Name: The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square
Address: 1 Bennett Street, West Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, Cambridge, Middlesex County, US
Price range: $315–$2,115 per night
Rating: 8.78

What guests think

Across many reviews, The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square is praised for its walkable location and welcoming staff, delivering a polished experience for business and leisure travelers with thoughtful amenities and inviting public spaces.

Rooms are comfortable and well appointed, and cleanliness receives frequent praise. Facilities draw positive feedback for convenient parking, a well equipped fitness center, and popular on site restaurants. Reported downsides include high prices, minibars instead of fridges unless requested, occasional noise from events, and intermittent service issues such as delayed check in, billing errors, or missed wake up calls. Expect an upscale, convenient base near campus.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

On site restaurants are popular, the fitness center is modern and well equipped, and attached parking is convenient. There is no pool, and events on upper floors can cause nighttime noise for some rooms.

Related guest reviews

8

Elizabeth

Aug 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We were upgraded to a bigger room because it was our anniversary which was lovely. We were very disappointed to learn they had converted the appealing former pool room into bedrooms. We had come for that. The room itself had verry little feeling to it. It was comfortable but very corporate. And there is no breakfast for guests . The expensive overdone Henrietta's Table seemed only to open at noon. The decor needs some homey touches.

10

Elizabeth

Nov 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean room, restaurants and bars, atmosphere was beautiful

10

Rodney

Sep 21, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Wonderful situated in Harvard Square — very nice rooms, lobby area that has work stations and nooks for working or decompressing and a “real” workout center w/ modern equipment.

10

Dimitris

May 13, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Family stay during Harvard graduation. Great hotel, fantastic gym and nice restaurant for a quick bite. Rooms very comfortable and quiet. Overall great experience.

10

Perry

Aug 26, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

I’ve stayed at The Charles Hotel many times over the past 30 years and it’s in better condition and better run than ever. The service is very good. It would be nice if they provided complimentary bottled water, and it’s too bad that you no longer have access to the adjacent fitness club and pool, but the new fitness room was adequate.

8

Tisha

Sep 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I had a lovely stay at this hotel. Very nice atmosphere and close to many restaurants, shopping, and Harvard campus. Although I did not need parking, there was also an on-premise parking lot. Staff were kind and accommodating. My only issue was that the hotel has shows on the 3rd floor and I could hear the music at night from my room on the 4th FL so beware if you are a light sleeper. Otherwise, I would certainly stay here again when in the Cambridge area.

10

Mary

Sep 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I really enjoyed this hotel. Helpful staff, very clean, good fitness center and great location. Only suggestion is to have a bigger store with more items.

10

Jennifer

Jul 23, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very much enjoyed my stay. The hotel is clean with lots of areas to sit downstairs. There are also relaxing outdoor spaces to grab food and drinks. Convenient location to Harvard and Cambridge shops and restaurants - all within walking distance. Fitness center is new and very well furnished with a variety of strength and cardio machines, including 2 Peloton bikes.

10

Prashant

Aug 16, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice property right in Harvard Square. Beautifully decorated. Only negatives were a tub that didn’t drain and some low water pressure in the shower. Otherwise a very nice stay and would stay again. Parking garage part of hotel which was very convenient.

10

Derek

Jul 31, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff is professional, polite, helpful and attentive. The parking is extremely convenient and easy and the facility and restaurants were always excellent.

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness receives frequent praise, with many reviews calling rooms spotless. A few note occasional issues like musty odors, a tub that did not drain, or a room not cleaned at check in.

Related guest reviews

6

Todd

Sep 26, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

room smelled somewhat funky

10

Frank

Nov 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Spotless rooms, great staff, xlnt food and perfect location.

10

Shannon

Oct 7, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Clean room and really comfy beds!

10

Alexander

May 1, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Beautiful clean hotel

10

Karin

Dec 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Every aspect was wonderful! The rooms was spotless and cozy, food in restaraunt was exceptional and staff could not have been more accommodating!!

