House on Dunbar B&B

We booked three nights for a wedding weekend and had a fantastic stay. Joanne was a lovely host and a great cook, and we enjoyed chatting over her homemade breakfasts. Our upstairs room was tidy and clean, with a huge ensuite bathroom and everything we needed for a comfortable place to sleep. It was affordable, well located, and street parking was convenient.

The experience was very unpleasant, even though Joanne was clearly trying. The website gave a misleading impression: the guest kitchen is a small basement kitchenette, not the one shown on the homepage, and two red-walled rooms are downstairs with a shared bathroom. We had to pay in full a month ahead, which seemed so odd I nearly canceled. I wish I had. Guests weren't allowed to wear shoes inside, though Joanne did, and the floors were cold tile. Our room wasn't very clean, with cat hair and dust in the drawers, a pillbug in the shower, and stained mattress covers beneath the sheets. The bed was uncomfortable, and the dark red walls and mirrors didn't make for a relaxing space. Joanne came downstairs at all hours, and there was no soundproofing, so it didn't feel private. I wouldn't have felt safe there without my husband. He requested breakfast, and on the first morning found a sticker in his 'fresh fruit juice'. The coffee was so stale neither of us could drink it, even though we'll usually drink almost anything with caffeine if we need to. For those two red rooms, you're paying to stay in someone's basement under their house rules, without any expectation of privacy.

After just one night, we decided to cut our losses and move to a hotel. The downstairs rooms given to us and another couple were damp, gloomy, and smelled of mold. We noticed cobwebs in the sleeping rooms, around the baseboards, and mildew behind the toilet. The air quality was poor. Joanne, the owner, didn't seem concerned or apologetic when we shared our feedback; she suggested an antihistamine for our irritated noses and eyes. She also pulled a large ball of lint from the window blinds by hand. Accessing the room entrance across the yard felt structurally unsafe. The photos online were very misleading. If you're looking for a clean, attractive place with a gracious, responsive host, this isn't it.

It was so cold that, even with the room heater on, we had to go out and buy two sleeping bags rated to -21. The owner then told us to turn the heat down. I wouldn't recommend this place for anyone who needs to feel safe, or for families with children. The owner doesn't keep the units maintained, and when things start falling apart, they charge you for damage and for service calls or items that should be part of keeping the rental safe. We weren't shown receipts, so it seemed likely the costs were marked up. The owner takes advantage of elderly and disabled people without hesitation, in my view. They also gossip and speak badly about people, which felt unprofessional and annoying. When leaving, she asked the Elder for their personal credit card. I'm waiting to see if she takes money from the card for herself, and will update if fraud happens on top of the self-serving behavior. She can say what she likes about guests, but she's responsible for providing a safe, livable place for tenants. Consider yourself warned.