Hotels in Boston

Boston: Colonial History Along the Charles River

Boston, Massachusetts, traces its founding to 1630, making it one of the oldest cities in the United States. The Freedom Trail — a 2.5-mile red-brick path — links 16 historic sites from Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Beacon Hill, with its gas-lit Federal-style rowhouses, sits immediately north of the Common. Back Bay, built on filled tidal flats after 1857, lines Newbury Street with galleries and cafés beneath brownstone facades.

Where to Stay in Boston

Hotels cluster in three main zones: Downtown/Financial District for business travelers, Back Bay near Copley Square and the Boston Public Library (1895), and Cambridge across the Charles River — a 10-minute Red Line ride — favored by visitors to Harvard University and MIT. The Seaport District, a former industrial waterfront redeveloped after 2000, adds contemporary hotels within walking distance of the Institute of Contemporary Art.

Practical Tips

• Getting around: The MBTA subway (the "T") runs five lines; a CharlieCard reduces per-ride fares below the cash rate.
• Airport access: Logan International Airport sits 3 miles east of downtown; the Silver Line bus reaches South Station in roughly 20 minutes at no extra charge.
• Season: Peak hotel rates occur June–October; the Boston Marathon (Patriots' Day, third Monday in April) fills hotels weeks in advance.