Gunn House Hotel

We stayed in room 11, which is said to be haunted, facing the street. We didn't get any creepy feelings or ghost encounters, though. The room's comfortable enough, with decent beds, good shower pressure, and a heater that looked like a fake fire. The temperature was fine. There was a lot of traffic noise but no noise from neighbors, and earplugs helped. The building's history is really neat. It's like the Winchester Mystery House of Sonora, with additions that left it full of stairways and floors to figure out. The cute opening windows in the doors, short closet door, and period decor were fun. The front of the room seemed to slope toward the street, while the bathroom and closet slanted back toward the inside, like other old buildings we've stayed in. I'd come back.

The room was clean and looked after, with the basics like soap, toilet paper, and towels. The bed was comfortable, too, and for the price it was a good stay. I'd wanted to try this place on earlier visits, and this time the rate was great. It's a beautiful old building, with rooms decorated to suit its age. Right downtown, you can walk to food, coffee, and shops.

We were so disappointed with this stay that we left wanting never to return to the Gunn House. My wife, son, and I stayed on December 20. We'd been coming here for about 20 years, though our last visit was probably 6-7 years ago. We knew it was an old historic hotel, but it used to be clean and the service used to be good. We didn't stick around for breakfast, which we remembered as very nice in years past. The location is still the best thing about it, with stores, restaurants, and other places nearby, including Columbia. After we checked in, I went to the lobby for an extra blanket and rang the bell. A man later identified as “Harry” came out. He said getting one would take “10 to 20 minutes.” I offered to wait in the lobby and get it myself if that was quicker, but he said he'd bring it. About five minutes later, he returned with a blanket crumpled into a ball. I wondered if it was clean or had just been pulled off another bed. As he came around the counter, he threw it at me to catch. I asked if it was clean, and he said yes, then asked if I wanted him to fold it. I left for the room feeling shocked and annoyed. About five minutes later, I went back and told Harry I wanted to cancel the reservation for the 21st. He asked if something was wrong with the room. I said no, the problem was him: he'd brought a crumpled blanket, thrown it at me, and then asked if I wanted it folded after I asked whether it was clean. I told him he was rude and unprofessional, and asked for the money back for the 21st because of his poor service. He said my wife had signed the contract and that cancellations required 48 hours, while our booking for the 20th was last minute. I understood, but still asked for the next night's money back and said I'd pay for the 20th. I also asked to speak with the owners. Harry seemed nervous and apologized repeatedly. He said throwing the blanket had been a “joke” and that he joked with guests all the time, and everyone knew it. I told him I hadn't been joking when I asked for a blanket. I think he was worried I'd speak to the owners and was trying to minimize what he'd done. I kept asking to speak with them and for a refund. Eventually he said he'd pay me from his own account since he was the one who offended me, and asked if I had Zelle. I said yes and gave him my cell number. About 15 minutes later, he knocked on our door to say he'd sent the money. Then, when I pulled back the comforter to go to bed, there were broken crackers on the blanket. I brushed them off, but we were grossed out and couldn't wait to leave the next morning. Before bed, I booked the 21st at the Chicken Ranch Hotel and Casino. That place was really nice and clean.

The location was the one good thing about this hotel. Check-in was awful: the person there was extremely rude and threw my card and ID back at me. The room was in poor shape, with peeling wallpaper, shower cracks, no soap, and mold on the baseboards. My travel partner had a black light on his flashlight, and what we saw was disgusting. We attached photos of the bedding and toilet. There was old trash left in the room, the towels were dirty, and the pool was green and gross. Horrible stay. I'd strongly advise people not to stay here.