We will be coming to Boston Colombus day weekend as of right now, we are statying at the Sheraton. Just looking at a map Cambridge looks closer to the Fanuiel Hall area and I think parking may be cheaper up there. Does anyone have any comments on this.
Also, if we decide to stay in the back bay area, how long does it take to walk to Fanuiel, North End or how long is it on the T line.
Thank you in advance.

Cambridge is on the other side of the charles River to Boston. I can not think of a Cambridge hotel closer to Fanieul Hall than the Sheraton is.

Back Bay to North End is walkable - less than a mile. but also a couple of stops on the MBTA.

Maps can be deceiving when looking at Boston. Back Bay is not all that far from Faneuil Hall, maybe 2 miles?? Not sure, but a short T ride and/or an ambitious walk.

Parking in Cambridge is extremely limited and expensive, unless you are referring to a hotel that includes parking, and you plan to leave the car there. I am quite sure that most places in Cambridge would be farther to Faneuil Hall, and much less accessible on foot.

The Back Bay Sheraton is a great location and the T runs all day and evening.

Cambridge is not cheaper, generally, and if you prefer a Sheraton-type of hotel, you're probably fine where you are. However, (1) is there a reason you want to be able to walk to Faneuil Hall? It's only one of many sites/sights; and (2) how much is parking at the Sheraton? Do you have to keep a car (i.e., is it yours and not a rental?)?

As for distances, you'll quickly figure out that you measure distances in the Boston area not by as-the-crow-flies nor even by street-by-street distance but by how long it takes you to get somewhere. I can think of many itineraries where having a car would mean you spend 10 times more time getting from place to place than you would by T/bus. Walking is sometimes faster than driving, but the T is almost always quicker than anything else.

Re: to and from Cambridge - remember there's a river and you have to have a bridge from Boston to get there if you're walking or driving, which automatically means longer routes and more time. The T is the way to go, once again.

Agree that maps can be very deceiving.

The only way to know if rates are better in Cambridge is to check. Some are and some aren't.

Sometimes, you can find terrific deals for Boston on Priceline and/or Hotwire. Sometimes rates for Cambridge are less. www.betterbidding.com is a terrific resource. I can usually accurately guess the Hotwire hotels, and at the very least narrow down the possibilities.

Note that many Cambridge hotels are NOT conveniently walkable to the "T" and almost all charge just as much as Boston hotels for parking.

If you want to be convenient to Faneuil Hall, consider the Millennium Boston, Marriott Long Wharf, Harborside Inn, Omni Parker House, etc.