Good but not Immpresive! Liked the room, but was disappointed with few things..viz., the bar door in the room was locked. Got it open on the first night (did not get to use it though). Then, found it locked again on third night (just when we wanted to get something).
No microwave available. Refigirator and coffee maker was provied on request (had to call twice). Coffee maker was not refilled..(may be I should have called again to request..but after a tiring day, that's the last thing on mind). Used Glass and coffee cups were not changed. Other than that, excellent place to stay. The best thing about Hotel Marlowe is it's location and it's proximity to the mall. You will have to pay for parking ($20 per day). My recommendation - Try it once :)

We stayed at the Marlowe for a long weekend in July, and stayed in their "King Deluxe View"

The positive:

- Accessible location to greater Boston just a few minutes walk to the Lechmere T stop. Cut through the canal park to save a little bit of time.

- Friendly-but-not-too-friendly staff

- A generally good-sized room, kept clean and with large windows, making it feel a little more bright and open.

- Zipcars at the Cambridgeside mall parking garage, easily accessible from the hotel (Getting back into the parking garage or finding the cars from anywhere else in the mall is another story, but that's Zipcar's fault).


The less-than-positive

- Coffee-only service in the lobby, no muffins, bagels or fruit to be had in the mornings. Also, no non-dairy milk available for those of us who cannot or do not take milk in our coffee. Being that this is their one and only morning service, it is a surprise that such an easy-to-come-by alternative is not provided.

- Contrary to the room titles, none of the rooms actually have a true "view" of the Charles River - the hotel is behind the Royal Sonesta, which does sit just back from the river. You may get a slice of the river or canal between trees, but no sweeping or partially sweeping panoramas (the uber-deluxe expenso-rooms may be different, but we were told by staff that none of the hotel's rooms have these views).

- The outdoor seating/waiting area is lovely enough, but is frequented by smokers, making entry and exit from the hotel quite unpleasant. It is set back from the sidewalk and is an interior courtyard of sorts, meaning the smoke has nowhere else to go but at those walking by.

- the New York Times will be delivered to your room, and technically, you will have "requested it," so if you don't want to be charged for it, leave it in the hallway. We weren't told this upon reserving our room and only realized it by reading the fine fine print on the room key envelope after we had taken the papers in.

- The only microwave available is in the (connected) Bambara restaurant. To use it, you would have to ask the kitchen staff to heat something up for you, which seemed like it would all be a little awkward, particularly since we had no plans of ever eating at Bambara anyway (it is just barely vegetarian friendly but definitely not vegan friendly).


In sum, Marlowe is a decent deal, especially considering its location. However, you might want to investigate options for food beforehand, unless you plan on spending a fortune at Bambara or other restaurants in Cambridge/Boston during your entire stay. The nearest grocery store is not walkable.

My sister and I stayed at the Hotel Marlowe for two nights in June. I have stayed at several other Kimpton hotels around the country where I've had great experiences, and the Hotel Marlowe was right up to par with these other properties. The hotel is decorated in the usual unusual Kimpton style. The staff went above and beyond to be friendly and welcoming, complete with the usual complimentary wine hour and even a magician for entertainment! We loved the room, it was large and comfortable with all of the amenities. Not being that familiar with Boston, I booked this hotel thinking it would be convenient to the Harvard part of Cambridge, which it was not, but it was close the T line (Lechmere stop is closest) as well as a mall with a Starbucks, CVS, and other convenient shops. They had a nice business center with internet access. It was just a 10 minute cab from the airport. Thanks for a great stay!

Hotel Marlowe was a nice place to stay. It was close to the subway, within walking distance of MIT, and was connected to a local mall for quick shopping or a bite to eat. The rooms were clean and very nice. The staff was always pleasant and helpful. They also had complimentary drinks in the lobby each evening. The only con was the hotel restaurant - it was too expensive for the quality of food. Overall, a very nice experience and a great place to stay when in Boston/Cambridge.