Coming to Boston at the end of May.
Posted a message about priceline and have another question. If I look into the outer areas of downtown for a hotel room, is there any advise as to which towns I should stay away from or or more convienent to get into the downtown area daily?
Thanks

Why stay out of town at all? There are some wonderful deals on Priceline right in the Copley/Back Bay area.

Will you be "getting into the downtown area daily" by car, or are you counting on public transport? If it's the latter, then no town is safe -- every town has some areas/hotels that are accessible to the T and some that are not. If it's the former (i.e., you're planning on driving into town every day) then forget booking a hotel room, just call up the nearest mental health inpatient facility.

If you MUST choose a town, I'd say that everything in Braintree is OK, and stay out of Revere and other towns immediately north of Boston. If you're feeling ambitious, get a map that shows the major highways or commuter rail routes (at www.mbta.com).

Look at Woburn. That's the Mishawam stop on the Lowell Line. I've stayed at a Marriot Fairfield Inn immediately adjacent to the station. There's a Courtyard on the other. Just down the street is a Hampton Inn, and a Red Roof a bit further, but still walkable. I-93 north to Rt. 128 south to Washington St., Woburn exit. Then take left at end of ramp to first set of lights. Take left. Station is on left approximately 1/2 mile. Fiarfield on L just before the station.

The fare is $2.50 and it's about a 20 minute ride to North Station/Fleet Center.

Anothe

Correction: I just visited www.mbta.com and found that stops at the Mishawam Station have been seriously reduced.

Something else I've done, when I have a car, is stay at motels on Rt 2 west of Cambridge, and park at the Alewife Station, just off Rt 2 at western edge of Cambridge. Parking garage is $4 day, and you'll be at the western end of the "Red Line" .... I will always travel a little further to save $50 or more on my lodging. I've found rooms for under $60 out there. Another choice is a Holiday Inn on Grove St., west of Boston, adjacent to the Riverside Station, western end of one of the Green Line train/subways.

Be sure to check schedules of public transit if you are staying outside the city. The closest towns may be on standard MBTA subway or close to it (or hotel may have shuttle). This operates until roughly midnight (different times/different lines, some areas have extended weekend hours). Also technically MBTA is "commuter rail" (if you have a schedule it is the "purple line". To most areas these trains are few and far between except during rush hours. If you are driving to the city, take into consideration expensive parking fees in city when you calculate hotel fees. Also, most commuter lots (Oak Grove which is Malden and 2 Medford lots plus Sullivan Square which is Somerville) are often filled with commuters before 8 AM. While spaces may open up by mid-day, it is not a certainty. This does not work well if you want to have breakfast and then go into the city. Avoid Revere, East Boston (that is the airport). I agree that your best bets may be Braintree/Quincy area (to the south) or Woburn or Somerville to the north. You can definitely save money by staying outside the city - you have to decide how much commuting hassles are worth to you, schedule and frequency of your trips to Boston.

Great ideas. Any thoughts on South Shore accomodations walkable to the "T," Braintree or Quincy, for example?

The only lodging that's within walking distance of the T stop in Braintree is a Motel 6 that serves as a welfare hotel and is downwind of a neighboring trash-transfer station.

Fortunately, there are lots of nicer places in Braintree and most of them have shuttles to the T station; just ask before booking. There is a Sheraton and several hotels on Wood Road that are near the huge shopping mall in Braintree.

Candlewood Suites on Wood Road is very pleasant for longer stays; they even have a grocery bar in the laundry room.

As others have pointed out, the T parking garages fill up early, and this is particularly true of the Braintree station, since it's the southernmost point on the whole subway system.

But staying in Braintree will consume part of each day in extra transit time, and it even costs a little more on the T ($4 round trip rather than $2 for most of the other subway stations). Why go through all that when you could stay in a nice Back Bay hotel?

There is a Marriott Hotel in Quincy near the Quincy Adams T station. Don't think it's walking distance, but maybe the hotel has a shuttle to the station?
The Best Western Adams Inn in North Quincy is walking distance to the North Quincy T station.
On the western edge of the city, you try the Holiday Inn Newton-it's right at the Riverside T station. Also, a little closer in is another Holiday Inn in Brookline, also on the T.

Thanks for all the helpful info.
Thinking I should stay in town.
To save the commuter hassles.

Think your right-Try Priceline. You should get something good between $60. and $70.

Get the true flavor of our wonderful city and stay in town! Try the Copley Sq. hotel (not to be confused with the Copley Plaza).