Advantages: Historic, culturally diverse and not too huge a city.
Disadvantages: Not many, unless you don't like cities, or America, or fish.

...OK. Here’s a quiz question: What is the least friendly place on Earth? Is it: A) Downtown Novosibirsk on a Wednesday morning in February? B) A pub outside Ibrox when Celtic have just whupped Rangers...and you’re wearing a green scarf? C) Platform 3 at King’s Cross Station, four minutes after you miss your last train home...and your credit cards are maxed...and you’ve got no money...and you’re a little bit pissed, but not pissed enough to sleep on a bench? D) None of the above? The answer, of course, is D...none of the above, because without a shadow of a doubt the least friendly spot on the face of our planet is Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Sorry Boston. Lovely city, great people, very nasty airport. Very. More later. Boston in October, when the sun is shining, the Redsox are playing... Read review

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Advantages: Good bargains
Disadvantages: Still have to fly for 8 hrs

...’ a historic ship and guided tour which was free. Shopping is on the agenda of most British who go to Boston, not only is the USA normally cheaper, but Boston also has its own collection of Outlet malls and cheap shops. The state of Massachusetts has one of the lowest sales tax rates in the country and therefore things are cheaper here compared to the rest of the USA. There was a coach provided to the outlet mall which was about 1 hour away. I think it normally costs $5 but if you travel on certain days it is free. The famed discount basement store which reduces its prices the longer it has been on sale is a must just to experience it, I didn’t find many things worth buying but is definitely worth a visit. There are some places you must not miss, these include, Quincy Market, a beautiful market with small shops, ideal for a souvenir... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent dollar rate, laid back city
Disadvantages: Spent too much shopping and did not get to see the famous New England Fall trees!

...About a month ago now, my partner Paul and l headed off for a short break to Boston, Massachusetts, from 2nd December until 7th December. We flew from Belfast City airport with BMI – at a cost of around £80 per person return, flying on to from London Heathrow with United Airlines to Washington Dulles then to Boston’s Logan International airport. This cost approximately £550 for 2 adults. Now we flew with United for one simple reason – United are Star Alliance members – we could have flown direct to Boston with the likes of British Airways or Virgin Atlantic – but we would not have gained air miles and membership miles (l know its sad!) The overall flight took from 8.55am and we arrived into Boston around 2pm (-5 GMT). So it was just over 10 hours – a direct flight would take over 7 hours... Read review

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Advantages: Not many apart from being in Boston
Disadvantages: Drive into Boston a nightmare

...Boston is a great city but Logan Airport is a still security disaster even after the events of 9/11 (9th Sept in UK speak). We flew into Logan from Toronto and a week later out again on 11/04 back to Toronto. Agreed there were National Guard and US Marshalls at the checkout but the security staff (mostly coloured and with very poor English and obviously neither very motivated or trained properly) simply were not upto the job - we didn't see even one person given a hands on search over a period of some 4 hours waiting - they seemed to just be content to waive the paddle devices at people. Nor was there anything more than perfunctory pre-boarding searches going on. Worse still the departure lounge seemed to be completely unchecked - and since there were two gift shops open but no coffee shop, people were freely wandering from the immediate... Read review

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Advantages: Please read my review
Disadvantages: Please read my review

...I was only in Boston, Massachusetts once on business. I went alone and stayed at the Radisson Hotel in the downtown area. Boston is a City that one and a half million people call home, (the 10th largest in the USA). ~O WHAT I SAW O~ My half day meeting was at Cambridge University, (one of the 60 plus Colleges or Universities). I was the Executive Producer of a Documentary Film and I was talking to show it to the Dean of the Fine Arts Department before we "color corrected it". He met me at the Airport but had to wait a long time because know one ever told me that you could not bring a movie into the United States without special papers. They Customs agreed that I could take it with me for three days. If I did not leave the Country within that time, (with the film), I would be arrested. The Dean was kind enough to take me... Read review

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Advantages: Location and Price are very good
Disadvantages: Not much I could find

