We stay at Taylor House at least once a year when visiting Boston from the UK and have never been less than delighted with our stays, always looking forward to arriving and settling straight in. The house has been beautifully and lovingly restored, with tasteful choices in furnishings and colour schemes which hint at the house's history while at the same time displaying a stylish and modern approach. To echo another reviewer, not a hint of chintz here, for which we too are extremely grateful - this is a B&B which provides all the personal touches you could wish for in a welcoming and tasteful setting without reverting to twee novelties or gimmicks so beloved of more old-fashioned establishments. Breakfasts are always varied, tasty and plentiful and the extra touches like the sodas in the fridges, the fragrant individual soaps and the internet access show a thoughtfulness towards the independent travellers. Yes, there are two dogs on the premises who can show an interest in your breakfast but, remember...this is their home..... if you don't like dogs, just let Dave know and he will make the appropriate arrangements. Speaking of Daryl and Dave, we have always found them to be the perfect hosts - they have the right balance between being there for their guests without being intrusive or over-bearing.....something other inkeepers could do well to note. We have recommended TH to many of our friends, all of whom have had the same great experiences as us - a lovely house in a historical neighbourhood, close to a beautiful natural area (Jamaica Pond) and with a nice choice of local restaurants. We travel frequently and widely around the world and Taylor House is one place we will go back to again and again, without any hesitation whatsoever.

And finally......"Let he who is without any dust bunnies cast the first stone...." (thanks mark, for that killer closing line!).

This B&B is in a great location, especially if you are visiting friends or family in Jamica Plain. On a quiet street, near The Pond and restaurants/shopping. A large house with great possibility, it is being neglected. Other than structural changes, the only attempt at "decorating" is faux painting everywhere that is not especially attractive and is literally falling off the walls in some places.

Besides being quite dirty and dusty, the house is simply cluttered. The first room on the right when you walk in the side door has a dining table that is piled high with "junk" -- umbrellas, papers, hole punch, etc. The porch (as you enter the side) is full of dirt and leaves, and various items. I'm sure no one wants to sit & have a glass of wine. The front parlor is nicely furnished but has no decoration of any kind. A vase of fresh flowers would have made all the difference here. The front walk had a plastic trash can filled with garden debris that remained during my entire stay. The kitchen is filthy. There is no other way to describe it. Literally dog hairs on the tables & dirty dishes piled in the sink. The dogs beg with their paw on your lap while you are eating. If you get there early enough there seems to be a nice breakfast (if you don't mind the dogs and the hair) but the day I got there towards the end of the stated time all I found was cereal -- and no milk.
The rooms are large and the beds firm but comfortable. The lighting is non-existent and the only mirror was much too high for me to see into, even if there had been adequate light. Furniture is a dusty mish-mash and again, no decorating to make you feel you are being welcomed into someones home.
Daryl never said one word to us, although we said "hi" twice. Dave was cordial enough when we talked to him but didn't go out of his way to be friendly.
Someone who has never stayed at a B & B, and not knowing what to expect, might find all of this adequate for their stay. I did not.
Most people choose a B & B's to stay in a fantastic, or charming or unique house and meet interesting people. A thorough cleaning, some warm, welcoming touches and gracious hosts would go a long way towards encouraging return visits.

Stayed here for two nights in July and enjoyed it very much. Our room was large and comfortable (the bed, especially, was terrific). I've seen other reviews about the cleanliness; I did notice dust in the common areas, but our room was spotless and the bathroom was squeaky clean. I wish I'd had time to take a bath in the wonderful claw-foot tub.

The breakfasts were good, with plenty of variety. Fresh scones, fruit salad, a hot dish each morning, a variety of cereals and muesli, fresh bread and jam-- everything you could want to start your day. There's a small kitchen area upstairs, too, with coffee, tea, and soda available 24 hours. Very handy.

The dogs are friendly and very well-behaved, though the younger one keeps an eye on your breakfast!

The location couldn't be better-- a quick walk to a bus, or a slightly longer walk to a T stop. I liked not staying in downtown Boston; it's much more economical than staying downtown and then having to pay for parking on top of the hotel. (The Taylor House has parking on the property.) The area around the B&B has great restaurants and cafes and is a lovely neighborhood.

We'd definitely stay here again.

We stayed for two nights, 5 days apart, in two different rooms. Both rooms were nicely appointed, especially the Taylor Room.
When we arrived, Dave checked us in but did not offer to help us with our luggage on either of our visits. That surprised me as we were quite tired from traveling and we are not youngsters. After a few minutes, Daryl came in to help. He was very polite and we found him to be the only one available to help at any time. Dave was always busy on his computer, but was cordial when we asked him for directions and such.
Our biggest concern was that the place just wasn't clean. There was dust all over the place and it was not something that had just happened recently. We were so surprised to read some of the other reviews where people mentioned how clean the house was since it just wasn't the case at all. The kitchen/breakfast room needed a good cleaning. Our impression was that the house is in a period of slow decline, which we found to be a shame. It is a lovely old house with some attractive features from extensive renovation, but it could detiorate quickly if allowed to do so.
The location is fine if you don't need to be in the city itself, and is only about 8 miles from the airport. It is in an area of pretty heavy traffic at times. There is a variety of restaurants within walking distance.
The dogs were sweet and very friendly.