The 1896 House Country Inn - Brookside & Pondside

Stayed on the pond side. The pool looks like it hasn’t been used in years! The beds were very hard and we didn’t receive enough towels for the amount of guests we had but everything else was fine. It was clean, safe and in a nice area.

A pool was listed when we got there they informed us when asked that the pool was undergoing maintenance in the middle of the summer this is not the time for pool maintenance.

We came fully expecting to swim! The website showed us a clean swimming pool. The pool was overgrown with weeds and a small tree! It was full of frogs who croaked loudly all night long, keeping me awake. The pool was also full of rusty little tables and overturned chairs, etc., a real mess. There was practically a hole in the bathroom floor, which I sank into. It was scary. I hope for a partial refund, given the advertisement for a pool and the fact that the pool was uninhabitable.

The room was clean and the ac worked well. There was a constant noise off and on all night that woke us often, perhaps an ac unit outside. Buckling ceiling tiles in bathroom, one lamp did not work. Some of the signs said "spa". There was nothing spa-like about this motel. No "on" button on the tv remote. TV was not local channels. No shade on one window.

Horrible experience! I’ll start off by saying that we booked a non smoking room and quickly realized that this room reeked of cigarette smoke- to the point that we ran out and got air fresheners soon after checking in. I also noticed there were balled up dirty socks under one bed and a Hershey’s kiss and other wrappers under the other. When I went to shower before heading out to get said air fresheners, I noticed hair on the shower walls. I called the front desk from my cellphone as the room telephone had no service to it, and I was met with extremely poor customer service, basically making excuses for housekeeping and how “they try their best”. In the end, nothing was done. One window shade had a big hole in it, the air conditioning barely worked- probably due to the filter having caked on black dust all over it- and there were cobwebs all over the room. There was old outdoor furniture piled up outside and the pool looked like it had been given up on years ago. I should’ve done more research as the pictures they post online are very deceiving. Oh, and the lady at the front desk charged us $10 saying that Expedia wants them to collect the extra $10 upon check in- I’m pretty sure she was lying, but I had no way of knowing at the time.

It was very nice, we had a large room, porch with chairs to set out side, it was more than we expected. Only knock i can give them is, they said there was wifi they gave us a password but the signal was so weak that it only connected for a couple of minutes then it was gone. Went to the office, they said thy would look into it. It never worked during our stay. I would definitely stay again, but if you cant live with out wifi ,this might not be your spot.

After checking into the room, we noticed the room was very cold at about 60 degrees. The thermometer was not working and we informed the office. Got a different room and had to move all the stuff to the new room. Then the hot tub was not working and the tv was not working. Driving into the hotel’s parking lot was very difficult where the pavement was filled with holes and very uneven. Although the staff at the front desk were polite, the overall condition at this place is extremely poor. Will not return.

This motel was a classic old time roadside New England accommodation in the Berkshires. It is actually in three different locations spread out over a quarter of a mile on both sides of the road and I suspect one's experience will vary dramatically based on which location and room you actually end up in. Overall the place seems to have overwhelmed the owners in terms of maintenance services. It definitely does not match the confusing and somewhat misleading descriptions on their website or the booking sites. It is very basic with few amenities and unevenly maintained. The TV in our room had obviously not been hooked up to work in a long time. The owners/ staff are impossible to contact and subsequent looking at the reviews of this property show that that is an ongoing problem. I drove down to the other location where the office was located and although the owners were in their apartment, they would not come to the door (apparently everything is done by notes and there is a weathered permanent piece of paper on the door saying they will "be back shortly"). The place has some potential in a beautiful location and was inexpensive but I wonder how long Covid will be an excuse for lack of maintenance, etc.?

We expected more for the amount we paid (~$200/night). Advertising online makes it appear like a charming old resort with outdoor terrace and pool. It was a dumpy version of Grandma’s house, and there was no breakfast available, lucky if you had hot water for the shower. Food was ok (but expensive) at the pub in the barn, but service was very slow and not friendly. We thought Old Williamstown would have had a more upscale experience, but we will not come back again.

We were a late check in so did not see any staff. The room smelled of cigarette smoke, the TV remote was dead due to batteries, there is no cell in the area and we were not given the WiFi password. The bed was comfortable but we only had three pillows…..

- The room had a very unpleasant smell. It was strong, and persisted throughout my stay. - The door was very difficult to open and to securely close. Though it was adjusted at my request, it was clearly not fixed. - The bathroom sink drained very poorly - The bathroom light over the sink did not work properly - The counter in the bedroom was broken on one side - The air conditioner filter was filthy (looking for source of smell) - The bedding was stained - The electric outlet was not flush with the wall - No refrigerator in room or ice machine anywhere - Two towels and two washcloths provided

The room really smelled of mold. Te Ac worked poorly.

