The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square

By the Top3Hotels editorial team. Based on Booking.com guest scores and reviews, location data and reference prices. We did not stay at this hotel. Updated 2026-10-24.

Worth booking if being a few minutes from Harvard Square matters more to you than price, backed by a guest score of 8.8 and a location score of 9.7. Travellers watching their budget should look at our other two Cambridge picks, which cost far less a night.

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Who it suits and who should skip it

This is our Luxury pick for Cambridge, Massachusetts. It holds an official 5-star rating and a guest score of 8.8 out of 10 from 412 reviews. It suits travellers who want to be close to Harvard and accept a clear premium for that position.

Skip it if price is your main filter. At a reference price of €539.02 a night, it costs more than double our Budget pick. The one recurring complaint is value for money: guests call it worth the cost for the convenience, but often expensive.

Family rooms are listed. The hotel is also tagged as accepting pets, but the rules and any fees are not confirmed, so ask before you bring an animal.

Location and getting around Harvard Square

The address is 1 Bennett Street, in the Harvard Square area. Our estimate puts Harvard Square itself about 4 minutes on foot (0.3 km). The Harvard Museum of Natural History is roughly 11 minutes away (0.9 km), and the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East about 13 minutes (1 km).

These walking times are straight-line estimates, so real routes can take a little longer. Guests describe the setting as central, near the university, the river, restaurants and public transport.

What guests say

Two themes stand out in the 412 reviews. The first is location. The second is staff: guests describe the front desk and housekeeping teams as friendly, professional and attentive.

The weak point is cost. Guests generally accept the price because of the convenience, but many still call it expensive. Cleanliness and noise have not been assessed either way.

Price and what you get, compared with our other Cambridge picks

All prices here are reference prices seen for a 2-night stay in November 2026 for 2 adults in one room. They are not live quotes. On that basis, The Charles came in at €539.02 a night, about €1,078 for the two nights. The sample median for the city was €317.29 a night.

Porter Square Hotel, our Budget choice, showed €222.71 a night with a score of 8.6 and 3 stars. The Kendall Hotel at the Engine 7 Firehouse, our Best Value choice, showed €411.55 a night with a score of 9.0 and 4 stars. So the Best Value option scored slightly higher for about €127 less a night.

What the extra money buys, based on the listed facilities: a spa and wellness centre, a fitness centre, a restaurant, a garden and air conditioning. Breakfast details are not confirmed in our data, so check whether your rate includes it.

Why it made our top 3

We compared 9 eligible hotels in Cambridge. For the Luxury slot, five-star hotels get priority, and a four-star fallback has to score at least 8.5. The Charles is officially 5 stars and scores 8.8, so it clears that bar comfortably.

It is the most expensive of our three picks, with a location score of 9.7. The case for it is position, facilities and staff, not price.

Before you book

Check today's price for your exact dates, since the figures above are reference prices from November 2026. Read the cancellation terms carefully, because they have not been assessed.

Room size, noise, renovation condition and breakfast inclusion have not been assessed either. If any of these matter to you, ask the hotel or read recent reviews. Also confirm spa and gym opening times and any extra fees.

We may earn a commission if you book. It never changes our pick.

Questions travellers ask

Our other two picks in Cambridge, Massachusetts

• Porter Square Hotel · Budget · 8.6/10 · €223
• The Kendall Hotel at the Engine 7 Firehouse · Best Value · 9.0/10 · €412
• See all three picks in Cambridge, Massachusetts →