Stayed here for my last two nights in Boston and it was exactly the cozy New England experience I was hoping for. Shoutout to AMEX FHR for the perks(iykyk). Location: Right in the heart of Harvard Square. Historic, walkable, and surrounded by great restaurants, cafés, and shops. The fall colors were unreal during my stay so wandering around the neighborhood was such a vibe. Lobby: Warm, elegant and classic New England. I loved the academic library feel with books lining the walls. Check in was a breeze and the staff were genuinely thoughtful. They walked us through all the FHR benefits and even handed us a welcome gift bag with treats. Such a nice touch. Room: A little smaller than expected, but very clean and charming with that collegiate Cambridge aesthetic. The view overlooking Harvard square was beautiful on a cloudy fall day. And the bed? One of the most comfortable beds I've ever slept on. Slept like a rock both nights. Overall this was very much a 5 star stay. Beautiful property, amazing location, and top tier service. I'd absolutely stay here again next time I'm in the Cambridge area. read more

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Excellent stay! I stayed at the Charles Hotel Friday to Friday for a conference. I couldn't be more happy! The staff was friendly and attentive. The room was spacious and clean. The gym was absolutely incredible. There are several restaurants and bars on site with incredibly friendly people and everything in Cambridge is within easy walking distance. Very happy with my stay. read more

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Cute quiet hotel near Harvard. Very cute. The reception staff were great and helpful. Phones in room didn't work well. The wireless didn't work, the wired was scratchy. Bar Noir was small. Great music, but the bartender was training a new bartender. He was pretty short and rude to the new guy. It was embarrassing to see as we sat at the bar. read more

This is a nice hotel in the middle of Cambridge. Great access to everything. Staff is helpful and it has a historic vibe, but it is very modernized. Only concern is that you have to watch out for some small critters. read more

I have stayed here numerous times in the past several years and have noticed a considerable and alarming deterioration in service here. For a four-star luxury "premium" hotel (the prices are very high here), this place offers amateur service, extremely apparent lack of care & attention, and nonsensical policies that result in a strongly subpar customer experience. If this were a Holiday Inn or cheap hotel I would let it fly, but this is easily the most expensive hotel in Cambridge and thus completely unacceptable to be held to such low standards. Do not waste your money here. My working theory is that due to the serious lack of competition for high-end hotels in the area, The Charles has relaxed their employee trainings and found ways to cut corners while continuing to charge extremely and unjustifiably high rates for the convenience and proximity to Harvard. I will give the hotel props: it is easily the nicest facility around among hotels. But the pretty frills on the outside are dated and clearly a relic of the past. The concierge service here is unprofessional and unmotivated to hold themselves to anowhere near an acceptable standard for the price range. read more

The Charles Hotel - What I discovered upon checking into my room just now - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I stayed at the hotel with my family. The ambience was good. It was clean and safe hotel, and it was convenient that it is located next to the Harvard buildings. read more

Staff is great! Location is great if you are there to attend anything for Harvard. Everything is in walking distance. I really didn't get to enjoy much of the hotel but it was very clean! I notice little things like the bathrooms and the tub and floors were immaculate. No random hairs from previous guests or dust in the corners. LOL I will definitely be back! read more

I'm not sure why I've never stayed at the Charles Hotel, but I think I'll stay there whenever I'm in the Boston/Cambridge area. The location is awesome - so close to so many things from the Harvard Square T stop to convenience stores to shops to restaurants. Also, if you have need to go to the Harvard campus, there isn't a better location. The rooms are very well appointed and designed with a little table and coat hooks in the entry way of the room. The rooms are spacious enough to have a desk, a nice armchair and a little footrest so that two people can comfortably work or hang out. It annoys me that some hotels don't have coffee machines...and I appreciate the Nespresso machine in the room. I appreciate the lobby which has a ton of comfortable spaces to hang out or do work which can change up the pace from just working in your room. The fitness center is also quite large and has free weights, lots of cardio machines and weight machines. Henrietta's Table is an institution, so it's great to have such a great restaurant in the building. read more

What a beautiful jewel in the middle of Cambridge. Great cafe and restaurants, glorious courtyard, outdoor bar area, amenities and little spots to hide with a book or computer. Close to Harvard, underground stop and the high street. A real gem! read more

