Our stay did not begin well. We waited over 20 minutes to be seen by the check-in clerk. At this point it was 4:45pm and we were told that the room was not ready and it was not ready because we had indicated that we would arrive at 5:30pm. We asked to see the room which was a very awkward event with the check-in clerk, who then asked us to return after 5:30pm. To make the time pass, we drove around the area and returned at 5:30pm. Again we waited to see the check in clerk only this time we waited over 40 minutes. It was apparent that the clerk was having trouble navigating the computer and was not very friendly or apologetic. After waiting to be seen again, we were informed that the room was still not ready and to compensate we were given a free appetizer at the pub. I stepped out of the pub around 6:20pm to get something out of the car and saw the cleaning staff and they said the room would be ready soon and would phone the bar to let us know. When I returned from the car, the check-in clerk had informed the bar staff that we should be given a free bottle of wine. However, I do not drink. The phone call that our room was ready never came and we finally went into the room at 7:15pm. The bartender gave us 10% off our food instead of the bottle of wine, however I do not feel that this was sufficient. The room, was ok, but to be honest it was quite dusty on the fixtures and artificial flowers, a window did work, the blinds were broken, there was a dead potted plant on the patio, (there were also four dead potted plants stuffed under the deck near our room) and only two full size towels in the bathroom. The website also claims that there are terry robes and honeysuckle bath salts, neither of which were in our room. We had also planned to swim in the pool upon arrival but were not able to because there was no where to change, and even if we used a restroom, we would not have had towels. So we were not able to swim because our room was not ready. The inn responded to the information above and told us we should have asked the front desk clerk, however we didn't want to wait anymore and certainly did not want to engage with her again. read more

Dilapidated - Dated - Dingy - Drab - Dirty - Disappointing I think, once upon a time, someone put their heart and soul into this property, but that is no longer the case. I spent 4 nights in one of the Barnside Luxury Suites ($250/night). The room decor was dated and drab. The room was "kinda" clean (although I heard from other guests that they had bed bugs). The crank windows were stuck open (leading to bugs and street noise) until the handyman/chef came and screwed them shut. This was unfortunate since the AC also didn't work (and now there was no air flow). In addition, there were times when no water came out of the faucets (other times the hot came out of the cold and vice versa; sometimes there was no hot water at all). Finally, I was over charged for taking my dog (the website said $10/night - I was charged $25). The worst part, I attempted to be cordial and bring these matters to the attention of the manager. He did send over the chef/handyman and brought me a fan. Otherwise, he seemed bothered. When asked about any type of refund he would not answer or return my calls. I hope, for the property's sake, someone with a heart to manage it - and the customers - will take it over before it falls permanently into disrepair. read more

Don't sleep on this place!! My family and I chose to stay here as an affordable option when skiing for the weekend at Jiminy Peak. It's a modest looking place, but it's cozy, and when you're tired after skiing, all you need is some cheesy food and a warm bed anyway!! This place is a fond memory; speaking of cheesy food, the tavern connected to the motel had some great comfort food. My go-to dinner was the buffalo burger. Solid meals, nice staff, great location to the town if you're interested in trying some other food in Williamstown, and it's in the vicinity of Jiminy Peak if that's what brings you to the area. I would recommend this place in a heartbeat. read more

We were pleased that our room was clean. I guess we expected more, though. Room is very dark and dingy. No housekeeping, not sure if that is normal for a motel? They have a coffee pot with supplies, but did not replenish for the 2nd day. No new towels, either. I've heard they used to serve breakfast but don't anymore. Too bad because nothing nearby for breakfast or coffee. Have to drive in to town. You can tell it was a cute lodge at one time, and I hope COVID and competition doesn't kill their business. read more

