In recent years, Boston has seen a number of boutique hotels open, offering an alternative to the larger mega-hotels in The Hub, plus everything from eclectic furnishings to unusual settings (think 150-year-old granite jailhouse). The Hotel Marlowe is one of the nicest boutique options, with upscale design and a great location. Set on the Cambridge side of the Charles River, this 236-guestroom property overlooks Boston's skyline and is convenient to the family-friendly Museum of Science, whose 700 hands-on exhibits attract more than 1.5 million visitors each year.
The Hotel Marlowe is offering a Kids Planet Discovery Package that bundles lodging, breakfast, passes to the Museum of Science, and a few token extras. With advertised rates starting at $229 a night, is it really a good deal for families? We crunched the numbers to find out. The package includes:
- one-night stay (normally $309 for a double deluxe room on a Friday night in October)
- four passes to the Museum of Science (worth $21 x 2 adults + $18 x 2 kids age 3-11=$78)
- plate of cookies (worth, let's say, $5)
- Continental breakfast for four people in Bambara restaurant (worth about $15 x 4 people=$60)
- two Kimpton Kids Kits (always free)
When we test-booked the package for a Friday night stay in October for a family of two adults and two kids under 11, we came up with a rate of $409. If the same room and extras were booked without the package, a family of four would spend $452. That's $43 more than the package price. That translates to a savings of about 10%.
We also checked rates on different days of the week, during different months through March 2011 (no expiration date is listed for this package, and a reservations agent told us that the promo is ongoing). Across the board, we found that the package rate is $100 higher than the hotel's best available rate. In other words, the package rate is set to cover the cost of most components.
When choosing dates, keep in mind that rates and availability fluctuate dramatically depending on events that are happening at any given time. Case in point: a deluxe double room might cost $309 on a Friday night and $409 the very next night. During the Head of the Charles Regatta, the same room would run $489 a night. On a Saturday in December, the rate could be as low as $149 a night.
Deal or no deal? Saving 10% on a hotel room isn't what we'd call a spectacular deal. If your family wants to visit the Museum of Science, this is a way to do Beantown for a little less.
As usual, the Kids Planet Discovery Package is subject to availability and there are blackout dates. Book online or call 800/825-7140 and use promo code "PMUM."
