My wife and I enjoyed our stay at "On the Park" and would easily recommend it to anyone wishing to see Boston without the headaches of big hotels and loud surroundings. On the Park is located off Harvard Street in a quiet neighborhood that makes one forget they are in a large city. Easy access to transportation, food and many other attractions and necessities are only minutes away. Marcos and Betsy are only too ready to help answer any questions and provide expert insight into how to get around Boston and what to do. Do recommend calling early in order to get the room with the private bath.

On the Park is a comfortable family home that has been sensitively refurbished into a bed and breakfast. I highly recommend it to travellers who like to avoid the business hotel scene. The real pluses for me are the hosts Betsy and Marcos, who are friendly and have a very genuine sense of hospitality which gives their home an unaffected charm and makes it very comfortable place to stay.

The beds are comfortable with quality linen, the inn is well maintained and very clean, there is plenty of privacy and it feels very safe. The rooms are not made up every day - again I appreciate the privacy of being able to shut my door and be undisturbed. Fresh flowers come from Betsy's lovely garden and there is airconditioning if needed. It is very quiet and noise does not seem to travel between rooms.

There is wireless internet access which is reliably fast. You can make good quality tea or coffee at any time and filtered water is also available on tap.

I believe that there is a TV in the living room which guests are welcome to use, but I have never seen it on and have never missed it. Instead, Marcos has a very nice collection of music which is much nicer to relax to over breakfast or after a day in Boston. Books abound here, and the front porches or living rooms are inviting places to curl up and read, or to share a chat.

None of the rooms have en-suite bathrooms, and two of the three rooms typically share a bathroom. these are well appointed, a bath is available, as are emergency toiletries and a hair-drier. The towels are good quality and fresh towels are readily available. Even when busy there is plenty of hot water and I have not had any problems with a share-bathroom arrangement.

Breakfast is usually a very nice mix of quality fruit, granola, yoghurt and fresh pastries. The inn is a short walk from a good variety of restaurants and cafes and Betsy or Marco are happy to provide recommendations.

Betsy has fantastic recommendations for sight-seeing Boston and the local area. She organised a wonderful visit to the Athenaeum on my last visit and has a knack for matching interests up with the variety of things to do. The inn is very convenient to the T and to buses, and a comfortable 20min walk to the Longwood medical district. Boston is a terrific walking-town, and Betsy has plenty of maps and advice about where and how to best enjoy this lovely city.

I was traveling to Boston at the spur of the moment to help my daughter find an apartment near Boston's hospitals. Not knowing a thing about the area, I didn't have a clue where we should stay. I had long resisted the notion of staying in a Bed and Breakfast. I love people, but I also like my space. What if I didn't like the owners? Or their house? How does a Bed and Breakfast work? What swayed me was my daughter, who thought it would be fun, and more cozy than a hotel. Even though Betsy and Marcos, the owners, had not intended to have guests that weekend, they agreed to having us stay. Thank you!

We arrived to a informative welcoming note in Betsy's beautiful handwriting - a good start to our stay. The house is comfortable, interesting, perfectly laid out for guests. From the well used cookbooks to the family pictures on the walls, you know this has always been a lively home. There is a self serve individual cup coffee maker and a cold water dispenser in their dining room. I loved the assortment of handmade pottery mugs...and all the other beautiful pottery on display. I took notice of one photograph I particularly liked, and realized that Betsy had taken it. There are books in the bedroom, toiletries in the bath, Boston guidebooks galore. I noticed bathrobes in the closet. The house is on a quiet residential street, across from a small park. The bus into Boston is a few minutes walk, as is the train. I can't remember the last time I took public transportation - it was a breeze. The downtown of Brookline is interesting on it's own. There are shops, restaurants, a gas station to fill up your tank within blocks of On the Park, even a Trader Joe's and TJMaxx.

Betsy and Marcos are a good team; each has their own expertise. Marcos made our delicious breakfast each morning - fresh fruit, juice, yogurt, granola, pastries - served up with lovely, relaxing music. Betsy, a native Bostonian, is a wealth of information and in our case, a step by step tour guide...we followed the 'turn left here, turn right here' instructions she wrote out. Perfect. She knows the buses, roads, trains. We never would have known there was a private library in Boston except for Betsy. Marcos and Betsy are available for questions, but not obtrusive. They could not have been more knowledgeable or helpful. Marcos(Betsy, too) pays attention to little things. I didn't realize I must have seemed inordinately stressed at breakfast, until Marcos remarked later that evening, when we returned with an apartment rented, "You are smiling now!" Why yes, I was.

For travelers who frequent Bed and Breakfasts, I'm sure you will enjoy On the Park. For all you uninitiated Bed and Breakfast 'resisters', as I was - live a little, step outside the box, get out of your hotel rut. Be adventurous. Try something new. Contact On the Park. If you have questions or concerns before you book, ask, so there are no surprises. What we experienced at On the Park was good sleep, tasty breakfasts, expert area advice - a home away from home with cordial hosts. If you book at a busier time, you may even meet other friendly guests to enrich your experience even more. We had a lovely time. You can, too. Happy travels!