We were looking for a hotel a short distance from Gillette Stadium. The Dean is about 35 minutes away. It's located in a very walkable area near Roger Williams University, RISD, Brown, and Johnson & Wales. The people were friendly and helpful especially Dylan. It's a very old property. The "lift" requires muscle to get the gate open. It's only large enough for 2 people and only goes to the fourth floor. We were room 502 so we had to lug our bags up another flight of stairs. The room was spacious with a king bed on one side and sitting area with TV on the other. The TV was difficult to watch from bed. The air conditioner combo heater was very loud. In fact, when it came on, it sounded like someone was trying to break into the room. The bathroom was small. The shower was so small that I felt like I was in a coffin with the black tile and shower curtain. The pressure was good in the shower with a waterfall shower head. I had no room to raise my arms to wash my hair. The products provided in the bathroom- hand soap, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were all good. There's a pay parking lot next to the hotel. read more

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The Dean is a cozy minimalist hotel in a convenient downtown Providence location. The rooms are nice but very small with none of the extras you normally get in a hotel room like a refrigerator. The ambiance of the hotel gave me the feeling that this is the type of hotel for a night with a "side chick" or a "sneaky link". There is a speakeasy on site, the elevator is tiny and dark, and the hallways are dark with low red lighting. The staff is very helpful and friendly and I'm sure very discreet as well. The Dean is not for everyone. But I was charmed by its uniqueness and enjoyed my stay here. I would definitely go back with the right kind of company next time... read more

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The Dean Hotel is definitely an experience in more ways than one. From the chic interior to the cool gate style elevator or the retro lighting, you will not be disappointed if you are looking for a vintage experience, but that's where it stops. The rooms are lit with antique lighting, which while cool, make for dimly lit rooms. The beds while comfortable are spaced just enough from the wall that you will end up with a cramped neck as you wake up with your pillow tucked between the wall and the bed frame. The AC unit in our room was running the entire time. Never had a problem with it and it was a godsend for the humid weather I experienced with my 4 days in Providence. I only saw one staff member working at the coffee/breakfast bar once during my entire stay (4 days). And even then the coffee bar looked to be closed. Definitely best to find your breakfast and coffee at one of the myriad of places outside of the hotel. No working vents in the bathroom will leave your post showering experience to be entertaining and thoughts of a sauna will creep into your mind. The TV is in a very awkward spot and in my case was never used by myself or my family that I booked the room with. Also due to the location of the building and this is no fault of the owners, you will get to hear ALL the sounds of the inner downtown workings. Lights passing by, sirens, horns, and in our case, random fireworks going off for the 4th of July weekend. My biggest complaint by far was the parking. One would think that for the price you pay to stay, you would get either VIP parking or just hotel parking in general. Definitely not the case here. You will pay for parking and if you happen to leave the hotel to go visit other places, your parking becomes an experience for the RNG gods. It becomes a first come first serve situation. Which in my opinion, is absolutely ridiculous. Overall, our stay was okay. Would I stay here a 2nd time? No, no I wouldn't. The parking issue still annoys me. While the experience is unique, the amenities provided by the hotel are subpar. The staff are friendly, but the experience, again from my point of view, is lacking. read more

If you're looking for a relaxing, quiet stay, this is not the place for that. The Dean is a boutique hotel in the heart of Providence, which is what probably makes it appealing to most. It also has a speakeasy and a bar inside, as well as a small coffee shop. The coffee shop area is very dark and dingy, so I recommend going to a different spot for coffee in the morning. The lobby is small and not very accessible, as you have to walk up stairs to get to the check in counter. The "lift" that they have is super impractical and almost dangerous, with rickety doors that you have to push open while handling your bags. And there's red light in the hallways which looks cool but definitely isn't very practical. My room, though minimalistic, was clean despite read more

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100% sure that someone had used the restroom before arriving to our hotel room; the room smelled horribly and a window was left open. The room was freezing! read more

The Dean Hotel - Dried blood on the ceiling! - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

This place is completely rundown and filthy. Very dreary room! Poor lighting, soiled chair. Our room was directly across from an icemaker which kept us up all night. Only other option was a room with a broken AC unit read more

The Dean Hotel - Soiled chair in our room. - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

many stains on the bedding, including multiple lipstick stains on the pillowcases and brown stains on sheets. no apology or offer to remake the bed when I reported it - they just dropped off top sheets (not even pillowcases). the blinds were covered in dust and the rug in the room was covered in stains, too. overall lack of cleanliness read more

Quirky and cool hotel in the heart of of downtown. Cool speakeasy type bar downstairs along with a super fun karaoke bar too. Not your typical and usual hotel. Authentic and old world elevator. Aaron who works there was awesome to my friends and I. I would highly recommend this place. read more

Clean room. Comfortable bed. Centrally located. Well designed. Fairly priced. Would recommend!