Unfortunately, after 40 years of staying at this hotel off an on, I had a bad stay. The bed was horrible and I couldn't sleep for most of the night, the in-service dining was cold and the food was poor quality, and the next morning they would not comp the room or offer another stay. I got a free breakfast which I had to take to go because it took so long to arrive. The front desk staff was also a bit patronizing, which didn't help. Overall, I felt the quality of the hotel has gone downhill. Henrietta'S Table is a great restaurant and the only reason I gave it two stars instead of one. I will visit the restaurant again, but I will not stay or encourage friends and family to stay there. Disappointing. It's a great location and was superb back in the day. read more

The hotel was an absolute pleasure to visit. Staff were extremely friendly and courteous. Hotel is located perfectly next to Harvard Square. Very clean and comfortable rooms. The restaurants, bar, and breakfast were excellent. Great area to visit and walk around. Highly recommend, and hope to visit again. read more

Really bad experience! My flight was cancelled by the airline on short notice, which prevented me from canceling within 48 hours. I called Expedia and the hotel directly to figure out what options I had. Expedia said they could try to get a refund or change my reservation, but the hotel needed to approve it. They contacted the hotel, but the hotel did not allow us to apply for a refund or make changes. If the flight had not been cancelled, I wouldn't need to make any changes to my travel plan. Please be understanding! Also, I asked if we could keep our reservation but arrive one day late. They did not allow this either. The person who answered my call said that if we are not there on the reservation date, the reservation will be cancelled, even though we have already paid online. read more

The Charles Hotel - Spent over 1 hour to get no results! - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We spent a week at the Charles and we absolutely loved it! The service is fabulous, staff are the best. The property, rooms, and decor are beautiful. You cannot beat the location, we will be back for certain. read more

The Charles Hotel - Lovely lobby with great work spaces! - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We loved the Charles Hotel and would stay again. A couple of high points and low points to share: First, half of the front desk staff were very friendly, and others did not seem to have a hospitable attitude. Could be a Boston thing. The room was great, as were the in hotel dining options. Truly enjoyed. The gym area had a strong smell of mildew, mold or trash in certain areas, especially the back wall near the squat rack. Perhaps previous water damage, or trash room nearby. Made me worried for the air quality. Would very much like the management to test air quality and find a way to remove the dank smell. It made me concerned to inhale the air while working out (have dealt with mold damage prior), and shortened my workout during our stay. Other than that the restaurant and bar staff and selection were exceptional. Loved the farm to table healthy vibe of Henrietta's Table - thank you. read more

Conveniently located to the Harvard campus, restaurants and shops. Charming. Clean. Cozy. Friendly staff. One does not need to leave the hotel to dine or workout. Well-equipped gym. Fine restaurants. read more

Excellent hotel in a hard-to-beat location in Cambridge, but be prepared to pay dearly for the convenience. We spent three wonderful nights here during our East Coast college tour jaunt, which began a week earlier in DC. We had just come off two straight days of moderate driving and were looking forward to these days of rest and catching up with family. I considered a lot of hotels in Cambridge and the surrounding area, and certainly found others that were considerably less expensive, but I decided that we would indulge ourselves at The Charles. Check-in was a breeze and we settled into our deluxe room with a view of the courtyard. The room was bright and spacious and modern. The beds were comfortable and the sheets were soft and cool. Nights were quiet and if we had neighbors either next to or above us, we didn't hear them at all. The television was large, and as a bonus, the bathroom mirror had an embedded TV screen, so you can watch the business channel while doing your business. The bathroom amenities (soap, shampoo, etc.) were high quality. Service here was impeccable. Complimentary bottles of water were always available at the front desk. Unlike many other hotels during this Covid-19 era, they actually had daily housekeeping service. We requested additional pillows, and when we returned after dinner we found four large pilows waiting for us. We also just missed the coffee service in the restaurant and asked for a coffee machine to be sent up, and within minutes the gentlemen from the front desk was at our door with a Nespresso machine and plenty of pods, sugar, and cream. Ice machines were not available on the floors, but it was promptly delivered after a call to in-room dining. As for location, this is just steps away from the heart of Cambridge and all its shops and restaurants. Harvard is about two blocks away, as is the T station. Parking is easy with an option for valet for $5 more, but the garage is right under the hotel so we didn't think this was necessary. So overall, this was a very enjoyable experience and we will definitely stay here again on our next trip to Boston/Cambridge. And now I'm thinking that I need one of those bathroom mirror/TV contraptions. read more

