Irma Hotel

We had a blast overall. The food was good and everyone else was very nice, though the evening desk clerk seemed unhappy that we’d booked and decided to stay in half the hotel. Most of the rooms were great. Mine was beside the kitchen, where things kicked off around 5 a.m. with slamming doors, shouting, and crashes that sounded like a thrash metal show.

The banging pipes started at 4:30 in the morning and kept going until I left for breakfast at 7. I had a 14-hour drive home and needed every minute of sleep. I also heard loud diesel trucks late Saturday night and traffic around 6 a.m., though I might have slept through that without the pipes. Edit: I came back through, and Room 47 should be avoided at all costs. I hate having to add this. The pot pie dinner was excellent. On my earlier stay, the 16-ounce prime rib was perfect. The baked potato had some gritty dirt in it, so I had to stop and spit out a mouthful. Ham and bean soup was delicious, just slightly salty, and I liked the creamy mushroom vegetable soup too. Staff were attentive without hovering. The old hotel was clean, everything worked, and the staff were great. Prices in early winter were reasonable. I’m happy with the stay, apart from that later room experience.

The place has a neat history on display, with family photos, the original cash register, and guns behind the bar. We ate at the restaurant and could taste the food’s quality. It was good, though a little pricey. A basic breakfast of eggs, toast, and bacon came to about $16.

I loved wandering around to look at the artwork and antiques, and the high ceilings made it easy to imagine the place a hundred years ago. It feels like stepping back in time. Our room was huge and clean, and dinner was delicious. I had the buffet with prime rib, ham, vegetables, mashed potatoes, warm rolls, and more I can’t remember. The bread pudding was new to me and so good. The hotel is centrally located for walking, with a good-sized lot of its own and street parking too.