Biblionews-lodging
Contents
Lodging information for "Beyond Books: News, Literacy, Democracy & America's Libraries"
This page outlines lodging options, including a special note to stipend applicants. Because of many events going on in early spring in Boston/Cambridge, including the National Conference for Media Reform, hotel rooms near our convening at the MIT Center for Future Civic Media / Kendall Square / Cambridge, are getting tight.
OFFICIAL HOTEL -- Sold out at low rate
Our "official" hotel is:
The Kendall Hotel
350 Main St.
Cambridge MA 02142-1017
617-577-1300
http://kendallhotel.com/
Many of you have already reserved rooms there. Our "Biblionews" room block is now full. If you call and are told the room block is full, then ask for the "best available rate." For example, the Kendall offers a significant discount if you prepay for your room.
NEXT OPTION: Cambridge Marriott
We have set aside rooms at the Cambridge Marriott at $240/night including tax, or $120/night if you agree to share the room with one other Beyond Boosk participant. You can't access the block by calling Marriott, you have to email your request to jtm@journalismthatmatters.org, or call Bill Densmore at 617-448-6600 and we'll add you to the room block. You will pay for your own room, of course, and if you are an stipend recipient you can be reimbursed for it up to your stipend amount.
One of our participants found that she got a rate comparable to our room block by using her American Automobile Association membership number. You can try that:
Boston Marriott Cambridge
Two Cambridge Center
50 Broadway at Kendall Square
Cambridge MA 02142
(617) 494-6600
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/boscb-boston-marriott-cambridge/
OTHER OPTIONS
If you miss out on either of these blocks, you might refer to the "lodging"
page for the National Conference for Media Reform:
http://conference.freepress.net/logistics
If you want to economize, it's perfectly possible to stay at a distance from
MIT because the "Red Line" subway stops right at Kendall Square, two blocks
from where we are meeting and it's pretty efficient. Shop around and see what
you come up with.
http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/lines/?route=RED
ANOTHER OPTION FOR $159/$169/NIGHT
A hotel I can recommend because I've stayed in it is:
The John Hancock Conference Center
40 Trinity Place
Boston MA 02116
Phone: 617-933-7700
http://www.jhcenter.com/contact.htm
This renovated, older, 64-room hotel is owned by the John Hancock Insurance
Co., which uses it for training/conferences but there are times when they have
plenty of open rooms. I just called and asked about April 6-7 and was told
there was good availability at $159/night for a single queen bed or $169 for
two beds. The rooms are small but graciously appointed.
It provides continental breakfast but has no restaurant. The lobby is gracious.
But it really well located. It would probably be 45 minutes on the subway
(Green Line change to Red Line) from here to MIT. It's Boston's BACK BAY, in
the heart of Copley Square. Rooms have queen or twin beds, telephone and
individual climate control. Also wireless Internet.
Feel free to call if you need advice on lodging. In particular, if you are willing to share a room, email me and I will see if we can facilitate something appropriate.
Bill Densmore, director/editor
The Media Giraffe Project
Journalism Program
Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst
OFF: 413-577-4370 / CELL: 617-448-6600
densmore@journ.umass.edu
