The Excelsior House Hotel

The staff other than the new GM have been wonderful, friendly, and glad to have us. They’re a big reason we’ve returned year after year. But the way the new management handled this was unfair and disappointing after more than two decades of loyalty. Our group has stayed here for Mardi Gras for over 20 years. One room has always had a door directly to the street, and we’ve used it to watch the parade without any trouble or warnings from earlier managers. This year Kimberly, the new GM, said it was an emergency exit and couldn’t be used. After we explained the history, she reluctantly said “OK.” Yet during the parade she confronted and reprimanded the guest in that room in an unprofessional way. We pulled her aside, apologized again, and thought it was settled. The next morning, that guest received an email saying he was no longer welcome. The door is inside a private room, and two other rooms have doors straight into the courtyard, but those guests haven’t been banned for using theirs. The inconsistency is hard to miss, and it feels as though the hostility is aimed only at our group.

This complaint is about the new GM, Kimberly, and nobody else. The other staff have always been kind and professional, and that service is a major reason our group has kept coming back to The Excelsior House for many years, with some of us returning for as many as 20. We book again when checking out and tell others to watch for openings. One couple’s room has a door leading to the front porch. We’ve used that access for years, but this time Kimberly strongly reprimanded us and said it was for emergency exit only. The exit sign is very small and in cursive. The door behind it is in the private room and is usually kept locked by the occupants. Two rooms next to the “offending” couple have doors that open onto the courtyard, and those guests were allowed to come and go freely. We discussed it professionally and asked for consideration, but Kimberly refused, so we complied. We even offered to help move a large ladder stored on the porch that obstructed a clear exit and seemed like a code violation. She refused our help and left it there. When we raised the blockage again during the parade the next day, she again turned down our offer, then moved the ladder herself. After the couple had reserved the room and checked out the following day, they got an email cancelling their 2027 reservation and banning them from the hotel. This inconsistency makes it seem the rules were about control rather than safety. We hope the Board reconsiders the GM’s unprofessional and inconsistent conduct.

The helpful staff and central location made this a place I’d gladly revisit. Most of Jefferson is an easy walk away, and the hotel has inviting common spaces and a lovely outdoor courtyard. My room had a very comfortable king bed, a modern bathroom, and its own effective AC. The rooms are decorated and furnished in the period style, which I liked. The building’s age shows in the somewhat uneven floors. There’s no elevator, and the less expensive rooms are on the second floor.

The courtyard was my favorite place to unwind after a day seeing the town. The hotel is surrounded by historic attractions, cute shops, and places to eat, and rooms that open onto the balcony look over the lovely courtyard and face the sunset. I stayed in a historic room with a clawfoot tub and plenty of charm. Mine faced the road, and with the blinds drawn there wasn’t much sunlight. Like other historic hotels I’ve stayed in, it also had a lingering musty smell. There’s a nice lobby display of artifacts and information about The Excelsior House, the oldest hotel in Texas. Breakfast is served daily and was nice, but it costs extra. At nearly $300 for a weekend without any special events in Jefferson, I personally feel it should be included. The young woman who handled my reservation was kind, though I wish all the reservation staff knew more about the area and could offer suggestions. A room book with basic hotel details, including check-in, checkout, and breakfast information, would be helpful too. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys history and wants to check staying in Texas’s oldest hotel off their list.