Where do I begin? I'm baffled at the cost of this hotel given the serious lack of anything nice. The TV is the size of a computer monitor. There is no cream with the coffee. The furniture is less antique store and more yard sale. Everything is uncomfortable and squeaky doesn't begin to cover the lumpy mattress covered with a stiff quilt that must have been recovered from one of the historical sites. The room smelled stale and like cigarettes. Amazing what $250 will buy you. More importantly however, is that their website and third party booking site information is incredibly misleading. The deluxe rooms we paid extra for didn't come with fireplaces, bathtubs, or queen sized beds. They maintain that we did not select these options when we booked. Our two groups did not research the hotel or the rooms together, and we booked separately on different websites. How did we both get the wrong impression? The most absurd thing that happened was that I called to request switching my room into the main house where or friend's reservation was. They said we would need to make the change day of. When we called day of, they said they would make the change. Upon arrival we were told they had switched our friend's reservation into the Curwen house where our room was, leaving them with a room that didn't have even have a queen size bed let alone the other upgrades we were lead to believe were justifying the outrageous cost of this hotel on a Sunday evening in June. The owner seemed to be standing near the front desk when we politely addressed our concerns. They made no attempt to do anything to rectify these issues, but instead tried to make us feel that we both independently must be too stupid to use the internet. Don't book here, they offer nothing nice for quite a lot of money. The one star I'm forced to give is for the nice lobby areas/decor in the lobby areas. Oh and P.S. the walls are paper thin in the Curwen house, the adults only house offering a romantic getaway. Hard to be romantic when all you hear are the goings on of the nearby rooms. Gross. read more

The inn is well positioned central of some action in Salem. it's what you would expect from a bnb in old salem. I did feel the place was a little haunted ... the next morning I found all my windows and sunroof open and was a little shocked as i know for a fact we did not do this. not sure what this was or how this happened. Nothing was taken btw. We decided to skip the bfast. it just did not look that appetizing to us. read more

Had a really great experience at the Salem Inn. We stayed August 13th-15th, our first time in Salem! We checked in around 5PM after a 6 hour drive and the check in process was so easy. They welcomed us, gave us extremely helpful brochures and directions to the Curwen House (where we were staying). We left and found the Curwen House very easily right around the corner from the Inn. We parked in the back lot (which is great not to have to worry about parking) and made our way in. The lobby is nicely decorated and has the antique feel you'd expect from an inn. Our room was right off the lobby on the first floor. Entering our room, I was impressed! It was updated, but still had the antique feel! The bathroom looks brand new and the shower is really nice. The room is perfect size and felt quite home like! While booking with the Salem inn, we chose a package which came with tickets for two to 4 exhibits. This was fantastic and really helped with planning our agenda & truly getting to see Salem. When we first booked, we chose dates later in August. When something came up for those dates, I reached out to the Salem inn staff to see if I should re-book for other dates. They without hesitation asked which dates we'd prefer instead and made the switch so effortlessly. It was so nice not to have to worry about losing the down payment or even having to go through the effort of having to switch. I thank them for that!! Everything is in walking distance of the Inn and that's what sold me. There were only two things that were off putting about our stay at the Salem Inn. (1) the complimentary breakfast was a little lacking and could have been executed a little better. There wasn't many options and everything had small quantities, for example, when we arrived at 9AM, the yogurt was basically out. I appreciate the complimentary breakfast, but we will probably go out to one of the nearby cafes (like we did on the first day) just to have a better breakfast. (2) we came back mid day to put some of bags down and freshen up before heading back out & our door to our room was unlocked. House keeping came through and made everything up, but never locked the door on the way out. We weren't really bothered by it & everything was where we left it, but it was slightly off putting. All in all, when we return to Salem in the future, I would not hesitate to stay at the Salem inn again. It was a truly a great place to stay and really experience Salem. read more

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Without a doubt, the best place to stay in Salem. Located in the downtown/old town area, it is within walking distance of 10-15 min of everything that you'll want to see in Salem. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we received information beforehand about self-checkout and instructions to order breakfast for the next day. Really easy, they send you a text with their menu and you reply with your choices. The staff at breakfast room greeted everyone "good morning" and were extremely pleasant. Parking in a near area was free, too. read more

No stars for this Inn. Was looking forward to a weekend away with my husband and ended up in the hospital needing emergency surgery. My husband called 72 hours before we were to check in and was told our stay was non refundable. Once home we called the Salem Inn again to inquire about at least a partial refund and were told the room was never cancelled. Right because you told us it was non refundable. Then the manager told us she had no opportunity to fill the room! Sorry to eat into your double profit margins. On the phone Management is rude and sounds completely ignorant. Disappointed is an understatement, even with the offer of ample medical substantiation I was told there was just no way. Pleasure never doing business with you read more