This is a very nice hotel but I think it's much too expensive for what you're getting, especially since the hotel is a bit old. The rooms are very cute, have an old charm about them and have interesting art. The first floor of the hotel has unique furniture and plenty of seating areas if you're waiting to check in or for your flight. They have great amenities too, such as a fitness center, spa, cafe. There are several great restaurants there as well so you don't have to travel far for a meal. It's also very close to the Harvard campus and plenty of shopping and eating areas. read more

This hotel is one of the nicest places I've been to. Worth every cent. For example, the curtains are blackout which makes sleeping better. Everything is updated/high-tech. I always love going to rooms that allow you to buy beverages in a mini-fridge. Plus the restaurants and staff are top-notch. read more

The staff is nice, the rooms are clean, but I've never had worse pillows, even in roadside motels. The location can't be beat if you're in town for campus related activities, and the free coffee is perfect. read more

We decided to stay at the Charles after we learned it was going to be the site of my too many years to mention high school reunion. To say the least, the function was very nicely done. We could have used a few more bartenders, but the hotel had no way of knowing what a thirsty bunch we would be. Other than the bar bottleneck, the service was fantastic:from the way the bellman and valet swooped right in as soon as our car stopped, through the quick checkin, to the concierge that directed us to lunch, all were friendly efficient and professional! The room itself was very comfortable, stylishly decorated and had a great view of the hotel's outdoor tree lighting ceremony. What more could you ask for? So glad I overcame my high-school insecurities and visited this perfectly located local institution. read more

The Charles Hotel - Nicely decorated room, super comfy. - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Hotel charged me for a mini bar item that I didn't consume. It wasn't there when we checked into the room and I explained that when I checked out. Breakfast at Henrietta's was subpar. The eggs used for my omelette didn't taste like real eggs but like the mixed egg substitute. The hotel itself is nicely appointed. Staff not very friendly. read more

The Charles Hotel - Breakfast - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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What can one possibly say about the Charles Hotel that is not good. It's one of the best! Rooms are wonderful, reservation is easy, making suggestions and having it taken care of is effortless. The Regatta Bar is always warm and welcoming! read more

Held our Team Offsite meeting at the Charles last week... From the beginning stages of planning & then finally the time coming & checking in - everything went great. The Corp Meetings team (Frances especially) was wonderful & had all our needs met... Would def recommened the hotel... Rooms were great, Location was great, Dinners were great. Would def stay again! read more

The Charles Hotel - Catering meeting snacks... - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

One of the Cambridge probably "affordable" best; good restaurants ; stmosphere; await jazz bar opening !!! read more

excellent experience. spent one night at the Charles Hotel to celebrate my college graduation with my boyfriend ( belated celebration from last spring, now that we are both vaccinated)..... my favorite part of the beautifully decorated, comfortable and elegant room was the TV embedded in the bathroom mirror, nice little detail that I haven't seen in any other fine hotel ( and I travel around the world with my parents on a very regular basis). yes you spend a lot for a night, but you also only live once and you really can't compare the Charles to any of the cheap downtown chains. Will definitely come back! a big thank you to all staff members, front desk and housekeeping alike! read more

Very nice and posh hotel in Harvard Square. Everything is expensive in the square, and this hotel is no different. Large garage. Swimming pool. Nice bar. Very nice restaurant and we had a function with an open bar and hot food that was just fantastic. Rooms are big and comfortable. Quite clean facilities. Expensive, but a very comfort stay. read more

This was the most well-equipped bathroom ever. It came with a scale, a phone, an ice bucket, various toiletries and a TV IN THE MIRROR. If you think I didn't weigh myself, call my friends,* chill my drinks, brush my teeth and shave my face all while watching the Sopranos on A&E and taking the Browns to the Super Bowl, you're wrong. Also, the shower pressure was awesome, the bed was insanely comfortable, and the room service eggs were delicious and only on the low end of exorbitantly priced. ______ *OK, my parents. read more

I could have probably done a back handspring in the King sized bed at the Charles Hotel. And even if that didn't work out and I busted my ass, it would have been okay because the bed was so soft that it would have cradled my fall...and lulled me to sleep. This may have been the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in! In fact, the whole room was fresh, spacious and minimalistic. My check-in was flawless and I was handed a little metal key. I was thinking, a key? Wow, they must be a little behind on the times! But really, I was the one that was a little behind. The room key was designed like a key, but still opened my room door magnetically. The bathroom here was awesome as well. There was a huge mirror and tons of counter space with a nice selection of toiletries. There was even a phone, scale and television IN the mirror! The only thing this bathroom needed was a clock. Why? Because I lost track of time in there once I plugged in my laptop. Oh - and free Wifi! Service was wonderful and the staff was attentive yet un-obtrusive. There are three restaurants on site. One of them, Noir stays open until 2:00am and turns into a lounge in the evening. I even had the option to check out via the television! Unfortunately, at my time of check-out the system was down but that's still a pretty cool option. read more

