If this can save ONE Clarkson family from staying here during upcoming Parents' Weekend, then I'm glad I'm writing this review. The only thing this place has going for it is the proximity to Clarkson. We pulled in around 6 p.m. - you know, as it's getting dark. Not a single light is on - in the front, on the side, nothing. We worried that they'd closed or were having an electrical issue. We entered through the spooky side door. My husband, stepson and I walked up to the front desk and the young man behind the desk said "What's the last name, sir?" I balked. Come on, this is 2023! I thought about letting my husband say HIS last name and letting the young man search, and search, to no avail. Because I made the reservation under MY last name... and that's pretty d@mn sexist of the young man to only address the man! A much better greeting could have been "hi folks... what's the last name on the reservation?" The room was just awful. Peeling wallpaper, dated from at least the 80s. Large mauve and tan paisley print... supposed to look like it's classic from the turn of the century, but it just looked old. Neglected. The carpet made you want to keep your shoes on. They replaced all of the light-bulbs with energy efficient ones that were blindingly white-blue in color, allowing us to possibly perform surgery on the out-dated table in the room. Thankfully the duvet and the sheets were crisp, white and clean. That's what got this place the one star. The bathtub had mildew on many of the tiles, and the tub wouldn't drain so I was standing in 6" of my husband's used water. (See pic below.) The towels were nappy and pilly... all unmatched colors and sizes. The coffee was the only thing at the breakfast buffet that interested us, so we grabbed a few cups -- and it was undrinkable. If you're visiting Clarkson for Family Weekend, you may still be able to re-book elsewhere! Do not stay here! P.S. My stepson says the Hawaiian takeout place across the street is very good. read more

Best Western Potsdam University Park Inn - Lovely mildew and standing water after showering - Hotels Near Me - Potsdam, New York

This Inn is very nice. The room and bathroom were very clean. It was nicely appointed with a mini fridge, microwave and a coffee maker. The decor is right out of the early 80's but it seems fitting. The staff was very friendly and the breakfast ( included ) had many options both hot and cold. I would certainly stay here again and recommend. read more

Best Western Potsdam University Park Inn - Room - Hotels Near Me - Potsdam, New York

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The Clarkson Inn is cute, super-close to SUNY Potsdam, and well-equipped for travelers, with a (sadly not-included) breakfast and a short hop by foot or car to anything in Downtown Potsdam (as it were). Although the signs on the doors are hostile and forbidding (change that, maybe?), you may bring your nonhuman companions at a cost of $15 per being per night. Rooms are clean, spacious, and remarkably well-insulated for sound. (We had some boisterous neighbors whom we could hear from the hall, but not a peep once in the room.) Front desk staff, on limited sample size, are outstandingly accommodating and probably deserve a raise. Just sayin' Clarkson Inn owners. They were nice to our baby beagle and gave her a bowl and a toy, and brought us ice to our room even though the machines were locked (ostensibly for COVID reasons?). Y'all were great. Some renovation of showers and rather-worn carpets and maybe some better light-insulating curtains would make you more great. In any case, when I'm back in Potsdam for my second COVID shot, we'll very likely be staying at the Clarkson again. read more

My son goes to college in the area has stayed at this hotel many times and was very satisfied. It's a little more expensive but to me it was worth it because it was very close to the school and the downtown area and the slightly more expensive prices worth it. Last time I stayed there will be my last. my bill was literally double almost $800 for two nights. I was told it was because it was move-in weekend. (I had always been there on move-in weekend before.) I was told that was the reason for the price increase. However, after driving the eight hours to get there and then waiting a few hours for check-in I was told they were understaffed and I would have to wait a few more hours for a room. Why are they understaffed if they are charging me double? Supposedly they know when move-in day is and they are doubling the price of the room so shouldn't they be hiring more staff? They gave me a room on the second floor, which was not optimal since I have a knee and there is no elevator, but I took it because I was exhausted. The bathroom was full of mold. I told the front desk I purposely did not leave a do not disturb sign on the door thinking they would come in and change my towels or clean the bathroom. They did not. 1 does not spend much time at the hotel during move-in weekend. The location justified a $200 a night stay in the past years for convenience, but $780 for a weekend? Absolutely not.!! Especially with no service and black mold And be careful you must make a reservation six months in advance for any major stay like graduation move-in or move out and you must cancel it for five months in advance or lose the entire price of the room I am very disappointed by this because my past experiences have been very positive. But sneaky raise in price pissed me off especially since the service was in the toilet read more

