Hillside Inn

Stayed here a few days ago for a wedding, and the woman who worked the front desk (may have been the owner) was great. We had to check in quite late (after the desk was supposed to be closed) and she was remarkably accommodating. The furnishings aren't fancy (wood paneling, in-wall AC, radiator heating), but it was inexpensive, clean, had a vacancy, and the woman we spoke with was exceptionally friendly. It had its own charm, and my fiancee and I got a kick out of staying there. We had no complaints, and I'd stay there again.

This place is not fancy, just look at the photos on the web site to get a feel for the place. The continental breakfast isn't much, just coffee, tea and some small muffins. However, it's clean, inexpensive and the people who run it and work there are fantastic. They're the most helpful and friendly people you'll find anywhere. I've stayed on at least 6 different trips for several nights each time and every visit has been great. If you are visiting a student at Cornell it's a short walk to collegetown and many of the dorms.

The inn was described as quaint, but I found it old and dingey. My room was clean, but the sheets and shower curtain were worn with small holes. The Continental breakfast was a pot of coffee and a pan of little muffins and donuts on a shelf outside the reception area. The reception area was a closed in porch with a counter, chair and vending machine. The people were very nice.

Ithaca lodging is very overpriced, maybe because of the roch Cornell kids? Not too sure... This place was a disappointment, even for the low price of $79. At a minimum I expect the room, especially the toilet, to be clean, but it wasn't. The place is very dingy and old; it smells old. There were no toiletries of any kind and the only thing they gave us after I called for some was a bar of soap. The walls are thin, and you can hear people talking from all the way downstairs. Because it's so close to campus it gets a bit loud. The property is kiddy-corner from a Frat/Sorority house of some sort. It also gets hot at night and we were in 50 degree weather (granted we could have turned on the A/C, but we didn't expect it to be so hot with the windows open). The bed seems to be a bit smaller than a queen, like maybe a 1950's queen? The shower is very, very small. The water couldn't reach my legs directly without me putting half of my body out of the shower, grazing my other leg on the toilet, to just wash off the other leg. The only good thing was the customer service. The employees are nice there and will help you out with any questions you have if you are new to the area. Overall I give it a 2 only for the fact that the employees were friendly. My wife and I are from the sticks and not too picky, but we weren't at all happy with this place. It was one false move away from receiving a 1 from me...

Back when we were undergrads, my then-girlfriend stayed here the night before she took the MCAT. If the room is smelly and the bedsprings are creaky, it's probably the one she slept in. I helped ensure that she get a good night's rest by spending several hours refining her knowledge of male and female anatomy. Mission accomplished, DMD, MD! Also has great proximity to the west campus frats and Collegetown so one can easily stagger to and from such venues.

They were vey flexible. When I missed my flight and did not stay a night already paid for, they refunded me for that night. Not the best place for a family stay, but it is fine for a small group.

No frills, free wifi and parking. Staff was accommodating, rooms clean and decent, great pricing. Will definitely stay again!

Nice quaint rooms and a very nice balcony area. Close to Cornell campus and some food.

I stayed here for one night last month. This was the most affordable accommodation within 20 miles. With affordable, my main concern is cleanliness and I found Hillside Inn to be on point in those regards. Everything was clean and neat, no concerns in that department whatsoever. I imagine this was an older home that was renovated into a hotel. The place is quaint, with an old style vending machine in the hall, actual keys for the doors, and CRT televisions in the rooms. There was a window air conditioner available in the room. The staff was friendly and helpful. In the morning, complimentary coffee, cookies, and muffins were available. The bed was a little too firm for me but that is a mere personal preference.

