Last updated: October 10, 2026 · By Ronen, Stay Near The Venue
The 131st Boston Marathon is on Monday, April 19, 2027 (Patriots’ Day). Runners start in Hopkinton and finish on Boylston Street at Copley Square in Back Bay – and the hotels within a few blocks of that finish are the most sought-after rooms in the city that weekend.
Quick answer: stay in Back Bay / Copley Square to walk back from the finish in minutes and be close to the Hynes expo. Staying near Boston Common / Park Plaza makes the race-morning walk to the athlete buses easy and is still under a mile from the finish.
Top hotel picks at a glance
| Hotel | Location & highlights | |
|---|---|---|
| The Charlesmark Hotel | right on Boylston Street at the finish; a small boutique hotel – book very… | Check price |
| The Lenox Hotel | about 0.1 mi; a classic marathon-weekend favorite on Boylston Street. | Check price |
| Courtyard Boston Copley Square | about 0.1 mi; a Marriott-brand option steps from the finish. | Check price |
| Fairmont Copley Plaza | about 0.2 mi; a landmark luxury hotel on Copley Square. | Check price |
| Mandarin Oriental, Boston | about 0.15 mi; luxury near the Prudential Center and the Hynes expo. | Check price |
| The Westin Copley Place | about 0.2 mi; a big hotel with indoor connections to Copley Place – handy… | Check price |
| Boston Marriott Copley Place | about 0.2 mi; large room inventory, good for running clubs and groups. | Check price |
| Boston Park Plaza | about 0.5 mi; close to the Charles Street athlete-bus loading area. | Check price |
Prices change daily – tap “Check price” for live rates on your dates.
This article contains affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Transit, shuttle and hotel details change between events, so always confirm with the venue and the hotel before you book.
See hotels near the Boston Marathon finish line
Hotel map: live prices near the Boston Marathon finish
Boston Marathon 2027 dates
- Race day: Monday, April 19, 2027
- Finish: Boylston Street at Copley Square
- Expo & bib pickup: Hynes Convention Center (Level Two), 900 Boylston St – in 2026 it ran Friday to Sunday before the race; 2027 dates are not yet published
- Athlete buses to Hopkinton: load on Charles Street between Boston Common and the Public Garden
Back Bay hotels fill months ahead and often require multi-night stays. Book early with free cancellation – runners, families and spectators all compete for the same rooms.
Best areas to stay for the Boston Marathon
| Area | Distance to the finish | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Back Bay / Copley Square | 0–0.5 mi | Walking back after the race, expo access |
| Boston Common / Park Plaza | ~0.5–1 mi | Short walk to the athlete buses |
| Kenmore / Fenway | ~1 mi | Spectating the final mile |
| Cambridge (Kendall) | ~1.9 mi via Red Line | More availability, often better value |
At the finish line
- The Charlesmark Hotel – right on Boylston Street at the finish; a small boutique hotel – book very early.
- The Lenox Hotel – about 0.1 mi; a classic marathon-weekend favorite on Boylston Street.
- Courtyard Boston Copley Square – about 0.1 mi; a Marriott-brand option steps from the finish.
Upscale near Copley Square
- Fairmont Copley Plaza – about 0.2 mi; a landmark luxury hotel on Copley Square.
- Mandarin Oriental, Boston – about 0.15 mi; luxury near the Prudential Center and the Hynes expo.
Walking distance and good for groups
- The Westin Copley Place – about 0.2 mi; a big hotel with indoor connections to Copley Place – handy in April weather.
- Boston Marriott Copley Place – about 0.2 mi; large room inventory, good for running clubs and groups.
- Boston Park Plaza – about 0.5 mi; close to the Charles Street athlete-bus loading area.
Further out
- Hotel Commonwealth – about 1 mi in Kenmore Square, right by the course’s final mile – ideal for spectators.
How to choose your Boston Marathon hotel
For runners, the finish-area hotels in Back Bay are the dream: you can walk back after crossing the line and the expo at the Hynes is around the corner. The trade-off is price and availability. Staying near Boston Common shortens your race-morning walk to the athlete buses on Charles Street, while Kenmore and Cambridge are good value options for spectators and supporters.
- Running the race: Back Bay or Boston Common/Park Plaza.
- Supporting a runner: Kenmore is next to the final mile – great for cheering.
- Groups: the big Copley Place hotels have the most rooms.
- Budget: Cambridge on the Red Line usually has more availability than Back Bay.
Getting there, shuttles & parking
- MBTA: in 2025 Copley station was closed all day on Marathon Monday; riders were directed to Arlington, Prudential and Hynes Convention Center (Green Line) and Back Bay (Orange Line). Expect a similar plan in 2027.
- Extra service: the MBTA has run additional trains on all lines and special Framingham/Worcester Commuter Rail trains on race day.
- Athlete buses: official buses to Athletes’ Village in Hopkinton load on Charles Street between Boston Common and the Public Garden.
- Driving: street closures around Back Bay make driving on race day impractical – walk or use the T.
Tips for Boston Marathon weekend
- Pick up your bib early in the weekend to avoid the Sunday rush at the Hynes.
- Staying near the Common makes the race-morning walk to the buses simple.
- Plan for Copley station to be closed and use Arlington, Back Bay or Hynes instead.
- Track runners with the official B.A.A. Racing App.
- Ask your hotel about a late checkout on Monday so you can shower after finishing.