The location is perfect and they have decorated the place to take advantage of the nostalgic (i.e. old) building and rooms. The elevator is reminiscient of older European hotels. Parking is a total ripoff at almost $40 for overnight. The rooms (at least mine) are tiny with matching tiny bathrooms with "vintage" plumbing. If the place were a little cheaper, I might recommend it, but I'm sure there are better places to be found for the same money. read more

I stayed in this hotel overnight for a much needed getaway!!! Professional and personable employees made my stay that much better!!! Would definitely stay here again!!!! read more

Lots of dust in the room, no waste basket and a shower that sprays everywhere. They put the shabby in shabby chic. Expected so much more for the lavish price. Elevator takes more than two arms to wrangle the double doors. read more

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Very nice modern hotel. The people were so friendly and the location is very convenient. Lots of shopping and food nearby. Rooms were stylish and modern and very comfortable. read more

My partner and I were here oh, about 6 years ago to enjoy coffee at Bolt. We promised to return for an overnight. We had a lovely one night stay to celebrate my upcoming b day. The hotel is artsy hip. COVID protocols prevailed. The art throughout is fantastic. Our king room was spacious and comfy. Bedding was a little off; super high pillows and unfitted bottom sheet making a big mess all night, with every turn. The bathroom was large with a lovely shower and great apothecaries. We had a wonderful stay, our first hotel overnight in over a year. Service was flawless. A memorable pre birthday interlude was enjoyed. read more

Me and my wife booked the guardian suite. It is the second most expensive room you can book at this place. We took a 6 hour trip to get to Providence Rhode Island. Once we arrived at 3, the advertised check in time, we were told the room is not ready yet. My wife asked about COVID precautions, an employee there stated that they are making COVID inspections, which is part of the reason it was taking longer. Me and wife take a stroll and 30 minutes later we came back to the hotel and just sat in the lobby. Another employee (I think, they don't wear uniforms or anything) saw me and must have realized I was frustrated and insisted on taking some of my bags to the room. I actually really appreciated her for doing that. It was confusing why we had to wait because their website says "your room has been thoroughly sanitized and vacant for 24 hours prior to your stay." Then why did we have to wait... I usually don't get too upset if there is a little dust here and there. However, COVID/coronavirus, am I right? when me and my wife finally enter we notice dust on the blinds and marks here and there that seem to suggest the place was not as thoroughly cleaned as was suggested to us. Also, their website states "high touch items like your remote control will be handed to you in your arrival bag at reception. This is to ensure we have properly disinfected these items." This was not the case. The remotes were in the room. I sanitized them. I have posted pics of the bathroom. It is small. The shower has a glass divider with an open entry way. There is no tub, meaning that the floor of the shower is the same as the floor where the toilet is. There is a shower curtain located at the open entryway of the shower and a towel at the base of the open entry way. I assume this towel is supposed to catch water that comes from your shower and prevent that water from coating the floor of the other part of the bathroom (like the floor at the base of the toilet). It is hard to describe, but I have posted pictures for reference. What is frustrating is that their website did not advertise that this is the type of bathroom this room would have. It is a pretty significant departure from what most hotel rooms offer. Motels have We told an employee at the front desk that we were leaving (after having only spent an hour in the room). He was kind and said that his manager would refund us. I hope this is true. This and the employee who offered to take my bags up is the only reason I am giving this place an additional star. Update: the Dean did refund us and were very nice in their message to us. read more

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Cute boutique hotel in a great district close to the University. Front desk very accommodating and great coffee bar too. Only down point is teenie tiny shower stall around the size of a phone booth. read more

I had really high expectations from this hotel, I was impressed with their social presence and pictures online. The rooms are cramped, there is no trash can in the room which is just unhygienic! The lift is tiny and it's a hassle even with a single stroller and backpack. The location is good walkability wise but there is a parking lot and a bar next to it which was super loud until 2.30-3 am. So if you get a room facing toward the parking lot and bar be ready to be sleep deprived. Also the dark hallways might be aesthetically pleasing for some but a hazard for someone who does not operate well in dark places. I could hear the guest upstairs clearly which was invasive. I could hear them shower, walk around and open/close the door. The one star is for location and the amazing coffee served by bolt coffee downstairs. I also had to wait for checking in even though there were two people on front desk as none of them were at the desk atm. The toiletries weren't high quality either, so be prepared to bring some of your own and trash bags. There was instant coffee for sale in the snack tray but nothing to warm water (no kettle, no mug, no sugar, nothing) just assumed people to drink tap water while traveling. Lot of potential but poorly thought. Too disappointed to come back. read more