4

MADOKA

Apr 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was not cleaned when I was checked in. Staf member’s services and communications were not good. I liked this hotel in the past, but this time, disappointed.

10

Gary

May 6, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This is a lovely hotel. The staff is very pleasant and accomodating and are sincerely interested in the comfort and satisfaction of your stay - not the often typical cloying "corporate" obligatory inquiries. The rooms are a very good size (we were a delxue double bed) room and there was plenty of room to walk about without walking into each other) the rooms are also immaculate as is the hotel. Beds are plush and comfortable, room service is very good. Restaurants on site are also very good. Would not hesitate to stay at The Charles Hotel again (and again!)

8

Kevin

Dec 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was clean. Great location.

10

Prashant

Aug 16, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice property right in Harvard Square. Beautifully decorated. Only negatives were a tub that didn’t drain and some low water pressure in the shower. Otherwise a very nice stay and would stay again. Parking garage part of hotel which was very convenient.

6

Laurie

Jul 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We had high hopes for this hotel after visiting its restaurant last year and seeing the lobby and reviews. Unfortunately, we were first booked on the 9th floor during a heat wave. The musty smell of the room was so strong when we opened the door. The hotel did right by us and moved us to a lower floor. The person from the front desk that moved our room was lovely - so friendly and understanding. The new room was wonderful and the TV had a better picture as well. We later learned that the musty smell can occur on the higher floors when the temperature is high. Why put us there to begin with then? In addition, there is no refrigerator in the room unless you request one. Maybe not a big deal for some, but we like to keep our water cold. I am glad that the hotel ended up doing right by us, but still question the decision to put us on the 9th floor at the start.

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Rooms

Rooms are comfortable, well appointed, and often spacious, with many praising the beds and decor. Some drawbacks are occasional noise, a lack of standard fridges or microwaves, and rare odor issues on higher floors during heat.

Related guest reviews

10

Barbara

Nov 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great room! Great hotel! Great staff! Great location!

8

Hope

Jun 2, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

I've been staying here since shortly after it opened in 1986, so I obviously love the Charles and its location. The only reason I can't give it five stars is that there was a lot of noise from the obnoxious guests who checked in for a music festival; they partied until 3am, shouting in the hallway and slamming doors before doing the same in the mornings. The management comp'd my last meal, but there wasn't much they could do at the time. Fortunately this was the only time I've encountered a noise problem, and I'll certainly return.

10

Howard

Jul 26, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful and spacious accommodations convenient to the center if Cambridge and Harvard.

4

Zheng

Apr 3, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

I booked a suite because there were 3 of us. It is too expensive and not worth the money at all. The guest room is very small, as well as the living room. There is no microwave, no fridge. I should have booked two rooms at other hotel.

8

Emineh

Jun 21, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Nice property, with three restaurants and a well-equipped gym minutes away from Harvard square. Rooms are clean and specious with mirror TV in the bathroom. The only reason I don’t rated the hotel 5 star is that it doesn’t have a mini fridge and instead it has a mini bar which doesn’t keep the perishables cold enough.

10

Dimitris

May 13, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Family stay during Harvard graduation. Great hotel, fantastic gym and nice restaurant for a quick bite. Rooms very comfortable and quiet. Overall great experience.

10

Julia

Jul 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great sheets. Nicely appointed rooms. Great location

10

Drew

Nov 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Comfortable beds!

6

Laurie

Jul 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We had high hopes for this hotel after visiting its restaurant last year and seeing the lobby and reviews. Unfortunately, we were first booked on the 9th floor during a heat wave. The musty smell of the room was so strong when we opened the door. The hotel did right by us and moved us to a lower floor. The person from the front desk that moved our room was lovely - so friendly and understanding. The new room was wonderful and the TV had a better picture as well. We later learned that the musty smell can occur on the higher floors when the temperature is high. Why put us there to begin with then? In addition, there is no refrigerator in the room unless you request one. Maybe not a big deal for some, but we like to keep our water cold. I am glad that the hotel ended up doing right by us, but still question the decision to put us on the 9th floor at the start.