My husband and I spent the night we flew in to Boston. The drive is short. One of the first things you need to know about is that though you need to check in at the reception desk which is located in a house, they can send you to the second house that is located a block away. Parking is ok though confusing. The hotel room was small and you can hear everyone people going downstairs. Breakfast is good read more

Sorry for the long review-- I want to be thorough. I don't understand all the negative reviews. I can only chalk it up to guests who expect boutique hotel standards? We had a great stay during our honeymoon/wedding anniversary trip to Salem just prior to Halloween weekend (10/26/21-10/29/21). The building we stayed in (West House) is old-fashioned and full of character. To those complaining about the uneven stairs and the shoddy heater, I repeat: the building is old. This is pretty standard for historical buildings, much like our stay at the historic Dauphine Orleans hotel in NoLa (but, I digress..) Perk #1: During the registration process, there is an option of entering notes or special requests. Not expecting anything, I wrote that it was our honeymoon, so whatever they could do to make it special would be much appreciated. When we arrived at our room, we were surprised to find a champagne bottle, two glasses, a box of chocolates and a handwritten card. This on their busiest week of the year. I am forever grateful to them for taking the time to do that. Perk #2: location, location location. We stayed in the West House, which is on the corner of Summer and Essex St. You are essentially walking distance to all the big landmarks and attractions Salem has to offer. Depending on which room you stay in (we stayed in a second floor deluxe room), you have a view of the Witch House right outside of your window, located kitty corner to the Inn. Perk #3: Daily complimentary breakfast. Breakfast is served in the original kitchen of the Captain West House. History buffs will appreciate the antique style decor throughout. As I recall, there are limited entree items to choose from, along with water, orange juice & coffee options. The meals are simple and hearty served by what I suspect to be the owner of the inn and her two adult children. They were so sweet and always made sure your cups were refilled and chatting with every group of guests, despite obviously being very busy. They text you the breakfast options the evening before, you reply by requesting a reservation time and what meals and drinks your party wants. Done. Perk #4: They have contactless self check-in/check-out with digital codes, all of which was explained in detail in an email & text sent prior to our arrival. I found the process to be ridiculously easy. It is important to save the text containing your code, although I'm sure they are able to retrieve it for you. The room was simple and quaint, with old-timey character. There is a small closet, a couch, a chair and a bed. The bathroom has obviously been updated. Hot water, cold water work fine. Shampoo and body wash dispensers in the shower (we always bring our own). Fresh set of towels. Hair dryer under the sink. Bar of hand soap. Isn't that all you should need in a hotel bathroom after all? Additional perks: parking permits are included in stay. You will find a parking permit placard inside your room. We did not travel by car and therefore did not use it, but I assure you it's a perk you will be grateful to have if you're traveling by car. Chances of finding street parking off of Essex Street in October is near non-existent. To the nay-sayers that will discount my review as insincere unless I include negative feedback, here you go: 1) the beautiful winding staircase leading up to our room is probably not suitable people with certain physical disabilities. I am sure that if you contact them prior to your stay they will provide you with a room that is ADA accessible. I loved the staircase and took advantage of the great photo op. 2) our room was on the second floor and there is outside street noise that makes its way into the room. Keep in mind the building is old and it's the week of Halloween when people are particularly... boisterous. I found that leaving the tv on low volume was suitable white noise for me to fall asleep. Noise might just be an unavoidable issue in busy cities during tourist season. We stayed in Boston afterwards and the noise was CONSIDERABLY louder in our seventh floor room of our modern hotel than it was staying on the second floor of the Salem Inn. 3) Yes, there were issues with getting the heater to work. While it would turn on, thankfully, I couldn't figure out how to control when it turns off or on. The room more or less always stayed a reasonable temperature. I came prepared for both possibilities and packed light pajamas suitable for warm weather as well as warm pajamas anticipating the cold stormy weather that was expected. I did not find this to be an issue. It's all a matter of perspective I suppose. When I travel, I only look for basic amenities and a place to lay my head at night. I don't care about the quality of the food options, in-room jacuzzis, the size of the closet or the flat screen TV. I'm there to explore the city, not to move in. If you're the same way, I think that you'll find that your expectations will be met satisfactorily. read more