The Dean Hotel - Snack tray - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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I feel like the Dean is the un-athletic child on a soccer team who tries really hard but will never be the MVP. I could see where they wanted to go in terms of "boutique" hotel but they fell short, like really short. From the outside, the Dean looks great, very hipster. We checked in and then had to go into this old timey elevator with the metal gates. Ok, kind of cool, but pray to whatever god you worship that you don't get your fingers caught. These things look like they could take 'em off very easily. The room - we stayed in a king suite (not sure of the official name) and we were not impressed. The bed was so low to the ground and ill positioned. There's about 2 inches between one side of the bed and the wall, so I basically had to exit the bed at the bottom (or roll over my friend which was not an option). There's no closet, no dressers. Spartan chic. There's no garbage except in the bathroom, which was smaller than my bathroom in New York City. The bed was uncomfortable, we could feel all the springs in the mattress and the pillows were thin. The hallways are really dark and have weird red lights, so this place would not be good for older people or people carrying a lot of things. 100% fall risk. Also, everything is dusty. Really dusty. Clearly they need to hire more cleaning staff. I don't plan on going back to Providence any time soon but if I did, I would opt to stay somewhere else. read more

Was perfect for a solo traveler like myself. I arrived too early for checkin and they kept my luggage safe for me while I explored the city. The room was clean, the shower was luxurious after a day of travel, and it was close to Amtrak (by which I was traveling). Great experience. read more

Booked the Guardian suite, one of Deans largest rooms for Saturday night Feb 15, Valentine's Day weekend. We arrived to the property at 2:30pm, a little early. Valet personnel were no were to be found. Walked into lobby asked if we could check-in was told our room wasn't quite ready yet staff were "putting the finishing touches" on it and that guaranteed check in was at 3pm, and we could go wait in the coffee bar / lobby. We did that. Just after 3pm I went to go to front desk I wanted fifteen minutes at about 3:15 before it was my turn to be seen with only two other people in front of me. I heard staff tell them "appreciate your patience". Our room still wasn't ready it's now 3:25 and a manager radios housekeeping, told me another 15 minutes. Another 15 minutes go by asked the man at front desk sorry not yet. I started getting very annoyed. We finally were able to get into our room at 4:25pm. AND GET THIS, a lady who drove 5 hours as we were being checked in they had to get the manager to tell her that they somehow overbooked and she was furious. "We called you" she said "no you didn't, I never got a call, I was in the car for over 5 hours". This hotel needs better management / policies. Instead of telling us every 15 min "another 15 minutes before your room is ready" the manager should of figured out how much longer and just been honest with us and told us it's going to be more like an hour and a half to two hours before your room is ready. I understand the position the hotel can be in but if your guaranteeing 3pm check in you should consider offering something for your guests if the room isn't ready for a guaranteed 3pm check in? What really bothered me was guests arriving to check in after us had all their rooms ready, maybe they started to clean our room last and we received the short straw? The lobby can feel cramped and small. There is a coffee bar called BOLT, it's not only for hotel guests but the public as well and and they get busy and patrons sit in the small lobby which holds maybe 15 people and could take up space for actual hotel guests. It's cold out the lobby gets very drafty because of all the people coming in and out, if your the type who likes to stay warm, bundle up. The one elevator in the hotel is pretty unique, staff had to explain how to use it which was interesting but it was small can only fit two people and some carry on luggage. THE ROOM: We had the Guardian suite, Deane largest rooms, and it was just ok. The king bed was very low to the ground, no headboard with a hole behind it that let pillows fall. The bathroom was tinier than a New York City hotel. Tiny houses on HGTV have bigger bathrooms. The shower is a 3 feet by 4 feet box. For a suite I was expecting more with all the space in the rest of the area. Lots of wasted space. The only upside was the Dean Bar downstairs we had a very nice cocktail at the bar, once before dinner and then we came back free dinner. Chic dimly lit bar with a speakeasy feel. Would recommend coming by for a nice drink. I'm pretty fair and honest with my reviews and I hope your experience is much better than ours at the Dean hotel. read more

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After defeating the Knights of Cliffwood Ridge on my birthday, I expanded my giant leathery red wings and caught an upstream off of the mountains to set myself aloft towards the night sky horizon. Weary and hungry I flew over providence and settled onto the balcony of a boutique building in the heart of Downcity Providence. Hopping down to the front door from the wrought iron balcony, I was met with a friendly desk attendant. A quick exchange with him of 2 gold pieces and a voluptuous virgin handmaiden still under my spell, and my room was booked. Making my way to the elevator, I realized this was no NORMAL hotel I was accustomed to. There was the restaurant 'North' off to my left, a coffee shop further into the lobby --with Knead doughnuts, 'The Dean Bar' up ahead, and even past that, The BoomBox karaoke. A valet took a patrons car, and helped with luggage. The overnight rate was $30 dollars, and had 'come and go' privileges. Making my way to the room I was greeted with a welcoming happy birthday sign on a stone elephant pillar. I've included the picture with this post. No phone in the room, except in the hallway, and no television nonsense. Just a comfortable bed, a spacious sitting area, and locally sourced snacks on a table. The Dean is a place where you can spend only a modest amount of gold for a comfortable place to lay your head, have amazing service, bar and food establishments to grace with patronage in the lobby, and still be in the heart of the empire within close proximity to voluptuous city-virgin handmaidens. The Dean gets a solid 5 stars from the Draco constellation from me. read more

