Weekend in Boston

Shopping in Cambridge

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I love shopping in Boston and Cambridge is no exception. Especially in the area around Harvard Square, there are some unique and very interested places to poke around in.Tis-Tik54 Church StreetI fell in love with this store as soon as I saw it. It is filled with items from third world countries made by artisans and if you are looking for something different that will make a unique gift this is the perfect place to shop. I bought Kasey a gorgeous silver necklace with pink stones and matching pink earring. As it turned out the artist was in the store and had just placed her work there that day. It was a very nice experience to get to meet her and tell her how much I loved h...Read More

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Kendall Hotel

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Hotel | "Great Hotel"

Our bedroom Photo - Kendall Hotel, Cambridge, Massachusetts

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My friend Cindy asked us if we would like to go to Cambridge to see the Revels. We had no idea what the Revels were but that is another journal. We did however say yes so on the second Saturday in December we headed off into the cold winter afternoon. It really was bitter when we arrived at the Kendall Hotel. We pulled up in front, we had arranged for parking but we weren’t sure where the garage was. Part of The Kendall is a converted Victorian Firehouse. It is a great looking building and with the Christmas light gleaming it was very welcoming. The lobby is really cute with a tiny little check in desk, the restaurant/bar, a fireplace and lots of places to sit and relax. Becau...Read More

My friend Cindy asked us if we would like to go to Cambridge to see the Revels. We had no idea what the Revels were but that is another journal. We did however say yes so on the second Saturday in December we headed off into the cold winter afternoon.

It really was bitter when we arrived at the Kendall Hotel. We pulled up in front, we had arranged for parking but we weren’t sure where the garage was. Part of The Kendall is a converted Victorian Firehouse. It is a great looking building and with the Christmas light gleaming it was very welcoming.

The lobby is really cute with a tiny little check in desk, the restaurant/bar, a fireplace and lots of places to sit and relax. Because it was Christmas time there was a Christmas tree in the lobby. We had rooms 412 and 413. They were king bed rooms and because of the king beds we paid $10 extra but we were told the rooms would be larger and they were, we looked into a couple of the queen bedded rooms and they were smaller, but not small.
Our room was spacious with a great wooden headboard, an Empire antique dresser, a desk and two end tables. On one wall was a large antique trunk with a mirror over it. The rooms are all different here, they all have antiques and great quilts but no two alike.

The bathroom is modern with a pedestal sink, great tub/shower combo and an oriental style cabinet. There is good lighting and a blow dryer.

The rooms have high speed Internet and WiFi. If you don’t have your computer with you there is one in the business center off the library or in the 7th floor lounge. The lounge is really a nice space to gather.

On the first floor there are candy and soda machines and coffee is available free of charge in the breakfast room.

If you are going to be driving, book your parking at the same time you book your room, it is less expensive that way. I will warn you that a small car is a good idea, the parking is under the hotel and I haven’t seen anything quite like this outside of Europe. They are however very nice, and they let us park here after we checked out while we went to the revels.

Breakfast is included in the rate and it was delicious. Great scrambled eggs, bacon, cold cereal, fresh fruit, pancakes, scones, muffins, coffee and juice. We enjoyed all of it. The only down side was it ends at 10am on Sunday and at 5 minutes to ten they were telling us it was over in 10 minutes, no lingering here.
The T stop for Kendall Square is almost right across the street and so is Legal Seafood. We ate dinner at the hotel in the Black Sheep Restaurant.

I can’t recommend this hotel enough, it is wonderful. We all loved it and would not hesitate to stay here again.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on December 13, 2009

Kendall Hotel
350 Main Street
Cambridge 02142
617-577-1300

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Otis House Museum

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Attraction

The last house standing Photo - Otis House Museum, Boston, Massachusetts

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141 Cambridge St.BostonIf you go out the front door of the Liberty Hotel and go left around the corner you will be on Cambridge St. It is a very short walk up the hill to the Otis House. This house can only be visited on a guided tour. Harrison Gray Otis was born into a prominent Boston family. He graduated from Harvard and then studied law. He was a Massachusetts State Representative and a United States Representative for the Federalist Party. He was also Mayor of Boston, District Attorney and US Senator. This is the first of three houses where the Otis family lived in Boston. They only lived here for 2 years because the area was growing so fast t...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 27, 2007