Usually on a vacation, you don't have to plan around the hotel's schedule. This time I had to, and it quite frankly ruined parts of my vacation. Be warned before booking. I stayed here in the West House (their largest house) for Labor Day weekend, so it wasn't cheap. The check in process took a while and they blamed it on the internet not working. While waiting, there were two cages of chirping pet birds in the "lobby" (small room) by the front desk and I was having trouble hearing what they were telling me about my room. What I did finally pick up was that they said they will just charge my card later when the internet was back up. Then I tried to find my room while listening to those birds squeak and couldn't find it. Hauled my luggage downstairs, upstairs, then I went back to the front desk and asked where room 12 was. To my surprise it was literally right next to the front desk (and I'm assuming they didn't realize I was searching everywhere else because they couldn't hear me, considering they were right next to those birds!). Long story short, we woke up before 6 am every morning because of the birds squawking and no one was ever at the front desk to talk to. Breakfast didn't start until 8 and we basically had to change our plans around so we could go to sleep earlier to make up for the loss of sleep on our vacation. The front desk was already closed before we got home each night. And like I said, no one was there in the mornings. At breakfast, there were young girls who ran it and we listened to them chit chat and giggle amongst themselves instead of checking on guests while we ate our breakfast. Then when I finally was able to speak to someone while checking out, I told them about my experience and I let them know that I was up early every morning because of their pet birds. He suggested that the next time I stay on property that I pick a different house. I feel like no one at the property was there to tend to the guests' needs. It's a cute location and has beautiful rooms, but I likely won't be staying there again to finish the things I didn't get to see due to moving my plans around. read more

Very disappointed at how run down this Inn has become. We stay here almost once a year but this past January will be our last. The furniture and bedding and carpet isn't quaint and homey anymore just run down and dingy. The amount of local people hanging out in the main common area in the main building was disturbing looked like the desk clerks kids, and other family members and friends. Maybe someday the owners will put a little effort into it again. Found slippers under the bed. read more

Stayed this past weekend with my Girlfriend and our 4 Legged Child (Boston Terrier). It was our 1st time at the Salem Inn and everything was perfect. It took us 7 hours to drive from NJ but when we arrived they were very welcoming and had the Roses & Champagne in the room that I pre-ordered. We stayed in the main house and had a corner room with the jacuzzi tub which we enjoyed after a full day walking in the city. The room was very clean and the housekeepers did a great job. The 2 Ladies at breakfast were very friendly and accommodating. The Front Desk staff always had a smile and had great recommendations for restaurants. I would highly recommend the Salem Inn as a great home away from home. read more

Stayed in the main part of the Inn. Interesting history, was a male boarding house up until the early 80s. Charming building, sort of a throwback feel. Our room was clean and comfortable. Updated bathroom, great shower, very good water pressure, no greenie spit-dribble-water-on-you shower head; that may be inconsequential to some, but it's a big plus in my book. Great location, close to downtown and the museum. WiFi worked fine. Staff was courteous and professional! The free breakfast was excellent and makes for a great perk. We stayed in February and had no trouble finding street parking near the Inn, but I could see where that might be a challenge during busy periods in the summer or around Halloween. They claim to have access to municipal parking, but it's hard for me to say how available that might be if needed. Would definitely stay here again! read more

So charming. I was a little unimpressed with Salem in and of itself, but this hotel made it worth it! Bed was comfortable, shower was awesome. The breakfast experience was really great and we so enjoyed our stay. We both slept well and that is saying something! read more

Nice spacious room at the top of the building. Very clean and the mornings breakfasts where a nice bonus with very friendly wait staff.

We stayed this past weekend. I'm a BnB aficionado, and the value for the dollar was amazing. Big room with ready fireplace, gorgeous huge shower, dog friendly, walking distance to everything, hot custom omelettes, for $157 a night? Can't wait to go back! read more

