A Week in Boston – Part 2

During our week in Boston, we stayed in a Hyatt Summerfield Suites hotel in suburban Waltham. Intended primarily as longer stay, executive accommodation for the many high tech firms in the area, we shared a two-bedroom, two-bath suite with another couple. The rate for a two-bed suite isn't that much more than for a one-bed, but sharing effectively cut our room rate in half. Our suite also had a full kitchen and living area. Parking, wi-fi, breakfast, and a light evening meal Monday through Thursday were all complimentary. The hotel also had a pool, spa, fitness room and business center. A complimentary hotel shuttle operated in a six-mile radius. It's a great choice for families or groups of friends like us.

We got even greater value by taking advantage of a little-known offer available at Costco. Members can purchase $100 worth of Hyatt check (sic) certificates for $80, effectively taking 20% off their rate. You simply use them like cash when you check out. There was a Costco a few minutes away and I called ahead to make sure there were some in stock (stores sometimes run out). I know it sounds almost too good to be true, but it's for real.

And remember: no matter which hotel you stay at, check to see if it's part of a chain. If so, go online and sign up for the loyalty program. It doesn't matter if you'll never stay there again; in your member profile you can set your earnings preference to earn points in the airline miles plan of your choice instead of the hotel's plan.

We stayed in Waltham because hotel rates in Boston, especially in summer, are very expensive. By sharing a two-bedroom suite and using the check certificates, we saved at least 75% off the price of a room in a downtown hotel. But we still had to get downtown.

Fortunately, Boston has an extensive and inexpensive transit system, the MBTA, or "T". A week-long pass cost only $15. We drove to the nearby station, parked for $5.75 a day, and took a 35-minute ride into the city. Inconvenient, yes, but our group of four couples saved literally thousands on the cost of accommodation.

And when I got home, I got a piece of good news. You may recall my writing on March 31 about for-a-fee U.S. dollar credit cards available from Canadian banks, which save you the 2.5% "foreign currency conversion fee" you're charged if you use your Canadian credit card in the U.S. I mentioned that BMO waived the $25 annual fee the first year for my card, but the good news in the mail when I got home was that if I spend $1,000 per year (no problem there), the fee will be waived every year from now on. So, to summarize: get the card and save 2.5%; spend $1,000 per year and it's free.

Cheaping out when you travel robs you of most of its pleasure, but finding ways to save money lets you travel more and leaves you with more money for the things you enjoy.