Irving House At Harvard
24 Irving St, Cambridge, MA 02138
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Avg. $155 /night, 1/25 - 1/26
$215
per night
$150
per night
$85
per night
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About
#3 of 10 B&Bs in Cambridge
Location
4.6
Rooms
3.8
Value
3.8
Cleanliness
4.4
Service
4.1
Sleep Quality
4.0
Women-owned
Tripadvisor allows businesses to update and manage their attributes and details, but does not verify the accuracy of this information.
Irving House is a guesthouse with 55 rooms in a variety of configurations to accommodate travelers of all kinds, from a simple single with bath across the hall, to family rooms with bunk beds and private baths. All rates include off street parking, breakfast and wifi. We operate our guesthouse with an eye for best environmentally friendly practices. Our friendly staff will help make your stay with us enjoyable while visiting Cambridge and all the attractions, restaurants and culture in the City.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Free breakfast
Baggage storage
Newspaper
24-hour front desk
Self-serve laundry
Wifi
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Non-smoking hotel
Shared lounge / TV area
Room features
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Safe
Telephone
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Flatscreen TV
Hair dryer
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Green
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, Hindi and 1 more
Location
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 82 out of 100
82
Boston Logan International Airport
5.2 mi•
See all flights
Worcester Airport
39.7 mi•
See all flights
Harvard
9 min•Boston T
Rental Cars
13 Restaurants
within 0.3 miles
Reviews
Traveler rating
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- 54
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Detailed Reviews
Stayed 6 nights at this lovely, comfortable, quiet hotel situated in a nice upscale neighborhood across the street and then a short walk from Harvard University/ Harvard Square. There were so many fantastic restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. Irving Housel is taking extraordinary cleaning measures.to keep their guest safe. After each guest checks out of their room. The room is then aired out for 2 days then thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before the room is issued to the incoming guests. All breakfast items are individually wrapped. The hotel has central A/C that was whisper quiet which was a huge plus. The front desk staff was very accommodating and helpful.
Will most definitely book this hotel on my next trip to Cambridge
PLEASE consider booking your reservation directly with the hotel - independently owned hotels are struggling right now due to COVID . Go to their direct website IRVING.COM and you might qualify for their discount programs like birthday or college discounts.
Will most definitely book this hotel on my next trip to Cambridge
PLEASE consider booking your reservation directly with the hotel - independently owned hotels are struggling right now due to COVID . Go to their direct website IRVING.COM and you might qualify for their discount programs like birthday or college discounts.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachael Solem, Owner at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Sep 13, 2020
Thank you for your very kind review! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay. Please note our correct web site, which this response mechanism does not let me note. But it is in our listing... We look forward to your future visits!~
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I have been staying at the Irving House for over 7 years. The management and staff have been very pleasant and accomodating. It is homey and warm rather than corporate and alientating which is one of the reasons I return. It is really great to roll out of bed and know that there is a warm breakfast included to begin the day without going outside, which features a plentiful variety of food waiting downstairs in a comfortable dining area until 10:00 a.m. and a daily newspaper. Then there are fruits, cookies/cake, coffee/tea available until 10:00pm. There is even a washer/dryer on the lower floor.
Although some of the rooms are small, if you are one person, some rooms are larger, depending on the price, which varies seasonally, howevever reasonable for the area. Even the smaller rooms rooms are perfectly designed to have what you would need to accomodate one's stay and are very restful and quiet. There are also family sized rooms for bigger group. They are all very clean which is so important. There a few floors.
The location is ideal for walking to the entire Harvard Square area, which suited my purposes completely for over 7 years. However, once you walk out of this more residential area, you can also connect to buses and the subway in close proximity to go anywhere else, like the trendy Newbury Street.
I have to thank the staff at the Irving House for always making my stay very pleasant.
Although some of the rooms are small, if you are one person, some rooms are larger, depending on the price, which varies seasonally, howevever reasonable for the area. Even the smaller rooms rooms are perfectly designed to have what you would need to accomodate one's stay and are very restful and quiet. There are also family sized rooms for bigger group. They are all very clean which is so important. There a few floors.
The location is ideal for walking to the entire Harvard Square area, which suited my purposes completely for over 7 years. However, once you walk out of this more residential area, you can also connect to buses and the subway in close proximity to go anywhere else, like the trendy Newbury Street.
I have to thank the staff at the Irving House for always making my stay very pleasant.
