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About
#3 of 19 B&Bs / Inns in Cambridge
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
GreenLeaders Gold level
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
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Room features
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Safe
Telephone
Iron
Flatscreen TV
Hair dryer
Wake-up service / alarm clock
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Residential Neighbourhood
Quaint
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, Hindi and 1 more
Hotel links
Location
82Good for walkers
Grade: 82 out of 100
13Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
8Attractionswithin 0.5 km
Contact
24 Irving St, Cambridge, MA 02138-3007
Getting there
HarvardBoston T9 min
CentralBoston T16 min
Car HireSee all Cambridge car hire
344Reviews4Q+A82Room tips
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 148
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- 53
- 18
- 14
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Location, comfort, great water pressure in the shower! Really good breakfast with many options. Sometimes, I even prepared my dinner with a few things from the breakfast table and left it in the guest fridge!
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled 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.
Helpful
Property's Favourite Review
Wonderful experience at this bed and breakfast! Such a prime location, near Harvard square and the red line for the train station. Walking distance to so many wonderful restaurants. Breakfast provided was good. Access to fridge, microwave, coffee all day. It also has laundry facilities. Super clean and well kept! The staff was super helpful and very nice! Kitchen crew, office staff and cleaning staff were all wonderful. Convenient seating areas inside and outside. Things to consider which might be important: no elevator, thermostat can not be adjusted in the rooms, sometimes little water pressure. For us, it was the perfect location! We absolutely loved it!
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip: No elevators
Thermostat not adjustable in each room
Water pressure a little weak
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 10 Jul 2022
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful review~! We look forward to seeing you again some time if your travels bring you back to Our Fair City!
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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: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 9 Oct 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.
Kobi K wrote a review Oct 2022
Irving house is, no doubt, my favorite place in Cambridge. I stayed their multiple times, when I had to teach at Harvard, and always had wonderful experience!! The location is perfect, close to Harvard Yard, and walking distance to so many wonderful restaurants. The place is super clean, and the ambiance is friendly and cozy - a real home away from home. Breakfast is fresh, delicious and very generous. Most importantly, Zoia (the manager) and the entire staff were super helpful, caring and extremely nice. I would certainly keep returning to the Irving House!!
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 9 Oct 2022
Thank you for this lovely review! We look forward to your visits every time!
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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: Travelled 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.
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 25 Sep 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.
I came to town for a wedding and my college roommate and I stayed together in 311. It was a *great* stay! Everyone was super kind, and with my food allergies they made special arrangements for my breakfast. They also allowed a convenient check out extension which made our lives much easier! Thank you to Poonam, Anguel, Briana, and the whole team for making this a wonderful weekend! And if you’re reading this, come check it out!
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 25 Sep 2022
Thank you for this very nice review! We have shared this with all of our staff. 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 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.…
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled 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.
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 31 May 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.
I've stayed in Turner House many times, which was always great. This time, as all was booked out there, Irving House - and it's not the same; it's much more simple and much, much noisier. This is a simple, traditional guest house at *****L prices - and yes, Harvard Yard is an expensive neighborhood, but the fact remains - the justification for those prices is not that the overhead costs are so high, but that one can get that kind of money here, and this doesn't feel good. Still, there it is. I found the staff and especially the maids extremely nice and professional (with an exception - see below), and it was a good stay. Location is great. Nice simple breakfast; the laundry room is a plus for sure. However, when checking in after a long trip, I was at first assigned one of those attic rooms on the 4th floor which really are depressing, no matter how one spins it; fortunately, I could switch the next day. Worse, there was a really unfriendly guy on late duty ("service without a smile") who really made one feel not welcome. I had a lot of luggage, and 4 floors on narrow stairways are a challenge, but at first he refused to help me carrying it up (although there were two people there, and he was a very athletic young guy) and then deigned to carry the lightest of three pieces, but very grumpily. Really too bad! So, I would stay here again, but make sure I arrive early in the day and with a room guaranteed on a lower floor.…
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled on business
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Rooms on a lower floor are key
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 31 May 2022
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. This area is certainly not inexpensive and that includes how much it cost to live here. Paying our employees more than minimum wage and being able to keep them with fair raises is certainly part of overhead. I am sorry about your experience at check in. Many guests like the 4th floor for peace and quiet "up at the top" but it does pose the challenge of luggage. We try to make it as clear as we can that we are a 4 story walkup with no elevator but unless we know in advance that you will need a lower floor we can not always make it work. We will look forward to your next visit and please remember that our own website not only offers the most room availability but also the most direct communication with our front desk staff about your requests.
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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.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Irving House at Harvard, General Manager at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 16 Jan 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.
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.
Helpful
Response from Rachael Solem, Owner at Irving House At Harvard
Responded 6 Oct 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.
PRICE RANGE
US$166 - US$292 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
irving house at harvard hotel cambridge
LOCATION
United StatesMassachusettsCambridge
NUMBER OF ROOMS
44
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Claim Your ListingIRVING HOUSE AT HARVARD - Prices & B&B Reviews (Cambridge, MA)
Frequently Asked Questions about Irving House At Harvard
Which popular attractions are close to Irving House At Harvard?
Nearby attractions include Harvard Art Museums (0.3 km), Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (0.5 km), and The Fogg Art Museum (0.3 km).
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 centre?
Yes, it is 0.6 km away from the centre 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 travellers enjoy visiting The Printing Office of Edes & Gill (4.7 km), Old North Church & Historic Site (4.7 km), and Granary Burying Ground (4.5 km).