We need to be in Cambridge Ma. on June 6th, and would like to use the opportunity and spend a few more days in the area.
I am being offered several hotels on the web: Tage Inn in Somerville, Ramada Inn on Morrissey Blvd in Boston, to name a few.
Will be driving a rental car, and am a total stranger to the area. Can I pick safely any of the 2 offers?

the Tage Inn is used by my Company for out of town employees...it is new, clean, and inexpensive...they also have a shuttle into the city if you need it...I think we pay about $95/night...the airport Hilton is about that on weekends (it is VERY nice for an airport hotel).

If you want to be in the city, you might want to pay a little more and stay in the city...if you drive in from one of the 2 hotels you mention, you will have to pay $15-20/day to park and then probably take the T around town anyway...

The Ramada on Morrissey Blvd would not be all that convenient to Cambridge. Forget driving during commmuting hours. You could drive over to the North Quincy T station and take the subway to Cambridge-about a 25-30 minute ride.
The Tage Inn would be much more convenient for visiting Cambridge. Try calling around at the larger hotels in Cambridge or Boston. Don't have my calendar in front of me, but if June 6 and your subsequent stay is over a weekend, you may find some weekend deals at the hotels. Good luck!

The Ramada Inn on Morrissey Boulevard is probably more easily accessible to the highway and the Turnpike. Getting in and out of Somerville can become confusing, but Cambridge isn't easy either. You might try bidding on Priceline and stay in Boston, narrow your selection to hotels in Copley Square. The Westin has been going for about $60 per night. You can easily take the red line into Cambridge. Otherwise, there's a Hyatt in Cambridge and the Charles Hotel (which is extremely expensive). You also might look into the Doubletree Suites too.

What is your budget?

June 6 is Harvard's Commemcement day. May God have mercy on you, trying to get into Cambridge that day! DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE ANYWHERE NEAR HARVARD SQUARE ON JUNE 6.

If indeed you will be driving into Cambridge, then Somerville is a much better choice; Somerville, like Cambridge, is north of Boston. Morrissey Blvd, on the other hand, is on the southern side of Boston (in the section called Dorchester) and to get to Cambridge you will have to drive through Boston's Big Dig construction project on a weekday, which I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

If you're heading for Harvard Square environs, then you must take the T, and your best bet would be anything near the Red Line.

Eli, when you say you want to see things "in the area" do you mean in Boston or in the Boston area? Because if you're just visiting Cambridge and Boston, then you'll be better off not getting a rental car at all, just taking the T everywhere, or even taxis. Especially in Cambridge on Commencement Day which is indeed gridlock and bedlam in the Harvard Square area.

That will leave you a few extra $$ for getting a hotel room right in the city of Boston (if any are still available during a graduation week!). You could rent a car on specific days that you want to visit "the area" outside of what's served by the T.

Isn't there a Ramada Inn or a Days Inn on Soldier's Field Road near WBZ? That might be an okay location. It's close to the Mass. Pike.

Can you stay in Cambridge instead of another place? It will be more expensive, and, as mentioned above, 6/6 being Harvard Commencement, make reservations now. If you must have car to get here, check on costs of parking it at hotel, even if not using it while here - it can be expensive. Driving in Boston area is an adventure.

Leslie, I notice that twice you have mentioned access to the Mass. Turnpike, even though the original poster has said nothing about it. Do you have a particular reason for focusing on that? And being close to Soldiers Field Road doesn't help -- that will put Harvard Square between Eli and the rest of Cambridge, he's be better off approaching from the Somerville side.

The Days Inn on Soldiers Field Road is now called Days Hotel, and a couple of the September 11 hijackers stayed there on their final nights -- how delightful!

I still say Eli should plan on taking the T, which would rule out any Soldiers Field Road hotels anyway. Something further away from Cambridge but accessible to a T station would actually be handier.

Gail, I wouldn't be very optimistic about finding hotel space in Cambridge for that date; proud Harvard parents book a year or more in advance of junior's graduation.

Eli, we need details about your plans! Where, in Cambridge, will you be on June 6? What else "in the area" do you plan to see?

Suzy, I mention the Mass. Pike because it is a reasonable landmark when using Mapquest, et al. For someone to say, that the hotel is near "Jones Street" usually means very little.

