AC Hotel Boston North

The new Marriott hotel “lifestyle” conceit provides relief to strapped travelers, and this Medford entry is especially welcome to traveling families. Guest rooms are moody and modern, with sizeable bathroom suites, and some even have water views. There’s a surprisingly robust breakfast buffet, but for dinner your best bet is to head to Assembly Row, less than a mile away, to sample the outdoor mall’s array of indie restaurants (plus a few mini-chains).