John Jeffries House
 

Hello everyone - I am planning a trip to Boston in July, and have heard great things about the John Jeffries House. I would be grateful for any personal reviews about the room quality and any info about nearby restaurants. Thanks in advance for your help - have a great day! Terri

Hi, we stayed at the Jeffries a year ago in August and found it to be really convenient to the T, about 50 yards, and the B&B was very clean with helpful friendly staff, the Bandshell where the Boston Pops performs is just across the street and they have entertainment almost every nite. a good experience. There were several cafe's and restaurants just up the hill.

The location and atmosphere are the real draws here. Being able to walk right out to the T station (warning, lots of stairs) is very valuable, and there are some decent eating places up Charles St. and in the general area, although just for the &quot;Boston experience,&quot; you'd probably prefer to investigate Harvard Sq. or Kendall (outbound on Red Line) areas or go intown. It's also nice to be on the edge of Beacon Hill and the River.<BR><BR>I personally enjoy the hotel very much, esp. the cosmopolitan clientele and the congenial lobby/salon/library area where you have breakfast in the morning (modest continental) and tea or coffee all day. The staff is endlessly helpful. <BR><BR>The only downside: it used to be a dormitory for a nearby nursing school, and the rooms can be very odd shapes. If you want 2 beds, there's a good chance one of them will be a rollaway or sofa bed, and getting around the room with the bed out can be a bit athletic. Also, the heat/airco situation is -- as is often the case with older buildings -- sometimes cranky (two settings: aggressive and non-existent). You can moderate things by opening a window, but the downside of that is that if you are in a room facing the street, it can get noisy. The surprise is that otherwise (esp. with windows closed), even though you are a few hundred feet from the subway, you don't usually hear it and it's a very quiet place. <BR><BR>All rooms that I have stayed in have a kitchenette, which is great if you are going to stay for any length of time.<BR><BR>I'm very very fond of this place, but so are many other people so you'd best book your room a.s.a.p. if you haven't already. I've stayed there repeatedly and will again.

You will not get a &quot;Boston experience&quot; at Harvard Square or in the Kendall area, as the are in Cambridge, not Boston. And many would agree that the Charles Street/Beacon Hill area is quintessential Boston! The Kendall area is almost entirely high-tech businesses,anyway, not a great interest for most people.

There are a number of very good restaurants within walking distance of Kendall, and Cambridge is part of the Boston experience if you are from out of town. South Boston is also part of quintessential Boston, as is the North End, Back Bay, and Newbury Street. Pick.

Cassandra and Ianann are right about the JJ. We discovered it right here on Fodors and have returned (wonder if we saw either of you?). <BR><BR>There is a very upscale restaurant just down Charles St. and an interesting Middle Eastern restaurant up the hill from Charles St, the Lala Rokh on Mt. Vernon. Just stay away from Cheers!

Thanks to everyone for the great advice. I really appreciate your time and expert opinions! Terri