We stayed in room P3, and this room was a nightmare. We arrived Friday night and during the entire stay, we had NO heat. When we walked into the building, we could feel it was cold. Before heading into town Saturday morning, we stopped in the main building and asked that they rectify this issue, amongst others you will read later. We were told that they would check into the issue and that we needed to make sure that the remote was set to the "sun" icon. I assure you we attempted every combination possible and could not get any heat from the unit--it would simply shut off. By Sunday morning, we could see our breath. The furniture in this room, which had no common theme, looked like it was taken off the curb, or at best bought at a yard sale. The dresser drawers almost fell out of the unit because they were not on their tracks, and would jam up when you tried to close them. They were filthy, warped looking, and I was too skeptical to put our clothes inside of them. The blankets on the bed barely fit it, and with every move you heard the whole bed creaking. All the lamps, in my opinion, were fire hazards, because the cords looked as if they were 40 years old. There was NO light in the suitcase "closet" section of the room. It was impossible to see what was in my suitcase, even during the day. Because I refused to put my clothing into the dresser drawers, I had to keep them in our suitcase. To avoid moving my heavy suitcase back and forth, I had to use my phone light or my flashlight to find my belongings. There was an electric junction box on the ceiling of this closet (not up to code where we live, maybe in MA it is?) so we're not sure why there couldn't be a light above us. A couple of windows were cracked, and all of them were filthy dirty. There weren't any window guards, and being that they opened at near floor level they are a child safety hazard. When I went to pull open the dirty curtains to let some light in the room, the curtain rod fell off and hit me in the head. The bathroom was clean except for the dead bugs on the ceiling over the toilet and the toilet itself was slanted towards the right. Not only was the mirror NOT over the sink, but on the adjacent wall and not correctly aligned for one to stand in front of. The bathroom door's hinges squeaked like a tomb was being opened and woke up my husband whenever someone used it during the night. The kitchen was clean, but with old appliances. The refrigerator's rattling kept me up all night long and it was also leaking water onto the floor. The dishes, pots, glassware, and flatware, also looked as if they were from a yard sale, along with the hair we found in the coffee pot! We received ONE key to open both the hotel's front door, and our room door. This leads me to wonder if everyone's key was able to access both the front door, their room, AND everyone else's rooms as well. The trundle bed in the living room was laughable. The mattress was mush and it is squeaked like a trampoline with the slightest movement. There was not a single notepad or pen, not even in the old writing desk located in the bedroom. By 10pm both buildings were without staff as far as we could tell. It's pretty unheard-of to stay in a hotel where you are unable to be assisted during certain hours or at least have emergency contact info available to the guests in the event of a problem. The sitting room downstairs had dirty drinking glasses on the table for the longest time, because housekeeping never bothered to remove them. The bench outside our room had a dirty disposable coffee cup on it, and it was there for a day after arriving. How does housekeeping walk past that and not pick it up? The extra blankets for the beds were roll into balls instead of folded, and the old, dirty carpet wasn't vacuumed. Although we knew there would be no elevator, there was no bell-hop to assist us with our bags. We had to carry all our belongings up the flight of stairs ourselves. When we first arrived, I could not get into the building. You can not tell us that your staff does not know enough tell people the room key also works the front door. I had to consistently knock and wait for someone to open the door for me. This person was not a staff member, but a guest, who responded who responded with "Didn't your key work?". We never saw any staff members in the building. The sidewalk directly in front of the house was littered with cigarette butts, as was the street curb and the driveway leading to the back of the house. There was also a dirty drinking glass sitting on the steps of the house which I kindly picked up and placed it on the table in the sitting room next to the rest of its friends. I did speak with other guests and they said their rooms were also completely outdated and that they were without heat for their entire stay there. One person was told that the unit in the basement needed to be adjusted yet we were told the heat comes out of the unit on the wall. read more

I've stayed in worse places, but expect a little better from a "Honeymoon suite." The jacuzzi tub was basically useless as the hot water system does not provide sufficient hot water to allow for anything but a tepid bath despite allowing the water to run. I've stayed and lived in "quirky" places and called to see if there was some "trick" to getting the hot water to work. The host said on the phone that if you flushed the toilet recently it may interfere with the hot water. I've heard of some "creative plumbing" setups, but who plumbs all of their toilets with hot water service? Needless to say, the lack of hot water for a bath directly relates to the lack of hot water for a shower. I'm not a big fan of paying extra for a non-usable jacuzzi or not having hot water in general when I pay for a room in an inn. No offer of any effort to "make it right" was made, despite their signs claiming a "satisfaction guarantee." We asked for a little extra time to check out, to hopefully wait for hot water, which was not extended to us because they were "fully booked the next night." I think they could have spared a hour or at least an extra 30min. We stayed two nights, overall it could have been worse, however, DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE HONEYMOON SUITE. It is not worth it. read more

Upon entering the lobby of the Salem Inn, you immediately hear the "beep-beep" sounds of zebra finches in the sitting room nearby. We're off to a good start! The staff is friendly and helpful, but don't trust their recommendations on where to eat. It could also be that I'm a serious foodie and that's why I didn't like the food when I followed their suggestions. The Salem Inn is actually three different houses. I was sent to the Curwen House on Essex Street. The Captain West House is the main inn and where you check in. Trundling off to the Curwen House, I was pleasantly surprised to find a decanter of sherry and glasses in the hallway near the living room. It's small touches like this that make you want to go back. My room was large and very comfortable. Even better, with a room on the ground floor, I had back door entrance out to the parking lot which was very handy. There's a complimentary continental breakfast from 8 -10 am. It's really a full size breakfast, replete with quiche, bagels, fresh fruit, cereal and assorted juices and beverages. If you're traveling with a family, you'd save a lot on breakfast here. The Inn is within convenient walking distance of downtown, making it easy to sight-see. If I were to return to Salem, I'd be sure to book a room here. read more

