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Cambridge

Boston

The university city across the Charles River, home to Harvard and MIT, with lively squares of bookshops, cafés and music venues.

Best for Business · Families

Transport
4/5
Sights
3/5
Value
3/5
Quiet
4/5
Food
4/5

Typical mid-range hotel ~$290/night · 20 min to Boston Common

See hotels in Cambridge

Cambridge on the map

Why stay here

  • Harvard, MIT and their museums
  • Bookshops, cafés and music venues
  • Red Line to Boston in minutes

Who should stay here

  • Campus visitors and academics
  • Families visiting students
  • Repeat visitors

Not ideal if…

  • You want to walk to Boston's sights
  • You want harbour views
  • You're visiting at graduation on a budget

What it's like

Cambridge is a city of its own across the Charles, with Harvard Yard, its museums and the bookshops and cafés of Harvard Square in the west, and MIT's campus and the biotech hub of Kendall Square to the east. Central Square in between has live music, bars and global food, and the riverbank paths have the best views of the Boston skyline.

It's a great base for campus visits, academics and a more relaxed, youthful feel, with the Red Line to Boston in 10–15 minutes. Hotels are pricey during university events, and the main Boston sights are a train ride away.

Best streets and sub-areas

  • Harvard Square

    Bookshops, cafés and street performers.

  • Kendall Square

    MIT and modern hotels by the river.

  • Central Square

    Live music, bars and global restaurants.

Getting around

Nearest stations
Harvard, Central and Kendall/MIT stations on the Red Line.
To Boston Common
About 20 minutes
From Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
About 40 minutes: free Silver Line SL1 to South Station, then the Red Line.

Nearby attractions

  • Harvard Yard

    The historic heart of the university.

  • Harvard Art Museums

    Three museums under one Renzo Piano roof.

  • MIT Museum

    Robots, holograms and science in Kendall Square.

Where to eat and drink

  • Harvard Square

    Cafés, burger joints and old pubs.

  • Central Square

    Bars and live-music venues.

Where to stay in Cambridge

A few hotels we'd book in this area, at different budgets.

Luxury pick

The Charles Hotel

Why we like it: Harvard Square's top hotel, with a spa and riverside location.

Typical luxury rate in Cambridge: ~$500/night

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Boutique pick

The Kendall Hotel

Why we like it: Hotel in a converted 1890s firehouse near MIT.

Typical mid-range rate in Cambridge: ~$290/night

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Best value

The Royal Sonesta Boston

Why we like it: Riverside hotel with skyline views and an indoor pool.

Typical mid-range rate in Cambridge: ~$290/night

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Hotels in CambridgeMid-range from ~$290/night

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