logan. Will arrive by 2pm. What hotels do you suggest that are priced between 200.00 -- 300.00 that are within walking distance to the tourist areas? Also need to get to falcon dock on Sunday morning. I was told it is best to go back to Logan and take the silver line. The problem is that it all seems so confusing for someone who has never used T transit and not familiar with it at all. All the locals make it sound sooooo easy, but they know what they are doing!!!! Help!!!

We are flying into Logan. Will arrive by 2pm. What hotels do you suggest that are priced between 200.00 -- 300.00 that are within walking distance to the tourist areas? Also need to get to falcon dock on Sunday morning. I was told it is best to go back to Logan and take the silver line. The problem is that it all seems so confusing for someone who has never used T transit and not familiar with it at all. All the locals make it sound sooooo easy, but they know what they are doing!!!! Help!!!

What is your exact date? There are many college activities in the fall and certain weekends are a hotel nightmare. Time is of the essence to make your arrangements - Hotwire May be your best bet at this late date. $200-300 is a very tight budget in Boston.

Boston is small and an easy city to get around. You will not be able to walk everywhere, but if you stay in one of the downtown areas you will be able to walk or take a short T ride everywhere.

http://Www.mbta.com will show you the T maps. You need to get to South Station to take the Silver Line SL2 bus to Black Falcon Terminal. There is no need to go to Logan Airport to do this if you are staying in town.

What is your exact date? There are many college activities in the fall and certain weekends are a hotel nightmare. Time is of the essence to make your arrangements - Hotwire May be your best bet at this late date. $200-300 is a very tight budget in Boston.

 

Boston is small and an easy city to get around. You will not be able to walk everywhere, but if you stay in one of the downtown areas you will be able to walk or take a short T ride everywhere.

 

Www.mbta.com will show you the T maps. You need to get to South Station to take the Silver Line SL2 bus to Black Falcon Terminal. There is no need to go to Logan Airport to do this if you are staying in town.

very true. You will have difficulty getting any hotel in that price range, but it can be done. There really are no bad hotels downtown, although some are better than others. For 2 or more people I recommend taking a cab to the port from a downtown hotel though. It wouldnt be much more than the T. Just yesterday, I took a cab from Park Plaza Hotel to where I work a mile from Black Falcon, and the Fare was 7.80 plus tip, as opposed to carrying luggage on 2/3 trains and buses for 2.50ish pp.