Positives first: It's a very good value for a bed and breakfast type joint in this area, where some places will run you $250+ a night. Our final charge was $138 after all the various taxes, which is admirable. The bed was very comfortable, the TVs with cable are convenient, the mini fridge is nice, the room is very cute (we had a brookside room), and the Jacuzzi was a real nice touch. Complaints: -Razor thin walls. We were there for our first anniversary, so use your imagination on what our plans involved. We could hear the room next door, and well, they probably heard us. There were very few people staying on this particular night, and for some reason, they crammed us and our neighbors in two adjacent rooms. Not sure why. -There was one full size towel in the bathroom. Oops. -The WiFi did not work in our room. Probably because we were at one of the far ends of the Brookside building. Walking closer to the central office made the signal better, but fumbling around on my laptop outside in 40 degree weather wasn't exactly my idea of a good time. They need to add more signal boosters. Still, breakfast was quite good. Eggs, bacon, Belgian waffle maker, muffins and bagels, coffee and juices, cereal. A very good Continental breakfast by any standard. It was a good lodging experience overall, but among the other venues in this area, it's decidedly average. read more

We were looking for a place to house our guests where we could share dinner on the premises, and we knew that the 1896 House was both convenient and pleasantly-located by the brook. Some of the reviews we read concerned us, but our conversations with the staff were reassuring, and the event itself was a complete success. Dinner for twenty-five was served buffet-style in their large, informal private room; food and service were both first-rate. We had only good reports on the rooms, which are not modern but clean and atmospheric, much more appealing for our guests than a faceless corporate environment. We were very pleased that we decided to give our business to a local, family-run operation, and they certainly did their part to make our event a success. read more

I wanted a quick getaway and from their website, 1896 House looked like a quaint B&B. Nope! It is a cheesey motel of the standard 1950s style! Disappointed the moment I drove up. Next, when I got to my room, there was no bath - only a shower. When I was booking online, I made sure to select a room with a tub, even though it cost extra. I went back to the office, and after first disagreeing with me (!) they reluctantly gave me a different room. It had a bit of a musty smell like it needed airing out, but that went away after I left the windows open for a few hours. The bathroom was pretty gross, with stained grout around the toilet, and water stains on the ceiling. Not sure if the gross room was given to me as "punishment" for complaining, or if all rooms are like that? In the morning I was ready to forgive everything. I had a lovely tub soak, and the breakfast they served was fantastic - fresh waffles with bacon, blueberries, and walnuts, and a whole buffet of treats - ham, cheese, strawberries, melon. The second morning, however, was a different story. Breakfast was served in a different room, with plastic plates and cups - paper cups for the coffee! There was bacon again, but lower quality than the day before, and scramble made from powdered eggs. Other options were Froot Loops or an apple. If you are looking for a cheap motel, this is it. If you are looking for an actual B&B, go elsewhere. read more

We actually never stayed there because they cancelled our reservation and one month later we still have not received our deposit back!

Rustic but charming and the awesome cozy pub - (think dark wood & twinkle lights) next door and restaurant makes not having to drive afterwards a big bonus. Anthony is a great bartender BTW. We are also fans of places that offer kings size beds and that don't allow pets in rooms due to allergies. The suite we stayed in had a kitchenette, a toaster oven, small fridge, and a front porch with cute wicker furniture. It's basically a country motel, and though not posh or high-tech (old school TV's), it's solid and clean, and we really had a nice time being there. The grounds are prettier than other competing motels nearby. The homemade carrot muffins stuffed with cream cheese frosting in the morning were delicious and everyone that works there is really, really nice. read more

Used to be good but gone way downhill Have been here years ago and loved it. It went real downhill. First we arrived at 515pm the person had no idea how to work the computer and lost our info. Was given key to room... room was never cleaned after last occupant. Was promised it would be done in an hour. Went to dinner at their pub. Not handicapped accessible- long walkway with lots of broken flagstones and not lit at night. Finally got into room about 730pm. Housekeeping is non-existent. They came only once (after 5pm) because I complained. I flagged a worker down for towels, facecloths and to have trash emptied. She had no facecloths and no idea where the trash bags were. She promised to return but never did. Our trash as well as wet towels etc, piled up. When I complained at the desk they claim they had no idea. I would give this one star but the chef who cooked our breakfast was wonderful. I have never been in a place where housekeeping was non-existent. The coffee pot was dirty, lampshades broken, bathroom buggy. Just flabbergasted at how they let the property go so downhill in the last ten years or so. read more

