Senor Goose

Review of Gifford House Inn

Definitely debated the rating on this one and it c...

Definitely debated the rating on this one and it could have been anywhere from 2 to 4.

Pros:
* GREAT location, one block to Commercial and all that it has to offer (shops, dining, entertainment, and people-watching).
* "In-house" entertainment options with a piano bar, porchside bar with pool table, and dance club if you just want to stay in one spot.

Cons:
* I say this first one cautiously, because I was warned twice, once at reservation and once at check-in. The club in the basement / ground floor is open 7 days a week until at least 1:00am. I underestimated the warning to mean that there would be a little noise; the entire building shook and earplugs didn't do any good.
* The piano bar on the first floor / lobby was a surprise (no warning at all) and I certainly didn't expect it to add to (actually overwhelm) the noise from the club until 1:00am on the second night of my stay. Had I know this was coming after my first night, I would have looked into moving to their "sister" inn.
* "Extended continental breakfast" offered 8:00-10:00am...which means you can expect them to start thinking about setting up at 8:15-8:30. Don't bother making your plans around this "amenity." I don't know if he was hungover, naturally surly, or both, but the staff member responsible for this task isn't the way anyone wants to start their day.
* "In-house" entertainment options essentially mean there is no security until they lock the doors at 1:00am. Superficially, there is someone at the front desk until that time, but I had people knock loudly on my door (second floor) both nights after midnight.
* No A/C in the room (a known situation when I reserved) meant keeping windows open for circulation and cool air. Unfortunately, the room was directly above the street with most of the inn's club traffic, so the loud noise from drunks continued until 1:30-2:00am (on a Wednesday and a Thursday night). Additionally, leaving the windows open forced the ceiling tiles on the bathroom to continually move and pop out of place, every time there was a breeze.

All in all, it's fine if you're here to party and will be out until after the bars close every night. If you want a decent night's sleep, however, look elsewhere. I can't imagine what it's going to be like later in the season when the crowds get here.