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The Charles HotelvsFairmont Copley Plaza, Boston
Both properties are rated very highly by reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston scores significantly better than Charles Hotel. Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston has a TripExpert Score of 89 with approval from 16 reviewers including Fodor's, Forbes Travel Guide and Oyster.
The Charles Hotel
Concierge
Insight Guides
Fodor's
Oyster
Travel + Leisure
DK Eyewitness
Rough Guide
Star Service
Gayot
BlackBook Show All Reviews
1 Bennett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
From $199/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Concierge "The 294 business-meets-Americana rooms mix Wi-Fi with checkered Shaker quilts, and all were spruced up in 2006."
Insight Guides "A touch of class on the edge of Harvard Square: rooms are appointed with commissioned artwork and high-tech amenities, and offer views of Harvard Square, Cambridge, or Boston."
Fodor's "It used to be that the Charles was the place to stay in Cambridge, and while other luxury hotels have since arrived... this Harvard Square staple is standing strong." Full review
i
For a partial river or skyline view, ask for something above the 7th floor.
OysterUpscale
"Charming rooms, two great restaurants and a location two blocks from Harvard Square make the 294-room Charles Hotel a natural choice for those visiting Harvard." Full review
Travel + Leisure "The hulking 294-room Charles, on the eastern edge of Harvard Square, is the best reason to stay north of the river." Full review
DK Eyewitness "Handmade quilts on the beds add a cozy touch to the restrained modern decor. The hotel’s location on the edge of Harvard Square is a plus."
Rough Guide "A Harvard Square landmark with clean, bright rooms – some overlooking the Charles River – that come with an array of amenities."
Star Service "Unlike the more tech-savvy Hyatt and Le Meridien, the latter owned by MIT, Charles Hotel places emphasis on homey comforts, a lively social scene and style that reflects a historic regional character." Full review
i
As rooms are sold run-of-the-house, request top-floor units for broader vistas and quieter exposures.
Gayot "Ideally located right next to Harvard Square, this nine-story hotel has been welcoming business and leisure travelers since 1985."
BlackBook "It’s about pedigree and class at the Square’s only luxury hotel."
Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston
Frommer's Insight Guides Fodor's
Lonely Planet Oyster Travel + Leisure DK Eyewitness Rough Guide Star Service
Michelin Guide Show All Reviews
138 St James Ave, Boston, MA 02116
From $142/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
- Concierge
Frommer's "The "grande dame of Boston" is a classic old-fashioned grand hotel, with a clientele of leisure and business travelers who expect luxurious lodgings and superior service." Full review
Insight Guides "With an opulent lobby and 383 European-style rooms, many with handsome period furnishings, this palatial 1912 hotel overlooking Copley Square remains la grande dame of Boston hotels."
Fodor's "Those who really love pampering should book the Fairmont Gold floor... an ultradeluxe club level offering a dedicated staff, free breakfast and tea-time snacks, and a library." Full review
Lonely Planet "For all its outward pomp, the spirit of the place thankfully lacks pretension."
OysterLuxury
"Dating back to 1912, this iconic 383-room Fairmont hotel in tony Back Bay has the most opulent lobby in the city, a classic oak-paneled bar and restaurant, and top-tier service." Full review
Travel + Leisure "The Fairmont Copley Plaza is a seven-story Beaux-Arts structure with a limestone... exterior and a spacious lobby featuring Italian marble columns and a gilded ceiling hung with crystal chandeliers." Full review
DK Eyewitness "A red carpet leads guests into the opulent lobby of this 1912 Boston landmark, the sister hotel to New York’s Plaza."
Rough Guide "Built in 1912, the iconic Fairmont has long boasted Boston’s most elegant lobby, with its glittering chandeliers, mirrored walls, and trompe l’oeil sky."
i
Even if you don’t stay here, be sure to have a martini in the fabulous Oak Bar, with its high-coffered ceilings and mahogany chairs.
Star Service "This is a hotel with strong ties to the past, and its regal decor is prized by demanding traditionalists." Full review
Michelin Guide "Back day’s palatial property has been home base for visiting US presidents and foreign dignitaries since 1912."