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Traveled on business
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded May 31, 2022
We are so happy to be your home away from home in Cambridge for 7 years now! Thank you for your honest feedback. We will look forward to your next visit! Remember our own website has the most room type availability!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our bathroom had a small shower stall with a shower head that seemed to spit out needles. Ended up using shower in one of the shared bathrooms. Linens are worn. Flat hard pillows first night, housekeeper changed the out for some fluffier ones. Excellent location adjacent to Harvard, the primary thing that recommends it. Unfortunately, everyone's "complimentary breakfast" has deteriorated, covid being the excuse. For the price of staying her, they could at least put out high quality product - bread, bagels, pastries, fruit (more than apples and bananas). No, putting cheerios in a glass dispenser doesn't cut it. Good coffee shop a block away that makes really good breakfast sandwiches, fyi. Front desk staff were efficient. Room no larger than a cruise ship cabin. A/C is centrally controlled so your only control is to open a window. And beware, no elevator, so 4th floor is stairs all the way up.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachael Solem, Owner at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Oct 6, 2021
Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. We are looking into why the shower in your room was stinging! Sometimes our Cambridge water leaves mineral deposits in the shower heads, forcing the water to pass through ever smaller holes. We have to clean the shower heads and some times replace them. And we are replacing the pillows as we can. We do have a variety of breads and baked goods, locally sourced. I am surprised you did not see them...We are aiming to improve our breakfast as business improves and we can hire more staff to produce it. We hope you otherwise enjoyed your stay.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
If you’ve got business at GSD or like to hang out in the artsier north end of campus or the Cambridge Public Library, this place is perfect for you. However, it’s a long walk to the T at Harvard Square, and you’ll need a bus to get to MIT or central Boston. However, this property is a very happy medium between the anonymity of a hotel, and the often uncomfortably intimate atmosphere of a B and B. Think of a big, rambling, comfortable home that you’ve been invited to stay in, but you don’t have to engage with the hosts or other guests if you don’t want to. Needless to say, all the basics are covered: cleanliness, fair room temperature controls, noise levels under control (it has a post grads and their parents type of vibe) , reasonably comfortable bed, good toilet pressure and water temperature controls in the bathroom, sufficient supply of towels, acceptable lighting options in the rooms (may be a wee chintzy), just enough electrical outlets to charge your piles of modern junk, workable wi-fi, decent housekeeping, and friendly staff.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Traveled on business
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Sep 25, 2022
Thank you for your kind and very specific review. These details matter to travelers and we try to get them all right. We very much appreciate hearing that we (mostly) do.... We hope to see you again some time.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed four days at Irving House with our two small children during COVID and had a wonderful stay. The children raved about the bunk beds and delighted in the thoughtful gifts from Rachel, the general manager. They also loved the individually wrapped apples and bags of almonds that the staff put out in an effort to keep their guests safe. The staff were tremendously accommodating of our needs, including offering us a workspace. The rooms were well kept and cleaned on our arrival and untouched during our stay, again with full attention to health policy. We highly recommend this hotel for a family or work stay.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachael Solem, Owner at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Sep 13, 2020
Thank you for your kind review! We look forward to seeing you again some time.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The Irving House reminds me of the small family run inns you find in Europe. The B&B is located in a pleasant city neighborhood with a very friendly staff. We stayed in family room with a private bath and the space was bright, clean and comfortable. The house is older so do expect creaky wood floors, however we found it charming. The breakfast spread had something for everyone and there were hot drinks and snacks available throughout the day. The Harvard T was a pleasant 10 minute walk either through campus or along the village streets. We actually walked more then we rode- it was convenient to many of the places we wanted to check out around Cambridge and Allston. One of the best value stays we've ever had!
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Date of stay: January 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip: The steps are somewhat steep, we stayed on the second floor and it was fine.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Jan 16, 2022
Thank you ! This is all helpful information for travelers!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This is a giant BnB with lots of cozy rooms I stayed in a strangely shaped corner room with a view of nearby buildings. It was quiet, except for the occasional creaking stairs.
Located in the basement, breakfast is decent and makes staying there a fine value. Staff is very helpful and kind as well as on the alert for anything out of the ordinary (though this seemed like a very safe area).
Located in the basement, breakfast is decent and makes staying there a fine value. Staff is very helpful and kind as well as on the alert for anything out of the ordinary (though this seemed like a very safe area).
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled on business
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachael Solem, Owner at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Jul 26, 2021
Thank you. I will share this with my hard working employees. We hope to see you again some time...
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I asked for dropping my luggage off at the hotel earlier than the check in time. Receptionist said I couldn't due to security issues. He told me if I cancelled my Expedia reservation and made one directly with the hotel, suddenly the security issues would vanish. They would also keep the same room type, queen size bed,etc. So I did it. However, when I checked in, I was downgraded to a much smaller room with a twin bed. Receptionist was rude and only after arguing for a while, I was able to get the right room.