Horrible experience! I’ll start off by saying that we booked a non smoking room and quickly realized that this room reeked of cigarette smoke- to the point that we ran out and got air fresheners soon after checking in. I also noticed there were balled up dirty socks under one bed and a Hershey’s kiss and other wrappers under the other. When I went to shower before heading out to get said air fresheners, I noticed hair on the shower walls. I called the front desk from my cellphone as the room telephone had no service to it, and I was met with extremely poor customer service, basically making excuses for housekeeping and how “they try their best”. In the end, nothing was done. One window shade had a big hole in it, the air conditioning barely worked- probably due to the filter having caked on black dust all over it- and there were cobwebs all over the room. There was old outdoor furniture piled up outside and the pool looked like it had been given up on years ago. I should’ve done more research as the pictures they post online are very deceiving. Oh, and the lady at the front desk charged us $10 saying that Expedia wants them to collect the extra $10 upon check in- I’m pretty sure she was lying, but I had no way of knowing at the time.

Place was convenient, cleaned and quiet a little old, but all in all a good stay

Charming vintage roadside motel! Clean and comfortable with original features like gingham cloth wallpaper and cool pine chairs. This is not a greige corporate chain place! Staff were all really nice, shower was hot with good water pressure. The restaurant had good food and friendly service. A pleasant stop in Williamstown!

This could be a great Motor Hotel as all the bones are there. But showing its age and wear. Peeling wallpaper and mold in the shower track in the bath, flickering light in the bath, dirty fingerprints around the door jambs (I wanted to get some magic erasers) Stains on the mattress covers, lumpy hard mattress. On a positive note, the young Man managing the front office was efficient and very friendly!

Historic Inn that is clean. If you are looking for something modern this is not for you. If you love a historic inn with all the old charm and character then this is your place. Staff was friendly and the bed comfortable. WiFi password provided upon picking up the room key. Internet worked well. Room was spacious for a family of 4.

Well, I could have dealt with the broken storm door, and the broken bathroom door. It all seemed "quaint" but then there was no housekeeping, the office wasn't open in the mornings to get more coffee, and then the last straw was that the water shut off around 2am the last night we were there and no place to use the facilities and no one answered my calls until I texted the number which said to leave a message and call 911. I did manage to stop my boyfriend from calling the Board of Health. I asked to be reimbursed for the last night and was ignored.

I checked in after hours. Key with instructions left at the front, easy to find. Room was clean and cold from the AC (thank you!).! Room smelled a bit like a motel, but nothing crazy. Bed was firm, but I slept ok.!!

This hotel has so much potentiel but the current mangement has let it go . the rooms are musty and the smell of mold and midew is present , bed was hard as a rock . i was looking forward to the jetted bathtub to soak and relax . honestly i wouldnt bathe my dog in there it was filthy, the parket lot was muddy and the lighting was up to our room my husband had to use his cell phone light to see. i forgot to mention the strong smell of cat urine also in the bathroom . i told my husband we cant stay here i cant breathe, we callled front desk got offered another room it was just as bad, we left and went to hampton in , we most llikiely wont see a refund . that hotel needs to be condemned. or sold to people that will take pride in it and bring it back to what it could be .

The hotel is in 2 parts on opposite sides of the road. It's difficult to find in the dark. Even the GPS was confusing.

The room was clean and the ac worked well. There was a constant noise off and on all night that woke us often, perhaps an ac unit outside. Buckling ceiling tiles in bathroom, one lamp did not work. Some of the signs said "spa". There was nothing spa-like about this motel. No "on" button on the tv remote. TV was not local channels. No shade on one window.

The sound proofing is terrible. The handle fell off of the storm door. The shower head is not angled correctly and water spewed out of the shower when we turned it on. The room was clean and otherwise fine.

It was very nice, we had a large room, porch with chairs to set out side, it was more than we expected. Only knock i can give them is, they said there was wifi they gave us a password but the signal was so weak that it only connected for a couple of minutes then it was gone. Went to the office, they said thy would look into it. It never worked during our stay. I would definitely stay again, but if you cant live with out wifi ,this might not be your spot.

This could be a great Motor Hotel as all the bones are there. But showing its age and wear. Peeling wallpaper and mold in the shower track in the bath, flickering light in the bath, dirty fingerprints around the door jambs (I wanted to get some magic erasers) Stains on the mattress covers, lumpy hard mattress. On a positive note, the young Man managing the front office was efficient and very friendly!

