Inexpensive Boston Hotels

Best cheap hotels in Boston - and where to find hotel deals

Inexpensive Boston hotels can save you a ton of money - and still give you a high-quality vacation and travel experience. As a frequent traveler to Boston before we moved here, I discovered how to find the best bargain hotel deals in Boston - surprisingly, sometimes at expensive hotels.

Here are my insider tips about where you'll find the best cheap hotels in Boston, special deals and packages, and other affordable accommodations. I'll even share with you how to save money on Boston hotel parking.

Inexpensive Boston hotels include Hotel 140, located a block away from Copley Square in Boston's Back Bay

Hotel 140, in a National Register of Historic Places building near Boston's Copley Square

Most of these hotels are in sought-after central Boston neighborhoods - Downtown, Back Bay, Fenway, and the West End near Beacon Hill. When they're not, I'll tell you straight out.

I cover a lot of information on this page . . . so if you're in a rush, use these Quick Links:

3 cheap hotels Boston hotels - my top picks
3 more cheap Boston hotels
Expensive hotels where sometimes you'll find great rates
How to find the best rates and specials
Where to look in the Boston suburbs
Where to find best deals in the Boston suburbs
How to shave 25% off your Boston hotel bill
Guesthouses, the "Y", and hostels

Inexpensive Boston hotels - 3 top choices

You may be wondering what you give up in return for cheap rates. Convenience? Safety? Comfort?

Don't worry . . . what you'll give up in return for huge cost savings are amenities. Boston's inexpensive hotels tend to be small and focus only on offering lodging - so you won't find conference facilities, huge banquet halls, or fancy meeting rooms.

Bottom line? If you're willing to forego little bottles of fancy shampoo in the bathroom, you can some some significant money.

Boston's budget hotels also may not offer on-site restaurants...not a problem in a city packed with great places to eat!

And, you find ho-hum furnishings . . . older furniture, dated color schemes, and older color TVs rather than high definition flat screens. You're not going to find designer linens on the beds. (Um...kind of sounds like home to me.)

So, keeping in mind all of those caveats, here are 3 inexpensive Boston hotels in super locations where you can almost always find low rates:

Boston Hotel Buckminster

Hotel Buckminster Boston If you're looking for inexpensive Boston hotels near Fenway Park or Boston University, the Buckminster can't be beat!

Furnishings in the Buckminster's rooms are comfortable rather than elegant and the lobby decor may remind you of your college dorm back in 1980 . . . but the staff is pleasant and helpful, and you can't beat the Comm Ave/Beacon Street location in Boston's Fenway Park neighborhood - or the rates.

If I'd used a wider lens for this Buckminster Hotel photo, you could see Fenway Park's lights just to the left - you're literally just half a block away!

BU is right down Comm Ave - walking distance or a couple of subway stops away, depending on what part of the campus you're going to.

Rates do get higher on game and concert nights at Fenway and during BU graduation - but at other times, they're downright cheap - making the Buckminster truly one of Boston's top bargain hotels. Look for best rates, and find out what other visitors say about the Buckminster

Hotel 140

The small, contemporary boutique Hotel 140 (that's it at the top of this page) is part of an upscale mixed-use complex in Boston's elegant former YWCA building, built in 1929 and now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Best of all, you get an excellent Back Bay location. Hotel 140 is directly across from I.M. Pei's soaring glass-sided John Hancock Tower, and only one short block from magnificent Copley Square. The hotel is also near the Back Bay Train/Subway station, the South End, Bay Village, and the Theatre District.

There is one problem ... lots of bargain travelers know about this gem, so getting reservations can be tough - book as far ahead as possible.

Check rates and read reviews by other guests at Hotel 140

Midtown Hotel Boston

Photo of Midtown Hotel in Boston, MA Sporting the architectural design of a 1950s Boston motel (which is what it used to be), the popular Midtown Hotel offers fairly basic decor - plus a small outdoor pool, on-site restaurant, and a great Back Bay location just down the street from the much swankier Colonnade Hotel Boston.

Plus this inexpensive hotel - popular with families, budget-conscious business travelers, and visitors to Northeastern University and other nearby Fenway colleges - is one of the most pet-friendly hotels in Boston.

The Midtown is the closest hotel to cultural magnets such as Symphony Hall and Jordan Hall; it's also convenient to the Museum of Fine Arts - about a 10 minute walk, or take the subway. With swanky Prudential Center shopping, and all of Back Bay's great restaurants, galleries, and Newbury Street shopping just a 5-10 minute walk away, the Midtown's location is fabulous.

If you don't crave fancy shampoos and luxe linen, you'll enjoy excellent rates in a great location. Check rates and read reviews.

3 more inexpensive Boston hotels to consider

The following 3 hotels are not for everyone. But if they meet your needs and the rates compare well with other options, you may find a big bargain. Read the reviews carefully to make sure they're a good fit for you.

At certain times of the year, I've seen amazing rates at each of them.

