Hotel at a Glance: Hotel Veritas

Hotel Veritas’ name provides a clue to its location: it’s just five blocks from Harvard University, whose motto is Veritas, meaning “Truth” in Latin. Opened in 2010, the boutique hotel has quickly become a favorite in Cambridge. Guests praise the hotel’s elegance and convenient location, helping to garner it a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor and mentions in the New York Times, GQ, and other publications.

• Number of rooms: 31. They’re small but stylish, with antique mirrors, marble showers, and heated bathroom floors. WiFi is complimentary.
• In the press: Boston Magazine writes that the hotel “feels exclusive and very Harvard—the perfect base camp for guests who require a little privacy.”
• Sip a drink at Simple Truth Lounge, located in the hotel lobby. Time Out Boston calls it “small but luxurious, perfect for a lingering date.”
• Campus life: In addition to Harvard, MIT and Boston University are within 1.5 miles of the hotel.
• Ride the T to downtown Boston. The Harvard stop is a short walk from the hotel, and the ride to downtown takes about 15 minutes.

Cambridge, Massachusetts: Historic City with World-Famous Universities

Cambridge lies about 3 miles west of downtown Boston, on the banks of the Charles River. The city has a long and storied history, beginning with its founding in 1630 by members of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Later on, the city served as an important center of rebel activity during the Revolutionary War. Cambridge Common, located on the campus of Harvard University, was a camp and training ground for the Continental Army. A few blocks away, the house of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow functioned as George Washington’s headquarters during the British army’s siege of Boston. The home is only open for tours from June through October, but you can stroll through the gardens all year long.

Cambridge is home to two of the most prestigious universities in the world: Harvard—the oldest university in the United States—and MIT. Both offer guided campus tours year-round; Harvard even hosts historical walking tours free of charge. The school’s campus encompasses three art museums and the Harvard Museum of Natural History, which holds 12,000 specimens, including whale skeletons and a 1,642-pound amethyst. While you’re in town, pay a visit to Harvard Square to browse the small boutiques and bookstores.

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