Staying at the Doubletree is probably the best of all worlds, as the location (again, at the Mass. Pike and Storrow Drive) makes it perfect for getting into both Cambridge and Boston.

Ah, Leslie, I still think you've got some sort of Jone for the Pike, it's not really useful as a landmark for someone staying IN the city, you were talking about *access* to it! The whole point of Mapquest is that you don't need major landmarks like that, they can look up Jones Street and see what it's near.

Since the Pike ends near the Doubletree and doesn't go into Cambridge, and since everyone is advising poor (absent) Eli not to drive into either city, the Doubletree doesn't make any sense either. They do have a shuttle into the Square, but that's why there won't be any rooms available anymore for Commencement week, anyway, so it's a moot point.

I sure wish Eli would reappear and help clarify the situation, LOL! Hey, Eli, where are you ? Do you have a map of Boston/Cambridge yet?

Leslie, if Eli doesn't show up soon, I'm giving up on him!

Suzy, I must have a thing for the Pike as I have to drive on it twice a day five times a week. And, since I live in Framingham, Jane Swift is going to even make it more expensive for me to get back and forth to work. But, then she will just get in her helicopter to go to her home in the western part of the state -- a helicopter ride that you and I pay for too. Thank goodness she doesn't have a snow ball's chance to win the election, that is unless Peggy Davis Mullen runs against her, and I haven't heard Peggy saying that she's recovered from her loss to Menino.

I'm giving up on Eli too, but if he wants to stay out in Framingham, well, I can probably be of more help to him.

Maybe Eli should consider staying in Waltham or any place on Route 2, which would get him into Cambridge.

Leslie, Susy, Joanne, gail, thank you very much for taking the time to consider my plight... I am back again. I was gone not for lack of respect to the responders but because of the 7 hours time difference between us...

I believe that the message about (not) driving had sunk in. We will use the train whenever possible. On 6/6 we will be at our son's Harvard commencement. The rest of the time will be divided between Cambridge and Boston. As first timers to the area, I feel that we have nothing to look for elsewhere.

I hit the 2 hotels mentioned prevoiusly by searching roomfinders.com and citysearch.com, and they caught my eye by costing max. $117 as opposed to the $200-300 offers, while maintaining a good level of quality. This does not mean that if needed we will not pay as much as it take for a room, but it looks like "it's not needed".

Naturally any location, which charges reasonably and can be accessed by the T, is acceptable (Leslie, are you reading this?). Now, the question is weather I skip sleep tonight or allow a 12 hours lag on this correspondence...

I am intrigued by the challenge of finding an appropritate place for you to stay. When I looked on several travel sites, it is indeed true that Cambridge hotels are essentially booked (I selected 6/3-6/7 as arbitrary dates). Many Boston hotels also - and some even list "Special Event Rates" and have increased their prices. The one place listing availability (at $179/nite) was Holiday Inn Government Center. This is accessible to MBTA, walking distance to Quincy Market/North End area and might work. The hotel itself is fine. While the Somerville location is workable, you will undoubtedly be going back and forth to various activities and the commute may get to be a hassle. Forget Morrissey Blvd. Have a good trip. Congrats to your son on his graduation (we start paying for college in a few years so my travel money gets diverted to tuition all too soon!)

Definitely try Priceline for a nicer place in either Cambridge (if that's where you need to be) or downtown Boston. (for either location, pick the highest stars available). We were there last year same time for a college graduation and paid about $70 for a real nice place on the Common. (They do get you for parking - paid about $25/day). I would agree with others NOT to drive once there. The T is so convenient and gets you where you want to go easily. If you're out late you can always take a cab back to wherever your staying. I agree that Morrissey Blvd would not be a convenient location if you need to be in Cambridge.

Have a great trip. Boston is the best (one of the them,anyway!)city!

Congratulations, Eli. There is nothing quite so thrilling as a Harvard Commencement, thousands of huge, brilliant, glowing young egos in one place. Bring water, sunscreen and binoculars, get there as early as possible, wear comfortable shoes!

Good work, Gail! I agree that the Holiday Inn Govt Ctr would be a good location. It's very convenient to the Red Line (it's actually closer to Beacon Hill and Mass General Hospital than to Govt Center).