10

Susan

Dec 19, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Location, Room Size, comfort

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Service

Staff are widely described as friendly, professional, and accommodating. Some report lapses such as delayed or problematic check ins, missing items, billing errors, and a few unhelpful responses.

Related guest reviews

2

Alex

Jan 29, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

They checked me in to a room that already had someone staying at.

8

Ana Luiza

Mar 25, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The hotel is pretty good and have an excellent location HOWEVER I was EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED with the staff - I forgot a quite expensive blazer in my room at the first night I spent there. I came back the following day and they said they never found it. I believe the staff could have been more helpful and efficient dealing with this matter and they made if looked like I was lying. Never coming back.

10

Cecilia

Jan 30, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The team is always professional and helpful, kudos to Management and the team members - keep up the good work!

8

michael

May 8, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A nice hotel in a the middle of Harvard Square. Service is reasonably good, facilities are well maintained and attractive. Rooms are nice but mine did not include shampoo or conditioner and the bathroom mirror TV did not work. Also, the card slot for the room power was not working well only and only engaged after multiple attempts which is not fun when you are tired and got in late. I watched a movie and got billed for it 8 times, which required a call to the front desk after checkout to get corrected. So while a nice hotel they have some shortcomings.

10

Karin

Dec 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Every aspect was wonderful! The rooms was spotless and cozy, food in restaraunt was exceptional and staff could not have been more accommodating!!

4

Ethan

May 4, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The check in was horrible! I go here and they said the room was not ready but they would call me when it was. I felt my bags there and explored Cambridge. Which was beautiful and amazing! The down fall was when I got back 2 hours later the room was still not available! They said it would be ready in just a few moments they had to finish cleaning it. So I waited another hour and half! Until finally after 3 trips to the main desk asking and overheating that three other peoples rooms were not ready yet, I was asked for the manager who finally got, not my original room but another room ready for me! I have never been to a hotel that has done this to me before. I am so disappointed and saddened by this that I probably will never stay here again. I was truly looking forward to this stay!

10

Thomas

Jun 22, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Everything was perfect, except failed on providing a wake up call

10

Robert

Aug 12, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We arrived into Boston via air very early on a Saturday morning. Were hoping to drop our bags at the hotel for the day until we were about to check in later, and instead they checked us in at 8:00 AM! When we checked out at 11:00 am on Sunday, they were more than happy to hold our bags for us until we picked them up at 6:00 pm and headed to the airport. WOW, top notch service. Our first stay at The Charles, won't be our last.

10

Gideon

Feb 2, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Sarah and Heidi and front desk check-in/out team members are terrific, as led by Alex the General Manager. The entire hotel team is credit to the Brand - kudos and keep up the good work!

10

Aisling

Jul 27, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Stayed at The Charles Hotel for 3 nights and couldn’t have been more impressed with the level of service all round. The hotel spaces are lovely and rooms well appointed. Perfect location for Harvard Square and food was super. Thank you to all the staff.

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Location

Consistently praised for a central, walkable setting in Harvard Square with easy access to campus, transit, and local dining. Convenient for events and sightseeing around Cambridge and Boston.

Related guest reviews

10

Barbara

Nov 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great room! Great hotel! Great staff! Great location!

10

Jonathan

Sep 20, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

A great hotel. Excellent location

10

Alexander

May 27, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location!

10

Terry

Aug 9, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

A first class accommodation and terrific location. Easy access to the T subway to Freedom Trail and a 15-minute taxi ride to Fenway Park.

10

Ramah

Sep 6, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Lou the driver was awesome and very informative. We enjoyed walking to Harvard Yard which is only two blocks away! So much fun for family’s.

10

Doug

Aug 12, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The location of The Charles Hotel cannot be beat. The room was ideal for a two-night business trip. Everything that I need was at my fingertips.

8

Kevin

Dec 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was clean. Great location.