The Dean Hotel - Framed birthday picture of me on a stone pillar next to my bed when I arrived. - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I was excited to visit the Dean with my buddy because our plan was to recreate my Bachelors party, since he wasn't able to attend when I got married. The hotel's design and its branding is slick and looks very modern, and the attached restaurant (The North) is top notch--we went there for brunch. The hotel bar that the Dean is famous for is closed due to Covid, and we didn't visit the cafe. I wanted to like the Dean, but our room was a moldy disaster. We had the bunk beds, which I thought were neat, but if I weren't a smaller guy (5' 8', about 140 lbs) I doubt getting up to the second bunk would be comfortable as there isn't much clearance to the ceiling. This particular room is really tiny--great for one person but uncomfortable for two. It's trendy looking and modern, otherwise clean. The biggest issue though isn't the space. It's the mold. There's a distinct smell of mildew on the floors, and the AC (I believe) is the source of the mold. Once we turned it on, we ended up congested overnight with sinus headaches. The sheets were also extremely itchy-both the bedsheets and the throw. We also noticed clear condensation on the walls next to the TV (which doesn't have any channels, it's just static). Something is seriously wrong with this room. The next day, our symptoms immediately diminished as soon as we checked out and spent time in fresh air. I let the front desk know when we checked out, but other than one woman seeming a little concerned (she was the nicest of the staff), she didn't do anything about it. The other staff at the front desk struck me as dismissive / disinterested with guests at best. For example, when I asked for recommendations where to eat after 9p (the restaurant takes last seats at 9:15) they sent me to a subpar tavern around the corner (Blake's, would not recommend to anyone. Murphy's is way better and it's down the street). I also left behind a tank top and the front desk guy gave up on trying to look for it before even asking for what room I was in. On the plus side, they did let me extend the day parking ($20/day) by an extra day after we checked out. Overall: go to The Graduate. I would've rated this place higher but when it comes to poisoning us with mold, I can't go higher than a 1. read more

I honestly don't understand the rave reviews this hotel has. I've stayed in hotels of varying quality, all over the world. Luxury hotels in Europe, tiny hostels in Asia, motels driving across country. It's all about the expectations that are set for the visit. The Dean Hotel charges rates that sets expectations above what they manage. I would say that they're style above substance, but honestly, I don't think it's that stylish of a hotel, either. They clearly have hired some skilled photographers for their website, and must have a couple of nicer rooms hidden somewhere in the building, but the overall experience was very disappointing. I'm going to just copy and paste below highlights from the review I made on another website, when I got an automated follow up email from The Dean. -------------- This weekend, my boyfriend and I stayed at The Dean hotel. It was recommended by a friend whose wedding we were in town for. The photos on the hotel website looked cute so we went ahead and booked one of "The Mates." It has a queen sized bed and "additional seating for one or many."They must expect people to be sitting on one another's laps in the case of "many," because the rooms are tiny. It's very telling that the photos featured of the room never show the entire expanse of it, and just focus on small details, careful to only show part of the bed at one time. A queen sized bed nearly fills the entire width of the room, leaving space on each side for a small column, which serves as an improvised bedside table. A large mirror stretches from wall to wall above the bed. If you want give yourself a glance before leaving, be prepared to stand on the bed, because there's not a full length mirror in the room. The bathroom mirror is the tiny of a tiny picture frame. There was no place in the room to set a suitcase out of the way, or furniture to unpack clothing to. There were 2 metal coat hooks with 3 hangers on each. The side of the room featuring the desk was dark. The only lighting in the room was provided by one small overhead light near the bed, a wall sconce on either side of the bed, and a light in the bathroom. In theory you could open the blinds to let in light during the daytime, however the windows face other rooms of the hotel. This means that not only is the light almost entirely blocked by the other rooms, but opening the blinds gives other guests a direct view in to your room. The bathroom is fine. The black tiles with gold fixtures are a nice look. The tiny wood framed mirror, half covering up a wall vent that seems to do nothing, is less charming. The shower is TINY. The water goes from freezing to scalding hot very quickly, but don't worry - when you inch away from the hot water, you have the option of wrapping yourself in the cold, wet shower curtain, or pressing your naked body against the chilly tiled shower walls. It's impossible to avoid touching one or the other as you bathe. Also, I hope you weren't planning on shaving in the shower, or wanting to set down a wash cloth or anything else, as there are no surfaces to do so. They provide a hair dryer. It started to smell like electrical burning before I finished drying my hair. They also provided us with earplugs on the bed, instead chocolates. The accompanying note said the earplugs were for some construction being done on the hotel during weekdays, however the hotel itself is so noisy and lacks soundproofing that I image they're useful whether or not there's construction. Have you seen Home Alone? Do you remember how Kevin was afraid of the heater in the basement? Yeah, that's what the heating sound like in the room. There is an ice machine, but no ice bucket. Instead, they provide you with a bag for ice. I hope you use it all in one sitting, because there's no mini-fridge/freezer to place it in. The decor is clearly supposed to be shabby chic, with the vintage furniture and old manufacturing signs mixed with thrift shop oil paintings as decor, but threadbare rugs is taking that styling too far. The lobby is the best decorated part of the hotel. There's a cute seating area, lit by large windows by their coffee bar. The coffee is good. There's a neon sign, which says "FINE" on one wall, which I guess is this hotel's stretch goal- to be nice enough to be described as just "FINE." Honestly, for $250 a night plus $30 parking, I expect slightly more than just FINE, and The Dean does not even manage that. Go stay at The Omni, The Biltmore, or almost any of the other hotels in Providence. They cost the same or less, and you'll actually have space to open your suitcase. The best part of the hotel is the restaurant attached to it, North. Go eat at North, it's delicious. Just skip The Dean. read more

