Boston in March/April 2026 - help with accommodation

[BadActors]

Hello, DS and DH are off to Boston next year - mostly to watch hockey and baseball games! They need to stay somewhere close to Fenway Park in the Fenway-Kenmore neighbourhood. Can anyone recommend somewhere to stay? I obviously want them to be safe so grateful for any tips.
Thanks

Accommodation in Boston is brutally expensive - especially around marathon time (usually around mid April) - so avoid then.

Boston is a very easy city to get around on foot and by public transport and is pretty safe.

I wouldn't rule out Somerville or Cambridge - both of which are linked to Boston centre by the subway and can be cheaper.

Thanks @Ginmonkeyagain, really helpful.

They'll enjoy it, it's a really lovely and walkable city. I got the subway at the same time as a Red Sox game and it was crowded but really friendlly and good natured. Fenway-Kenmore is pretty central but the whole centre is quite small and easy to get around. For example Fenway Stadium is only about a 30 min walk from Boston Common which is right in the centre.

I haven't been for several years, but I used to stay at the Buckminster, which was a bit run down but absolutely fine for me. It's just round the corner from Fenway Park.

Note that April is by far the worst month weather-wise to watch the Red Sox. Rainouts are a possibility, and cold weather is likely too. However, I realise they want to watch hockey too, so they're a bit limited on dates.

We normally stay in an Airbnb in Seaport. It’s a very small city, very walkable.

Hi @OldGothsFadeToGrey would you be happy to share the AirBnB details?

Doubletree by Hilton in Boston is a good bet,

The buckminster hotel closed down in 2020.

Thanks @AttilaTheMeerkat - do you know if the Hilton is close to restaurants etc?

We booked a few times through a professional host called Barsala. Just had a look and it seems they aren’t on Airbnb now, which is a shame as they were pretty good. We’ve also booked the Seaport Hotel (via Airbnb) which was very good.

There are 2 doubletrees - Downtown and Bayside. You definitely want Downtown. Plenty of restaurants nearby in Back Bay.

Baseball season begins in April. The Red Sox home opener next spring is on April 3rd, against the Padres. They will play on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Don't go in March if you want to see baseball therefore. Bring heavy winter coats as baseball is outdoors, and games last several hours. Home openers are sometimes snowed out. Check the weather before buying tickets.

The Celtics (basketball) regular season is over in mid April, so your window of opportunity is really the first two weeks of April. If the Celtics are doing well as the season draws to a close, tickets might be scarce.

A Boston Bruins game (hockey) might be fun.

Take the T to Fenway Park | Boston Red Sox https://share.google/5XM9qXxY3ZPZa3TWB

The T (train network) is reliable. The Orange and Red lines are the easiest ways to get to Fenway Park.

Thanks @mathanxiety they’re going to see a Bruins game and a couple of Red Sox games.

Is there any area they shouldn’t stay in? Is anywhere considered less safe?
thanks

Dorchester, Central, Mattapan, Roxbury, Hyde Park, and Southie are areas I'd avoid.

This is not an exhaustive list, and there are parts of all those areas that would be OK.

Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, and most of Jamaica Plain would be nice, as well as Brookline. The further west(ish) you go on Center St away from the Stop and Shop the nicer JP becomes.

Had a great apartment quite near the riverway t stop last May. On the E line but a great location for us and tbh Boston is so walkable that even though its not on the fenway/kenmore line it will only about half an hour walk there if my guesstimation is right . Plus..there are so many ubers around .. Completely different to when we used to live there! It's a doddle ! On thr E line you can grt directly to North Station for the Bruins too!