Here is my honest review. Nothing went wrong but, sounds like if you want to stay here, you need to specifically request the rooms attached to the pub. Other than that, you are in for a motel experience. The pondside was run down. It really just needed some landscaping and the whole thing would have looked more refreshed. The rooms are sizable but outdated and have a musty smell to them that goes away with some cracked windows. The bathroom was fine, nothing bad nothing good. The TV didn't work, or maybe there was something we were missing, but we tried for awhile without success. The pillows were worn in and lumpy. The bedding was warm and the heat worked fine. We didn't try the breakfast so I can't comment on that, but heard it was a to go bag due to covid. Overall, there are many options in the Williamstown area that would have been more worth our money. If you want a cheap motel night, you'll get it here. We have been to the pub and had good experience and expected the same from the rooms but were disappointed. We will not return, but nothing was exceptionally bad. read more

Considering my husband and I arranged our anniversary mini-trip last minute, the 1896 was just serviceable. The cost was reasonable compared to the other B&Bs that were still available. After staying a night there, now I know why this was not completely booked. The room was very clean and homey. Our king size bed was huge. There was a mini fridge. Though we were one of two parties staying that night and many rooms opened, we placed next to the other party. The problem was it walls were paper thin and heard the old man coughing. Not to mention, it was our anniversary... I guess the maid didn't want to walk another room over to clean... Another thing that bothered me was that there was only one bath towel. Their effort to be environmental conscious came off as stingy and they probably did not want to wash or use another towel. The bar/pub was not even opened at midnight on a Saturday night! My hubby and I wanted to grab a beer there. The breakfast area was cute. The food was a step above continental and there were scrambled eggs and bacon. The eggs were gritty, but coffee was decent enough that I did not have to stop elsewhere to get another cup. read more

My husband and I went there for a weekend get away. We got a Living Social voucher for the stay so the price was very reasonable, especially since it included a dinner. We stayed on the Barnside, in one of their Luxury Suites. The room wash just beautiful. All the detail was tended to. The pictures on their website are pretty accurate. I was pleasantly surprised at how much bigger the rooms were in comparison to their photos. The bed was comfortable and the fire place quite romantic. The only down side to our trip was that if we didn't take a shower early enough or do our tub soaking early enough, they run out of hot water and then you would have to wait!! So keep that in mind! The breakfast included was a nice continental buffet along with a cooked hot breakfast. The ladies handling it were very sweet and helpful. The front desk was helpful as well. The attached restaurant was quite good but I feel overpriced for what they're serving. The food was more like a 3-star but it was free and good enough. I would definitely go back! read more

Here is the takeaway: this is an old-fashioned motel. If you like those, you will love this place. (Note: in fact, some of the rooms are far nicer than a motel. They're like an old country inn. Heck, they *are* an old country inn. We stayed in perhaps the simplest and cheapest room and we loved it.) Here are the details: of *course* the decor is dated! That is part of the charm. If you like corporate hotels, where you could be anywhere and you know the room will have lots of outlets and ugly, generic artwork, find your bliss somewhere else. If you like places with soul, with dark pine-paneled walls, armchairs, and floral wallpaper, then this is your home. Are the electrical outlets less than perfect? Yes. Is there a babbling brook just outside your door where you can sit on Adirondack chairs in the grass? Yes. When you are in the 1896 House, you know you are in New England--the Berkshire forest is right there, five feet from your back window--that authenticity is worth a hundred electrical outlets to me. You decide what matters to you. As for service, even the negative reviews admit that the family running this motel puts their heart and soul into it. In our case, they left the keys out for us when we arrived in the middle of the night, they let our daughter stay late in our room to do an Zoom workshop (btw, the wifi was fine for Zooming), and they went above and beyond, searching for her computer which we misplaced (we found it). They also are hoping to get the breakfast service going again, when they can find willing workers. Want to support a unique local business instead of a faceless national corporation? Again, here's your home. We didn't have a chance to try the '6 House Pub, which is the on-site restaurant and the reason the motel exists in the first place (it has quite a history), but if it's run with the care the motel is, it must be lovely. Like the restaurant, the 1896 House Inn is part of a nearly vanished America, one I think you'll really enjoy visiting (unless you're a generic, corporate kind of person--but you are better than that!). The folks in the room next to ours have been vacationing at the 1896 House for decades. I can well understand that. We look forward to staying there again. Note regarding one star reviews: please be aware of what you are getting when you come to the 1896 House. It is old. That's key to know. For me, it was a plus. I can't speak to other reviewers' customer service experience; mine was stellar. I can, however, speak to, for example, a reviewer who reserved four nights, stayed for two, paid for ONE, and was still mad and gave a one star review: there's no pleasing some people. Don't be that kind of person! Come and stay at the 1896 House and chill out. read more

