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Prescott Hotel
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2 reviews for Prescott Hotel
OK, let's start with the positives: The exterior of the building and all the common areas are pretty attractive. The front porch is a popular hang-out spot for guests (there are even electrical outlets out there so you can relax on the front porch while charging your cell phone or laptop or whatever), but there are also landings on each floor if you want to be outside but would like a bit more privacy as well. Inside, the corridors all have a tasteful Victorian look. Downstairs, there's a huge t.v. and computer terminals. For those with laptops, the WiFi comes through very strong anywhere in the building. In my dorm room, there were four beds (I think four people to a room in a hostel is eminently reasonable) and we had our own bathroom. The staff was pleasant. All of the above were much appreciated.
Now, the negatives: The neighborhood where Prescott's located has nothing going on, and it's a pain to get anywhere cool: You have to take a bus AND the T. The kitchen is pretty minimal -- a small fridge, a sink, and a microwave - which greatly limits your ability to keep costs low by cooking for yourself. There are no laundry facilities. There are no lockers (though to be fair, you can leave your valuables with the staff - most afternoons I left my laptop with them and they never seemed to mind). Some of the guests make messes in the common areas and don't clean up after themselves, especially at night when the staff leaves. Worst of all, though, was the bugs: There were usually gnats or something flying around the sink and crawling over the dishes. And there were bedbugs. I had bites all over me during my stay at the Prescott. I don't expect hostels to be immaculate, but bedbugs are unforgivable in my book. For this reason alone I would not stay there again.
Hostelling International on Hemenway costs more, but it's worth it.
Okay, so I occupied the "hostel" section, and it was only $25 per night. Take that into account as you read this review.
When I arrived, the girl at the desk was extremely helpful and super cute. One and a half of the two stars is from her alone, the other half star is due to the price.
The Prescott was, during my stay, rarely the 25 minutes from downtown it was advertised to be. Due to bus schedules (had to transfer from the T) and traffic, it was usually an hour or so. Also, I really value community experience and sharing at hostels, and having a dingy basement common room does not contribute to that -- in fact, just the opposite. My room was not vacuumed while I was there (and it needed it while I arrived), it was difficult to tell which beds were occupied when I arrived because housekeeping didn't remove sheets left by other people, my "white" sheets were NOT, and the whole place was sort of dingy and oppressive.
That said, it WAS only $25.