I proposed in one of the rooms here. I don't know why. It just felt right. Sometimes, I'm ashamed of this because I didn't have a grand plan. Some local guy lit up a whole building dorm with lights that said "Will You Marry Me?" I didn't do that. His proposal went viral on Reddit and on local / national news. Mine probably won't even get 10 "funny" votes on Yelp. I got on one knee in one of the suites and asked her to marry me. There was some cheesy romantic music playing in the background. It was July 4th. She said yes. It was all mostly a blur. The room was fantastic. The staff was even better. They sent up some complimentary strawberry covered chocolates (thank you!). The bed was incredibly comfortable. The room was modern. The location is great --- right near Harvard Square. Very nice hotel. read more

Extremely disappointed with my latest interaction with this hotel. They honored a conference 'group rate' for the first night, but refused to honor it for the 2nd night, at the tune of $130 more. I wrote to the general manager and requested they please review the reservation but they refused to make an adjustment to the price. Considering the amount of times the individual I booked for has stayed there, this is really awful customer service. On account of how they treat their 'repeat' guests, I cannot recommend this establishment. read more

The weather outside was frightful (Dec 19 2008), but there was no way I was going to miss my company's holiday party at the Charles Hotel. I chose to play it safe by booking a room at a ridiculously low rate, even though I live just 4 miles away. That's right, 4 miles. But that could be a very dangerous 4 miles when there's a blizzard outside! Boy were we glad we had the room. Instead of racing around after work and before the party, the BF and I took a nap on the luxurious bed in our standard room, read some of the magazines in the room (Atlantic monthly, anyone?), and admired the views. The room was delightful and cozy, though I was a little confused by the country-cum-modern look they were going for. There were definitely a few things different about this hotel. It seems like they thought to themselves, "what do people really need in a hotel where they'll probably just be staying a few nights?" - They had metal keys. Like real metal. - No coffeemaker in the room. - No ice maker on the floor - you could call for complimentary ice. - No dresser, really. - Minibar was in the desk and had a tricky little key hidden in the envelope you get when you arrive. - There was a TV in the mirror!!!!!! Amazing. - Really cool "real" clock on the wall. You could touch it and it would stop the gears from spinning, not that i did that. Really. I swear. - The bed faced the windows, which was cool. Most hotels have the bed perpendicular to the windows. - Room, especially compared to downtown Boston hotel rooms. The ballroom where we had the party was nice,. pretty anonymous. Service was great. The buffet was good, though I definitely preferred the standard fare of beef and potatoes versus the "gourmet" pastas and seafood, which are normally my favorites. I don't know how Meghan P managed to go to Henrietta's Table when she was in college - the food is delicious, but not cheap. For those out of towners - the Charles Hotel is right near the subway (the T), and close to the river. Definitely a good place to base your Boston/Cambridge visit. And in the summer you can sit at the outdoor Legal Seafoods bar or visit the farmer's market, and in the winter you can ice skate! Win-win. Overall, we had a great stay. I want to book a room every year for our holiday parties!! :) read more

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This is probably one of the nicest hotels in the area. I stayed here during my recent visit. This hotel is definitely upscale , modern and chic. It is bit expensive to stay, I paid like $400 a night to stay here :) My overall experience was good and I am just giving 3 stars because of the follwing reasons - Check In - The guy at the check in counter gave me the wrong key and navigated me to the wrong floor. I had to come to front desk to get this fixed. It's not a big deal but it matters when I am paying $400 bucks for a night and was tired from my flight. Quite Room - I had very specifically told them during my booking and while checking in that I want a quite room. But even then till the wee hours I could hear people in the room next to me. Also since they gave me a room in the middle of walkaway, there was lot of disturbance with people walking upto their rooms. In terms of amenities this hotel is top notch , my bed was very comfortable and it had all the amenities. Hopefully the next time with them I will have a much more pleasant stay! read more

