The Best Bed and Breakfasts in Boston

This one-time family home was converted into accommodation for Harvard students in the 1920s. New owners came in and found the youngsters a bit rowdy, booting them out and converting the premises into the friendly hotel it is today. With an old-timey feel, Irving House at Harvard is the type of place where guests mingle in the parlor poring over the free newspapers. That said, there’s a thoroughly modern approach to energy, with LED lighting, solar panels and a focus on recycling and composting. You get fresh fruit, scones, cakes and pastries for breakfast.

Embrace tradition with a stay in The Gryphon House, an old-school B&B inside a turn-of-the-century brownstone. The eight suites are individually furnished, but each comes with a gas log fireplace and a wet bar. Families should opt for the largest room, the North Tower, which has views of the Charles River and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus. Start your day with the continental breakfast, before exploring the surrounding Back Bay neighbourhood. There you’ll find designer boutiques, art galleries and cute patio cafes along leafy streets, not far from early 19th-century landmarks like Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library.

The Clarendon Square Bed and Breakfast presents offers luxury in the historic setting of a six-storey townhouse built in 1867. The property was restored in 1998 and redecorated between 2016 and 2018. There’s a garden terrace, library, parlor and a roof deck hot tub with views of downtown Boston. There’s plenty to see and do within walking distance, including the shops and restaurants of Newbury Street and one of the most legendary ballparks in the US, Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.

The College Club of Boston, located in the heart of the Back Bay neighbourhood in a historic brownstone, is as elegant and sophisticated a hotel as you’ll find in the city. The Club boasts 11 guest rooms, all designed and styled after women’s colleges and local universities, including Boston University, Simmons College and Connecticut College. Located right on Commonwealth Ave, the College Club is within walking distance of Boston Common, Copley Square, Beacon Hill and numerous historic stops in the center of the city. The building still hosts the longstanding College Club of Boston, the first women’s college club in the US, though doors are open to both members and non-members.

You’re assured of an elegant and intimate stay at 14 Union Park in one of Boston’s most popular neighbourhoods, South End. The brownstone townhouse has been extensively updated to provide private bathrooms and modern comforts while retaining its historical detail. If the trendy, nearby restaurants aren’t enticing enough, foodie paradise Back Bay is just a short walk away.

Built as a wedding gift for the daughter of a wealthy Boston tobacco merchant, this 14-room mansion retains the decor and architectural details from when it was built in 1907, including an elegant staircase. You’re about two miles from the center of Boston, easily accessible via the T subway, and just minutes from Coolidge Corner, a pedestrian friendly neighbourhood full of independent cafes, shops, boutiques and restaurants. The larger Samuel Sewall Inn, Bertram Inn’s sister accommodation, is just across the street.

The Green Turtle takes up two houseboats right in Charlestown Navy Yard, with views across Boston Harbor. You can stay in a modern houseboat with two queen suites or a 45ft (14m) motor yacht that holds two queen staterooms. Combined, both boats can accommodate up to 10 people. While the B&B won’t leave the dock during your stay, you’ll be close to Boston’s North End, home to numerous Italian shops and restaurants, or you can always take a water taxi to a harborside joint.

Across the Charles River in Cambridge, Prospect Place is a historic, graceful bed and breakfast within walking distance of two of the the most elite colleges in the US, MIT and Harvard. Each guest room is unique in size and layout, decorated with tasteful antiques that represent the home’s Civil War-era history. The shops and restaurants of Central Square and Harvard Square are nearby and numerous museums and attractions are easily reachable on public transport thanks to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.