Pros

  • Walking distance to public transportation and MIT
  • Historic building with Queen Anne architecture
  • Free and substantial daily breakfast
  • Cute boutique-style rooms with antique decor
  • Black Sheep restaurant and bar is popular with students and locals
  • Bright atrium-style rooftop business center
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
  • Weekday wine reception is free in the business center
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Cons

  • Charge for parking in a cramped garage with limited space
  • Some rooms are on the small side
  • Unimpressive views of brick buildings and parking lot
  • Lack of large windows limits natural light
  • No fitness center on-site
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Bottom Line

Housed inside a once-abandoned, now renovated firehouse, the three-and-a-half pearl Kendall Hotel is known for its vintage Americana theme and reproduction antique decorations. Its 77 guest rooms are small but cozy, with a homey feel. Located on the MIT campus, the Kendall is close to a Red Line MBTA stop for a convenient commute throughout Boston and Cambridge. Rooms come with double, king- or queen-size beds, 40-inch Vizio flat-screen TVs, and basic cable. True to its boutique hotel style, the Kendall provides a stylish lodging experience for its guests and frequent business visitors.

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Amenities

  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi

Oyster Hotel Review

Kendall Hotel

Scene

MIT locals mix with business travelers in a laid-back historical hotel and cafe

Walking into the Kendall Hotel is like walking into a piece of carefully crafted Americana inside an historic Queen Anne building. The decor of this renovated firehouse showcases an antique clock collection, flag prints, fireman memorabilia, and numerous high-backed chairs. Operating in the only building on the MIT campus not owned by the University, Kendall Hotel attracts many students and their visiting families. Black Sheep Restaurant and Bar has menu offerings in line with its classic feel. The tuna melts and organic chicken make it a hot spot for the local lunch crowd, including young intellectuals from nearby Google offices. While somewhat dark inside due to original firehouse design restraints, the Kendall does have a bright, airy atrium-style business center that seats up to 50 people and features its own bar. Views are not a draw for this property, as most windows look out toward unremarkable scenes of parking lots and office buildings.

See More Scene

Location

In the Kendall Square neighborhood

Kendall Square is considered a cultural center in Cambridge because of its restaurants, bars, shopping, and proximity to universities. The Kendall Hotel is located adjacent to the square and is a quick walk from the Red Line branch of the MBTA, Boston's public transport system. Kendall Square is also the only Cambridge MBTA stop for Boston's popular trolley tours. Once on the train, commuters can access Harvard Square (two stops north) and Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, is two miles away. Within easy walking distance of the hotel are numerous restaurants, shops, and a rooftop garden across the street that's open to the public.

See More Location

Rooms

Americana-theme and cozy extras

Rooms and suites at Kendall Hotel are decorated in the same Americana-style found in the public spaces. Patchwork quilts and reproduction antiques add character. The most affordable rooms are a bit snug, while suites are extremely spacious with kitchens, living rooms, and a gas fireplace. All rooms have down pillows, memory foam mattresses, coffeemakers with Starbucks coffee, and basic cable. Most include a microwave and a mini-fridge. Gilchrist & Soames toiletries are provided in the bathrooms, along with walk-in showers. Suites have whirlpool tubs. 

See More Rooms

Features

Substantial breakfast buffet and excellent restaurant

Wi-Fi and a substantial breakfast buffet with hot and cold items like bacon, eggs, and fruit are included with the price of a room. Parking is available for guests in a garage underneath the hotel but it's a cramped space, with a one-way entrance that can make it awkward for traffic entering and exiting. Parking is also subject to additional fees, however, deeply discounted parking packages are offered for those who stay multiple days. The Black Sheep Restaurant and Bar offers food and cocktails enjoyed by locals as well as hotel guests. The business center stands out for its careful attention paid to design and an attractive Zen-style layout. A free wine reception is offered there on weekdays. Access to a nearby privately-owned fitness center is available. 

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Kendall Hotel

Scene

MIT locals mix with business travelers in a laid-back historical hotel and cafe

Walking into the Kendall Hotel is like walking into a piece of carefully crafted Americana inside an historic Queen Anne building. The decor of this renovated firehouse showcases an antique clock collection, flag prints, fireman memorabilia, and numerous high-backed chairs. Operating in the only building on the MIT campus not owned by the University, Kendall Hotel attracts many students and their visiting families. Black Sheep Restaurant and Bar has menu offerings in line with its classic feel. The tuna melts and organic chicken make it a hot spot for the local lunch crowd, including young intellectuals from nearby Google offices. While somewhat dark inside due to original firehouse design restraints, the Kendall does have a bright, airy atrium-style business center that seats up to 50 people and features its own bar. Views are not a draw for this property, as most windows look out toward unremarkable scenes of parking lots and office buildings.

See More Scene

Location

In the Kendall Square neighborhood

Kendall Square is considered a cultural center in Cambridge because of its restaurants, bars, shopping, and proximity to universities. The Kendall Hotel is located adjacent to the square and is a quick walk from the Red Line branch of the MBTA, Boston's public transport system. Kendall Square is also the only Cambridge MBTA stop for Boston's popular trolley tours. Once on the train, commuters can access Harvard Square (two stops north) and Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, is two miles away. Within easy walking distance of the hotel are numerous restaurants, shops, and a rooftop garden across the street that's open to the public.

See More Location

Rooms

Americana-theme and cozy extras

Rooms and suites at Kendall Hotel are decorated in the same Americana-style found in the public spaces. Patchwork quilts and reproduction antiques add character. The most affordable rooms are a bit snug, while suites are extremely spacious with kitchens, living rooms, and a gas fireplace. All rooms have down pillows, memory foam mattresses, coffeemakers with Starbucks coffee, and basic cable. Most include a microwave and a mini-fridge. Gilchrist & Soames toiletries are provided in the bathrooms, along with walk-in showers. Suites have whirlpool tubs. 

See More Rooms

Features

Substantial breakfast buffet and excellent restaurant

Wi-Fi and a substantial breakfast buffet with hot and cold items like bacon, eggs, and fruit are included with the price of a room. Parking is available for guests in a garage underneath the hotel but it's a cramped space, with a one-way entrance that can make it awkward for traffic entering and exiting. Parking is also subject to additional fees, however, deeply discounted parking packages are offered for those who stay multiple days. The Black Sheep Restaurant and Bar offers food and cocktails enjoyed by locals as well as hotel guests. The business center stands out for its careful attention paid to design and an attractive Zen-style layout. A free wine reception is offered there on weekdays. Access to a nearby privately-owned fitness center is available. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.