Loved the spacious room, King bed was very comfortable and enjoyed the relaxing jetted tub. The restaurant has excellent food and service. Enjoyed sitting outside near the creek and at the fire pit in the evening.

It was a bit rundown and the bed was very uncomfortable.

I checked in after hours. Key with instructions left at the front, easy to find. Room was clean and cold from the AC (thank you!).! Room smelled a bit like a motel, but nothing crazy. Bed was firm, but I slept ok.!!

The tv didnt work and ran out of toilet paper

My room had a broken glass panel in the door. Everytime you opened the door your hand ran across sharp glass. Jacuzzi tub did not work broken floor tiles in the bathroom. A/C still in room major draft.

The hotel told me there was a water problem with the room (116) and nobody could stay in it. They lied. They were just overbooked and sent me to another hotel. I had to pay again at the other hotel and resolve my own refund with hotels.com. I know they lied because my son stayed in room 115 for the same two night stay and room 116 was occupied. They cancelled out a hotels.com customer and took someone else who most likely had booked direct and/or paid more than me. I used to work in hospitality and overbooking happens. When it happens, you find another hotel for your customer and pay that property on their behalf. You don’t make the customer pay again and have to go though the process of filing for a refund with their agent.

It’s unique historical property. The front desk allowed us to check in three hours early due to it’s a snowy day. We had a lovely thanksgiving dinner in the restaurant belongs to the hotel.

I had booked the pond side quadruple room. The day before the motel called me to tell me that room was not available and all they had was a two queen room. They asked me if i wanted that. I told them i had no choice but to accept it since there were no other hotels with availability for such short notice and we were going to a wedding. I asked if my rate would be reduced and was told they would have to “check with management” and call me back. I was called back and told I would have to call Expedia, cancel the room, then have Expedia call the hotel and tell them i cancelled, then call the motel and book the room directly for the lower rate. I told them since it was 4 pm on a Friday, the day before my reservation, this was too stressful to manage so i just left it at the rate for the room i never got. I did not get an apology or any kind of offer to make up for it. I had previously asked if i could check in an hour early and was told i could. I asked again and was told i could. When i showed up an hour early, i was told i could not check in early. I had to explain that i had called twice to confirm i did. She texted “management” and then told me i could check in early. Then she was going to charge me for the room. Thankfully i had printed out the receipt for the full payment for the pond view quadruple room (which they did not have available). Breakfast was supposed to be included and the location for breakfast was nowhere to be found. When we went to the office, it was empty.

Charming vintage roadside motel! Clean and comfortable with original features like gingham cloth wallpaper and cool pine chairs. This is not a greige corporate chain place! Staff were all really nice, shower was hot with good water pressure. The restaurant had good food and friendly service. A pleasant stop in Williamstown!

We arrived after 7 pm and it turned out had reserved the room for Wednesday night instead of Monday night. A person associated with the restaurant which was closed on Monday, helped us. He called in to the staff and checked us into a room. Everything went so smoothly and it could have been last minute looking for a different motel.

We checked in fairly late in the evening with a key they left on the door, went to our room and turned on the AC, and the power immediately went out. No one around to contact, so we tried to go to sleep but it was very hot. My husband went to the office in the morning, saw Ashley and told her we had no electricity. No apologies nor concern whatsoever, said they'd have someone fix it and pressured him to sign the bill. No one came to fix it. I booked the room, so I went to the office, encountered Ashley, who was extremely condescending and could not be bothered to even pretend to care and accused me of having an attitude. I have never seen such an awful front desk person. Went back to the room, still no one came to fix it, so we left. I still have not heard back from this place. I believe they owe me a refund for no electricity and terrible customer service.

Light in bathroom doesn’t work. Front desk doesn’t respond to a call.

Well, I could have dealt with the broken storm door, and the broken bathroom door. It all seemed "quaint" but then there was no housekeeping, the office wasn't open in the mornings to get more coffee, and then the last straw was that the water shut off around 2am the last night we were there and no place to use the facilities and no one answered my calls until I texted the number which said to leave a message and call 911. I did manage to stop my boyfriend from calling the Board of Health. I asked to be reimbursed for the last night and was ignored.

I absolutely love the 1896 House! There was a little mixup at check in and Josh promptly fixed it for me. The room was clean and cozy - exactly what I was looking for! We ate lunch at The ‘6 House Pub - terrific food and service! The grounds are quaint and well kept. If you’re looking to stay at a place with character and comfort, I highly recommend! I will definitely be back. Thank you!

