Christina J.
Yelp
My husband and I planned to stay at the Gibson Inn for 2 nights with our puppy. We wanted a vacation where we could relax, sleep late, and visit St. George Island. We chose this inn based on many good reviews, but should have paid better attention to the poor reviews. The city of Apalachicola is very slow and quaint, with many little shops and restaurants.
The good... 1) check in was very easy, 2) room was clean, 3) they are pet-friendly.
The bad... 1) The exterior and surrounding landscaping lacked curb appeal. In addition, it had very little grass for the puppy to do his business. There was a lot of dirt, grit, and sand. There are a few parking places along the street in front and side of the inn. 2) The room was very small, and smelled musty. They informed us at check-in that the room they had slated for us had a leak in the a/c, so we were getting an "upgrade". The "upgrade" was a room that has access to a shared porch. Someone wrote another review and said their room was the size of a postage stamp; and that is a great description. We wonder what the non-upgraded room was like. 3) The walls are paper-thin. We could hear someone next door "pass gas", and every time someone used the ice machine, or shut a door. So, it was difficult to get a good night's sleep. 4) They are doing construction on the property but did not disclose that when we booked the stay. Construction lasts all day. And it was literally right outside our door where they were using saws and hammering. We put up with it yesterday, but by the time it started this morning, we were tired from lack of sleep, and could not take one more day with the construction noise, so we decided to leave after staying one night. 5) I went to tell the front desk that we would be checking out early because of the construction noise. The desk attendant told me she would get my "folio" ready. When I returned with the keys, she gave me the receipt. I noticed we were charged for 2 nights. Upon asking for clarification, she said it was because I did not cancel within 48 hours prior to the arrival. I explained that we were leaving because of the construction noise, which was not any fault of ours. The attendant was unapologetic. She said her manager was in a meeting, but that she could have them call me to see if they can waive that cancellation fee. Of course, I have not received a call; and probably will not.
For a place that has been in business for 116 years, you would think they'd have their customer service down to a science.
I would not recommend the Gibson Inn to any of my friends or family.