I had the pleasure of staying two nights at Heritage House Inn and Suites, and I do mean…read more"pleasure." Sure, I could have stayed at a cookie-cutter chain hotel in this university town, but for just a few dollars more, I rented the Master's Suite, literally half of the second floor of this beautiful Victorian mansion, which came equipped with a huge sitting room, a full (private) bath, and a complete kitchen. The kitchen was the selling point for me when booking the room, since I'm on a strict diet and need to be able to cook fresh food (rather than rely on fast-food and takeout).
To be clear, this is NOT a bed and breakfast. There are no common areas in the house, and the innkeepers do not provide meals. It's really more of a furnished rental, available for short and long-term stays in Indiana.
Pros: Comfortable bed and sitting room furniture, full kitchen, WiFi, cable TV service, full bath, complimentary bottled water and snack basket, off-street parking, walking distance to restaurants and shops. Plus the staff is very friendly and helpful and their pre-arrival communications (confirmation emails) are excellent.
Cons: Neither of these should reflect poorly on the innkeepers or Heritage House. But I have to mention them:
1. Noise. Bring your earplugs (I always travel with mine) because 6th Street is apparently a major artery and every pickup truck with a bad muffler in Indiana County must drive past the house between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
2. Street construction. Indiana is tearing up a bunch of streets, including School Street, which requires the roads crew to barricade the street to any motor traffic. Unfortunately, Heritage House's private parking lot is accessed via School Street, so it's impossible to get to the Inn between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. According to Becki (who clued me to the secret of taking the alley halfway down School Street to escape the lot during the day), this construction has been going on for months, so be aware you may need to delay your arrival until after 5 or sundown, whichever comes firts.
Bottom-line, this was a wonderful stay and I would heartily recommend Heritage House Inn and Suites to anyone looking for a comfortable, private alternative to the Comfort Inn.