Hyatt Regency Boston / Cambridge: Bottom Line Review

I’ve enjoyed all of the Hyatt properties that I’ve visited in the Boston area, the two most recent being the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor and the Hyatt Place Seaport. I’ve been past the Hyatt Regency Boston/Cambridge many times; it has an impressive location looming over the Cambridge side of the Charles River. Earlier this year, I was in the Boston area for a night with a free night certificate that I needed to burn, so I decided to give it a try. I wish I hadn’t.

Hyatt Regency Boston / Cambridge Bottom Line Review

My time at the Hyatt Regency Boston/Cambridge was one of the worst domestic Hyatt stays that I’ve had in the last couple of years. From the moment I arrived, the service was disinterested across the board, at times becoming actively irritated by requests. There’s not much in the way of amenities here, but there’s still a destination fee that covers things like internet and free use of a shabby lobby printer…even the complimentary shuttle was unavailable during my stay. This is a worn, dated property with an enviable, riverside location next to MIT and near Harvard…but that evidently doesn’t feel the need to try very hard because of it.

Price: A Hyatt Category 5, 17K/20K/23K points off-peak/peak/standard. When I was there, it was still a category 4, so I was able to book it using a category 4 free night certificate. Cash prices seem to range from $200-400/night throughout the year.
Value: Varies quite a bit as an award value. Sometimes, it’s right around our Reasonable Redemption Value for Hyatt Points of 2.1 cents each, but it can get much worse, especially in low season, where it can go as low as 1 cent per point.
Location: Very good for Cambridge. It’s right on the river, next door to MIT and a short ride to the Harvard campus. It’s not the most convenient for exploring downtown Boston but it’s close enough to be workable.
Room: I was upgraded to a ~325 sq ft River View One King room. The front desk agent when I checked in told me that it had one of the best views of any room in the hotel, which is a shame if so. Overall, it was dark, worn and dated.
Parking: Valet parking is $58/night + tax. The hotel does offer a complimentary shuttle to local Cambridge destinations (that wasn’t running when I was there).
Resort/Destination Fee: $20 + tax and is waived for Globalists and on award stays. It “includes:”
- Hotel shuttle 7 a.m.–10 p.m. daily throughout Cambridge (based upon availability)
- Guest bicycles for use (based on availability)
- Long-distance and local calls
- Premium Wi-Fi
- Storage and handling for up to five packages per guest
- Notary services available Monday through Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Two bottles of water daily
- $10 daily food credit towards Paperback Tavern (excluding alcohol)
Internet: Slow in the room, better in the lobby and restaurant areas.
Service: Efficient, if unexceptional.
Turndown service: None.
Dining:
- Paperback Tavern: Primary restaurant on the mezzanine with nice river views. When I visited for breakfast, the service was painfully slow and disinterested. I ordered a bagel and lox that took almost an hour to arrive and, when it finally came to the table, looked like someone had dropped it onto the plate from a stepladder. Serving breakfast from 6:30-11:00am (12 on weekends) and dinner from 5pm-11:00pm. There is no lunch service within the hotel outside of the grab and go in the lobby.
Spa: None. No pool.
Fitness Room: There’s a somewhat janky fitness area on the ground floor with enough resistance equipment for a circuit workout. The usual array of cardio options are there as well: ellipticals, treadmills and a stationary bike. When I was there, they were having issues with leaking water and mildew, so the entire room was filled with carpet dryers running on full blast.
Hyatt Globalist Benefits:
- Suite Upgrade: I booked a standard room and was proactively upgraded to a 325 sq ft King Room with views of the Charles River. There were suites and balcony rooms available, but I arrived late and evening front desk guy had no interest in checking for one or trying to upgrade me…and I had no interest in trying to escalate for a short, one-night stay.
- Free Breakfast: Served in Paperback Tavern. Nice views, mediocre food, poor service.
- Late Checkout: Asked when I checked in and the front desk agent told me that I needed to ask the next day. So I went back the next morning before breakfast and the person a reception rolled her eyes and said that she didn’t know for sure, then checked my room and said that she could do 2pm (which was all I needed).
- Parking: Free on award stays.
Would I stay again? No way. There’s several very nice Hyatt properties in the Boston area. This one has a worse location, lackluster facilities and poor service. As a category 4, it was a poor value. As a category 5, it’s even worse.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Great location relative to MIT and Harvard
Nice Charles River views

Cons

The room that I had was quite dated, with notable wear on the furniture, carpet and curtains
Some of the worst service that I’ve received at a Hyatt Regency
Below-average breakfast
Poor elite recognition
If doing extensive sightseeing in Boston, getting back and forth from the hotel could be irritating.
No pool or club lounge.