My wife and I stayed at the Abacrombie Fine Food & Accommodations for two nights. My wife loved the antique bed linens and decorative china on the wall in our room (see photo). Rick, the innkeeper during our stay, was terrific. The owner stopped by during Valentine's Day dinner to say hello and mentioned that the house was historic because it was formerly owned by Mr. Edward Biddle (1738-1779) who was an American soldier, lawyer, and statesman from Pennsylvania.

We appreciated the ample private parking for guests right next to the entrance. Our room had an independent thermostat and the bathroom had a nice heater, which was necessary for the otherwise cold bathroom floor. Dinner was fantastic, breakfast was a self-serve selection of cold foods, including cereals, pastries, and very nice English muffins. There were no hot foods to choose from, which I found surprising for a B&B.

The downsides to our stay were the occasional cooking smells that made their way up to the upper floors in the evening, squeaky floors throughout, frequent and loud noise from the street all night long, and a lack of attractions or activities near the hotel. Guests should plan to drive rather than walk to the Inner Harbor and other Baltimore attractions. My biggest complaint was the lack of curtains in our room. The street lamps were so bright all night long that I had trouble falling and staying asleep.

One safety problem was the high water temperature. The hot water scalded my hand. The elderly and guests with children should be extra careful. Those with disabilities will find getting to their rooms very challenging.

Overall, I am glad we stayed at Abacrombie Fine Food & Accommodations instead of the hotels closer to the Inner Harbor, which were about the same price. The charm of a B&B atmosphere and the hospitality of the innkeeper was far better than I would expect to find at any of the chain hotels. While our overnight accommodations were about average, the restaurant was superb in every way, including decor, service, and taste.

We stayed one night at Abacrombie in #201, a mini suite facing the front of the building. The room had a king size bed, a sitting area with TV, and a private bath with tile shower. The decor was kind of flea market Ritz-Carlton, in a good way. The facility shows a little wear and tear, but we had Frette bathrobes and quality bed linens. Breakfast was a do it yourself affair--fruit, yogurt, cereal, toast, etc--if you need bacon and eggs in the morning, you won't get them here. The staff was lovely, and yes, casual, but we liked that. Staying in a B&B is all about the quirks; if you want sterile perfection, stay at a chain. The thing that makes Abacrombie really special is the restaurant downstairs. It's one of the highest-rated restaurants in Baltimore per Zagat, and the owner/chef's father mentioned that Rachel Ray had featured it on her show recently. We had a superb meal with great wine. The inn features midweek room and dinner specials--check it out.

I might say that they do try to keep you happy. All the staff that I encountered were very happy to help. I stayed for 2 nights and was offered a discount from $135 to $100 for the second night of my stay. In the end it actually worked out to be the exact same cost that I had hoped to pay based on their listed prices. One young man was kind enough to let me put some perishables in their refrigerator for a couple of hours, which I thought was very considerate. This brings me to my first complaint. Their dress. The staff, as friendly as they were, were all dressed far too casually. Long shorts, tee shirts etc. One of the two housekeeping staff walked around in her SOCKS. She told me while she sitting on the front stoop having a smoke(which I had to walk through), that her feet hurt too much to be wearing them all day, so she takes them off first thing in the morning. She was also caught napping in the room we eventually took for the 2 nights.
We were on the 4th floor so it was a long haul up and down and by the end of day one my quads were sore. On day two they were in pure pain. By the way the rooms don't look much like those shown on their web site with faux painting and dressed up beds. Ours had some kind of thin, utilitarian carpet you might buy off a roll at the Home Depot to put in your basement. It was throughout the Inn in different shades. Mottled Gray. Mottled Blue. And none of it clean. I kept my shower shoes on. The bedding looked o.k. but after seeing the dingy fingerprints on the walls up the stairway I felt less than confident about their cleanliness. One of the extra pillows in the closet smelled like hair grease.
Also the sitting room (shown in the first picture on their web site) has been converted into a second dining area. Effectively eliminating any place to sit and relax with a book or talk to the other guests, unless you sit in the hallway.
The free breakfast was indeed beautifully served but not very fortifying. Bagels, English muffins, cereal, fruit, yogurt, OJ, coffee & tea and salty lunch meats & cheeses. All the foods were laid out on pretty silver trays and lovely serving dishes.
The Inn has it's own lot with security. Also I noticed security monitors in the office, and I think I glimpsed the security guards' booth outside our window.

Long story short:
4 story walk up
dirty carpet.
dirty walls
lackadaisically dressed staff
not so great rates
cold breakfast

I wont stay there again nor would I recommend my friends and family stay there.

The Abacrombie is a wonderful value. My room was spotless, the owners and employees were very nice and attentive, and breakfast and parking were included. Unless you need immediate access to the convention center or Inner Harbor, choose the personality of this B&B over a chain hotel - you will likely get more for your money. The inn also offers a top notch restaurant (ask about the "Mid Week Getaway" if you plan to stay on a weeknight. My wife & I received a great 3 course dinner w/ wine for an additional $20).

The surrounding neighborhood seemed fine, but there are a few rough edges. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid wandering aimlessly after dark and you'll be just fine. The hotel and parking lot seemed very secure.

Tip: If you do not eat at the Abacrombie, or are just looking for a good happy hour, take a five minute walk around the block to The Brewer's Art on Charles St. Good food and Belgian style ales await you.