The Dean Hotel - The bathroom mirror, and vent to nowhere. - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Incredibly rude staff. Stay somewhere else but come for the Bolt Coffee in the lobby. They're great and not associated with the hotel.

Perhaps this review is a bit premature because I am still staying here. This is my second night here and I am very unimpressed. Pros: This hotel is in a good downtown location. It is close to the RI Convention Center (Dunkin Donuts) Center and a short walk to the Providence Place mall. There are several good restaurants nearby and Bolt, a wonderful coffee shop in the lobby. Some rooms are fairly large, including the junior suite we had for the weekend for RI Comic Con. There was ample space to place our luggage in the room and a desk. Negatives: We were disappointed for several reasons. The bathroom wasn't cleaned properly. There was hair in our sink and there was a considerable amount of dust around the sink. It looked like it hadn't been dusted in quite some time. The next issue is that there were holes in the sheets on our bed. Considering that the room cost $255.00 per night, we should have a clean room with sheets that aren't so tattered. It is galling that the hotel charges guests for items that most hotels provide to gratuitously should they forget them, such as toothbrushes or toothpaste. The hotel does not make good use of the space in its rooms. Furniture could be better placed. For example, our bed was wedged in a corner and there was only a couple of inches on either side to get out which made it right to get in our out. If it was placed in another part of the room, we would have had more space. Yes, the hotel has charm. The industrial decor is cute. However, the walls are thin. There is no staff to help with bags and there are several sets of stairs. read more

The Dean Hotel - Hole in the sheet - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Here is the email I sent to the staff when they asked for feedback. That was over a month ago. Never got a response. Hello, I stayed in the Mates room (307) last night. It was odd that there weren't items one would expect in a hotel room- from a phone to a clock to a full length mirror, to a trash can other than the one in the bathroom. It also lacked the "gourmet snacks" indicated on the website or the "hanging storage or closet." It was a very spartan room all around. The most difficult aspect of the stay was the lack of info on wifi. It was after midnight when I realized there was no info in the room or on the room key envelope. I called down to the front desk and was told to connect to the Dean hotel wifi which was password protected. I was told several times that it wasn't. I have included a screenshot to show that it was. I tried to connect to the Dean Hotel 5G which didn't appear to be password protected but it never allowed me to join. The person I was speaking to said he was going to get me the dean admin password but we were disconnected. I called back and got no answer. I left a message and no one called me back. I gave up on the work I needed to get done. I woke up this morning to a pinched nerve in my neck from the very thin fluffy pillows. I stayed at the Dean on my wedding weekend 5 years ago and had a lovely experience. This experience sadly fell far short. Thanks for acknowledging this correspondence. cheers, Anna read more

The Dean Hotel - Wifi nonsense - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

If you're the type of traveler who revels in amenities and posh decor, The Dean is probably not for you. If you're the type of traveler who revels in minimalism because your own abode is the very opposite, but you want to vicariously live through a hotel with sharp design, well... here we are. I half love it and half feel a little bit like a sell out. I could never live like this, so why am I pretending?! As we speak, I'm in a room that's crammed with too many pieces of furniture and I want more more more. The Dean would be disgusted with me. I digress. I had a super pleasant stay here recently. Service is superb, from a text on the first night making sure everything was to my liking to a little note left because we kept the do not disturb up. I'm a big fan of that shower everyone seems to complain about, but to each their own. I had no issues of water spilling out, but I have a feeling they rectified an issue of the past. I love hotels that avoid the extremely wasteful little bottles of product and instead give you big bottles. I use a lot of shower gel. The noise, though. I am a heavy sleeper and was woken up repeatedly through the night by, I swore it was mischievous imps running around the halls. OK, if by "mischievous imps," I mean drunk people playing jokes on each other. At one point two dudes were playing hide and seek right outside my door, I shit you not, snickering like 12 year olds. And everything echoes. And walls are thin. They could rectify this by a. putting some rugs (not carpets! I get it, I hate those too), b. advising guests that quiet hours start at midnight, so please don't play hide and seek in the hallways and c. providing ear plugs. Look at every single hotel review I've ever written. I dare you to find a paragraph devoted to noise control. It's just a thing here. The most beloved thing about the Dean is that sultry little speakeasy just past the coffee bar. Perfection, and I don't use that word lightly. I'm also a gym user when I travel and although there isn't one here, you get $10 discounted passes to the (quite large) health club at the Omni (which includes use of their indoor pool and spa!) It's about a 5 minute walk from the hotel and because I'm always short on time, I can't help but think that I lose 10 minutes of workout time, but hey, I'm a little OCD so don't listen to me. I'd stay at the Dean again. I love its style and hospitality. read more

