Is the Hotel Buckminster booked as well?

Unless the Buckminster has cleaned up its act dramatically and recently, that is not a very nice place at all.

I agree on the Buckminster, I'm just trying to get her very close to BU.

How about 463 Beacon Street Guest House? That would be a good find close to BU.

The Eliot Hotel is a good hotel about a 10 minute walk to BU

Appreciate closseness, but I need some place nice. I read Revies of the Buckminster and it sounds horrible. Prefer a little me upscale. I can do the hotel Commonwealth if necessary, but was looking for better value if possilbe.

It really needs to be safe, clean and good location. Prefer NICE.

I will check out the last B & B mentioned.

THanks, Janet

Don't discount my suggestions of those 2 Brookline B&Bs, the Sewall and the Bertram.

They are quite walkable to BU on a sunny day, and the subway is easy to use on a rainy day.

Hi,

The B&B's in the South End would be just fine for you to get to BU. As mentioned, they are a short walk to the Green Line at Copley Sq., and then the Green Line takes you right to BU.

The BU campus itself is not in a nice residential section of Boston. It's not unsafe or anything, just non-descript for the most part. If you are coming to visit the city, I'd suggest you base yourself in a nice, historic part of the city, where you can easily get a taxi or hop the T to the campus.

Having lived in the South End for many years, I can tell you that when I called for a Taxi, I never had to wait more than 10-15 minutes, and that was during rush hour in the rain.

One other option not mentioned is the Courtyard Marriott at Copley Sq. It's in the middle of the Back Bay, prime tourist location, and it's a block from the Green Line at Copley Sq.

Other options would be the Holiday Inn Select-Beacon Hill, which is near Government Center...the Omni Parker House, which is near Park St. station, the Park Plaza hotel (which you can usually get very cheaply through Priceline bidding) which is near Arlington St. station, the Back Bay Hilton, the Back Bay Sheraton, both near the Hynes Convention Center stop on the Green Line.

Any of those hotels would allow you to walk a block or two to the Green Line, get on the Boston College Train, and be on the BU campus in a half hour or so, at most.

Spend the extra money and stay at the Eliot. Small, upscale and close to BU. I would be joining you there but my daughter picked Berkeley over Boston University. Her orientation is also at 7am!

I booked at the Hotel Commonwealth (which I can certainly cancel - very expensive, but I wanted to make sure I had something!) because I am just getting overwhelmed by all this.

I just want this to be easy and pleasant.

Does anybody know the difference between the Eliot & the Commonwealth? I need easy access to BU, but when I am not there I also want easy access to other things. I know one night we will be doing evening stuff as part of the orientation and then I will need to get back to my hotel.

This is just so difficult. It now seems that I am better off not as close to the school and closer to other things. Is the South end better or somewhere else?

HELP!!!!

Thanks all!! janet

Hi,

I think you are making this way too difficult on yourself.

I think what all of us are trying to say is this...Boston is a compact city with a good Public Transit system, and plenty of taxis. Find a nice hotel that is in your budget and you will be just fine.

Although the Hotel Commonwealth is nice, it is not at all necessary to stay in the Kenmore Sq. area in order to get to BU.

Any of the hotels I listed earlier would work very well for you, and are probably much cheaper than the Commonwealth. As for the difference between the Eliot and the Commonwealth, there isn't any. The Eliot is a nice hotel located a few blocks farther away from Kenmore Sq. The only reason to pick one over the other is price.