Don't believe the video! If COVID has made this place look like it is today compared to the video, then COVID must've been here for at least 5 years. "Upkeep" doesn't appear to be a word in the owner's vocabulary. We came here to stay with my daughter, her husband, and their 5-year old. We were not told ahead of time that A) my daughters room was under "renovation" and was not available and B) the pool was "out of service". The minute we pulled in, we noticed that the grounds were in complete disarray. We should've known the that something was amiss. We had a suite in the Barnside section and had paid (I should say overpaid) for two nights. Because my daughters room was not the one she paid for, they refunded her two-night stay, and she went to the Holiday Inn in North Adams. We came to the Berkshires to spend time as a family. So, we asked Josh if we could get at least one of our nights refunded, as we wanted to spend time with my daughter at the other hotel. He agreed, and still I have not received a refund. I have emailed and called many times asking for the refund. No response. Avoid this place like the plague!! You will be disappointed. read more

Used to be better; has gone downhill; rooms are tired and need renovation; Barnside rooms filled with old Victorian furniture/lighting which makes it feel like you're in an old horror movie; saw the room and immediately knew I could not spend the night. There are better places to stay in the area and this one does not meet the basic requirements of comfort, cleanliness and safety. Breakfast advertised but not provided. Front desk person breached a basic rule of privacy when he repeated a credit card number on the phone to someone booking a room while I was standing in the office. Would highly recommend seeking other lodging in the area. read more

This is the worst accommodation anywhere, ever!!!!! Do not stay here at this fleabag hotel. not hotel, just a1950's Motel. Still has 1950 carpet. Smelled of mold. Dirty!!! Photos on website are misleading!!!!!! We didn't stay after we saw and SMELLED the room. They didn't issue a refund either. Drive 20 mins further on to beautiful 4 Chimneys bed and breakfast in Bennington VT, fabulous place and still close enough for Clark Art Museum. This 1896 place should be reported to health authorities!!!!! read more

This was as quaint and sweet a place as we have ever been to... perfect for the Fall in the Berkshires. Greeted at the desk by a nice lady who looked like she could be one of the Daughters of the American Revolution... she couldn't have been kinder or more accommodating. The price was great...the room was comfy and it was peaceful and quiet. Echoing some of the issues the others had, the WiFi was sketchy and well...the breakfast situation bordered on an obsession. We were constantly left notes...and made phone calls to in order to schedule our breakfast. Don't be 28 seconds late because they're calling you up or leaving you another note. This was getting a little Bates Motel-ish. I'm on vacation... I want to eat when I want to...of course there isn't much to eat in this area but one day we found another breakfast place because we wanted to sleep in and not schedule breakfast. The food was OK for free...(filled crepes will mess with your blood sugar...beware) .the place played creepy music...and the lady there stalks you while you eat. I think we were one of two guests that week. I'd say if you're like 70-100 years old this is a perfect setup. The motel in and of itself is very sweet and a great value located perfectly in the Berkshires. I already recommended it to a friend. read more

If we could give this motel zero stars, we would! The room looked unkempt when we arrived, and when we pulled the quilts back on each bed, it was clear that the beds had been made but the sheets had not been laundered (hair on the sheets, crumpled sheets). There was hair on the bathroom floor, and the shower drain was clogged with more hair. We asked for clean towels and sheets and made our own beds. There were also bugs in the room. Attempts to reach a manager were met with silence. The pictures on line look nothing like the actual motel. Stay away!! read more

