A Friendly Inn At Harvard

Liza Cucco

This hotel is very clean and orderly, and there is a quaintness about it, with lots of little narrow stairways etc. The staff is courteous. The location is great- we loved being able to be ‘at home’ in Cambridge in a more residential area, it definitely had a local feel. There is tea and coffee and chocolates in a common area, which was nice. However everything is very outdated…it didn’t look like a single piece of furniture had been upgraded or replaced in at least 30 years, and a lot was chipped or threadbare. It is basically the quality of a hostel, but with private rooms. The shower and shower curtain grossed me out a bit- it was perfectly clean but just stained from age, and claustrophobic. The mattress was super hard and springy and had a noisy plastic mattress protector. The bathroom fan made an awful noise and turned on whenever the light was on. The water in the toilet in our bathroom would not stop running, and the room smelled musty. I literally bought a glade plug in air freshener from CVS to mask the smell. Also there was no security latch, bolt, or chain on the inside of the room door, which did not make me feel comfortable- anyone with a key could enter at any time. If I had paid $60-70 a night or something I would have been like ‘everything was old but it was a great deal!’ However it was like $200 a night after taxes. Way too much money for how outdated the accommodations were. If I had known what it was like I would have spent a little more on a different hotel.

roei tell

Stayed for one night and had a wonderful experience. The location is amazing (very close to Harvard), the room was very well equipped and beautifully decorated with wooden furniture, and the hospitality was warm and effective. I especially liked the constantly available tea and coffee in the common room downstairs. The only downside is that the room was small, especially the bathroom and shower.

Angela

Positive: I like the location Negative: The windows faced into another storage room. Even the 2 big windows in the bathroom. I didn¿t feel like I had privacy. The bed was very noisy and hard. Pillows were like a rock. The drain in the bathroom leaked. I had to put a towel on the floor

Verified Hotel Guest

Positive: It's quiet! Staff are helpful and onsite. Room felt like a house not a hotel. Negative: Sheets had some hair on them. Maybe static from the wash. That was my only complaint.