The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The lodging was quite charming and in a beautiful setting. Great place to stay if hiking or skiing in the area or just visiting Williamstown and North Adams. The room was comfortable and quiet. The TV audio didn't work properly and there were a couple of lightbulbs out, but we didn't trouble the staff who I am sure would have been immediately helpful. We would definitely stay here again!

The hotel is in 2 parts on opposite sides of the road. It's difficult to find in the dark. Even the GPS was confusing.

Place was convenient, cleaned and quiet a little old, but all in all a good stay

Excellent experience for the price. Lovely area next to creek. Helpful staff

Near hiking for Mt. Greylock and the Appalachian Trail. Nice walking area close by at Lamb's Hill. Clean Older mattress, was OK, but could feel springs a little. If you like a tub, it is tiny. The shower is OK

The 1896 House was a nice place, however, while it’s rooms were “period decorated”, it could use some updates. It was clean and comfortable. We loved that we were able to walk over to the restaurant, which was FANTASTIC! The staff were very nice, helpful and friendly. Our over all stay was great.

Stayed here to hike around the area, and this motel was exactly what i wanted - pet friendly, affordable, simple, 10minutes from trailheads, and nice staff.

This motel was a classic old time roadside New England accommodation in the Berkshires. It is actually in three different locations spread out over a quarter of a mile on both sides of the road and I suspect one's experience will vary dramatically based on which location and room you actually end up in. Overall the place seems to have overwhelmed the owners in terms of maintenance services. It definitely does not match the confusing and somewhat misleading descriptions on their website or the booking sites. It is very basic with few amenities and unevenly maintained. The TV in our room had obviously not been hooked up to work in a long time. The owners/ staff are impossible to contact and subsequent looking at the reviews of this property show that that is an ongoing problem. I drove down to the other location where the office was located and although the owners were in their apartment, they would not come to the door (apparently everything is done by notes and there is a weathered permanent piece of paper on the door saying they will "be back shortly"). The place has some potential in a beautiful location and was inexpensive but I wonder how long Covid will be an excuse for lack of maintenance, etc.?

It suited our needs and was quiet and cute

Loved the spacious room, King bed was very comfortable and enjoyed the relaxing jetted tub. The restaurant has excellent food and service. Enjoyed sitting outside near the creek and at the fire pit in the evening.

1896 was conveniently located for us.

The property was run down and shabby. It appears that the website was from a long ago era. The pub to which reference was made no longer exists. I would never go there again.

Your website says that breakfast is included well it’s not included and we don’t stay anywhere unless the breakfast is included and now we have to go out tomorrow and buy breakfast

Charming vintage roadside motel! Clean and comfortable with original features like gingham cloth wallpaper and cool pine chairs. This is not a greige corporate chain place! Staff were all really nice, shower was hot with good water pressure. The restaurant had good food and friendly service. A pleasant stop in Williamstown!

No refrigerator in room in arrival. No towels in the room at arrival. Phone didn’t work so could not call desk from phone in room. We made dinner reservations at 7:30. We were not told it was closed. We went to empty restaurant and had to call to find out why closed. She claimed it’s always closed she had no idea it was closed. But when asked how she made the reservation it went into they are closed on Sunday Monday. But we were never told that. And have DEFINITELY dined there before. On a Sunday. We have visited often as it is USUALLY a pleasant experience. Our child goes to a near by college so we visit at least once a year. I hope they restore the better service soon.

The 1896 House was a nice place, however, while it’s rooms were “period decorated”, it could use some updates. It was clean and comfortable. We loved that we were able to walk over to the restaurant, which was FANTASTIC! The staff were very nice, helpful and friendly. Our over all stay was great.

Very cool funky old motel from Berkshire County's golden years. Very tasty Roast Duck dinner from equally funky old attached restaurant.

We expected more for the amount we paid (~$200/night). Advertising online makes it appear like a charming old resort with outdoor terrace and pool. It was a dumpy version of Grandma’s house, and there was no breakfast available, lucky if you had hot water for the shower. Food was ok (but expensive) at the pub in the barn, but service was very slow and not friendly. We thought Old Williamstown would have had a more upscale experience, but we will not come back again.

Restaurant next door

The room was pleasant and the grounds were nice. Nothing in disrepair. The ‘6 Restaurant was wonderful-our waitress was fabulous, decor was lovely and the prices were quite reasonable. A definite “thumbs up” and sure to return.

Loved the spacious room, King bed was very comfortable and enjoyed the relaxing jetted tub. The restaurant has excellent food and service. Enjoyed sitting outside near the creek and at the fire pit in the evening.