Why Boston’s hotel market behaves differently on Marathon Monday
The Boston Marathon is held on Patriots’ Day, a Monday holiday in Massachusetts, so the weekend before the race is busy with runners, families, charity teams and spectators. Hotels in and around the finish area in Back Bay and the Boylston Street corridor are in demand, and the city is relatively compact, which means many travelers compete for the same rooms. Planning early is more important here than in many other cities.
Because the course runs from the suburbs into the city, there are two very different experiences. Runners must get to the start in Hopkinton on race morning, while spectators can watch from many points along the route and then head to the finish area. Your hotel choice should reflect which of these you care about, and the official Boston Athletic Association site is the right source for current transport and course information.
Runners: planning the race-morning journey
If you are running, the logistics of race morning will shape your hotel decision more than anything else. Work out how you will reach the buses or the start area, what time you need to leave, and how you will get back after the finish. Check the official BAA instructions for baggage, transport and start procedures, because they can change and are strict about timing.
A hotel that lets you leave early and return easily after a long run is worth a premium. After 26.2 miles, stairs, long walks and complicated transit connections feel much harder than normal. Ask whether the hotel offers an early breakfast or can provide a simple pre-race meal, and whether it allows a late checkout on Tuesday if you plan to sleep in.
Spectators: choosing where to watch and where to sleep
Spectators have more flexibility and should think about how they want to spend the day. Some prefer to stay near the finish in Back Bay and watch there, while others use the subway and commuter rail to see runners at several points. A hotel near a major subway line gives you the freedom to do both, and often costs less than a room within a few blocks of Boylston Street.
Crowds on race day can be dense and some streets near the finish may be closed, so confirm which routes your hotel’s entrance and nearby transit stops will use. Plan a clear meeting spot with the runner in your group, since phone networks can be congested and the finish area is crowded. Pack layers, because New England weather in April can change quickly.
Booking strategy and flexible rates
Book as early as your plans allow, and choose a free-cancellation rate where possible. Marathon participants sometimes have to change plans due to injury, and spectators may adjust travel dates, so flexibility is valuable. Read the cancellation policy carefully, because some hotels have a stricter deadline for race weekend and may require a minimum stay.
Check prices again from time to time and compare different neighborhoods, including Cambridge, Brookline and areas along the subway lines. If a better option appears, book it before canceling the old one. Beware of unofficial listings that look unusually cheap, and confirm the exact address, any resort fees and parking charges before you pay.
The weekend before race day
Most runners spend the weekend resting, collecting their race materials and staying off their feet. If you have time, keep sightseeing light, perhaps a short walk through the Public Garden or along the Charles River. Check the BAA site for details on any expo and bib pickup, including required identification and opening hours.
Plan dinner reservations early, since popular restaurants in the central areas can be booked well in advance on marathon weekend. Many runners prefer a simple meal the night before, close to the hotel, with an early night. Set two alarms and lay out your gear in advance so that race morning is calm.
What to avoid when planning a Boston trip
Do not assume you can arrive on Monday morning and find a smooth route to the finish. Roads, bridges and some transit stops can be affected by the race, and the crowds are large. Arrive the day before at the latest, and leave extra time for any airport transfer after the event, since many visitors depart on Tuesday.
Avoid booking a room far from any transit line simply to save a little money, and avoid forgetting accessibility questions if you travel with someone who has mobility needs. Ask the hotel about step-free access, elevator capacity and the closest accessible transit station. Finally, keep your confirmation details accessible offline, so you can check in smoothly even if your phone signal is poor.
Official sources: Boston Athletic Association (Boston Marathon) official website. Check it for current schedules, transport and ticketing before you book.
How we checked this guide
The “Last updated” date at the top of this page is when we last reviewed it end to end.
- Parking rates, shuttle fees and transport times are taken from the port’s, venue’s or operator’s own published pages and from each hotel’s own website — not from aggregator sites.
- Distances and journey times are the figures the venue or transit operator publishes, not our estimates. Where we give a distance, we say what it is measured to.
- Hotel amenities (breakfast, shuttle hours, pet and parking policies) come from each hotel’s own site. These change more often than anything else here, so confirm them when you book.
- Room rates are deliberately not listed anywhere on this site. They move daily, and a price written one month is wrong the next. Our links take you to live pricing instead.
- We have not stayed at every hotel we write about. Where we contacted a property directly, the guide says so and gives the date. Where a figure comes from a third-party report rather than an official source, we say that too.
Found something out of date or wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.
FAQ
When is the 2027 Boston Marathon?
Monday, April 19, 2027 (Patriots’ Day).
Where is the Boston Marathon finish line?
On Boylston Street at Copley Square in Back Bay.
Where do runners catch the buses to Hopkinton?
On Charles Street between Boston Common and the Public Garden.
Where is the Boston Marathon expo?
At the Hynes Convention Center, Level Two, on Boylston Street.
Is Copley station open on race day?
It was closed all day in 2025. Use Arlington, Prudential, Hynes or Back Bay instead.
Is it better to stay near Boston Common or Copley Square?
Copley Square is best if you want to walk back from the finish and be close to the expo. Boston Common, about 0.5–1 mile from the finish, is better if you want a short, easy walk to the athlete buses on Charles Street on race morning – and it often has a few more rooms available.
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We start at the venue and work outward: walking time, shuttle and transit options first, then guest review scores and value for money. Hotels can’t pay to be listed. Some links are affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability change daily, so always check live rates before you book.
