The Chapman House

The location made it easy to reach downtown, the beach, and some lovely running routes around the Island. At checkout, they also offered a small discount because of the room problems. Still, the first-floor room at Chapman House had a strong mildew and sewer odor. Staff brought in a dehumidifier after we reported it, but that helped only a little. The smell made the stay uncomfortable, so I wouldn't recommend staying at Chapman House.

The noise was hard to ignore: we could hear full conversations from the room above, and when those guests used their bathroom it sounded like they were in ours. We had booked a Chapman Queen, but room 310 at Chapman House appeared to be the Petite Queen shown on the hotel's website. I took photos on my phone and compared them with the site's pictures; they matched exactly. An employee said it was a Chapman Queen, but couldn't explain why it looked identical to the Petite Queen. I didn't get a photo from the bed toward the bathroom, though that angle also matches the website's Petite Queen photo. Since the Petite Queen costs less, it felt like we were being charged for a higher-priced room than we received. Check carefully if you're booking a Chapman Queen.

The building is old and lovely, so the creaky floors weren't a surprise. It was also an easy walk to downtown, and someone was there to help us fairly quickly when we arrived, despite there being no reception desk. There's a number you can text if you need assistance. The bigger concerns were the construction and the door lock. Work was happening at the Veranda just behind Chapman House, but this wasn't mentioned when we booked. We weren't in the room much, though we had to keep the shades closed during the day because the workers could see inside. Our door still took a regular key and had only a doorknob lock, with no deadbolt or chain. Nantucket feels safe, but extra locks would have made me more comfortable.

Breakfast meant a walk to their sister location one street over, which felt like a trek in the windy late-fall weather. The coffee was hot and delicious, though, the choices were limited but fresh, and the staff there were great. At check-in I was greeted at the door and helped quickly. The old building has kept its charm while being carefully updated. My room was beautiful, and its bathroom had a modern double rainfall walk-in shower with a hand sprayer. The lit vanity mirror even made shaving almost pleasant. My room still had an actual key instead of an RFID card, which was interesting rather than a problem. The floors look beautiful but creak and shift underfoot, so there's no sneaking around. That didn't bother me, but other guests may want to know. I'd recommend the hotel for its staff, rooms, and location. Downtown is within walking distance, even in 30MPH winds and 30°F temperatures.