10

Noel

Mar 31, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great Cambridge hotel. Close to T stop and great location in Harvard Square. Lobby is a great place to read or get some work done. Rooms very comfortable.

10

Maurici

Oct 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent location around Harvard Square walkable area. The hotel has beautiful and very comfy rooms and common areas in the lobby are just gorgeous.

10

Shawn

Sep 4, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent, convenient hotel by Harvard.

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Dining

On site dining, especially Henrietta’s Table, earns frequent compliments for quality and breakfast. Some guests praise room service, while others report limited hours or times when it was unavailable, and occasional service issues.

Related guest reviews

10

Gary

May 6, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great hotel! Staff is pleasant and professional. Very accommodating and aim to please. Rooms are a very good size, very clean and with plush comfortable beds. Room service is very good as are the restaurants in the hotel. Would not hesitate to stay at The Charles Hotel.

8

Kristen

Jul 7, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

There is no room service which is a huge pain.

6

Eunice Martinez

Sep 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Hotel was very charming but the overall experience was lacking. Found a glove in my room Lunch in Henrietta’s Table was horrible and no service, when in sat in the outdoor area. Very disappointed

10

Jason

Aug 2, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great stay at The Charles! Convenient location. Great dining at Henrietta’s Table. Well appointed rooms. Right in Harvard Square!

10

Karin

Dec 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Every aspect was wonderful! The rooms was spotless and cozy, food in restaraunt was exceptional and staff could not have been more accommodating!!

10

Gary

May 6, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This is a lovely hotel. The staff is very pleasant and accomodating and are sincerely interested in the comfort and satisfaction of your stay - not the often typical cloying "corporate" obligatory inquiries. The rooms are a very good size (we were a delxue double bed) room and there was plenty of room to walk about without walking into each other) the rooms are also immaculate as is the hotel. Beds are plush and comfortable, room service is very good. Restaurants on site are also very good. Would not hesitate to stay at The Charles Hotel again (and again!)

8

Elizabeth

Aug 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We were upgraded to a bigger room because it was our anniversary which was lovely. We were very disappointed to learn they had converted the appealing former pool room into bedrooms. We had come for that. The room itself had verry little feeling to it. It was comfortable but very corporate. And there is no breakfast for guests . The expensive overdone Henrietta's Table seemed only to open at noon. The decor needs some homey touches.

10

Kimberly

May 26, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I came for the Boston Calling Festival with my boyfriend and loved the convenience of walking to the hotel. The next morning we enjoyed breakfast at Henrietta’s together. We then spent a lovely day walking around Boston and Cambridge the next day before heading back to the hotel for the night. Leaving this morning was bittersweet. I will plan to come again and have recommended this hotel to my friends.

10

Luis

Jun 29, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Perfect stay..great breakfast and great service

10

Cindy

Jul 17, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Convenient location when visiting Cambridge. The staff were very helpful and the restaurants are good, especially the pie from Henrietta’s.

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Month	Average price
January	$316
February	$315
March	$360
April	$595
May	$556
June	$516
July	$439
August	$394
September	$472
October	$537
November	$361
December	$312

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18 $448	19 $448
20 $408	21 $473	22 $861	23 $979	24 $979	25 $979	26 $2,115
27 $621	28 $804	29 $865	30 $865

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $784	2 $493	3 $493
4 $449	5 $535	6 $801	7 $601	8	9	10 $610
11 $620	12 $499	13 $560	14 $569	15 $809	16 $1,507	17
18 $952	19 $846	20 $1,097	21 $1,097	22	23	24 $1,234
25 $521	26 $626	27 $640	28 $627	29 $635	30 $316	31 $315

The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square

Prices for The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Deluxe Room, 2 Double Beds

Studio, Kitchenette

Suite

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed

Suite, 1 King Bed (Fellows)

Suite, 1 King Bed (Chancellors)

Suite (Deans)

Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible

Suite, 2 Double Beds (Fellows Suite Rollaway on Request)

Room, 2 Double Beds, Accessible

Guest reviews of The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square

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