Club Quarters Hotel Boston

Located in the heart of Boston's downtown Financial District near the Freedom Trail, Boston Harbor waterfront, and Faneuil Hall, Club Quarters is a "private" hotel - there's no lobby and you must have a key to get in. It targets business travelers, and also works well for 1 or 2 leisure travelers. And be warned: this small but very popular boutique hotel is often fully booked due to its excellent location (and cheap rates), especially during the week. Check rates and reviews.

Milner Hotel Boston

Visitors love or hate the Milner. Built in 1877 and one of the country's oldest continuously operating hotels, the Milner has a terrific location at the edge of Boston's downtown Theatre District and Bay Village, close to many wonderful restaurants. But . . . most rooms are small and fairly basic. Service gets mixed reviews. If you like luxury touches or updated decor or concierge service, you should stay elsewhere. However, if you like the convenient location and don't care about aesthetics or amenities, check rates and read these reviews from other visitors to make sure the Milner is your cup of tea.

John Hancock Hotel and Conference Center

Another bargain hotel in a fabulous location - so let me quickly tell you about the 2 drawbacks to this affordable Boston conference hotel situated next to Trinity Church and the John Hancock Tower in Back Bay's Copley Square: 1) rooms are somewhat basic and need some updating / redecorating, especially in contrast with the hotel's splendid location in upscale Back Bay, and 2) John Hancock Insurance Company (which owns the property) sometimes books the entire hotel for corporate events, meaning no rooms are available.

But those two reasons explain why you can often find very attractive rates here - and you can't beat the stellar location! Check rates and find out what other visitors say.

Feeling lucky? You may find cheap rates at these Boston hotels

Boston hotel rates vary for so many reasons. Time of the year and day of the week top the list. For example, you'll almost always find better rates during January than July.

But occasionally, you can find rates at mid-range hotels that are as low or lower than what you might find at inexpensive Boston hotels. For example, accommodations catering primarily to business travelers may be pricey during the week but offer great weekend rates.

Feeling lucky? Check rates for these very nice hotels in great locations where looking for deals can sometimes give you a HUGE payback:

Holiday Inn Boston - Across the street from MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital) and Beacon Hill, and just a short walk from TD Garden where the Bruins and Celtics play - Best rates and reviews
Millennium Bostonian Hotel - Downtown Boston, near Faneuil Hall / Quincy Market, historic Haymarket, the North End, and TD Garden - Best rates and reviews
Doubletree Hotel - Downtown, near Theatre District and Chinatown - Best rates and reviews
Courtyard Hotel Tremont - Downtown, near Theatre District and Chinatown - Best rates and reviews
Hyatt Regency Boston - Downtown, near Theatre District and Chinatown - Best rates and reviews
Bullfinch Hotel - Near Government Center and TD Garden - Best rates and reviews
Hilton Financial District - Downtown, only a few blocks from the waterfront - Best rates and reviews
Boston Marriott Copley Place - Back Bay, next to some of the best shopping in the city - Best rates and reviews

And at certain times of the year, such as Labor Day weekend when everyone heads to the beach for the last days of summer, almost every hotel on the city is on sale. If your timing is right, you can sometimes find amazing rates at some of Boston's best hotels, such as the Park Plaza Hotel Boston, the Lenox Hotel, and the Omni Parker Hotel.

Why? These are older (but beautifully renovated) hotels, with wide ranges of room sizes - no cookie-cutter rooms here! You'll sometimes find the smaller rooms at a BIG discount. I've seen them at rates even lower than what you'd normally expect at Boston discount hotels.

How to find the best Boston hotel rates and specials

Many of the hotels here, including a couple of the most inexpensive Boston hotels, offer "specials" and "packages." Some of these will save you money (occasionally big money), while others save you time by bundling popular amenities in with your room rate.

Usually "specials" are hotel discounts for certain nights, or perhaps a "free" night if you stay for 3-4 nights. If you're planning a 4-day trip, or have flexibility about when you come, these Boston hotel specials are definitely worth seeking out.

By contrast, Boston hotel packages usually bundle special services or amenities with the cost of your room. Typical package items might be free tickets to a destination such as the Museum of Fine Arts or an attraction such as a Fenway Park tour, or a complimentary meal such as breakfast or dinner in the hotel's restaurant. You'll also find Boston hotel packages based on themes, such as "Romance" or "Golf."

Use this TripAdvisor search tool to see the best current Boston hotel deals. You can use it to compare what you'll get at each one, and how much you'll save.

Sometimes, you'll find the best special deals and great rates at Boston luxury hotels. Here are 3 luxury hotels where you can occasionally snag amazing special packages for great rates:

Eliot Hotel - Best rates and reviews
Langham Boston - Best rates and reviews
Fairmont Battery Wharf - Best rates and reviews

Are hotels outside of Boston cheaper?

Yes and no.