A moderately priced, local (to me) short-notice getaway. However, it was not as anticipated. While The Salem Inn is advertised on www.bbonline.com (where we discovered it) it is NOT a Bed and Breakfast. The staff has no vested interest in the inn, so they are not quite as welcoming as I had hoped. Since the inn is actually comprised of 3 buildings (at distance from each other), there is suprisingly a lot of rooms available - and guests as a result. At this point, you become more of a number than a guest. This is why we prefer Bed & Breakfasts; you're treated like a guest in someone's home. Not the case at The Salem Inn. The accomodations were comfortable, and the room was well furnished. However, it's an older building so the structure is a little lacking (doors don't close correctly, floors creak here and there) and the main staircase has a defined slant to it (and it's quite steep). The bed was nice and plush with high end sheets and covers. Deep pillows added to the comfort, and our sleep was a luxury. We stayed in a honeymoon suite, and the jacuzzi was one of the key reasons for that. However, it's located in its own tiled room. Due to the tiles, it was echo-y and loud when we ran the jacuzzi motor. We could barely hear each other above the noise, and ended up shutting it off prematurely. Also, as noted in another review, the water was not very hot so it wasn't as rejuvenating as it could have been. I had added on the Champagne and Chocolates option for $30. We got a $6.99 bottle of BRUT (price still on it) and a local box of chocolates (with nuts... which I cannot eat). My wife enjoyed the chocolate, but I felt robbed. There were more pastry options than cereal and fruit at the Continental Breakfast. The toasters took a great deal of time to do their job, and the selection of spreads and jams was limited to 1 cream cheese and 1 jelly, plus butter. The dining area is located in the basement of the main building, which you must enter using a street entrance. Overall, it was just okay. Looking past some of the issues, it could be a nice location to return to every year. But with the number-like treatment, I don't expect I'll be going back often. read more

I would say overall my boyfriend and I were happy with our experience at the Salem Inn. The best thing about this bed and breakfast is their location. We parked our car and didn't move it until we were leaving to drive home. However, since we parked on a Sunday, it was definitely a challenge to park. The Salem inn pays for spots in the municipal lot and unfortunately on Sunday, when it's no charge to park, finding a spot becomes a challenge. We, of course, did not know this and about 40 minutes at the start of our trip was finding a parking spot after driving 5 hours. However, the staff at the Salem inn was very accommodating and willing to help during our struggle. We eventually found a spot and all was well. Our room was very nice and clean with an updated bathroom and motion sensor lights. Our bed was extremely comfortable and I enjoyed it. I was a little bummed that we had a fireplace but couldn't use it. The breakfast was very nice and perfectly acceptable for a complimentary breakfast with the variety they offered and the overall atmosphere. I would say the drawback would be the price. We did go at the end of September so I expected to pay but 250 dollars a night is a lot of money for just a single room... but I guess that's the price for convenience! read more

What does the customer want? In my case, this past May I was seeking privacy...an apartment within an old inn, within walking distance of the libraries, the wharf, the museums and restaurants, and the historic architecture. The plan was to spend time in Salem, while my husband was attending a conference in Boston. The Salem Inn is located within walking distance of the train station. The location of this historic inn wins on all the points listed. Also, it is an interesting taxi ride from Logan Airport. The taxi drivers in the Boston area are an international breed. As it turned out, my husband couldn't travel with me, but I still wanted this trip to Salem for a workweek. So, here I was residing in this second floor apartment by myself, and it was just fine. The website is informative, I think, in helping to determine which room within the 3 different houses to reserve. Salem abounds in bed and breakfast inns. The Salem Inn is more about the architecture, and less about the breakfast and the pampering. The website clarifies that distinction. If breakfast doesn't satisfy, there are restaurants and cafes a few steps away. Just be prepared with the proper gear for the weather which can change dramatically. The first couple mornings I started my day in the central breakfast room in the main house, a short walk from my apartment in Peabody House. It was taking awhile to figure out where to shop and how to stock the fridge. Thankfully, the Salem Inn is within walking distance of everything a tourist needs. read more

Beautiful quaint little inn, nestled just off the 'main drag' in Salem, MA. It was very conveniently located, reasonable priced and quite accomodating. We had 3 of us in our room since we were there for a wedding and got a room with beds in 2 different rooms, a small but adaquate bathroom, one of the rooms had a nice sitting area and a nice size kitchen. The room had nice features and tall ceilings. If I happen to the be in the area again I'd certainly head here. read more

A friend and I came to Salem for the weekend and we couldn't find available rooms anywhere! We kind of forgot that this was graduation time and that may have something to do with it! He was able to book us two rooms at the Salem Inn. We stayed at the John P. Peabody house, which is a unique historic house! The only thing I would change is, during check in, we were asked for the name under the reservation, but they didn't ask for any ID to verify who we were. This was the same on the way out, no receipts or anything. Just sign out and go on your way. It's a cozy place and I would definitely return! read more

