Help with Boston trip

[Andeevan]

Friends of ours are getting married at the Boston Public Library on 4th of July weekend. DH and I would love to go but the hotels in the block for the wedding are really expensive. Any ideas on good, cheaper places to stay? We would be driving from Michigan, so could also stay outside of the city. I've never been to Boston so could really use some help!

 

[nugov2]

What are you looking to spend? Have you tried hotels.com?

 

[Queeneileen]

Friends of ours are getting married at the Boston Public Library on 4th of July weekend. DH and I would love to go but the hotels in the block for the wedding are really expensive. Any ideas on good, cheaper places to stay? We would be driving from Michigan, so could also stay outside of the city. I've never been to Boston so could really use some help!

I live outside Boston. Look for budget hotels like Cortyard Marriot or Hampton Inn on hotels.com or Expedia. Find a hotel near the T line.(subway system)
Look in Braintree or Quincy 10 miles South of Boston or Woburn 10 miles north of Boston.

 

[Kitzka]

Knowing your budget or range would be helpful. My idea of budget hotel price in or around Boston maybe very different than yours.

A pp mentioned Woburn. DH and I have stayed out in Woburn and the drove into Boston. Generally we end up staying out in Cambridge and take the T into Boston if we will be there.

One thing to ask when booking a room in Boston is if there is a parking fee. One year we stayed at the Lennox and we did not ask if parking was included and well, it was another $30 a day we forgot to include.

In general hotels in Boston proper are wicked expensive. We never expect to pay less than $200 a night.

Good luck.

 

[Andeevan]

Thank you all for the help! The wedding rooms are about $225, which now that we've looked more into it seems like a pretty good price for the holiday weekend. We were hoping for something more around $150. Will definitely look into the places you all have suggested. Thanks!

 

[lauti]

4th of July is probably the busiest time in Boston the entire year, so I don't think you are going to find many bargains unfortunately.

 

[princess barbara]

I used to work at the BPL. I didn't know it could be rented out for weddings- it's a beautiful facility. Any word on if the wedding couple was going to reserve a block of rooms for a discounted price? If it's just you and your husband, you can even look into bed and breakfasts. Just know that the week of the 4th is a huge tourist time with many events usually including tall ships parades, chowder festival and the fireworks show on the Esplanade.

With that said, I would search for lodging in the Newton/ Needham area. It's a short drive to the Riverside T stop which is the green line train- just park, hop on the train and get off in Copley Square- walk upstairs and the library is across the street. With that said too, I would not recommend driving in Boston during the 4th festivities as there are a bunch of road closures and sometimes the train is even free to encourage the use of public transportation.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Thank you all for the help! The wedding rooms are about $225, which now that we've looked more into it seems like a pretty good price for the holiday weekend. We were hoping for something more around $150. Will definitely look into the places you all have suggested. Thanks!

That is definitely a good price for the holiday weekend and it might be worth it to be at a hotel where you can just walk to the wedding. Traffic around the city is diverted a bit on the 4h of July due to the Pops concert/fireworks on the Esplanade so it can make it a little more challenging to navigate if you are not familiar with the city.

 

[rdsx28]

Actually 225 for that weekend is pretty decent. As mentioned it is a VERY busy time in Boston with all the July 4th festivities. The T will be very busy as well because no one wants to drive in that day. I'd say if it's only 1 night it may be worth the price for less of a hassle. Good Luck!

 

[PelletierBears]

Check hotels in EAST Boston and Revere. I just stayed at the Comfort Inn in Revere for $107 (AAA rate) last night. Nice hotel, free breakfast buffet and a straight shot into downtown Boston on Rte 1A. There's a Hampton Inn in East Boston as well as a Courtyard Marriott just minutes from downtown. You mentioned you're driving but the "T" runs thru both East Boston and Revere (blue line) so you would have that as an option.

I live in Winthrop which borders both East Boston and Revere so can share more info if you have other questions about this area.

 

[3boymthr]

The only thing I would recommend is avoiding areas like Dorchester, Jamaica Plain. To save money and get to your target range you would probably want to target the major business areas - Waltham, Weston, Braintree.

If you are willing to be out in the "burbs" you can get a room for as little as $99/night. Mansfield and Franklin are towns with major industrial parks and have ready access to the commuter rail (The trains are generally very clean). Take the purple line to Bay Bay Station, up the escalator and out the door and you'll be in Copley Square. You can also drive there and be in the city in about an hour without traffic though I would allow double that time for the potential holiday traffic.

One thing to think about though, the MBTA runs on a "Holiday" schedule on July 4. Instead of being on a regular weekday schedule all the trains run on a Saturday Schedule - with extended return times because of the fireworks. Boston is, as people have noted, packed with tourists for the holiday. It's also extremely busy with "locals" from the burbs coming into the city for the fireworks and other holiday activities. The fireworks are across the city from the Library, but they still drive a lot of people into the rest of the city for the day. Unless it's a deal breaker on going to the wedding, in the interest of saving time you may want to spend the extra for the wedding hotel.

 

[Jimsig]

I would grab that $225 a night. It's a great rate for Boston, especially for that weekend. That way you drive in leave you car at the hotel and be done with any extra transportation. Gives you more time in Boston.

However, if that is still out of your budget, as pp's have said look at Braintree/Quincy (South), Needham/Newton (West), Woburn/Burlington (North), and East Boston/Revere. Although the T will be busier then normal that weekend I would not try driving in and out everyday as that will be even worse.

Another cost factor will be if you stay out side the city and take the T. The subway portion of the T, it will cost between $2 (with a Charlie Card) and $2.5 (with a paper Charlie Ticket) a trip the Commuter Rail portion of the T from some of the areas mentioned will cost about $6.00 each way, prices go up the further you go from Boston up to about $10 each way. There is no free transfer for single ride tickets from the commuter rail to the subway. So you could be looking around $16pp and up to take the T in from the burbs. Taking that in and out a few days and it starts to add up, especially when you have to pay for parking at the T lots. The Revere/East Boston locations would be the regular T subway fares, for between $4 and $5pp round trip. Some places do have free shuttles to the T so you could save parking costs that way.

 

[Judique]

Thank you all for the help! The wedding rooms are about $225, which now that we've looked more into it seems like a pretty good price for the holiday weekend. We were hoping for something more around $150. Will definitely look into the places you all have suggested. Thanks!

Which hotel is giving $225? Sounds like a deal - but I am guessing you would still pay $30-$40 for parking.

Copley Square has a Westin and a Sheraton (and I think a Marriott) which I've stayed at both and they were very nice and would be extremely convenient. The Sheraton looks booked already, but Westin had rooms for $261 on a 3 night minimum.

Since it's a wedding and July 4th in Boston, the convenience factor would be the deciding factor for me. I've visited Boston many times and stayed in the Back Bay area over July 4th twice. For a short visit you don't want to spend all your time trying to drive and park and find places.

 

[meg8017]

I just looked and the Best Western Adams Inn in Quincy is $150 a night for that weekend. Also includes free parking. This hotel is right off the highway, very easy trip into Boston. You should check it out!

 

[Jimsig]

I just looked and the Best Western Adams Inn in Quincy is $150 a night for that weekend. Also includes free parking. This hotel is right off the highway, very easy trip into Boston. You should check it out!

It's also near the North Quincy T subway station. Not sure what they get for parking at that station, but the hotel may have a free shuttle.

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

I would check into Revere (end of the Blue Line and inexpensive parking). Salem, Danvers, & Marblehead are all very nice and a quick train ride into Boston.