The Inn on Ferry Street

The room was just okay, and the only heat in it came from space heaters. I thought it was fairly clean, though. We were there in late November to meet friends for a night out in Detroit, and the location worked well. I'd book again.

We wouldn't recommend staying here. We booked in August for late December because the place was highly rated and offered the free continental breakfast we wanted. Then, just four days before check-in, they emailed to say breakfast was no longer being served. That left us little time to find somewhere else without paying a fortune. The staff we met were all really nice, and the room stayed at a comfortable temperature. There was a hot and cold water cooler in the entryway, plus a Keurig. The water pressure was great if you showered early, but later it and the temperature fluctuated a lot. The location was convenient, at most 10-15 minutes from most places we visited, and the street was quiet apart from rare sirens. Getting to the house from the parking lot meant carrying luggage along the side and over an uneven walkway to the front door. Inside, there were stains all over the carpet, and our first-floor room was right by the entryway. A large gap under the double doors let noise travel through the building. The mattress was very soft and uneven, and the toilet paper and tissues were incredibly thin. There were only three outlets in the room and one in the bathroom. It's an old building, but of the outlets not used by lamps, only the one farthest from the bed would hold a regular phone charger.

The worst issue was the heat. It was freezing outside, but the room felt close to eighty degrees, and the thermostat didn't control anything. I ended up sleeping with the windows open in late November. The standard queen room was also tiny, with barely enough space for two people to pass. It was just a small bedroom and bathroom, without even an alarm clock. The carpet was worn, the walls badly needed paint, there was a hole in the bathroom wall, the bathroom shade was broken, and we had only about a quarter roll of toilet paper. It didn't feel very clean. The property is four old Victorian houses, with parking in back for $15. I found a street spot easily and avoided the fee. The location near downtown was convenient and is why I chose it. Check-in was frustrating: the desk attendant wasn't rude, but she was dry and not friendly. She told me the fourth house down, so I lugged everything there and then had to turn around and go to the one next door. A small mistake, but it made the process more annoying. For the price, it wasn't worth it. I could have rented an entire Airbnb house for the same amount. I called afterward to ask for compensation because the stay was uncomfortable, but they refused, saying I hadn't reported anything during the stay. There had been nobody at the main desk when I went back, and I was already late and had places to be, so I couldn't wait around. I wouldn't recommend the place or stay again.

The inn is in a great spot, just a few minutes' drive from downtown Detroit. It's an old-fashioned, vintage-style hotel, so don't expect modern furnishings, appliances, or updates. My room was clean-ish and could have used more tidying. It wasn't very expensive, but it wasn't cheap for one night either. Check-in was the main hassle. The website says it starts at 3, but I went to the desk twice and nobody was there either time. On my second visit, they gave me a number to text, and someone did come, but that still wasn't a smooth arrival. Then I was asked to wait while they made sure the room was ready because housekeeping had had problems earlier that day. I had somewhere to be, so it wasn't terribly inconvenient, but the room should be ready when check-in opens. For one or two nights it might be fine, depending on what you want from a hotel.