I don't know who all the friendly staff are that other reviewers talk about because I didn't encounter any. The guy who checked us in at the front desk was in no way friendly, he was stone faced, never cracked a smile and seemed better suited to working in a funeral parlor than a hotel. Speaking of which, that's the vibe I got right away. It was dead quiet in the lobby and despite it being cold outside it was even colder in the lobby. I'm talking freezing cold. Maybe that's to preserve the bodies... But seriously, the room was very nice and comfortable and I love the decorative historical photos everywhere. We had a fridge and a microwave which was nice. We were having problems operating our tv so unfortunately we had to call the front desk. Predictably, front desk guy came to our room and was very curt and was on his way out the door before we understood what to do. He acted like we were a huge inconvenience to him and and he was very condescending. They do not provide decaf coffee, nor any wine glasses in the rooms and they're coffee machines have serious issues. (see pic). Their TV cable system is very slow and although they say they have Wi-Fi, it was so bad I couldn't use my phone at all. read more

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We booked a room in May for the Clarkson Inn. The reservation was for a Saturday. We unfortunately had to cancel and called on Thursday at 8:30 AM and again around 1:00 PM (check in is at 3:00 PM). We were told that the free cancellation 48 hours prior to arrival would not be honored because the email that is sent to you after booking states that the cut off if 11:59 PM 2-days before. So they get you to book with false advertising and when you follow that they make you pay the full amount for a cancellation. We spoke to a manager and a person who worked at the desk. This was disappointing seeing that the room was more than $250/night! Very bad business during an unpredictable time with COVID. read more

Best Western Potsdam University Park Inn - Hotels Near Me - Potsdam, New York

Things you must do when you stay at the Clarkson Inn: 1. Check out the lake behind the hotel. It's so peaceful, it makes you feel like you're on a retreat to "find" yourself, Ralph Waldo Emerson style. 2. Be amazed at how there ARE still places that give you an actual key to your room, not those magnetic key cards. Cute and old school. 3. Go to the Scoops ice cream shack right across the street... except when they're closed for the winter. :o( 4. Not wonder when the last time the sheets and bedding was changed out. 5. Appreciate the old style of the room, complete with a dresser, mirror, and little bench set. 6. Wonder to yourself if this is the first time you've ever had a room with a fridge AND microwave. 7. Be glad that there's an extensive TV channel list! Food network, travel channel, ESPN galore. Score! You can also check for room availability online. read more

The room was clean and neat. The hotel itself is also very clean. My wife and i did have few issues with the stay there recently. We stayed in a single queen bed room. The bed seemed a bit narrower than a standard queen. When we entered the room the temperature of the room was so hot that we had to open a window (it was 11° outside at the time). We were never able to get the room heater to output a comfortable temperature; it was either too cold or super hot. Last, there are no dark curtains or blinds on the windows. The room was very bright all night from the sidewalk lights and cars driving by. read more

The staff was incredible. Soon as we checked in we were treated like we were family. Was offered Tea Time. A very nice selection of fresh fruits n pastries to all guests. Lobby was very comfy feeling. Room was amazing. Had two bottles of water n some snacks left for us w a letter addressed to myself thanking me for choosing them for my stay. I didn't wanna leave. Very quiet in room n lobby. I highly recommend this lovely inn to anyone. read more

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Don't expect a deposit refund from these people. You will get a big run around and no results. Cancelled due to COVID 19 three month prior to reservation date. Bad business practices. Don't stay here. read more

Booked 2 rooms for 2 nights 12 months before Clarkson graduation at posted rate of $98 per night. 2 weeks before graduation they called and said that they "no longer offer that rate" so the new rate would be $255 a night. It was their choice to offer and take reservations at that rate. If they are not willing to honor that rate then don't advertise the room 12 months out and take reservations on it. Unbelievable way to do business. No other hotel options that close to graduation weekend. If they were in a competitive market with customer service like that they would be out of business. read more

Great place to stay- I am here every few weeks for business and they are very nice. The room is very spacious and has a Victorian feel to it. Close in proximity to great restaurants in walking distance as well as the schools. A great coffee place across the street if you want to be out and bagel place down the street, not to mention a movie theater as well . It's very clean which is a must for me ! I highly recommend it! read more

We spent two nights at the quaint Clarkson Inn as our friend was having her wedding reception there. First, the hotel: rooms were large, impeccably clean and nicely decorated. The bed was very comfortable. Each day we came back to our room to discover a few snacks and local goodies left by housekeeping, a very nice touch. We would definitely stay here again. The reception was charming. The manager, George, and his team made sure that everything was perfect. It was an elegant venue with a charming, small town feel. Highly recommended. read more

