Please could I pick your brains about hotels in Boston for a long weekend at the beginning of October. My husband and I are staying 3 nights before driving around New England. We are from London and have not visited Boston before. We would like to be close to good restaurants and the main sights. I saw on another thread that the Eliot came highly recommended but it looks expensive, $300 a night. I know Boston hotels are expensive though. Please can you help?

Just to follow up on my last question I have been looking at options and the best places on cost appear to be The Onyx, Langham Boston, Hotel Commonwealth, Wyndham Boston and The Lenox Hotel. All range from $220-270 per night which is within our range. Any views or alternatives would be most appreciated..we would like to be near the main sights and good restaurants, and shopping. We are in our early thirties and will not have children with us.

Please don't pay that kind of money. October is expensive but you should explore all your options. Priceline, call the hotel directly, a website such Travelocity, waiting until the last possible moment, etc. I would never stay at any Boston hotel for more than $150. And that would be a really nice room. I have stayed at the Seaport for $99 using a company name, at the Longwharf Marriot for $69 using a Boston Globe tip, and at the Radisson for $99 using an internet deal. All the restaurants and sights are close in Boston. If you can't walk it, you can take the T. Just make sure that you don't reserve any hotel that includes another city in the name.

I'm not sure what shaz60 means when he says "waiting until the last possible moment, etc." but just a word of caution: October is a busy time b/c many of the Boston colleges have their parents' weekends during that time - so don't wait until the last minute (never used Priceline & not sure if that if standard operating procedure to wait until the last minute).

I have stayed at the Eliot many times - often they offer AMEX specials - perhaps you can check that out to see if they are offering it during the time you wish to visit.

Also, beware that if you are using a car, hotels charge $30-35/night to park it. In the past, the AMEX special at the Eliot included parking (as well as breakfast). So don't forget to ask about the parking charge. Hotel Commonweath is new, but check on that parking fee to see if it is included in the rate.

$199 is the cheapest rate (at the Eliot) I have ever paid for a Boston Hotel (if you stay in the suburbs i.e. Weston, you can pay less, but not much less).

Good luck Tish

The Lenox is a great hotel and just about a block from Newberry Street where all the action is. It is a smaller "boutique" style hotel with down comforters, personal attention, etc. Ask for a corner room--they're spacious and bright. I think our rate there was around $160 but you probably could do better as we were there in late spring. Across the street is a Restoration Hardware store, and it is also a short walk to the half-price theater ticket booth.

Tish...forgot to mention that at the Eliot, I have paid as low as $199 for a suite but also paid as high as $249/night for a suite. STW

The Lenox would be lovely. I'm not sure you can't do better pricewise -- there are a lot of good choices out there -- but my strong advice would be to book *something* as long as it is fully refundable. Then you can rate shop, wait until the last minute, etc., but you will know that you have a decent room at a reasonable (or slightly higher than) price.

Everything seetheworld says about October in Boston is true. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't follow shaz60's suggestions -- go ahead and explore -- but by all means begin by booking a fully refundable cancellable backup!

Then welcome and enjoy. Boston is a great city and October is a wonderful time to visit. Autumn is definitely our season!

Absolutely, you should check everything out - and if you find something better, let me know. But I have a question for shaz or brie, if you know: Do you wait until the last possible moment b/4 booking on Priceline? Is that how you get the best buy?

I spoke incorrectly. Someone coming from another country should make a reservation in October. I just didn't think that the prices should be that high. I sometimes feel that people hear that Boston is expensive and pay whatever the hotels ask. For instance if they were flying in on a Thursday, they could stay anywhere, and then move to a hotel in the Financial District for the weekend for a greatly reduced rate. I live very close to Boston and am able to take advantage of any last minute rates.

seetheworld: I usually start checking Hotwire (also Expedia, hotels.com, etc.) about a month before the dates I need the hotel, just so I can get a good idea of the going rate. When I feel comfortable that I know what to expect, I start bidding on Priceline. Best to give yourself a couple of weeks in case you need the 72-hour rebid time.