Stayed here when my mother and I visited Salem earlier this month. It was a last minute decision to get away during Labor Day weekend and many of the other local bed & breakfasts were already fully booked months in advance. (It would appear that tourist season is September and October, especially around Halloween.) I must admit that I was a little apprehensive due to the reviews at TripAdvisor, but we didn't have much choice so close to the date. We had a Whirlpool Suite in the Captain West House. It was a nice, spacious room but definitely showed its age all around, be it in the door knobs, the floral wallpaper, the television, the humming window AC, or the squeaky bed with stiff pillows. My only gripe is that the small attached room with the whirlpool bath didn't have a door (I think they painted over the original sliding one) therefore it doesn't afford much privacy if you are sharing the room with a friend. Complimentary breakfast was included with our reservation and the parking is a block away. I would advise to unload all your luggage before to park your car if you have a lot of bags. (There is no elevator, so get ready for a long haul if your room is up-stairs.) The inn is conveniently located in respect to all the sites and there is a local trolley so we didn't need to use the car at all during our stay. read more

Well, I haven't stayed there yet, so I will have to update you on how it all went at the end of the month and what I thought of the decor, ambiance, etc. BUT- I am already really impressed with Jennifer, whom I spoke on the phone with. I had booked online, and had some questions about my reservations, and had some concerns. She patiently and fairly listened to my thoughts, addressed my needs, and offered to personally make sure that my experience was as wonderful as it could possibly be. I trust that she will do that, because she was a very professional person with creative ideas on how to make my stay there great. I'll report back after the visit! *Updated 4/09* We had such a wonderful stay at the Salem Inn. It was cozy, elegantly appointed, the service was wonderful. It was spitting distance from everything we wanted to do. We had such an amazing stay there- it truly was magical. We'll be back! read more

The 3 hotels are beautiful, stately mansions from 100+ years ago and they've been well renovated to keep architectural details (mantles, windows) but nice upgrades in the bathrooms. The Peabody House is all families and we stayed in a 2nd floor room with a front room, bedroom, alley kitchen and bathroom with stand-up shower. A lot of families stay here and thankfully all go to bed early because you can hear everything above you and in the hall. I cannot understand why they didn't have proper curtains! The flimsy fabric didn't block out light or stay together. Breakfast was in a cool downstairs dining room or the beautiful courtyard out back. Aside from watermelon it didn't taste very fresh. When we checked in we were reminded to check out the sherry and cheese afternoon treats but then nothing was set up and the person at the front desk was pretty rude about it. Overall, the customer service was meh but the price was $$$. Can't beat the location! read more

Lovely inn. Fantastic and friendly staff, great ladies at the front desk. Our room was on the fourth floor, all steps. That is not for the faint of heart. Very clean rooms, which is so important. It's a bit pricey, but has nice touches, such as the finches in the parlor, and the afternoon sherry. It's a historic building, and it shows. Lots of character. I don't mind walking, so I consider it walking distance from the train station, but that would be a matter of opinion. read more

I should have known from the first phone call I made to make the reservation that I should look elsewhere but I didn't. My mistake. I called to book two rooms for my daughter's birthday present and had a difficult time hearing the woman at the other end however, I could clearly hear the birds. I asked her to repeat letting her know I couldn't her her and instead I was hung up on. I thought maybe she hit the wrong button and called again to reserve two rooms. Everything was fine this time around. A couple of weeks later I called to find out what size beds I was getting and was told one was a queen and the other was a king. Great! Perfect! Plans changed, my sister called to ask if one of the rooms could be changed to two twins. No problem! Now mind you, my major reason for staying here was that the website said they had parking behind the inn. I guess they do in a way if you consider parking three blocks away as parking behind the inn (with a permit they give you). Let's just say I was a bit tiffed as I use my walker for long distances and had planned on keeping it in the car until we went to Essex Street. But, thanks to the parking I now had to bring it with me into the inn which meant having someone carry it up the stairs into the inn. Luckily, my room was on the main floor and not on the third! I should also mention that the inn is on a very busy road with no parking in front and one space where you can unload your car and then go park. Good luck backing out onto the street again! The room itself was ok but the bed was definitely not a queen. It was a full/double. My sister went to the front desk to ask about it and she was told, "We don't have full beds. We only have queen or king." Ok, sure. I slept well as I was tired from all the walking done that day. The blanket was pretty thin and felt like your custom motel blanket. Breakfast was ok. There was one older woman working there. I sat by myself waiting for the rest of my party when the woman came over with silverware apologizing for not having the table completely set up because she didn't know where her partner was. I order my omelet and when the rest of the family came in they ordered theirs. At that time they had an influx of patrons all requesting omelets or scrambled eggs. This poor woman is writing the orders down and making them at the same time when her younger partner finally showed up with another young woman who did nothing but talk. The younger lady takes over making the omelets but apparently is not following the written orders because my kids had to wait over 30 minutes for theirs whereas those that came in after them received theirs pretty quickly. I went up to the younger lady asking when my children were going to get the food they ordered 30 minutes ago and she said she knew nothing about it and would make them next. I told her it was written down and she gave me a look and then turned to the other young woman telling her they shouldn't be making scrambled eggs. WHAT? Kids finally got their eggs and said they were ok. So, time to check out. We handed in our keys and were reminded to bring back our parking permit. So, we take our luggage and go on the three block hike to the car, pack up, and then drive back to the inn where I had one of the kids run in with the permit hoping they get back out before the light turns green and the person behind us honks their horn. He does. If I were to do Salem again (which I do not plan to), I would do the Hawthorne instead. At least they had a restaurant and their lobby was larger than my smallest bedroom. read more