I stayed here for 3.5 months while interning in the Ithaca NY area. The extended stay price was reasonable. I stayed in a small room with an A/C unit and small bathroom. This is a perfectly nice place to stay, particularly given the outstanding location. This a no-frills, budget operation that does not provide the amenities of a typical hotel. You get an old-fashioned key and climb rickety steps to get to your wood-paneled bedroom complete with CRT television. The building seems to be an old house that has been gutted and refitted as a hotel. Each room is uniquely laid out. The bed was comfortable and the room was cleaned when I asked. The Wifi is fast and easy to use. The next door laundry was convenient and reasonably priced (3.50 to wash/dry per load; I have seen it as high as 16.00 elsewhere). The part that I didn't like was that the walls and floors were thin. Also, the front desk is not always staffed during business hours. Most of all, I think the bathroom layout was bad. Each room is different, but my bathroom had the toilet placed under the trap of the sink, so it was quite difficult to use. I would go to the gym each morning to take care of business and shower, so this did not bother me very much. Overall, I would definitely stay here again. Highly recommended if all you need is a comfortable, convenient place to stay.

Conventional wisdom says: You get what you pay for. And you do. The Hillside Inn is a quaint little place set between Cornell University and Collegetown (aka Ithaca's no-cars-allowed, open-street-shopping and dining area). We stayed there on a Sunday night (w/dog in tow) and walked downtown to see a concert at the State Theatre. The staff couldn't be more helpful, interesting and knowledgeable. The room, while seriously outdated and hacked in a number of ingenious ways, was clean. It was adequate. We got a good night's sleep. In the morning? We walked uphill to get a breakfast bagel near Cornell. The night before? We walked downhill to see the concert. The Hillside's location makes it a winner and "nothing fancy" is a fair trade-off for saving loads in a city that's become increasingly hard to afford. If you need hangers that match, if wonky countertops make you uneasy or if outdated ain't your thing? Keep looking. If, instead, you just want to sleep and happen to like quirky? Welcome home ... for the night!

A perfectly comfortable little hotel near Downtown Ithaca. Our room had everything we could have possibly needed (air con, bath, shower, plenty of blankets, television etc.), and the staff were very friendly. It isn't the kind of place that's going to win awards for style, but it's clean, comfortable, and cheap all things considered.

Did someone say Bates Motel? Yes, accommodations in Ithaca are EXTREMELY overpriced, so at $69/night the Hillside Inn seems like a pretty damn good deal. But just how much do you get for that $69/night? I was initially kind of creeped out by the place. It is right out of the 70's which means it has scent of cigarettes permanently ingrained in all of the walls and carpets. My room which had a double bed was pretty tiny, and kind of looked like a basement: mismatched wood paneled walls, grid ceiling, lots of mirrors and weird old furniture. The bathroom was also extremely small, good thing I'm not claustrophobic! My main beef with the Hillside Inn is that it was just straight up dirty. I kept finding gross black hair (not mine) on the bedding and in the bathroom, I had to buy a candle to get rid of the smell, and the most disgusting part of it all (and what pushed me to write this bad review) there was DRIED BLOOD, or something that looked pretty freaking similar to dried blood on one of the bathroom towels. Yeah, I know, gross. During my 3-night stayed my room was never cleaned once. I even put the tag on the outside door handle that is suppose to be a signal for the maid to come, but alas, no maid. So what do you get for you money? Apparently not much. I didn't think it would be that bad since all I really needed was a place to sleep and keep my stuff for the weekend. If you can look past the dirtiness I guess it's not that bad. I wasn't very upset with the Hillside Inn until I found the bloody towel, but that was definitely the straw that broke the camel's back. On the plus side, it is the cheapest room you will find in Ithaca, it has a good location if you want to hang out in College Town, the parking is free, and the people were pretty nice. Just be prepared and know what you're getting into before you book your room at the Hillside Inn.

While visiting Ithaca, New York recently to hear a speaker at Ithaca College, I was starting to despair at the thought of spending over $100 for a place to lay my head. While calling and/or visiting each of the listings, I spotted the Hillside Inn and was surprised to learn they had a room for $59. Suspiciously I made my way there and checked out the room for bedbugs--via telltale signs on the mattress, of which there weren't any. Registered for the room, and the proprietor gave me the cook's tour, pointing out the location of the Cornell campus (5-minute walk away) and Collegetown, where I would find about 20 restaurants of all types (also 5-minute walk away). After the evening lecture, I took the 20-minute drive back to the Inn and, after using the free wi-fi for a while settled down for the night. The room was fine--with a nice desk, t.v., good heat (and a/c should it be needed), a sink in the room, and shower, w/c. I loved the touch of a retro alarm clock; easier to use and more dependable than a clock radio, and a nice change from my cell phone alarm. The place was quiet, bed was comfy and I had a great sleep. Only bit of adventure: I lost my cell phone. Two of the staff members were hugely helpful, searching with me everywhere. No luck--the phone had died so no ringer could be heard. . .they offered to call all the places I had been to the previous night. I was resigned to getting another phone, when they found it after I checked out, under the bed! Would I recommend this place to people on a honeymoon? No. . . .but if you are on a budget, uneasy about couch-surfing, and want a safe, comfortable place, with exceptionally pleasant staff in a good location, the Hillside Inn is right for you. Bring your own shampoo though (they don't provide it) and I would recommend bringing your own soap as well. Their bars don't suds up much.

