Under $100

A strange blend between a motel and a greenhouse, the Battle Green Inn (1720 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, 781/862-6100, www.battlegreeninn.com, $89–109) has cute and affordable rooms arranged around a central indoor courtyard. Its location just steps from the Battle Green and other historic sites can’t be beat.

Your best bet for lodging in Lowell is the Courtyard by Marriott (30 Industrial Ave. East, Lowell, 978/458-7575, www.marriott.com, $74–174), which has pay-per-view movies and in-room coffee service.

$100–150

It may sound too cozy to be true, but Fireside Bed and Breakfast (24 Eldred St., Lexington, 781/862-2053, www.firesidebb.com, $90–140), lives up to its name with modern bathrooms, beds laid with homemade quilts, and a location snug up against miles of conservation land. In colder seasons, the elaborate breakfasts are served in the formal dining room next to (where else?) the fireplace.

Just off the highway on the north side of Lexington, the Quality Inn & Suites (440 Bedford St., Lexington, 781/861-0850, www.choicehotels.com, $70–120) offers complimentary Wi-Fi as well as sports-club passes, cable TV, and a free shuttle to nearby historic attractions.

$150–250

No lodging in Concord gets more into the spirit of the town than the
Hawthorne Inn (462 Lexington Rd., Concord, 978/369-5610, www.concordmass.com, $125–325), which trumpets its location on land once owned by Emerson, Hawthorne, and the Alcotts, and challenges its guests to “think an original thought” while they stay. The seven guest rooms are decked out with original artwork and handmade quilts, as well as copies of poetry and novels written by the Concord authors to provide the proper inspiration while you are there.

While it’s not quite within walking distance of the Old North Bridge, the North Bridge Inn (21 Monument St., Concord, 978/371-0014, www.northbridgeinn.com, $165–275) is as close as you are likely to get to Concord historic sites. The unpretentious guesthouse features all-suite accommodations, from a “studio suite” with microwave alcove to a larger suite with separate room and kitchenette. Lithographs of Revolutionary battles on the walls and toile bedspreads on the beds give the inn a colonial feel without going overboard. A full breakfast is served at a sunny breakfast nook downstairs.

© Michael Blanding and Alexandra Hall from Moon New England, 2nd Edition