Where to stay · Boston · United States
Where to stay in Boston
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rick Berry, Public domain
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Back Bay. Victorian brownstones, Newbury Street boutiques and Copley Square. Best alternatives — families: Downtown and the Waterfront; budget: Fenway–Kenmore; nightlife: Seaport District.
Key facts
- First visit
- Back Bay
- Families
- Downtown and the Waterfront
- Budget
- Fenway–Kenmore
- Nightlife
- Seaport District
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Back Bay | Victorian brownstones, Newbury Street boutiques and Copley Square |
| Families | Downtown and the Waterfront | Faneuil Hall, the aquarium, harbour cruises and the Rose Kennedy Greenway |
| Couples | Back Bay | Victorian brownstones, Newbury Street boutiques and Copley Square |
| Budget | Fenway–Kenmore | Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts and student bars on Lansdowne Street |
| Luxury | Back Bay | Victorian brownstones, Newbury Street boutiques and Copley Square |
| Nightlife | Seaport District | Glass towers, waterfront restaurants and the ICA on the harbour |
| Food lovers | North End | Boston's Little Italy, with trattorias, pastry shops and Paul Revere's house |
| Solo travellers | Cambridge and Harvard Square | Harvard Yard, MIT, bookshops and cafés across the Charles River |
| Shopping | Back Bay | Victorian brownstones, Newbury Street boutiques and Copley Square |
| Quiet stays | Beacon Hill | Gas lamps, brick pavements and the gold-domed State House |
Boston neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, couples and luxury
Back Bay
Built on filled-in marshland in the 19th century, Back Bay has a grid of brownstones on cross streets named alphabetically from Arlington to Hereford, the tree-lined Commonwealth Avenue Mall and Newbury Street's blocks of boutiques and cafés. Copley Square holds Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library, and the Green and Orange lines connect it to the rest of the city.
- Good
- Elegant, walkable streets; Huge choice of shops and restaurants; Central for most sights
- Watch out
- Among the most expensive hotels in the city; Busy with shoppers at weekends
- Nearby
- Copley Square, Newbury Street, Boston Public Library, Public Garden
$$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and culture
Beacon Hill
Gas lamps, brick pavements and Federal-era rowhouses climb from the Public Garden to the gold-domed Massachusetts State House. Charles Street at the foot of the hill is lined with antique shops, cafés and small restaurants, and cobbled Acorn Street and Louisburg Square are among the most photographed corners of the city. Hotels are few and mostly small boutique properties.
- Good
- The city's most picturesque streets; Quiet at night; Walk to the Common and Back Bay
- Watch out
- Very few hotels; Steep, uneven pavements
- Nearby
- Massachusetts State House, Acorn Street, Charles Street, Boston Common
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and first-timers
North End
Boston's oldest residential neighbourhood has been its Little Italy since the early 20th century, packed into narrow streets around Hanover and Salem streets. It holds the Paul Revere House and Old North Church on the Freedom Trail, dozens of small Italian restaurants and the pastry shops behind the cannoli rivalry. There are few hotels inside it, but it is a short walk from Faneuil Hall and the waterfront.
- Good
- Dense choice of Italian restaurants and bakeries; History on every corner; Close to the waterfront
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Small restaurants with long queues and some cash-only
- Nearby
- Old North Church, Paul Revere House, Hanover Street, Faneuil Hall
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and luxury
Downtown and the Waterfront
Between Boston Common and the harbour, the downtown core holds Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, the Old State House, the New England Aquarium and the Long Wharf docks for harbour cruises and island ferries. The Rose Kennedy Greenway, a ribbon of parks built over the buried highway, links it with the North End and Chinatown. It is the most convenient base for first-timers and families.
- Good
- Walk to the Freedom Trail, aquarium and harbour; Excellent T connections; Harbour-view hotels
- Watch out
- Expensive; Financial District is quiet in the evenings
- Nearby
- Faneuil Hall, New England Aquarium, Long Wharf, Rose Kennedy Greenway
$$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, luxury and families
Seaport District
Across Fort Point Channel, the Seaport has grown since the 2000s from car parks into a district of new towers, hotels and waterfront restaurants around the Institute of Contemporary Art and the convention centre. Fort Point's older brick warehouses hold the Boston Tea Party Ships and the Boston Children's Museum, and the Silver Line connects the area with South Station and Logan Airport.
