We had a wonderful stay at the Olcott House! First of all, the house was amazing. It felt as though I was stepping back in time. It's beautifully decorated and the history that the owners David & Jerry told was fascinating. The food was incredible! I felt extremely welcome and completely at home. I have been to bed and breakfasts that were so stuffy and uncomfortable that I never wanted to leave my room. That was not the case at all here. We were welcome to roam the house and enjoy the gorgeous deck as well as the beautiful landscaping. We stayed in the East Wing Suite, it was huge and the bed was so comfortable. I could not have had a better experience. I'm already asking my hubby when we get to go back!

Good things first...

Food was excellent. Waitstaff was polite and capable.
Rooms were clean and the bed was comfortable.
interior of the home was nice and comfortable and furnished with nice period antiques.

Now for the bad....

We could not get in when we arrived (at approx. 6 PM) despite walking around the house twice and knocking and ringing the doorbells. We finally had to call one of the owners on the phone.

I had to fix our toilet, which would not stop running.

The water in the shower alternated between too hot and too cold and was impossible to regulate.

The light next to our bed was broken and the only way to turn it off was to unscrew the bulb.

The television is a 12" computer monitor which is like trying to watch a movie on an Ipod.

Although the Olcott House and the B&B across the street are in nice shape, adjoining properties are multi-family rentals and are starting to look a little run down. The house directly across the street had a pair of car rims in the yard and a beat up taxi was usually parked out front. While we were waiting to be let in we heard someone across the street shouting profanities at someone else.

Despite the Olcott Welcome book advising that street shoes are OK, you are asked (and advised by a sign at the door) to remove your shoes at the door so most guests are barefoot at the breakfast table (not the most appetizing thing in the world)

You are also told that the doors must be locked whenever you enter or exit (the doors are not self locking and need to be locked with a key) This, besides being inconvenient, made me further question the condition of the neighborhood.

One owner, David, was polite and answered our questions, but refused to let us look at the kitchen when we asked (we could see an antique tin ceiling and beautiful wallpaper when the door swung open and were merely curious) We never did see the other owner, Jerry, but were told he was in a bad mood because he didn't like the humidity. All in all, none of our party of four felt particularly welcome but merely tolerated.

If you like beautiful old mansions and want to pay $200 per night for the privilege of staying in one, I would recommend the Olcott House as it is a grand old house, but if you want modern amenities (whirlpool, plumbing that works, bathrooms with counter space and large mirrors, etc.) Your money would be better spent elsewhere.