When I first entered Miriam W's room I gasped with delight: a huge living room with an enormous dining room table and a bathroom fit for a Queen. "Doesn't your room look like this," she asked. Ummmm, NO! The lucky Miriam W had been upgraded to a fantastic suite. My room wasn't nearly as exciting, but I was still happy with it during my quick one night stay. The bed was comfortable, the shower had good water pressure and there was plenty of space for me to throw my clothes/shoes around. I usually try to pick hotels that have gyms and while there wasn't any time to workout on this trip, workout fanatics will be happy to know that they do have one here. Just not sure how good it is...since I also didn't have time to even glance at it. I'd stay here again and will be crossing my fingers for one of those suites! read more

Very nice hotel, with good facilities. Room spacious enough. Points off for: - no coffeemaker in room - unbelievably expensive in-room snacks ($16 cashews, anyone?) - the worst internet system I've ever seen in a hotel (and I routinely travel in developing countries): - no wireless in the rooms. In 2009. Seriously. - charge $11 per day for in-room ethernet - even if you're paying the $11 in-room, the wifi in the lobby is a SEPARATE charge. No, I'm not kidding. - the internet in the conference areas is --- wait for it --- YET ANOTHER separate system You could easily spend $30 per day on internet services at this hotel, in the heart of one of America's most tech-oriented cities. read more

Great location if you are visiting HKS. The room is nice, service is polite but not friendly. TV in bathroom window is cool but not practical. Very expensive, even with the Harvard discount price... Unlike most hotels, water and coffee in the rooms are not free. The bar in the lobby serves exceptionally good mixed drinks. read more

I absolutely adore this Cambridge compound. made up of great bars, restaurants, shops, markets and local flavor. The hotel itself id a bit old school and semi -eclectic. The location is perfect and the overall ambiance is super chill. The hotel has a rich history but seems to always be trying new and interesting things to constantly re-invent itself in a not at all gimmicky way. They now have ice skating in the winter time which is yet another brilliant touch. read more

The Charles Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Ok, this is probably an odd review for this hotel. I have only stayed here once, years ago and it was pretty good. But this review is not directed at the hotel rooms. My 5 stars are about the parking. I am in Harvard Sq quite often and needing to park a car. I park at the Charles Hotel all the time. It's expensive, but it is the most civilized parking to be had in Harvard Sq. They have Electric Car recharge outlets. They will even wash your car for you while you are gone. Even if it is not your main parking choice, it is a good overflow option when everything else is taken. read more

The location is great, the staff are better the rooms are large and comfortable. The TV in the room is huge! The bed is comfortable. There's a TV that is integrated with the mirror of the bathroom. The Shower is large and functional the bathrooms bright and cheery. The lobby is attractive. The staff could not have been more helpful or cheerful. TV embedded in the bathroom mirror. We attended a jazz concert at the Regatta Bar. I had an excellently concocted Manhattan and the band, The John Jorgenson Quintet were unbelievably entertaining. The only slight, and I mean slight disappointment for the entire stay would be the wait staff for breakfast at Henrietta's Table. Just a little amatuer. An example: One of the 5 diners requested butter for his waffle, the waiter took the butter from the plate of one of our other diners (his butter was for his toast with his eggs). Then the waiter went back and got other butter. Wierd! read more

The Charles Hotel - View from the 7th floor - Hotels Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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There's just something about this hotel, Michelle Obama even mentioned it in her book Becoming. I had already made a one night reservation here for the night before an executive program at Harvard Business School and wanted to have a day in Harvard Square. The fitness club attached is excellent and has a variety of classes including aqua aerobics. Both the restaurants were very cute, not my favorite but reasonable prices for a hotel restaurant. The hotel even had my favorite toiletries C.O. Bigelow Lavender Peppermint shampoo etc. Wish I had an excuse to return! read more

I was a little sad that I didn't have a bathtub in my room, but the shower was objectively excellent and I was very wow'ed by the mirror TV in the bathroom. Okay, the sound wasn't super clear when you shower due to the running water, and it got steamy pretty quick, but still... pretty awesome. The proximity to Harvard Square is a big bonus. In terms of aesthetics and decor, the Charles Hotel balances the old school, understated classiness of the neighborhood while also delivering on the luxurious features that justify the price tag (like the mirror TV!). It's comfortable without being ostentatious. The grounds of the hotel are also quite spacious, with a larger gym than I've seen of many hotels, and two restaurants on the second floor. According to the elevator label, they also have a pool, but I didn't see it (this go-around). I'll update you on how it is next time. read more