For Potsdam - this place is really nice. Its also expensive so - you get what you pay for in that respect. If your coming for Parents weekend - book early. Its very near Maxfield's and the River. Thus you can walk to some really nice parks easily from here. And they have a lot of parking. Its across the street from a very good coffee shop. I recommend. read more

One star is too much! First let me say I've been coming to the Clarkson inn since the late eighties, my father was born and raised in Potsdam and is buried there, he and my mother raised us in Philadelphia. So I often come up to Potsdam for weddings, funerals etc. My relatives always gave me slack for not staying with them when I'd visit but I figured after a seven and half hour drive I'd treat myself and my then girlfriend now wife of 30 years and stay as to not impose on family. This review is about our last 2 visits within 5 months. I came up this past May to visit my sick aunt. When we arrived at the Clarkson we immediately knew ownership had changed, the inn was empty, you could and still can literally hear the wallpaper peeling off the walls, the towel rack in the vanity area was hanging off the wall with the wall anchors on the counter, the furniture was mismatched and the water coming out of the faucet was and as of yesterday still runs brown for several minutes no matter how many times you use it! my last visit I bravely decided to take a shower, big mistake, after waiting for the water to run clear I got in and after a few minutes realized the water wasn't draining so as I showered I kept try to open the drain stopper to no avail, I got out and called Tammy at the front desk, she said yeah they all do that- sorry we use a screwdriver I'll be right up! Tammy was great, we drove up in a monsoon and she gave us an umbrella, constantly asking if we needed anything and apologizing for the state of the inn. That is the point of this long ass review, because even though the Clarkson had fallen into a shell of its former self at least the customer service was still there, well sorry folks but in the 5 months since our last visit, the customer service has not only left the building - somebody killed it..literally. After a seven hour drive to come up for my aunt's funeral we called at 2 while still on the road to see if we could check in at 2:30, the zombie at the front desk said sorry 3 o'clock, when we arrived at 2:30 I asked if I could park my car in the empty Clarkson lot when she and her boyfriend turned away from watching friends on the tv she turned and said sure. At 5 of 3 we went in to ask if we could check in she said no... sorry we only have 1 housekeeper, as I stood in an empty hotel in disbelief she proceeded to check in someone who walked in off the street, she then said to us ok I'll do you guys.. it's like all of the sudden they resent people from out of town. Ok. The room still sucks wallpaper peeling, towel racks hanging off the wall, black tile grout in the shower,water still runs brown, shitty bed and pillows but we figured we here for a day or so for a funeral, we'll decide if we're ever coming back after the visit ...we're not. when we went to check out at 10:30 we saw a large note on the front desk "be right back" we literally waited for 15-20 minutes- literally for different customer service aficionado who sat down in a huff and basically had the attitude like we were bothering her...Not I'm sorry, or I had to go call my boyfriend, I would of been happy with "oh I'm sorry I had to take a shit". No we got attitude. Check out is at 11 you couldn't run your errand or go take a half hour shit some time that's not at checkout?? I can put up with a hotel falling apart, beds that are broken down, brown water, showers that constantly run when off but when you have absolutely no customer service left -the last redeeming quality of this once great hotel, I can tell you after 30 + years.. We Are Never Coming Back! Thank god this town now has a Hampton inn read more

My fourth visit and as always simply lovely. Rooms are sparkling, staff is super friendly and always helpful. Love it!

The Clarkson Inn definitely is well-kept and clean. Front desk staff was friendly and courteous. Rooms are nice and cozy. Prices can be a bit on the high side, and availability is limited. They lock the doors at night and you can only get in with a key, so the hotel is very safe. Location is everything with this hotel. It's what makes it good, and what makes it bad. It is located centrally between SUNY and Clarkson, making it an excellent choice for someone visiting a college student in the area. It is right off of Market Street, so there is a bit around without the need to drive. However, on the one side is the Racquette River, with it a walkway that may have several drunk students walking and yelling at all hours (especially if you're there on a weekend). On the other side is a parking lot and beyond that a frat house, which is bound to be having parties on the weekends. What day of the week you are going and what's happening in town can make a bit of a difference in your experience, even if it's not anything the hotel can has control of... read more

A very classy quaint style of hotel with the extra touches. Comfy and well appointed rooms.