You may find hotels with lower rates in Boston neighborhoods outside of the city center such South Boston and Allston, and also in some Boston suburbs. However, many of these hotels on the outskirts are not near subway stations. The time and expense of getting to and parking in central Boston will make any savings quickly disappear, along with a chunk of your precious vacation time.

In general, you're better off looking for inexpensive Boston hotels within the city's central neighborhoods - Downtown, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the South End, the North End, the West End/Government Center, Fenway, and Charlestown. If your plans include Cambridge, then look for hotels near Harvard Square, Central Square, or MIT/Kendall Square.

However, Best Western Hotel Tria in West Cambridge is an 8-10 minute walk from the Alewife station on the subway's Red Line, and is worth considering . . . IF you can find low rates. From Alewife, you're about 10 minutes from Harvard Square in Cambridge and about 18 - 20 minutes from downtown Boston locations. You'll usually find much better rates in winter than in summer. Daily rates for parking (as of July, 2010) are $12 versus the $42 at many downtown Boston hotels.

When hotels in the Boston suburbs make sense

Sometimes, you may be planning a couple of Boston activities plus other excursions outside of the city. At other times, hotels in Boston and Cambridge fill up due to conventions or graduations. This is when looking for inexpensive Boston hotels in the suburbs may make sense.

Good areas to try are Lexington, Waltham, Newton, and Needham. They're reasonably close to the Mass Pike (which comes into Boston from the west), Route 128 (which circles Boston), and Route 2, which goes to the Alewife subway station on the Red Line.

Here are several attractive choices in each of these areas:

Lexington Hotels

Co-located at the same site, both of these Westin/Starwood hotels feature cool design and great amenities. Element targets the extended stay market. About 10 minutes to Red Line/Alewife station, assuming normal (non-rush hour) traffic:

Waltham hotels:

Perhaps 12-15 minutes to Red Line/Alewife station, assuming normal (non-rush hour) traffic:

Newton hotels:

Close to Mass Pike, and to Green Line subway stations:

Needham hotel:

Not too far from Mass Pike:

Sheraton Hotel - Needham

You can fairly easily reach various Green Line stations in Newton - but the Green Line "trains" (in reality, above-ground trolleys) are considerably slower than the Red Line trains.

Is the savings worth the time, inconvenience, and cost of having to commute into town by subway, or worst yet, drive in and park?

That's a question that only you can decide.

How to shave over 25% from your Boston hotel bill

Many Boston hotels are now (2011) charging as much as $45 per day for parking - yes, that's $44 plus tax that gets added to your hotel bill each day.

If you find a great rate of, say, $125 per night at an inexpensive Boston hotel but have to pay another $44 for parking . . . well, you can do the depressing math. Leaving your car at home is a no-brainer way to save over 25% on your total hotel bill.

You do not need a car in central Boston because you can easily take the subway ("T") or a cab. In fact, a car is a liability - just read my tips about driving in Boston to see why! If you are planning a day trip outside Boston during your visit, you can rent a car for the day - much cheaper!

But what if you're planning to drive to Boston, and taking a plane, train, or bus simply doesn't work for you? If you're planning to be here for 7 days or less, park at one of the T stations that allow overnight parking (find a list at the MBTA's website by clicking on "parking").

Park your car in the lot (in at least some lots, you'll need to arrive either before about 7:30am or after about 6pm to find a space), grab your suitcase, and take the T to your hotel. Or, if you're traveling with your family or friends, drive first to your hotel and drop off them and all of the luggage. Then drive to the T station, park, and take the T luggage-free.

You'll have to pay for the overnight parking ($8 at most stations in 2011) and of course your T ticket ($2 each way) - but you'll still save a bundle. Plus, parking at the station and taking the T to your hotel will probably be faster and easier than driving in the city.

Even cheaper Boston hotel alternatives

Are even the inexpensive Boston hotels pricier than your budget permits?

Don't despair! Check out these options:

Guest Houses - These are more like small furnished apartments than hotels. Rates are somewhat lower than most hotels - you won't save a lot of money, but everything helps! They're also good options if you're staying for several weeks or months. Try Copley House for studios and 1-bedroom apartments on the Back Bay - South End border.

YWCA - The YWCA's Berkeley Residence in the South End near the Back Bay neighborhood offers nightly and longer term (5 weeks or more) lodging for very reasonable per-person rates. Both private and shared rooms are available, with shared baths. YWCA Boston website and rates

Hostels - Hostelling International provides hostel accommodations in Fenway, as well as travel-related services such as tours. Both private and shared rooms are offered, although the biggest bargains are the shared rooms. Just keep in mind that since rates are on a per-person basis, if you're traveling with 1 or 2 other people, you may find better values at some of the inexpensive Boston hotels. Hostelling International Boston website and rates

Your tips and questions about inexpensive Boston hotels

OK, I've shared my best tips for finding inexpensive hotels in Boston with you! So if you discover a hidden gem, please share! If you have a question, I'm happy to answer.

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