Sick to death of chain hotels? The Charles may be your perfect antidote. While it has all of the amenities you’d need—down comforters, Origins bath products, Bose radios and more—it also features quirky, distinctive touches like homemade checkered quilts on each of the plush beds, Shaker furniture in the rooms and a 500-volume book collection full of autographed novels. The dining options are no afterthought, either: inside, you’ll find Jody Adams’ lauded Rialto and the rusticthemed Henrietta’s Table, where the weekend brunch is legendary; world-famous jazz acts perform regularly at the Regattabar. If it’s local Cambridge flavor you seek, the quirky shops, theaters and nightlife of Harvard Square are just steps away.

Charles Hotel Amenities:

• 294 rooms. Wireless Internet access. Restaurant, bar.