Avoid The 1896 House! From looking at their beautiful images on Groupon, the accommodations and surrounding area looked idyllic and beautiful. Gorgeously appointed rooms with quaint furnishings led me to believe that's what you'd receive when booking with them. However, when my girlfriend and I arrived to The 1896 House as part of a Berkshires trip, the power went out while we were checking in for a couple of minutes, and when we finally were able to check in we were greeted with a dimly lit musty smelling motel room down the street. After seeing the room and returning to the main building, I was informed that the beautiful images I saw online were only of the "upgraded" rooms, even though I had paid extra for the single queen bed room which led me to believe I'd be receiving one of the gorgeous rooms pictured in the ad, but instead was greeted with a small musty motel room with two beds, not the gorgeous single queen bed pictured online. We didn't stay there that night, instead choosing to drive about five miles away in order to get a cell signal since the Internet was also not working. We found other lodging and left immediately. The 1896 House is a complete scam, do not fall for the images they show on the ad. Instead you'll be receiving a small motel room right next to the road down the street. read more

Disappointing, Underwhelming Musty Property. Stayed at "Pondside" location. When multiple reviewers tell you that the rooms smell musty, believe them. Could be a great property with just a bit of care. Leaky ice machine was prominent feature at check in. The pool was dirty. Pondside rooms tired and worn. Would possibly not been so disappointed if the advertisements/website weren't so over the top about the "charm"... Merriam-Webster defines "charm" as compelling attractiveness. The 1896 House more accurately could describe itself as "formerly charming, now rather adequate". read more

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Cheesy, ramshackle, poorly managed; non-functioning air conditioning in mid-July heat. Better luck with AirBnB.

Seems my negative review was removed. Not surprising. Just read the others and you will see for yourself. Not worth the stop. No TV. No Water. No Service. No Help. No Stars and No response for a refund. Guess that's the name of the game for these innkeepers. No is the answer to all things. Too bad for Western Mass. read more

I've been staying at the 1896 House on numerous occasions. I have always found the staff very friendly. The rooms are clean and cozy and the rates are reasonable. Excellent WiFi and Direct TV has numerous channels. The owners are wonderful people and have been more than a accommodating during my stay. The pub has an excellent menu and beer selection and the prices are reasonable. The lobster bisque, chicken parmesan, and spinach portobello salad are some of my favorites. I will continue stay at the 1896 in the future. read more

Probably the worst customer service at a hotel/motel I have ever experienced. The first night of my two day stay there was no heat or hot water and that lasted until about noon the next day. It was 25 degrees out. The front desk staff could not have been less helpful and refused a refund and would not allow me to cancel the 2nd night without penalty. They both said they had no authority and it was up to the owner, who I was initially told would he in in the afternoon and then in the afternoon I was told she was out of the country. No apologies and no concern. When I mentioned I was going to write a a negativev review the response was, "It wont be the first and it wont be the last." There are many similar options in the area, choose elsewhere. read more

We had reservations, but actually didn't stay. The website photos are SUPER misleading. We checked into our two rooms in the "Pondside" facility and immediately requested a refund - and were refused. My wife has asthma and her breathing became labored. Our friend (in the second room) immediately experienced watering of the eyes. The strong "cleaning" chemical smell, combined with a sense of dampness (the rooms had their own floor dehumidifiers - when did you last see that?) made the rooms uninhabitable. Office manager "Kennedy" refused any kind of refund. We simply had to leave (at 4 in the afternoon) and find other lodging for that night. The people who own and operate this business (who, I learned, live out of state) should be ashamed. There are WONDERFUL places to stay in the Berkshires. This is not one. read more

This was a $200 per night motel room. Clean, mismatched furniture, crappy wifi, small tv bolted to the wall. Continental breakfast fine. Crabby service at the pub. Mistake on final bill. Nothing actually wrong with it but obviously capitalizing on people who cannot find anywhere else to stay while in the Berkshires. read more

Great place to stay and eat. People friendly and food is delicious. Staff tries to provide a enjoyable experience

