Brookside House

I only meant to stay briefly, then ended up there for just over a year. The place has a homey feel and a nice little community if you take a few minutes to talk with the other tenants. Lori and Kevin were consistently kind and respectful, always greeting me with a smile. Whenever I had a question, Kevin got back to me quickly. When I accidentally broke a drawer handle, he replaced it the same day. It's close to transit, grocery stores, bars, and restaurants, and the property was well maintained. A maid took out the trash, vacuumed the rooms, and cleaned the bathrooms each week. I had a great experience living there.

Room 17 was clean and in a quiet spot, and we stayed there for three nights. Downstairs there's a large kitchen with good equipment for making meals. The managers communicate well, and there's off-street parking. It's a good, cheaper base for exploring the greater Boston area.

I spent four months here and never ran into a problem. The house is a quarter mile from the T, so commuting is easy. It's near a Stop 'n' Shop, with a decent-sized business district farther up the road. For what it costs, I thought it was a good deal, comparable to a cheaper Boston apartment. Bathrooms are shared, but each person gets one bathroom and they're well maintained. The kitchen has all the comforts, and every Thursday they make the bed and empty the trash as part of turndown service. The office staff were friendly, open, and helpful. I'd gladly stay again.

At over a grand a month, this place wasn't worth it. The rooms are tiny, with shared bathrooms, and you have to pay extra for a fridge and AC. In summer you pretty much need to get AC unless you can handle how hot the rooms become. There are no towels or soap, and the office hours are odd. I paid in cash for more than four months, but couldn't get my security deposit back because I hadn't given two weeks' notice, lol. Rent runs Thursday to Thursday, so paying weekly means you end up paying five times in some months. It's overpriced and I wouldn't recommend staying here.