Where to stay...

The Bertram Inn is located on Sewall Street in the Coolidge Corner section of Brookline. It's a wonderful Victorian home/turned B&B. The rooms range from somewhat grand to cozy, some with private baths. A formal but comfy parlor offers continental breakfast in the morning, warm cookies and tea later in the afternoon. In the summer months, a wide porch opens up for chatting, reading, people-watching. An addition to the inn opened last winter, but I haven't seen it yet. Parking is available--not easy to find in Brookline! Coolidge Corner is filled with interesting shops and lots of ethnic restaurants; however, you can hop the subway (T) on Beacon Street and be in downtown Boston in about 10 or 15 minutes. A charming, friendly, safe place to spend your time. Website: http://www.Bertraminn.com, e-mail: bertraminn@msn.com Toll free: 1-800-295-3822 My daughter and I have recommended the Bertram to many visitors. No one has yet been disappointed.
Carole, Boston, USA

Two years ago I stayed at the Beechtree Inn, within walking distance of the Museum of Fine Art, two blocks from the subway(T) in a nice, reasonably priced neighborhood for eating interesting food, cheaply. And there are also several great bookstores in the neighborhood -- perfect for browsing. All in all, a really pleasant location for a woman traveling alone. The Inn has at least two singles without bath, one of which I reserved, at a really lovely price for all the above conveniences. 83 Longwood Ave., Brookline, MA 2446-6625 Call: 1-800-544-9660 or 617-277-1620.
Susan, Los Angeles, USA

When I was job hunting in Boston, I avoided the average $185/night hotels and stayed at the Constitution Inn at the Armed ForcesYMCA, which is located adjacent the Charlestown Navy Yard. While not fancy, it is near the water, the USS Constitution, a convenient $1 water taxi to downtown, and a great little Italian restaurant. They even have a free gym. Private rooms at the Inn cost $US100 per night. For more information, contact the Constitution Inn at (800) 495-9622 or (617) 241-8400.
Christy, Boston, USA

If you're going to Boston by car, my favorite place to stay when visiting the city has always been the 200 year old Wayside Inn in Sudbury (25 miles from Boston -- about a 45 minute drive). It's very near Concord and Lexington and is, indeed, the inn the poet Longfellow wrote about in 'Tales of a Wayside Inn'. It was lovingly restored by Henry Ford, who also built a lovely chapel and moved a grist mill and the little red school house (of Mary's little lamb fame) to this location. Lots of good antiquing in the area. Website: URL: http://www.wayside.org.
Lynne, Rochester, New York

Getting around...

Boston is a wonderfully walkable city with many delightful areas to explore. Streets are narrow (many constructed long before cars were invented) and they twist and turn when you least expect them to. That's half the fun. Just make sure that your shoes are comfy and off you go. If you get lost, there's always a friendly face to point you in the right direction. Forget about renting cars or taking taxis. In most cases Boston's four subway lines (known as the 'T') will get you close to where you need to go for a reasonable fare. Before your journey, check out the subway's website at http://www.mbta.com where you can familiarize yourself with the system and be able to print off copies of maps and underground stops. Journeywoman used the subway system quite a bit and it was as easy as pie. Great for people watching, too.
(Evelyn Hannon, JW Editor)