The customer service at Salem Inn rates five stars, especially Suzanne the innkeeper, who really cares about the comfort of her guests. We were in the main house for 3 nights and she helped with several requests. The hotel is lucky to have her. The rest of the staff was also friendly and accommodating. The location is great for walking around downtown. (Note that there's no elevator in this historic building, so you may want to request the lowest floor available.) The complimentary breakfast is good; the accommodations are clean and comfortable as well as charming. (It took a little while for the hot water to reach our upstairs room, so let it run a couple of minutes.) We plan on coming back. read more

Check in was great. We stayed for one night. We loved the area and the close proximity to everything the room was huge, clean and comfortable. We enjoyed the breakfast and atmosphere. Parking was ok. We didn't have an issue and parked directly outside of the inn on the main road. While the inn sits on the outside edge of all the excitement- it is completely walkable and an enjoyable walk. Will definitely recommend!! read more

Oh oh. What a disappointment. The room was unattractive lacking any tasteful decoration. The bathroom was new and nice, but that was the only highlight. The 2 girls and the front desk could not decide who should ring us up and they where about as unfriendly or better said uninterested as it gets. Every Holiday Inn gives you better service. Got that money I would expect more, much more. DO NOT STAY HERE ! read more

We loved it! Quaint historical inn. Don't go expecting the 4 seasons. This is a historical inn. It's beautiful, and very nicely furnished.

Lovely 2 night stay here, staff are friendly. The suite and house we stayed in was lovely, clean and bright. Our room (4) was very spacious, enough space for the 4 of us (2 couples) to comfortable stay in and not feel on top of each other. As I said the staff were lovely, Jonny on reception especially as he recommended some good places for food and was such a cheerful face! The ladies in the morning doing breakfast were also welcoming and make a good omelette. The inn itself is in a good location and everything in Salem is within walking distance. The only reason I've not given 5 stars as the windows on the building we stayed at could do with upgrading as they are very tricky to open and a touch hazardous. Thanks for a great stay guys xxx read more

I was here for a one-night stay at the romantic Curwen House. Our room was cute and New-Englandey, with the expected florals, pastels, and lace canopy bed. The bed was quite firm (almost too much so), and the pillows were very flat, which left me with a bit of a sore neck in the morning. I love that the fireplace was a working one (no remote control required!), with a duraflame log and matches provided. True to its name, the log lasted pretty much all night and gave the room a nice wood-burning smell. The jacuzzi tub worked very well, and they provided herbal powder to make it smell nice. Everything was spotless, and the place had a nice "homey" feel. This is a nice spot for a little getaway, and not even an hour from Boston. read more

The Salem Inn offered us exactly what we had set out to find. A mid nineteenth century mansion equipped with everything you'd expect to find in such a place. Clawfoot tubs, antique writing desks and squeaky old beds furnish every room. I was pleasantly surprised to find a thermostat in the room. For a house that's over a hundred years old, I just didn't expect that. It was freakishly vacant, probably because we were there Monday through Wednesday. It rained the whole time we were there which forced our whale watching tickets to cancel. They originally offered to give us a gift certificate for a dinner somewhere in town but I pointed out that on their website they clearly state a full cash refund if that were to happen. If you don't ask, you don't get. Buyer beware. read more

I have stayed here numerous times over the past decade and had a great time each visit. The rooms are great, and the breakfast is excellent. Free wifi. It's a historic location, in several different buildings. Some of the units have full kitchens and/or fireplaces. Because it's historic, the building is old, and the layout of some rooms is odd because of course when it was built there were not indoor bathrooms in every room. Probably the weakest thing is the bed, their mattresses are too soft for me, but when you consider the options in the area, this is head and shoulders above the rest. Service was great! read more

Definitely was not worth the price. Beautiful external building but nothing fancy once inside. Bed was very comfortable but we had freezing, cold water in the shower and sink. The distance from parking to the Salem Inn was ridiculous. The directions we were given to the lot was not correct and drove around in circles trying to find it. Had to ask a policeman for directions. I give the place a 'meh' rating. read more

