The Best Hotels to Book Near the Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub, Cambridge

This solid four-star Marriott operation accommodates partygoers in simple, blue-and-gray rooms with one king-size or two queen-size beds. Groups of up to six have the option of the Presidential Suite, too – which has skyline views and a private jacuzzi. Breakfast and mains displaying a French influence are served at Amuse Restaurant and there are plenty of great spots to eat and drink nearby, such as Mediterranean restaurant Oleana and the Coast Cafe, a soul food specialist – both within a 15-minute stroll.

Occupying a handsome black-and-brown building at the meeting point of Main and Columbia Streets, this boutique offers rooms with mini seating alcoves next to the beds, exposed brick walls and a somber color scheme enlivened by abstract paintings. The restaurant serves burgers, steaks and seafood on a terrace with mismatched furniture or in a dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and surrealist wall art. The Central Square Theater is within a five-minute walk from reception.

Formerly a firehouse, the Kendall is scattered with memorabilia celebrating its previous life – including old-school toy trucks, antique helmets and statues of dalmatians, the firefighter’s best friend. Detail and intrigue are also courtesy of works by leading New England artists, including an eclectic grandfather clock made from period items and found materials. The on-site Black Sheep Restaurant – named after members of the former fire brigade – serves hot and cold breakfasts and a firehouse chili and burger.

At East Cambridge’s Kimpton Marlowe, you’re welcomed by Celeste – a 25ft-tall (7.6m) artist’s version of an armillary. Rooms wear business-like grays and blues offset by gold trim and wood furnishings – most also have views of the skyline and river. Sample New England staples such as clam chowder and lobster rolls at Bambara, where live music is staged on the terrace every weekend. To get to the Middle East, hire a bike from reception and ride for 15 minutes.

City-view rooms in central Boston’s unmissable Flatiron Building feature a minimalist design, Calacatta marble bathrooms and gaslamp-style bedside lighting. In a smart brasserie of exposed brick walls and dark wood fittings, try specials such as extra crispy chicken wings with espelette pepper rub, Roquefort dipping sauce and Napa cabbage. The cobbled alleys of Beacon Hill and the Italian eateries of North End are on your doorstep – and it’s 15 minutes in a cab to the Middle East or a scenic 50-minute walk.

Named after Bostonian industrialist Henry Melville Whitney, this red brick townhouse in Beacon Hill is run by an award-winning restaurateur-and-chef duo. Menus at the Peregrine restaurant draw inspiration from Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and Catalonia – with dishes ranging from Sicilian pizza to Catalan tomato bread. Most rooms look out on the neighboring brownstones through sash windows and your key card secures discounts at dozens of local businesses – from luxury spas to ice cream parlors.

Rich, ikat-dyed fabrics frame every window and bed at the Eliot, an intimate boutique that wouldn’t look out of place on one of Paris’s chicest boulevards. Celebrity chef Ken Oringer is installed in the kitchen at Japanese-fusion restaurant UNI – where nigiri and sashimi sushi share the menu with an encyclopedic range of whiskies showcasing varieties from Japan, Ireland, Scotland and America. Nearby attractions include Fenway Park baseball stadium and the shopping thoroughfares of Back Bay.

A cozy Cambridge base for solo travelers or couples, Hotel 1868 offers Mini and Standard Queen rooms – with reclaimed wood fittings, walk-in marble showers and tons of storage space under the beds. Communal areas showcase a post-industrial aesthetic, with lots of exposed red-brick walls, black piping and high ceilings hung with sparsely shaded lamps. Also on site is a ground-floor Caffe Nero for coffees, snacks and breakfast – and a 24-hour fitness center and valet parking is available for a daily fee.

Looking to catch a Red Sox game before hitting the Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub? Stay at the Commonwealth, a ball-mad boutique with rooms facing the country’s oldest baseball stadium. There’s also the Fenway Park Suite – featuring a balcony with original stadium seating, a coffee table signed by several of the team’s legends and a number six from the Green Monster scoreboard given to Johnny Pesky upon his retirement. Even better, a little bag of Fenway dirt awaits you on your pillow.