Within walking distance to Harvard, Inman Square and the Central Square T stop, Harding House is excellently located. It's a guest house, not a hotel: patrons are encouraged to relax in the parlor or to help themselves to a hearty breakfast and the Boston Globe in the dining room at breakfast each morning. Internet access, off street parking and location (one block from Mass Ave) make it ideal for business travelers. My room was spacious, well furnished (private bath, individual room climate control, DirectTV) and spotlessly clean.

Harding House staff thought about all the little things that make a stay more pleasant - an umbrella to borrow for unexpected showers, a free water bottle for rambles around town, a tinkling fountain in the garden, books for bedtime reading that you are invited to take with you if you haven't finished them before you leave. The staff were knowledgeable, genuinely helpful and polite; it is this hospitality that makes Harding House a hidden gem.

I booked a Sun-Tues stay for a weekend getaway with my husband. The rate here was the best so I booked, thanks in large part to speaking with the manager by phone who was super friendly and helpful in planning my trip. We found our stay to be pleasant: the queen bed room on the 3rd floor was comfy and clean, the front desk staff was friendly and the location was convenient to the T train and the Harvard area. Another nice touch was the complimentary museum passes which we used to go to the science museum (would have cost us $25 each). These were all the lovely things about staying here.

Here were some of the areas for improvement: it was my husband's birthday and I was told (as it says on the website) that we'd receive a complimentary bottle of champagne and a goody bag. Got the goody bag when we arrived (a yummy cookie) but no champagne. The wireless internet worked well but the cable TV in our room did not work after the first day. Finally, the breakfast was continental which meant nice things like fruit, yogurt and muffins, but no hot item(s) was disappointing. Overall, our stay was pleasant but compared to other B&Bs we've stayed in, this one lacked the little extras that make staying a B&B a special experience (a hot breakfast cooked by the staff, each room decorated with a charming "theme"). However, the rate per night was cheaper than the local hotels so if value is what you need, this was a good choice.

This delightful Inn is truly a gem. From the warm and cheerful decor to the friendly and helpful staff, every effort is made to ensure a truly comfortable stay. I loved waking up to the generous continental cuisine and coming home at night to the comfortable bed in my tastefully appointed room. It is conveniently located- close to both Harvard and Central Sq and to public transportation. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a more intimate feel than the mega-hotels can provide. I will surely return...... skj, MD

We enjoyed the comfortable room, nice breakfast and Audra at the desk,who was very helpful.Museum passes, what a nice touch! A few criticisms: The breakfast room was very cramped and we were taken aback when arriving at 9:45 pm, looking forward to wine and cheese, that yes, we could have wine but no, we stop serving cheese and crackers at 9:30.There was no mention of that anywhere.There were some issues with the internet access earlier that had been resolved but she neglected to inform us what the new access code was.Also the maid was not familiar with the"Green" Laundry" policy (that I like) and replaced the towels even-though we had left them on the rack as instructed.A nice b&b but little pricey.