I haven't stayed in yrs, but did stay when i came up to look at the college in the area. My parents stay there every time even though I have a spare bedroom. Not sure if it's cause they really like the hotel or if my college living space is not so up to par. Anyway my dad loves staying there. It's located right on the river in the heart of down town Potsdam. Across from the movie theater and Scoops ice cream shack. read more

Best Western Potsdam University Park Inn - Hotels Near Me - Potsdam, New York

The accommodations were lovely. Staff was welcoming. Is reasonable priced. HOWEVER, the website is misleading. THERE IS NOT, I repeat NOT, a restaurant on site. There is NO dining. Their website shows a chef, and diners with food choices and a MENU, however, there is no such thing! Breakfast is offered in the lobby. This is misleading! If your elderly or handicapped and want to eat on site due to what is represented, you will be very disappointed. They should take this MAJOR entry on the website DOWN! read more

Stubbled upon this place by accident,8/18/2019 dropping our daughter off at Suny Canton, hubby books a room at Best Western in Canton Oh, as opposed to Canton to NY, But luckily we were able to secure a room at Clarkson inn, Lovely Place, Kathy at the front desk was such a sweet friendly person, The room was not what I had expected, it surpassed my expectations, Victorian style, beautiful clean rooms, and a great location, close to most stores & restaurants, Deli's etc, I would definitely go back read more

I have to say, I really liked this hotel. It has a boutique feel, but furnished in an old, classic, style. Lovally, LARGE guest rooms and a very charming and helpful staff. They also server a great buffet breakfast which includes lots of options including fresh oatmeal, eggs, bacon, loads of fresh fruit, smoked salmon, etc. Really a great choice. read more

The Clarkson Inn is a nice place in a part of New York where nice hotels are few and far between. I was a guest of Clarkson University and I was told they own or run the place. It's not a five-star hotel but it's a solid step better than a Motel 6 or Days Inn. If you are looking for a good place to stay when visiting Potsdam or any of the colleges this is a solid safe bet. Clean, not real fancy but everything you need. Right in town, in a nice setting. read more

There is a huge improvement in this place ! It is beautiful but now it is warm and inviting. The lobby used to be like a library , old grouchy people at the front desk. Now desk clerks that say hello nicely and make you comfortable ,even the maids in the hall went out of there way to be nice. The shampoos and soaps are a nice touch. Free bottles of water and Doritos in the room just show that the management wants to impress. read more

A piece of a joint or whatever was found at my sons room , the manager has zero skills in dealing with customers, his French accent was difficult to understand but when he hang up the phone on me , paying so many days , he should not be a manager anywhere because I am a manager and would I ever hang up on a client read more

The accommodations are *outstanding* (great interior decorating, framed historical pictures, by the river, etc), but the fact that you have to PAY for their continental breakfast is absurd. The price for a room is extremely expensive, and one would think the breakfast would be definitely free at that point. read more

We've stayed in a g'zillion hotels and, with out a doubt, Clarkson Inn is the best small hotel we've ever stayed in. Great ambiance, staff, locale, buffet bkfst. THE BEST! read more

Enjoed my stay. It brings back memories of staying at my Grandmother's house. Beautiful old fashion decor. My only set-back to it was, as someone mentioned earlier, the loud youth out till all hours of the night walking the sidewalks after hitting the local pubs. I was there when school was out of session, so it probably only gets worse during school months. (oh, and its a river behind it, not a lake) read more

Nice place, clean comfortable rooms right in the middle of the village of Potsdam. Left a little to be desired in the amenities department, but what is offered is exceptional. read more

Clarkson Inn is great comfy and charming place to stay. Location is perfect and the staff is warm and provides a personal touch. I recommend the Clarkson Inn when visiting Potsdam! read more

This is where I would tell someone I liked to stay if they came up for a visit. Location, cleanliness, friendliness, and safety-- they cannot be beat here. read more

this is a really lovely place. built in the last thirty years, it feels like an older hotel, built in the twenties, and the decor reflects that. it's on the river, and has a beautiful view. the rooms are immaculate, and quiet and have all the amenities of a good chain hotel, and then some.the location can't be beat, you could walk to potsdam from here, and there's a generous parking lot, and a movie theater and ice cream place across the street. drawbacks are as follows: there is no elevator, so if you have heavy luggage, forget it. the front desk staff was surprisingly not very welcoming, but efficient all the same. weird hours for food, i couldn't really get a sense of when tea was served, nor could i figure out why they were charging enormous amounts for brunch, considering their location. they charge extra for an air mattress in the room. most of the time, cots are free. all in all tho, a lovely place, and highly recommend as your first stop for accommodations in potsdam. read more