Oh boy. Where to start? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when I read all these amazing reviews. If you make a hotel all vibey and add a neon light, then it doesn't matter that the place generally doesn't serve the purpose it should?! I promise I'm not a negative person or a frequently negative reviewer, but this felt like too many cons to justify the $190/night price tag. The CONS: 1) The shower. It's a 2x2 partially enclosed glass box with a giant overhead shower head. You can't escape the water and there's no way to even get a lather because you're just stuck below the stream with no water-free space. 2) Cleanliness- dusty and cobwebs in the corner of the bathroom. 3) The water in both the shower and sink gets HOT. If you're staying here with kids, watch out. 4) Amenities, or lack thereof; no iron, no luggage rack, not fridge, no closet, no counter space in the bathroom. 5) If you're traveling with heavy luggage, be prepared to lift it. Multiple stairs leading into the place and more to get from check-in to the main part of the hotel. There's an old school elevator but it's also quite heavy and may not be good for an older or more frail person. 6) You can hear everything in the hallway. Every slam of a door, the elevator shaft opening and closing, etc. The PROS: 1) Great location. 2) Good AC. 3) Friendly check-in person. 4) On-site coffee, bar, and restaurant. There you have it. This place might be cool for a minimalist socialite but for this incredibly crotchety 30 year old, not my favorite experience :( read more

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I stayed at the Dean last week for the second time in the past few years. It's a lovely little boutique hotel with an excellent coffee shop (hey Bolt!), speakeasy-style cocktail bar, and karaoke bar, not to mention a beautifully appointed lobby area with plenty of spaces to lounge and work. The rooms are pretty no-frills but serve their purpose for a quick stay - the bathroom is a little disjointed (shower with no door, sink outside of shower/toilet area) and has a creepy little doll chair next to the toilet. It was still really pretty though! Love me some gold and navy decor. The hotel itself is charming down to the completely absurd vintage elevator lift -- claustrophobic for sure, but luckily I was only on the 2nd floor so the stairs were a much better alternative. Valet is something like $28/night and the attendants were friendly and efficient. Overall, a very nice stay! read more

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Quirkily beautiful and eminently affordable (downright cheap by NYC standards), The Dean is the only hotel I've stayed at in Providence, and it's likely to remain that way. To be sure though, this is not the hotel of your parents. This is a boutique hotel replete with vintage fixtures and dark, tasteful furnishings. It feels lived in, like it has a shadowy and fascinating history, one that almost certainly involved mysterious disappearances and likely murder. I expected ghosts waiting for me at the end of the hall when I stumbled in after a few too many cocktails, and I mean that in the best possible way. It has character, and I like it. The entire staff seems to pride themselves on their minimalism. As the friendly folk at the front desk informed me, there is no phone in the room and no hair dryer either (although the latter is available upon request if your coiff is as elaborate as my own). But who needs a phone anyway?* Similarly, the bathroom is uncluttered with those miniature product bottles I so often take and clutter my own home with. They provide larger bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturizer and hand soap, and I imagine this cuts down on a lot of waste, which is good for all of us. Several of those products left me smelling of pine when I left, which is good for anyone that had to sit next to me on the train (I usually reek of liquor and spoiled meat, just ask anyone). While I appreciate this conscientious approach, what will definitely bring me back to the Dean is that the things that matter are of excellent quality: The bed is wonderfully comfortable, the towels are soft as can be (partially because the hotel itself is so new, I'm sure), the wi-fi is reliable and fast, and the shower pressure is perfect.** And with a karaoke bar and a German beer hall soon to be installed downstairs, The Dean will only get better. _____________ *I could've used a box of tissues though. **Unfortunately, excellent pressure combined with no actual door tends to soak the bathroom thoroughly. I hear a fix is in the works though. read more

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Ahh, the Dean Hotel. We have never been to Providence so my sister wanted to pick a cool boutique hotel for our one night stay. I have never stayed at a place like this so I was really open to anything. This is the most interesting unique place. I was pleasantly surprised. Small and cozy, this place has both vintage and contemporary vibes. The front desk associate is super friendly and texts you once you get to your room to ensure you have what you need. The elevator, as mentioned is previous reviews, is very old and you really have to crank the door open to get in. Couldn't bring my grandmother to this hotel for fear of it closing on her, but it was fun for our experience. There's a coffee shop right in the little cozy lobby that we really enjoyed. And on top of that, they have a speakeasy type bar and karaoke bar hidden away in the back. I'll save comments for those on their own reviews. The rooms are cool, but feel very much like an Airbnb. I liked the bathroom but the bed was very low to the ground, not my taste normally. Not a ton of room but did it's job for us! Pretty easy to hear the alley trucks in the morning though. No iron but I'm sure I could have texted the front desk for one if I was desperate! The valet was incredibly friendly and gave us bar and restaurant recommendations we tried and loved. All in all, very cool hotel that does the job it's intended to do. read more

