The Oliver Hotel

We had a long weekend in town for a concert and would absolutely stay at The Oliver again. Chris at the front desk and the rest of the team were friendly and seemed to truly care about our experience. Peter Kern Library and Oliver Royale were both fantastic. The hotel’s location is convenient for Market Square, Old City, Gay Street, and more, with the University about a 20-ish minute walk away. It’s an older building, so the walls are a little thin, and our renovated room had a bit of wear, including loose carpet. Those small issues were outweighed by the care and quality of the team. If you like smaller historic boutique hotels, The Oliver is a must.

The floors creaked constantly, and with the very thin walls we could hear every little thing happening around us. At check-in, the front desk guy told me nothing about the amenities, checkout time, or places to eat nearby. He could at least have wished us a happy Valentine’s weekend. When I checked out the next morning, he argued with me about a charge before finally saying it was a hold. Why argue instead of explaining that from the start? It was rude and unprofessional. Our tiny third-floor room, where my husband and I stayed on 2/13, had carpet stains, a very slow and never-hot shower, and a tub missing despite being advertised for that room. The toilet paper was like sandpaper, there were discolored paint patches on the ceiling, and the elevator was tiny too. This ranks among the five worst hotel stays I’ve had in my 34 years, despite having stayed in hotels all over the country. They’re CRAZY to charge $262. The next night we paid half as much at a Comfort Suites and got a much better room and service. I’ll never stay here again.

Chris, Shaq, and Telicia were all wonderful, and the customer service was exemplary. The rooms and bathrooms were bigger and nicer than some pictures suggest. We had a coffee maker and blow dryer in the room, plus tasty snacks and complimentary water. The bed was really cozy, and the hotel itself has a lot of charm. I’d have liked gentler toilet paper, and more water pressure would help, though that may be harder to fix. We couldn’t have been happier with the stay.

There’s an old-school charm to this place, with a trendy feel and very large rooms. After a long trip, it was nice to settle in with the champagne and water they gave us at check-in. It’s not the typical modern hotel, and there are great photo spots. The location is also right by the places you might want to visit. Definitely recommend.