In the 1970s, an empty lot sat at the corner of JFK Street and Memorial Drive overlooking the Charles River in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
The sweeping water views and prime location the land offered attracted none other than the estate of President John F. Kennedy, which selected the site for his Presidential Library. As the time for building the institution drew near, however, loyal residents of Harvard Square questioned the potential commercialism that such a development would bring to their beloved neighborhood.
Richard Friedman, the president and CEO of the commercial real estate firm Carpenter & Company, understood the challenge posed by their opposition when he acquired the plot several years later, envisioning it as the home of an upscale hotel where visitors and locals alike could gather for good food and world class service. But he ultimately succeeded in working with the community and the Kennedy family to come up with a plan that benefited all the parties involved.
Right next door to Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and just steps away from the university's storied quads-the thinking capital of the world-The Charles Hotel, a truly unique, independent luxury hotel, opened for business in 1985.
Over the past 30 years, The Charles Hotel has welcomed celebrities, scholars, moguls, artists, philanthropists, politicians, opinion-makers and world leaders. From Barbra Streisand to former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton, from Supreme Court Justices to Ben Affleck to even His Holiness the Dalai Lama, they have all felt at home at The Charles Hotel, an experience the hotel works hard to create for all its guests.
The Charles Hotel exists because of our guests. We value your opinion and use it as a way to grow and improve our services. Below are real reviews submitted by some of our past guests. Please visit your favorite travel site to share your own experience. We look forward to hearing from you!
If you want a truly memorable and upscale experience the next time you stay in Harvard Square, choose the Charles!
We love staying at The Charles whenever we visit Boston. The hotel has so many great amenities and never gets old for us. The place is very clean and neat, the staff is always friendly and helpful, and the food is delicious.
This hotel was incredible, the staff was welcoming and helpful. The rooms were clean and spacious, I would definitely stay at this property again. The location was ideal and located in the heart of Harvard Square.
Great location for Boston Calling. The staff was nice, check and check out was easy. Had a great breakfast at Henrietta's Table.
Everything was excellent and I highly recommend this hotel. I stayed there for 10 days. Great service, clean, friendly staff, great food and atmosphere.
The accommodations and the service and the staff are exceptional! If you are staying in Cambridge and want to have a hassle-free experience, then I cannot recommend The Charles Hotel enough.
The a/c stopped working in my room and I was quickly given an upgrade upon the moment of the inconvenient event, which happened around 10:30 at night--without question. This was the smallest amount of disruption I have ever experienced, and it allowed me to complete my work in a timely manner.
Upgraded upon arrival. Comfortable, clean, great location. Friendly staff. Great food onsite. All around positive experience!
This was my second time staying at the Charles and I must say I really love this hotel. It is exceedingly comfortable. The front desk is so professional and friendly. The whole place smells amazing. It may be in my top favorite hotels, regardless of location. I was happy to have a reason to return, and hope to do so again in the future.
The Charles is still your best choice in Cambridge, especially if the Harvard Square area is a place you would like to spend time. Now the grande dame of the city, the rooms (especially the bathrooms) have been refreshed and lightened while retaining their Shaker simplicity and comfort. Service is better than ever and new technology makes checkin and checkout a snap and the hotel remains ultra clean with new carpeting everywhere. The hotel has fully retained its reputation of excellence.
We had the best stay at The Charles there aren't many hotel with the service levels of bigger luxury chains but the charm of an independent hotel. Everything was perfect. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the staff was extremely accommodating and they have great restaurants for breakfast, drinks and dinners. We even got a great haircut at the SPA.
This hotel is wonderfully located for visiting Harvard. The restaurants have very good fresh food, a great gym, and a really lovely lobby that doubles as has a quiet workspace as well as very comfortable overall. The price varies and is never inexpensive, but really is worth it if you can swing it.
I've been wanting to stay at The Charles for years and found it met or exceeded my expectations in every way. Spacious, gracious, stylish with all the amenities I wanted. I can't recommend it more highly and look forward to returning.
My favorite place to stay when in Harvard Square and Cambridge. Sure, it's pricey, but you get what you pay for. Got a room with two double beds. Everything was perfect. Quiet and comfortable. No strange noises, loud heat/ac, weird lights. Just a lovely sleep and stay. Dinner at Henrietta's was delicious. Almost caught a show at the Regattabar but the timing didn't quite work out. Will definitely return!
We stayed here after hearing about how great it is many times, and they weren't lying! The hotel is conveniently located in Harvard Square, and is an easy walk to anywhere. The rooms were comfortable and clean, staff was great, and breakfast in the morning at Henrietta's was also a hit. We can't wait to stay here again.
Excellent hotel! The staff are so friendly and helpful. The hotel is gorgeous! My daughter and I stayed while visiting Harvard. We were treated like family and felt very welcome and taken care of. Thank you!
There is no shortage of great hotels in Boston, but The Charles stands out for its exceptional, friendly customer service, great rooms and amenities. I love the super, comfortable beds and the pillows are nothing short of heavenly. Where can I purchase those pillows please? I was really impressed by their new gym. It used to be that their gym was nothing out of the ordinary, but they now have a state of the art brand new gym with the ABSOLUTE BEST EQUIPMENT I have ever worked out on, and I have tried hotel gyms in dozens of countries, so I know a thing or two about hotel accommodations.