25 Edwin H. Land Blvd., Cambridge, MA 02141-2236, 617-868-8000,
Rates: Standard rooms with one king or two double beds start at $160 a night, up to $335 for river views on busy nights. Overnight parking is $20 per night or may be complimentary with package deals.
Stay here if you: love the Boston riverfront or need to visit Harvard, MIT, downtown Boston or environs from a quiet, classy hotel.
It’s close to: Fleet Center or the financial district, Harvard, MIT and Tufts, either by walking or short drives.
The rooms are: brightly decorated in explorer themes, stocked with leopard- and zebra-print robes for hers and his. Bedding is rich, furniture feels refined but new. River-view rooms bring out the best of Boston.
They put all of the money into: creating a boutique hotel with character and flair, on prime real estate for almost any kind of visit to New England. Small touches feel luxurious, from free early-morning coffee and tea in the common lounge to a stack of top newspapers at the front desk. Even the almost-free breakfasts have style, with a bright and generous fruit plate as your starter.
The bottom line: Turn right to find Harvard a few minutes to the west, turn left to find the Celtics and Bruins a few minutes to the east, and walk straight ahead a few steps to the remarkable Museum of Science. Hotel Marlowe feels elegant and comfortable, but its prime spot on Boston’s business and cultural map is what makes the place a magnet. From busy executives to noisy families, Marlowe seems to accommodate it all. A family of four can enjoy the “discovery package,” at $269 for a room, breakfast for everyone, and four tickets to the science museum across the street.
Michael Booth