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They canceled my hotel booking 2 days before I was set to arrive due to overbooking. Now I'm paying 30% more to stay somewhere else due to short notice. Thanks for nothing! read more

I really love this boutique hotel for so many reasons. The style of the hotel is completely different from your Hilton or Marriott. I've stayed here twice and stayed in a queen size room that was extremely spacious and it had a cool shower. The king size room was even more spacious and had a couch with a smart TV. The hotel staff was super accommodating. They weren't able to enter my room due to covid but would always bring me extra towels at my request. Also, there is no valet because of covid so I would suggest street parking or self parking in their lot for a fee. The hotel is in a perfect location where you can walk to get food. One place I do recommend is North, which is connected to the hotel. read more

For years I have been wanting to stay at The Dean, even though I am from Providence and my family lives here. My boyfriend was visiting--long distance relationship--and I was so excited to take him here. I chose this experience over having a fully equipped Airbnb with free parking, a kitchen, privacy, and plenty of space for us to hang. The price was the same. The lobby was hip and chic, but the room was disappointing, small, and spare. The TV didn't have netflix or prime--even though most motels do have this nowadays. We could not get around one side of the bed because the room was so small. It was VERY similar to being in a dorm room. In addition, it was extremely noisy during our stay--the nosiest hotel experience I have ever had--drunken people running up and down the halls between 12-3 am. We did not sleep on either night. There is literally zero sound proofing, and you can hear everything going on in the hallway. I was so upset about this experience, but I couldn't even complain about it in front of my boyfriend because I didn't want to embarrass him or make it obvious that I felt his trip had been ruined. Parking is extremely expensive, and there is nothing complimentary offered--not even water. Again, I've had motels offer complimentary water. And usually there is a mini fridge with a kettle or a microwave so you can make a hot beverage yourself. Nothing like that was in the room. I wouldn't stay here unless you want to get drunk and stay up all night. I am pretty sure this hotel is for college students. read more

Stayed here overnight for my friends birthday. We spent the night in the city. Has a cool vibe but definitely not a classy hotel more like for teenagers/young adults here. Windows didn't open on hotel room so couldn't get any fresh air so if you don't like that then don't come here. Also BIG issue is I did valet for my car which was 30 dollars over night. Got it in morning and my car was RIPPED APART someone had gone through it looking for stuff to steal and took my expensive sunglasses. Luckily that was the only thing I have in here but just the fact they didn't lock my car is very unprofessional. Manager did come and I filed a claim he was very nice about it and apologized. read more

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This past weekend at the DEAN was DISASTOROUS and SLEEPLESS. The supposed HVAC system was inoperable and the room was freezing and stuffy. We had to get a space heater that took up so much space it was hard to move around the room. The tiny corner bathroom wreaked of mildew as the drain was growing something down there... The worst part by far was the noise levels that poured in from a block party around the corner that went until 2 am. I'm not talking about a faint base line. The water glasses were shaking with TURN DOWN FOR WHAT for FOUR HOURS. I work in hospitality and fully understand that this this isn't something that the staff could help. Nevertheless, there should have been some warning and some sort of way to make guests feel better about this imposition. When I asked what was going on, the front desk literally said, "this is a city hotel- you know....city life." Lady, I'm from Baltimore City, DC before that and am familiar with city noise. We didn't pay to be treated as if I was the problem for asking when it would stop. She was rude, dismissive and defensive. This is a cool spot for an afternoon tryst or a night out with girlfriends but don't even think about staying here with anyone over 65. The dark red hallway lighting was super unsafe and quite honestly, a way to get out of cleaning. This hotel was dirty, dank, loud and staffed by people with ZERO customer service skills. I complained and so they gave me a measly 20% off our stay because they said that was the best they could do- until they bumped it up to 30% off. They did have wiggle room. Do better DEAN. This hotel is an attempt to bring hipness to the area but it is a mirage. It is missing the basics- quiet, comfort, cleanliness, and empathy/kindness from staff. Don't waste your money. read more

For being in downtown Providence, The Dean offered a decently affordable experience. The valet at $28 a Day is pushing it on price, but not unreasonable. I paid for my room in advance, but nonetheless check in and check out was incredibly easy. The desk staff were friendly and efficient. I received a text from the front desk about 20 minutes after I arrived to make sure the room was to my liking and asking if I had any questions. I think they partially do this because there are only phones in the hall, but still a nice touch. On a whole The Dean offers a unique hotel atmosphere. The place has a vintage traditional feel with an underlying subtle sarcastic steampunk vibe complete with old fashioned lift elevator. Additionally, The hotel is very clean. I didn't really have an opportunity to take advantage of it, but the lobby looked very nice and I hear the Bolt coffee is pretty amazing. It is also attached to a bar/restaurant so food is literally in house. The room itself (I booked a double) was on the smaller side, but very clean and had the things I needed for my stay. I will agree with other reviewers that the threadbare rugs are a turnoff, but that's easily fixed. The room comes with hairdryer, small desk, pad, paper, cable TV, Internet, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion. There is a hook for belongings and a rack for luggage, but unfortunately no storage. Room also has a digital thermostat. I will also agree with other reviewers that the shower draining is a little weak; however, I did not have a flooding issue. The toilet flush was finicky, but easily fixed. The bathroom could use another towel bar. Like the bedroom the bathroom was also clean. Lastly the linens. The towels, sheets, and pillows were soft and plush. The bed was also very comfortable and there were ample blankets for warmth. I commend the folks at The Dean for the unique hotel experience. It is a little sparse on amenities, but all the essentials are there and it's a great place to stay for an affordable night in downtown Providence. read more

