Y. K.
Yelp
After reading great reviews for this B&B, we decided to give this a shot on one of our many trips to Newport. We frequently stay at B&Bs in Newport and the larger New England area, therefore have a very good idea of what is good, and what leaves much to be desired.
While we really want to give a good rating for this inn given the friendly inn keeper, but we cannot ignore the shortcomings in service, accommodation and location.
1. First, we were misled at the time of booking (we used booking.com) regarding the type of room we were booking (Captain's quarter's, The Snuggery etc.); the one we got was not even in the photos (The Postcard). We were shocked at what we actually got when we got to the inn. Misleading guests reflects very poorly on the establishment. Actually, for lack of transparency, I would not even rank this place.
If you ever do willingly choose to stay in The Postcard room, please know that it is on the top floor and there is just one tiny window that overlooks the street. The room is perhaps the smallest they have. The bathroom while tiny is modern, but the water pressure is unreliable. The mattress is soft and thick (the best bit about the room). The heating is modern and reliable, and can be adjusted as needed.
2. The housekeeping service was very disappointing for an inn that prides in fantastic service. Our used dirty coffee mugs were left in the room after housekeeping had left & never removed until we took them downstairs ourselves.
3. Even though we stayed 2 nights, our toiletries were never replenished & we had to buy our own for the second day. These are red flags in very basic hospitality and service.
4. The breakfast provided while excellent in itself (Mark is a great chef) was just 1 entree with juice, coffee and tea, unlike any other inn we have stayed at & hence the below average rating. Bed & breakfasts are known for hearty, delicious, large breakfasts, so this was disappointing.
5. Additionally, there is no afternoon snack/cookies/pastries or tea offered which once again is unusual in comparison to other inns in the area, but we did not take this into consideration during ranking (being lenient).
6. The yard furniture in the back porch was in horrid condition, which cannot be excused- it just needed paint to be presentable (like ones put out in the front porch). While not much can be done about the brown grass at this time of year, certainly one can run a coat or two of paint on the yard furniture to make it somewhat presentable. This indicates to us apathy on the part of the inn keepers and less than complete attention to basic presentation of the accommodation.
7. The location is not very convenient for a stroll into the wharf/downtown area, at least not at this time of year. One needs a car, which in comparison to other inns in the area, is a disadvantage, since they are a 5-minute walk or less, from downtown. People need to know this and other guests have also mentioned this point on other travel websites about this lodging. We agree with them.
8. Like other inns in the area though, they do provide free parking at the back of the lodging, which is good.
We hope our review will help both future guests in making an informed decision, and the inn keepers in improving the services.