We witnessed a similar situation with other guest, who was compelled to cancel the original reservation and make one directly with the hotel
We witnessed a similar situation with other guest, who was compelled to cancel the original reservation and make one directly with the hotel
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachael S, Owner at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Jan 27, 2020
I am sorry this was your experience. This is not our policy. I will be talking with my staff to understand why this happened to you. It is true that for security concerns, we generally do not store luggage for people who have not checked in, but that should not include people who are just arriving early for check in that day. With two new front desk staff, it may be they have misunderstood that. Also, the room type you reserved should have been the room type you were assigned, regardless of how you booked. While we do work to get visitors to book directly, the differences in experience at the front desk should not be set by how someone books their stay. I will be showing your review to all of our staff to get us back on track. We hope you otherwise enjoyed your stay in Cambridge
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our (& groom’s) immediate family traveled from Colorado and Michigan to celebrate our daughter & son-in-law’s marriage. Rachel, and her staff at the Irving House, could not have been more hospitable and kind! Each and every one of them were so friendly & accommodating. Several of us stayed at the Irving house & we all enjoyed a very welcoming, cozy atmosphere & comfortable rooms. They made us feel right at home… Just what you want at a B&B :-) We will stay there again if the opportunity arises to go back. It was a perfect location, within walking distance to Harvard Square & the church. Just an awesome old home & wonderful people!
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachael Solem, Owner at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Jul 26, 2021
Thank you! I will share this with my hard working employees...We are so pleased you were here for a special event...We hope to see you again some time.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I stayed for the weekend for events at Harvard. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. It is a cross between a hotel and a B&B, with much of the charm of a B&B and most of the conveniences of a hotel. I had a singe with shared bath because I wanted something cheap (for the area) and easy. The bed was almost full size and the room was large enough to be comfortable. There is a bathroom with a shower and one with just a toilet on each level, so getting a shower was never a problem. I felt kind of like an undergraduate again. It was fun and I’ll be back in a couple of weeks for more campus activities. Plenty of coffee at all times, which was a life saver. Breakfast was much better than a continental but not quite a full breakfast. Still very nice. Looking forward to going back.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded Oct 9, 2022
Thank you for this kind and specific review. This is helpful to other travelers looking for budge accommodations. As the house was remade in 1927 for Harvard undergraduates, you are right about the ambiance of that arrangement. But note, we have done renovations to provide larger rooms with private bath also, should your tastes run to the somewhat more luxurious. We are pleased you enjoyed your stay! We look forward to your future visits.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dear Joanne,
We do not have suites, so, depending on your preferences, we could accommodate your party in 2 or 3 rooms. With your son being so tall, I would recommend three rooms each with queen bed and private bath. This is the type of room of which we have the most. A family room has a queen and two twin beds. The twin beds are 72" long, so not very comfortable for someone over 72" tall…..
Our sister property, Harding House, has mostly the same bed configuration, but also has adjoining rooms, so depending on the timing of your visit, you might be able to arrange adjoining rooms, one of which would have a queen bed, another having a double (full) bed. The double bed is also just 72" long, but your son could sleep on it diagonally and be quite comfortable.
I hope this is helpful!
Joanne, I believe I have answered this question in another response. Irving House does not have suites, so we would accommodate your party in two or three rooms. Your tall 16 year old would be more comfortable in a full (double) or queen bed, which would require a third room. I hope this is helpful information!
Our rooms with shared baths are about 75 square feet for a single room and about 120 square feet for a double room (with two single beds, or a double bed and single bed). Bedding is included. Electric kettle, refrigerator, and more are shared in our dining room. Rates include breakfast and afternoon snacks.
Rates vary with season, please visit our site and enter your dates for the rates that apply for your visit, irvinghouse
We hope to hear from you soon!
Salud!
We can provide a cupcake for your daughter's birthday on 22 December. Carrot cake? Chocolate? Red Velvet? Our local baker would be happy to make this and deliver with her regular delivery...
Thank you for contacting us. We look forward to hosting your daughter !
Rachael Solem
…
PRICE RANGE
$98 - $166 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
irving house at harvard hotel cambridge
LOCATION
United StatesMassachusettsCambridge
NUMBER OF ROOMS
44
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Irving House At Harvard
Which popular attractions are close to Irving House At Harvard?
Nearby attractions include Harvard Art Museums (0.2 miles), Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (0.3 miles), and Sanders Theatre (0.2 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Irving House At Harvard?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and free parking.
Which room amenities are available at Irving House At Harvard?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a desk.
What food & drink options are available at Irving House At Harvard?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Irving House At Harvard?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Irving House At Harvard?
Conveniently located restaurants include Dali Restaurant & Tapas Bar, The Kebab Factory, and Harvard Faculty Club.
Is Irving House At Harvard located near the city center?
Yes, it is 0.4 miles away from the center of Cambridge.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Irving House At Harvard?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Hindi.
Are there any historical sites close to Irving House At Harvard?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Bites of Boston Food Tours (2.9 miles), The Printing Office of Edes & Gill (3.0 miles), and Old North Church & Historic Site (3.0 miles).
Is Irving House At Harvard accessible?
Yes, it offers facilities for disabled guests. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.