I agree with all the terrible reviews. Was there a few nights ago to see two plays at Williamstown Theatre Festival. Ad is misleading, pictures are misleading. It was nothing but a fifties MUSTY smelling, motel with expensive price. Moldy shower curtains, toilet made for a toddler size (so low to the ground), dirty feeling, ugly, totally the opposite of charming as self-described. Sink wouldn't drain. Breakfast looked so terrible that we left (fruit loops was one choice). So glad the two plays were fabulous to make up for this terrible property. Don't get hooked by the description or photos. read more

I would love to have been able to give this place a better score however...I'm not sure how they can even stay in business...noone ever answers the phone or returns calls. I had made a reservation for one night hoping to be the snow...as soon as I realized we wouldn't make it I called to let them know. Literally just under a couple of hours. The gentleman told me since I had just made the reservation a refund should be no problem. Several days later...$145 charge came out of my bank. I called managed to get him to answer twice saying he'd talk to the managers and email me back....yea, still waiting. This is a very shoddy way to make your money off people. So, since they refuse to return my calls or money I have spoken to my bank who will start reverse payment. I informed them via answering machine, as that's all you'll ever get, of this in hopes to resolve it and be able to leave a positive rating. My advice when looking for a place to stay...do NOT look here. Very poor ran business. read more

The pictures aren't accurate. This is basically a motel not a rustic place with character as they would leave you to believe. The restaurant associated with the motel was no better. They served our dinner with very dirty silverware. We were confused about breakfast because all we fond was a room with hard boiled eggs and store bought muffins. We were very disappointed. The only positive I have is that the lovely bubbling Brook was just beautiful. I'm not one to ever complain I just would hate to see any one else mislead wether it was intentional or not on their part. read more

My wife and I love this place. We stayed there a few times and the rooms are cute, clean and reasonably priced. We also love their restaurant the 6 house pub across the street. Food is always fresh and delicious, great craft beer selection. read more

I was brought to this hotel for an unfortunate reason. My father was killed after his car got hit head on by a drunk driver in Williamstown right before Thanksgiving. My mother and I are from North Carolina, but we decided to have the funeral in Williamstown because most of our family is from New England. We needed a place to stay in Williamstown for the week leading up to the funeral so we could take care of everything that needed to be taken care of. First of all, the room was nice. It had a very rustic feel kind of like a log cabin. It's nothing like the standard room you'll find in a chain hotel. Everything was clean. The only downside was that it had kind of a slight musty smell, but we didn't notice it after a while. The staff here is very accommodating. They have a pretty nice breakfast for hotel guests at the adjoining pub. It's way better than those gross continental breakfasts and lukewarm eggs you find at most hotels. Also, the lady who put out the breakfast was extremely friendly. The staff also went out of its way to give my mom a nice sympathy card and plant. They also have two very friendly Airedale terriers here that actually escorted us back to our room when coming back from dinner at the pub during the evening! Several of our family members ended up staying here before the funeral and everyone was satisfied with their accommodations. I would definitely recommend staying at the 1896 if you are visiting Williamstown and the Berkshires. read more

It's a motel in New England that's decent. That means colonial décor and old-fogey, and dark paneled rooms with rather old furniture - including a wind up alarm clock that was included not to be retro-ironic, but to be utilitarian. It's like staying in your old aunt's house. It was clean and pleasant. The shower wasn't too great. I would not recommend the complimentary breakfast buffet. read more

Well from the reviews it appears some folks are confused perhaps you may want to address that disparity. I'll jump in and say I grew up in a town adjacent to Williamstown and know the area well. My folks still lived here and I live in CT so one Xmas I found this place had been 'upgraded' and decided to book one of 'the main barnside suites'. There are only 4 or so on the main level in the main building in addition to one room being the dedicated breakfast room for these guests only. I was charged on the high end during high season so I expect the best. The suite was very large, king bed w tons of pillows, silky sheets, working fireplace, gigantic bath w huge jacuzzi for two I found myself in heaven. Step outside and you have a rocking porch w chairs for each guest to overlook that gorgeous brook that has a walking bridge crossing over to the more affordable motel-like rooms which seem to be clean and quiet. Breakfast was included and was via candlelight, personal chef, fresh made eggs, mamosa, waffles - in high back chairs. I went a few times with my boyfriend and never made it to the pub my parents are great cooks. They used to dine there in the pub by the fire not sure how breakfast is in there for the motel room guests but I hear pub fare yummy. Almost made this place a wedding destination the yard is big w gazebo great in summer not so much an event outside no view but brook v nice. Owners ok. Driveway at first not paved and tends to get muddy which is annoying but hey you are in the woods enjoy it. I give it for consistency 4 stars a bit on the expensive end but I found it worth it. read more

