Hello!
We are planning to visit Boston in the last week of July but would prefer not to spend more than $150/night on accommodations. Are there areas in the vicinity of Boston that are safe, within an easy reach of the city (either by car or public transport) and, ideally, kid-friendly? Thank you!

Prices are high this summer. Tourism is going strong. If you have a car and stay at a downtown hotel, you will need to pay to park, too.

Consider the Suburban Extended Stay or the Inn at Crystal Cove in Winthrop. Winthrop is a town that is a 1.6 square mile peninsula near the airport. Both hotels are on the 712/713 bus line. The bus will take you to the Orient Heights stop of the subway's blue line and from there it is 4 or 5 stops to downtown. Or you can drive there and park for $5.

The 712/713 bus does not show up on the MBTA trip planner but did you search for '712 bus' on www.mbta.com you will find the info.

Both these hotels are in a residential area about a 12 minute walk from each other. There are playgrounds near each and a beach one block away. The Inn at Crystal Cove has an outdoor pool. There are a few restaurants, a coffee shop(open for breakfast &lunch), and ice cream shop and a couple of convenience stores near by.

Happy Planning!

Unfortunately, no. Easy commute hotels are close to same price as Boston hotels. Do not get conned into staying at a hotel that lists itself as something like Boston/Burlington or lists itself as 10 miles or less from city. A commute of only 10 miles can take over an hour by car at rush hour or public transit.

But I realize budget is a consideration for all travelers. I am more familiar with areas north of Boston. If you must, look for hotels in reasonable distance from Orange Line - stations of Oak Grove, Malden, Sullivan - that either offer a shuttle or you could drive to station. Beware that most station lots fill by 8 AM or so and you may hit rush hour traffic getting there. Then you pay to park at MBTA lot and fare to/from Boston. So factor that cost into your savings by staying outside Boston.

If you decide to drive in, do it after rush hour and leave either by mid-afternoon or after dinner. Boston Common parking garage (under Boston Common) is probably the least expensive option. You will not find street parking in Boston - it is either Resident Only or 2-hour meters. They will ticket you. Do not use your car for touring around Boston during the day - just leave it. I am in the minority, but I believe it is well within the capability of any competent driver to drive into and out of Boston - just not around it.

Priceline, Priceline, Priceline.

First read, mark, learn and inwardly digest

Better bidding.com
And
Biddingfortravel.com

Everything else Gail says is true. The problem with staying Out There is that travel is tiring, and you can't go back to rest, clean up, make calls etc

The "official" T lot at Wellington station does fills up but the private lot near the bus loop rarely does. I work near Sullivon square and have not seen the private lot filled there in a long time, although the official T lot fills there regularly. A huge garage opened at the Wonderland stop of the blue line, so there are no parking problems there now.

Priceline only assures bedding for 2 people and in Boston it is often a do in with one double bed. You said you wanted something "kid friendly". If it is you and one child, great. But I would not recommend priceline otherwise.

You could use hotwire where you get to specify the number of people.

Priceline is no good since this is a family with kids - and Priceline guarantees only a room with one double bed. If people turn up with kids the hotel may not have a room that will fit them - mean either paying for a second room or a much higher rate for a deluxe room that would be able to hold 4 people. Also this does not help them being near a playground.

OP - if there are more than 4 of you shop carefully to find a place that can fit you all in one room - typically only a suite hotel with a sofabed in the LR. There are a couple of discount sites that will let you know what hotel you will be getting and for which you can indicate 4 people - if that's what you are.

Agree that you can take a car into Boston and park it - but driving around the city is very uncomplicated unless you are familiar. We used to have family there and could find our way from the highway to their (nearby) house on Beacon Hill. We wuold use the car only for trips outside the city - with a special map provided by my aunt with the directions (both ways - often different) clearly marked. The adventure starts with the exit from the major highway into central Boston - which is in the center of a tunnel (YES, the center of a tunnel).

Thanks, everyone! This is very helpful! I've been using Priceline for about 15 years, with excellent results. However, as pointed out above, using it is risky when traveling with kids as you may end up with a single king-size bed for 4 people

Hotwire allows you to indicate 3 or 4 people so you get 2 queens, if that will work.

$150 before or after tax, makes a difference.

Many downtown Boston hotels have double beds, not Queens. I do not know how important because is to you, just thought I would point it out.

That should say "I do not know how important bed size is to you", but auto correct bit me!