- Good
- Modern, spacious hotels; Harbourside walks and restaurants; Quick Silver Line link to the airport
- Watch out
- Feels new and corporate; A walk or ride from the historic sights
- Nearby
- Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston Tea Party Ships, Boston Children's Museum, Fan Pier
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and quiet stays
South End
One of the largest Victorian rowhouse districts in the country, the South End has bow-fronted brownstones around small garden squares, a strong restaurant scene along Tremont and Washington streets and the SoWa Open Market on summer Sundays. It is mostly residential with a handful of hotels, and the Orange Line and Silver Line run along its edges.
- Good
- Some of the city's best neighbourhood restaurants; Beautiful residential streets; Calmer than Back Bay
- Watch out
- Limited hotel choice; Some walking to the nearest T stops
- Nearby
- SoWa Open Market, Tremont Street, Back Bay, Wally's Café
$$$ · Best for culture, solo travellers and quiet stays
Cambridge and Harvard Square
Across the Charles River, Cambridge is home to Harvard and MIT. Harvard Square has independent bookshops, cafés and street performers around Harvard Yard, while Kendall Square near MIT is the region's tech hub. The Red Line reaches Park Street in about 10–15 minutes, making it a practical base outside graduation and student move-in weeks, when hotels fill.
- Good
- University atmosphere and museums; Lively cafés and bookshops; Direct Red Line to downtown
- Watch out
- Hotels are scarce around graduation in May; Across the river from most historic sights
- Nearby
- Harvard Yard, Harvard Art Museums, MIT, Charles River
$$$ · Best for culture, budget and nightlife
Fenway–Kenmore
Around Fenway Park and Kenmore Square, this student-heavy district holds the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Back Bay Fens with its community Victory Gardens and the music venues and bars of Lansdowne Street. Several Green Line branches run through it, and hotel prices jump on game days and concert nights.
- Good
- Walk to the two big art museums; Ballpark and nightlife on the doorstep; Good Green Line access
- Watch out
- Crowded and noisy on game days; Prices spike during home games and graduations
- Nearby
- Fenway Park, Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Back Bay Fens
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Back Bay | $$$$ | Copley Square, Newbury Street, Boston Public Library, Public Garden |
| Beacon Hill | $$$$ | Massachusetts State House, Acorn Street, Charles Street, Boston Common |
| North End | $$$ | Old North Church, Paul Revere House, Hanover Street, Faneuil Hall |
| Downtown and the Waterfront | $$$$ | Faneuil Hall, New England Aquarium, Long Wharf, Rose Kennedy Greenway |
| Seaport District | $$$$ | Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston Tea Party Ships, Boston Children's Museum, Fan Pier |
| South End | $$$ | SoWa Open Market, Tremont Street, Back Bay, Wally's Café |
| Cambridge and Harvard Square | $$$ | Harvard Yard, Harvard Art Museums, MIT, Charles River |
| Fenway–Kenmore | $$$ | Fenway Park, Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Back Bay Fens |
Getting to your hotel
Logan Airport is about 5 km from downtown. The Silver Line SL1 bus runs from the terminals to South Station in about 20–30 minutes and is free from the airport. A free shuttle links the terminals with Airport station on the Blue Line, about 10 minutes from downtown, and water taxis cross the harbour to the waterfront.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Boston for first-time visitors?
Back Bay. Built on filled-in marshland in the 19th century, Back Bay has a grid of brownstones on cross streets named alphabetically from Arlington to Hereford, the tree-lined Commonwealth Avenue Mall and Newbury Street's blocks of boutiques and cafés.
+Where should families stay in Boston?
Downtown and the Waterfront: Walk to the Freedom Trail, aquarium and harbour.
+Which area of Boston is best for a budget stay?
Fenway–Kenmore ($$$): Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts and student bars on Lansdowne Street.