...Last year for Christmas we decided to use the time off to do something a bit different. We ended up booking a holiday to the USA with two stops in New York and Boston. This review is of the hotel we stayed at in Boston, The Boston Park Plaza. ++++++++++Booking++++++++++ I booked our stay through Expedia www.expedia.co.uk and was paid upfront, I managed to get the hotel for an average rate of £50.10 per night for the three nights, on top of the room rate there is also the dreaded tax which was £7.87 per night. The hotel has it's own web site where you can make a booking and have a look at the facilities etc www.bostonparkplaza.com, although I would recommend going through a broker site as the rates will be a lot cheaper, due to them buying rooms in bulk. ++++++++++Location++++++++++ The park Plaza is located in the Back Bay... Read review

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Advantages: 'European' sized rooms can be a bargain
Disadvantages: Easy to fall into the trap of putting expensive drinks on the bill!

...We were lucky enough to be invited to a wedding in Boston last year, which provided me with the excuse to book a holiday to the States. My other half hardly put up an excuse either as he's never visited the USA. I love using the net to find great deals on independent travel, so I customised a 10 day holiday which saw us take a hire car up the east coast and into French Canada first, and then hit Boston in time for a pre-wedding party, the big day, and a couple of days sight-seeing afterwoods. I knew things were going to go well when we got a virgin atlantic upgrade because we wouldn't have been able to sit together in economy! It's never happened before, and may never happen again, but that champagne on the upper deck tasted better than I've ever tasted in my life! All the horror stories I'd heard about hours of queues to pass... Read review

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Advantages: Extremely efficient front desk, ideal location for power shopping and sightseeing
Disadvantages: No ghosts, a/c leaked, staying at Marriott can lead to telephone solicitation later

...is to secure the facilities with an adequate block of hotel rooms for its members who are traveling from out of town. The 62nd installment of Worldcon (aka Noreascon 4) was held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston in September 2004. Earlier in the year, our convention committee presented a choice of two hotels, Sheraton Boston and Marriott Copley Place. Before booking, I dashed an email off to the concom, asking whether either of them was haunted. I hit the jackpot at the Royal York in Toronto the previous year, maybe I would this one as well. I was told neither had ghosts. It was discouraging, but when attending a Worldcon, staying at one of its hotels is part of the atmosphere. By the time I acquired that info, the party hotel had been fully booked. I took a room at the Marriott. Big chains hotels usually bore me, but I have never... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful picturesque, in middle of a lovely market town
Disadvantages: Parking its right in the middle of a lovely market town

...~~ The Boston Stump ~~ We were halfway through our holiday week and decided to take a wonder around Boston town and to visit the 14th century St Botolph's Parish Church the famous Boston Stump. The parish church was first built in 1309 making it nearly 700yrs old, the work on the tower started a century later at around 1425-1430 and was not completed until 1510-1520, so you will notice a slight difference in the architectural design. It is speculated that the name Boston Stump came about because it originally should have donned a spire, but instead it has a 'stump' appearance, but in fact where the name originated from no-one knows. This is still a working church holding regular services, weddings, funerals, christenings etc. Talking of christening, the font is spectacular and was given to the church in 1853, it is decorated... Read review

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Advantages: Robust and hearty
Disadvantages: Quite expensive

...With a tasty beer like this, no wonder they through all that tea into Boston harbour. American lagers are not my first choice of beers. However, SAMUEL ADAMS BOSTON LAGER, while not overwhelming, IS very tasty and much more interesting than the usual suspects (Bud, Miller etc.). This is due no doubt to the company’s commitment to pure and natural ingredients. They also use traditional brewing processes to brew Samuel Adams Boston Lager. In it's first five years, Samuel Adams went on to become the first American beer to pass the German Beer Purity Law and to be sold in Germany (no mean feat). -~-~-~-~ THE POUR -~-~-~-~ Boston Lager pours to a golden, deep copper colour with a thick, frothy and creamy, white head, which leaves a nice 'Belgian lace' effect on the inside of the glass. There's moderate carbonation... Read review

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