1896 House - Photos of the 1896 House Suite-side and bridge as well as local attraction Mt Greylock and the river views! - Hotels Near Me - Williamstown, Massachusetts

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We had a great time in Williamstown. The 1896 Inn room we had was rustic and simple but clean. While it was cold outside in Feb., the 6 Pub was warm and friendly with VERY GOOD food at very reasonable prices. The highlight was our horse drawn sleigh ride that the office can direct gusts to-it was fun!! read more

Rooms are quaint! New renovation on the bathroom. Best part : you have a creek separating you from the main road Rt7.

I had the opportunity to stay here for a weekend during the winter, and I really adored this place. It is in a great location, both near skiing, hiking, and some really nice museums and places to eat in town. If you don't want to go out, there is a restaurant with a huge menu and a really quaint feel within stumble-distance of your room. Our room was huge, with a little electric fireplace that generated enough warmth. The bed was comfortable and large, but the TV was pretty outdated. My favorite part of our room? The bath. It was so large and inviting. After a long day of skiing, it was wonderful to come back and soak. The breakfast served was delicious and home cooked every morning. Be sure to get there early for a good seat. The woman who checked us in was really helpful and was able to answer all of our questions. Overall, I'm really satisfied. I hope to go back in the fall to see some serious foliage! read more

The 1896 House was the perfect choice for our cozy winter getaway. My girlfriend and I were looking for a New England destination to escape to over winter break. We chose the 1896 House because of its location (we were driving up from New York City), proximity to ski resorts, and the great deal available through LivingSocial. Upon arrival, a friendly feline named Milo greeted us at the check-in desk (in addition to a human attendant, of course). He instantly put a smile on our faces and made us feel welcome. The check-in process was quick and simple; within no time we were settling into our suite. Spacious and elegant, our accommodations exceeded expectations. We stayed in the Empire Suite which contained gilded nineteenth century décor. The weather was well below freezing, so we immediately switched on the fireplace to warm up. Our LivingSocial deal included a four-course dinner at the '6 House Pub, which was conveniently located right around the corner from our suite. We appreciated the friendly, attentive service, cozy armchairs, and hearty cuisine. The portions were a bit excessive for our appetites, so we brought leftovers back to our suite for lunch the following day. (The absence of a microwave in our suite, however, made reheating our food a bit challenging). Everything we ordered was good, and we particularly enjoyed the signature honey bourbon chicken wings. The remainder of our stay eased by. While the weather outside was frightful, the fire in our suite was so delightful. One afternoon, I curled up on the sofa and leafed through a collection of short stories. I settled on "Winter Dreams," an appropriately named F. Scott Fitzgerald tale. I'd be hard pressed to think of a more relaxing way to spend a snowy New England evening. For those who harbor cozy winter dreams of their own, I highly recommend the 1896 House. read more

Where is the option to give negative stars? We did not even bring our bags into the room we had paid more than $300 for (and for which we were told we had no hope of a refund, though we arrived well after check-in time and it was not yet in the process of being cleaned). Imagine how bad things have to be, for us to give up that much money because we didn't want to stay here. The place itself is shoddy, run-down, and nothing like the photos on the website, but the management and ownership is even worse - totally unprofessional, disorganized, and apparently without a care in the world for its customers, once their credit cards have been charged. We were fooled by the facility's prior reputation, the photos, and the collective positive reviews, which upon further inspection come mostly from the years before the current owners took over in 2015. Impossible to fathom their long game, since they must know they will receive reviews like this, given the property and its management. I can't imagine this place will still be operating in a year. To be avoided at all costs. read more