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If you're used to ass kissing, amenities, and hand holding then the Dean might not be for you. But if you're into convenience, self sufficiency and being able to enjoy experiences along with central location - keep reading. PROS The Dean Hotel is definitely a hipster 'style' hotel. It's gorgeous, with more photograph-friendly corners every where you turn. My opinion of hotels are they should be cozy and adjustable - with a place to rest your head after a day of exploring. A home base but not a replacement for home. A good hotel will have helpful people to guide you so you maximize your stay and good options nearby for food. I stayed when it was 10 degrees for two days straight and was warm and snuggly. The beds are soft and comfy, the bathroom is beautiful and comes with full sized lotions, hand wash, body wash, shampoo and conditioner. (also complete with hair dryer, yoga mat and iron - which were under the bed, so easy to miss for other reviewers, and guidebooks - under the tiny desk). Downstairs is a beyond lovely bar, a great coffee house to get your morning cup of joe and easy access in and out. I found the staff beyond friendly, willing to offer up advice and assistance immediately when asked. CONS It would be nice if there was an extra shelf or two, or maybe an armoire in each room so when you 'unpack' and get situated your stuff isn't strewn about. Also it can be loud at night depending on your room location (we were on the 3rd floor facing the side entrance) from drunkies singing their hearts out when leaving the Boombox. (I'm in a coma when I sleep, so I didn't even notice, but it did bother my boyfriend who is a lighter sleeper) NEUTRAL - take what you will Definitely attracts a 20-mid 30s 'insta-wanna-be' crowd. read more

The Dean Hotel is what the Ace Hotel used to be. Supremely stylish rooms, great service, and quirky touches here and there at a surprisingly low rate. For less than $100 a night in December, I was shocked at how many high class features they were able to include. A fluffy and comfortable bed, huge flatscreen TV, nice toiletries, and a super chic lobby area. The corners that they cut here and there were barely noticeable, and most of them were due to the fact that the hotel is in an old renovated building (which I was told used to be a brothel!). Slightly creaky wood floors, small bathrooms, and a sketchy old elevator. Other than that you could swear this place was built just a couple of years ago! I do agree with other reviewers that the doorless shower was annoying - I have no idea why hotels do this! It makes the entire floor soaked and I had to waste their towels to soak it up while I got ready. I also loved their cute upscale coffee shop in the lobby. Sure, I stayed awake for about 24 hours after drinking one of their strong Chemex coffees, but I forgave them because it was so tasty and they offered such delectable looking pastries. They also have a German restaurant and a sexy little bar attached (review to come), so in theory you could just come to Providence and never leave The Dean! Definitely one of the best hotels I've been to in a long time. I can't sing its praises enough! read more

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I've been to The Dean several times now, and have to say: as far as hotels in Providence go, this is it. The rooms are all ranging in size and views of Downcity (obviously), but are all gorgeous and tasteful. I love the simple, clean charm and palate they've decorated with, and the regal artwork that punctuates the spaces. Very cool. The beds are superiorly comfortable and the linens are a thing of beauty. The bathrooms (also ranging in size) are sleek but still manage to be warm, and while, yes, there are drainage and spillage issues, the hotel (brand new, thankyouverymuch) is in the process of rectifying these oversights. What more can you ask for? You may have read on a few of the other, less-stellar reviews that they don't have phones in the rooms (how often do you use a hotel phone, really?), and while this is true, each and every floor has a few phones in the hallway to call the front desk when you need to, and the staff goes over this with you upon check-in. Problem solved. They also happen to be super cute. I found the service to be helpful, welcoming and thorough -- all my questions were answered before I had to ask them, and the oddities of the place (the original antique elevator, the funky artwork and furniture) pointed out with a sense of pride. Just an FYI: there is a roomy staircase on the south side of the building, so if you don't want to deal with the quirky elevator, walk it off. There aren't that many storeys, so no complaining! This building was once considered a throwaway due to years of neglect and a seedy past, but the designers and craftsmen have restored it to a glorious space with aplomb. With a fantastic bar, restaurant, coffee bar and karaoke lounge mere steps from your door, there's no need to leave The Dean... Although you're in the heart of our amazing little Providence, so you really should. read more

The Dean Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island