Folks, If you are only sleeping here and want a place close to Cornell then bring a bottle of something strong and take a few stiff shots before going to bed. There are old places that have charm or character, are nostalgic, or have something redeeming about them. The Hillside Inn - not so much. It is old, dirty, and rundown. The owners have done nothing, and I mean nothing to try and maintain or update the hotel. The room was beyond dirty with hair everywhere. The bathroom looked like something out of a horror movie. I honestly can't believe the place hasn't been condemned. As for the free continental breakfast listed on their website - it doesn't exist. Trust me - this place is not worth the cheap rate. Go somewhere else or drink enough before going to your room where you won't notice how bad it is.

Small beds, small shower, bad smell, no refrigerator, breakfast is just orange juice

Do not stay here if you are expecting a normal hotel experience. It seems to be more of a boarding house or youth hostel type of place. The rooms are more comparable to rooms in an old house than they are a hotel room. Furniture is old, bed was shot, what few pillows we had were flatter than the Bible they did provide. This isn't 'run down Motel 6' bad, it's not even in the same arena as a legitimate hotel. It's not quaint. At all. If cost is your ONLY concern, then*maybe* stay here, but otherwise I would suggest the Super 8 downtown, or the Ramada by the airport for low cost but comfortable accommodations.

I haven't stayed here yet but after reading all the nasty reviews I can't wait to be a patron! I feel so sorry for the family who runs this business who has to work with the public and put up with this nasty feedback. People can just be so critical an mean. They had every chance while they were there to behave like mature adults to bring their grievances to the attention of the staff. Instead, they held it in and tried to ruin the reputation of the family and the manner of income of this family. Disgraceful! Now...I will make my reservations.

Great location: close to Cornell University and lots of restaurants nearby; short drive to a couple of state park such as Robert Treman State park and Watkins Glen State park. The inn is well maintained and very clean. All in all - I would stay here again on our next return trip to Ithaca in the winter. The price was much more reasonable compared to other comparably rated hotels in the area!

Are you charmed by plugged-up plumbing, furniture that looks like it was bought at a Salvation Army sale and then dropped from the top of the Empire State Building, dangling and falling chunks of wall paneling, melted plastic lamps, nonworking alarm clocks (no radio), filthy walls, paint applied sometime during the first Nixon Administration, bars of soap too small to hold, huge nails sticking out of bed frames, towels so harsh you wouldn't use them on a horse, "night tables" created from a piece of plywood perched on a radiator, hammering and banging at 8:30 in the morning? Are you comforted by a "staff" consisting of one of the scariest women alive who avoids eye contact and never speaks, an elderly man obviously suffering from advanced dementia who sits mutely in the hallway, and a friendly enough guy who asks a lot of questions and cannot ever shut his trap so that you cannot get out the door? Are you satisfied with a continental breakfast of instant coffee and a teeny-weeny muffin? Are you familiar with Deliverance, the Addams Family, Grey Gardens, and the Bowery in Lower Manhattan? Can you please scrape together just a few more dollars and get a room anywhere but this deplorable flophouse?

i love ithaca but i cannot believe this place has not been shut down by someone or the school. it was very dirty, smelly, and overall odd enough that i remember how bad it was even months later. we stayed in july of last year and i am still furious that this place left such a bad taste in my mouth for ithaca. this experience permanently tarnished my idea of a great town that is ithaca. please do ample research on this place before making a decision.