Otis House Museum
141 Cambridge St
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
+1 617 227 3956

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Clink Restaurant

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Restaurant | "You Will Want to Be Sentenced Here"

Cheese sampler at the Clink Photo - Clink Restaurant, Boston, Massachusetts

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When we decided to spend the night at the Liberty Hotel I was pretty sure that I was going to want to try one of the restaurants in the hotel, and yes it is restaurants. After looking over their menus on the hotel website chose Clink as the place for dinner. Be warned, this is Boston and this is an upscale hotel, eating hear is going to put a hurting on your wallet. Clink is located on the lobby level of the hotel which in this hotel is the second floor. It is directly opposite of the desks where you check in. This is not just a restaurant that caters to hotel guests; it is a very popular venue with locals as well especially in the later hours. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner a...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 30, 2009

Clink Restaurant
215 Charles Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
(617) 224-4004

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Liberty Hotel Boston

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Hotel | "You Won't Want to Break Out"

A very comfy bed Photo - Liberty Hotel Boston, Boston, Massachusetts

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For no good reason what so ever I decided to buy a night in Boston on an Internet auction website. When I won it, I had to come up with dates quickly. We have a jam packed schedule this spring but I found the last weekend end of March empty so Saturday morning we were headed east to spend the night at the Liberty Hotel. I knew this was supposed to be a luxury hotel; my god-son who is the aide to a US Senator had stayed here with his boss so I had the inside scoop. I am not going to say that I got the hotel cheap, cheap is a relative thing, suffice to say I saved at least $100 off the current price for this weekend. The Liberty Hotel is the former Charles Street Jail that has be...Read More

For no good reason what so ever I decided to buy a night in Boston on an Internet auction website. When I won it, I had to come up with dates quickly. We have a jam packed schedule this spring but I found the last weekend end of March empty so Saturday morning we were headed east to spend the night at the Liberty Hotel.

I knew this was supposed to be a luxury hotel; my god-son who is the aide to a US Senator had stayed here with his boss so I had the inside scoop. I am not going to say that I got the hotel cheap, cheap is a relative thing, suffice to say I saved at least $100 off the current price for this weekend.

The Liberty Hotel is the former Charles Street Jail that has been converted into a very upscale place to lay your head down. It is a Victorian building that is historically significant and with a sympathetic conversion has retained much of its dubious original "charm". There are traces everywhere of its former incarnation but it certainly isn’t going to detract in any way from the stunner that it is today.

Parking is valet and it isn’t cheap. $42 a day, however there aren’t a lot of options so just grin and bear it what the heck. You are directed in when you arrive and service begins at minute one. At least three people will greet you before you can even get out of your car. We opted to carry our own one small bag in but it certainly could have been sent directly up for us.

You have to go up a set of escalators to get to the main floor which is the 2nd. Check in will be very quick and friendly and it isn’t like any other check in desk you have ever seen. I don’t want to give away everything! You will be standing in the lobby with your mouth hanging open, it is drop dead gorgeous and there are sofas and banquettes everywhere for you to sit and chat, have a drink of the complimentary champagne served a daily at 3pm or eat a snack from Alibi the Bar.

The rooms are not over large especially at this price but the amenities are everything you could want. White bedding, luxury bed, HD plate screen TV, Wi-Fi at $10.99 a day, desk, safe, bar, chair and stool which looks like a fainting couch. It is amazing but the bathroom is the piece de resistance. It has to be one of the most gorgeous I have ever seen. The door slides shut and the floor is all gray tile. The shower is gray tile and has a glass door. The tub is deep and perfect for soaking.

I just loved it. There is even a glass scale under the vanity. The towels are so big and lush they are like blankets and did I forget to mention the two robes, yes two robes. I love this place and can’t wait till I come back in June.

They have a health club which I did not check out and two restaurants. Without a discount expect to pay about $300 a night depending on season.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 29, 2009

Liberty Hotel Boston
215 Charles Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
(617) 224-4000

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