Sheraton Commander Hotel

Room rate is way over-priced given the nature of in-room decor and layout, and in-room comfort features. Breakfast buffet was very good, but not overwhelming. Overall - atmosphere is old world and geriatric.

I went to Cambridge, MA to visit friends from college and was delighted to stay at the Commander. The location is ideal for anyone visiting Harvard University, and better amenities and service could not be asked for. My Queen room was just the right size for a person traveling alone. The staff was very friendly and helpful, signing me up for the Starwood Preferred Guest Program and even allowing me to leave my luggage at the hotel as I continued around Cambridge on the day of my check-out. The Nubar Restaurant is also a great deal; I ate there for breakfast and it featured a lovely presentation of buffet-style foods at a reasonable cost. Compared to previous Sheratons in which I have stayed, the room was both larger and smaller - larger than the first in which I stayed (in London) and smaller than the second (also in London), but, as above, the perfect size for a single traveler. My room was elegantly appointed, with a very clean and comfortable bed, small but clean-lined bathroom, coffee/tea maker in the room, and internet hookup. Although I did not use the free high-speed internet, it is a useful and gracious amenity, as many luxury hotels charge for such service. The business center was useful for checking email and information about the area, and the staff was also helpful in this latter domain. The lobby of the hotel is stunning, with its comfortable seating area and white marble (to the best of my knowledge) columns and flooring. The only part of my stay that surprised me was how small the elevator on my side of the hotel was, and how unstable it seemed. I was a bit worried when I entered with my luggage the first time I went up to my room. But all was well in the end. Overall, I would recommend the Sheraton Commander as a four-star hotel in an ideal location.

Staff was friendly in my few interactions with them. The hotel is a short walk from Harvard Square, which was very convenient. Small, slow elevator lead me to my room, which was clean and decent-sized. I stayed two nights, and during both of them, the bath tub spewed (a small amount of) sewage at one point during the evening, which I had to wash away. Some of the lights, in particular the bathroom light, buzzes. The walls are quite thin, and any time someone opened the next door over, it sounded as if they were entering my room. I was surprised by the lack of free wifi at this day and age, but was able to connect to an open access point from a neighboring building. Overall, a nice experience, but not a memorable one. I attribute the downsides (light, bath) to the age of the building.

The giant, tacky, neon sign on top of this hotel worried me, both when I saw it in the pictures while I was booking online and when I was walking down Garden St. toward the hotel to check in. My worries were unfounded, however. Despite the sign, it really is a very nice hotel -- clean and very up-to-date, and in a wonderfully convenient location to Cambridge, Harvard, and the T red line.