Thanks for the advice, I have been shopping around on the internet but it seems to be quite difficult to pick up a better rate from the UK especially as we are not linked with any memberships to pick up special offers. I have looked at Price Line and Expedia and Travelocity. To be honest I have never used Priceline before and am a little concerned about not knowing where you may end up staying especially as we have no local knowledge. We will be arriving late on a friday (1st October)and staying in Boston until the Monday before picking up a car to tour New England, We were not planning to have a car in Boston as appreciate it is expensive to park and not necessary. Have narrowed hotel choices down to Hotel Commonwealth (not sure if it is a little way out), The Lenox, Sheraton Boston, Wyndham Boston and The Onyx (looks good but very little to go by as it is new and there are no reviews!) Any thoughts?

Thanks, antlori. BTW, how was your trip to Chicago? We are going in August - can't wait. Any words of wisdom from your experience?

Hotel Commonwealth in located in Kenmore Square (right across from my son's university). You would have to do a bit of walking to get to where the shops and restaurants are (don't know if there is a T stop close by) but it is entirely managable. It is very close to Fenway Park - if baseball interests you!

We loved, loved, loved Chicago! I posted a short trip report. I know people are recommending the free trolley, which we did use to go to Navy Pier. But I wouldn't count on it as we found they were usually pretty full. Halfway through the trip we bought a CTA 2-day pass and found it invaluable. You can go from 1 end of the city to the other, get off and on as often as you like, all for $4.50 a day (even cheaper if you get a 3-day pass). One other thing, if you're thinking of buying the Citipass but don't think you'll use all the coupons, we found that people had left unused portions of their Citipasses in the lobby of our hotel (Hilton Towers) right by the brochures of all the attractions. The Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium were gone but everything else was there. It saved us some money and helped us narrow down our choices since we didn't have time to see everything. Regarding Priceline, we got the Hilton Towers for $66/night on Priceline just a few days before we left for Chicago. We had a backup booking at the Red Roof Inn for $90/night but I was so thankful we didn't have to use it! Can't wait to go back.

The Hotel Commonwealth is in Kenmore Sq - right near a Green Line stop and walking distance to Newbury St. The Onyx is near the Fleet Center. Close to lots of bars that serve those attending basketball and hockey games at the Fleet Center but also close to the North End - our Italian neighborhood with great restaurants. Quincy Market and Fanieul Hall are also walking distance. It wouldn't be my first choice for a newcomer to Boston to stay.

I would rather see you in the Back Bay area where the Lenox, Eliot, Sheraton, Westin, Copley Plaza and Hilton are all located.

Enjoy our great city.

I have gotten deals I'm happy with on Priceline months in advance. That said, I've only used Priceline when I was pretty sure I could live with anything I'd get in my price range, zone, and star rating.

I'd rather see you book the best (cancellable) deal you can find now and only after that investigate any of the various non-refundable offers. If you have a backup you can live with, it will make all of the other investigations less fraught.

(For priceline (and hotwire) specifically, spend some time reading the boards that support bidding and see how you feel about the options. Don't bid if you can't live with the worst case, whatever that is.)

Whatever you do, enjoy. This is, after all, a treat and you should not lose sight of the pleasure in the preparations!

Thank you all. Will focus on the Back Bay area which looks like a good bet for a first timer. I must say I really liked the look of the Eliot but it came up as the most expensive of the lot! Will keep hunting and let you know what we go for (my husband will be happy as long as he gets to have a few Samuel Adams'!) I reckon we will love Boston wherever we end up!

I wonder if you considered an apartment? I stayed in one on Beacon St. just a few blocks from Cheers Bar it was a great location. It was great to choose to eat in or out. Great delis (De lucas)just round the corner on Charles St.
Look at B&B Agency of Boston on their web site, boston-bnbagency.com
Good luck

I recently stayed at the Back Bay Hilton. I priced many hotels in the area, and booking through the Hilton 800 reservation phone system was the least expensive. The Hilton is a nice hotel, great location, not as "Boston" as the Eliot or Copley Place or Lenox. We enjoyed it very much. Request an upper level room with a view if you decide to stay there. Kenmore square is okay, but overrun with students and should be very noisy. Back Bay is a better choice for first time visitors. You could also try the Colonnade. Those low prices mentioned by shaz are nearly impossible to get. If you use priceline, there is usually a questionable hotel in every neighborhood so you would be taking a chance. You could also end up at the airport or even worse, East Boston. That would be Very inconvenient.

I wondered if there were any views on the Charlesmark hotel. It is in the Back Bay area and although the rooms look a bit smaller the prices seem more reasonable.