Horrible customer service. Extremely rude lady at front desk. They will charge you an extra night without letting you know if you don't check out on time. When I was asked why I was charged I was called "ignorant" by the woman at the front desk. Truly the worst customer experience I've ever had in travel. read more

There was good, bad and ugly. Good - nice staff, beautiful garden, tasty sangria, great location, fun little ghost story (although denied by staff) you can google or YouTube. Cute finches in the lobby. Bad - a bit dingy, noticed extra blanket was just wadded up at the top of the closet (clean? probably not.), had to ask for more towels (3 people, but only 2 towels and no wash cloths). UGLY - so after 10pm there is no staff on hand. We came in around 10:30 and when we pulled back the comforter on one side, it was dirty (not sure if it was specks of blood, coffee, dirt or other, but gross), someone's hair on the pillow (yuck) and sheets not really pulled tightly as clean, fresh sheets should be. If that wasn't enough, pulled back the other side and there was someone's tweezers in the bed. BUSTED! Sheets not changed from the last guest. Too late to call the desk for new sheets, so we slept fully clothed, in our sweaters with t-shirts over the pillows. So mad. I will say that the next morning when we told the ladies at the front desk, they reacted immediately, swiftly, apologized and reimbursed 10% of our total bill. They maybe could have taken a bigger step in customer service, but it wasn't their fault. It was a short-cut taken by house keeping, they thought would go unnoticed but didn't, and we were told it would be addressed. Plenty of creeks, door sounds, floor sounds, footsteps, etc. Enough to wake you up throughout the night, but that's expected from any old building. I think they have some work to do. It wasn't HORRIBLE, but enough that we will likely stay someplace else next time. read more

Recently stayed here and it was a bit underwhelming to be honest. Especially for the price. Our room was okay even after the recent renovations, had an odd smell that I can't quite describe. We were in the second part of the hotel with the second entrance. The bathroom was large, New and pretty but the hot water for the shower took forever (at least 10 mins) to get warm (we were on the 3rd floor) and the second time I took one, it didn't even get warm and was shooting cold blasts and the pressure was highly inconsistent. Speaking of which on the 3rd day of our stay, they had to shut the water off for a few hours which was annoying. And at 630 in the morning that day it was clear the old school steam radiators did have issues thanks to the loud noises they made which sounded like construction in our room. There was a whirlpool bathtub which was cool, also in a decent sized bathroom area (the shower/toilet/sink were in one and the tub in another) The towels were also rough on the skin, starchy. No robes were provided. The bed itself was nice, big and comfortable BUT the pillows were really firm, which is good if you like that but def not if you don't and there weren't any other types of pillows provided. We actually went and bought pillows that were softer so we could b comfortable. The sheets were thin. So if you're looking for down type comforters..nope! One night it was raining really hard so we thought we would stay in and order a movie, willing to obviously pay for that. But apparently you can't even do that. I mean, really? How do you not give guests that option or have TVs that are more tech savvy in 2017? I get that many of these hotels are old, charming etc. but I've been to other hotels that had the same vintage charm but still had up to date amenities. The Merchant comes to mind which was amazing when we stayed last years. We would have stayed there but they didn't have full availability of nights for our stay. Which brings me to..the Wifi. It was awful. We tried all over the whole hotel and could not get a good signal. Which was not the best for trying to return emails that needed returning or trying to download a movie to watch. The street where the hotel is located is fairly noisy so be prepared for that and the shades don't do a good job of blocking out light in the morning or from cars passing at night. But the location is very convenient! Right across from the Witch House and around the corner from amazing shops and eateries. So we loved being able to walk to easily around town and return as needed. The Air Conditioning was really good. The staff were nice. I'm pretty sure the amount of times we went up those stairs count as an excellent leg exercise! Especially with luggage (you may want to ask about a first floor accommodation if you have trouble with stairs) Def could be a plus or a con depending lol A mini fridge would have been great but there was none of that either. Overall it's not the worst hotel, but not the best. It was MEH at best. The location to downtown is really the best thing about it. And perhaps that it's on an old timey building. If you don't care about the issues that bothered us, then you should be fine! But if you're looking for at least a little luxury at $250 or more a night this is not it (again the Merchant has comparable pricing). read more

Overall, a wonderful hotel. The room and hotel has a beautiful old fashion feel to it but is practice at the same time. My room had a great whirl pool bath tub which was very enjoyable. Breakfast is complimentary but far below average. The bagels are barely edible and the options of food were minimal. It's pet friendly, and upon arrival I found a dog bed and a treat in my room, which was nice. Apart from the breakfast it was overall a wonderful hotel read more