William Seaward Inn

Breakfast was quite good: we could choose pancakes or scrambled eggs, made to order and served with fresh fruit, juice, coffee, and two slices of turkey bacon. I told the server, the same young man who’d greeted us the night before, about the mildew smell. He said he’d speak with the owner, apparently by phone. The owner thought it might be coming from the crawl space beneath the room or from the hot tub. The young man said he’d check it out that morning. I asked whether they had a dehumidifier for the room, but the only two were being used in the basement. When I asked to move, he said the inn was booked solid for that evening and had no open rooms. We were lucky to find other accommodations, so we checked out of the William Seward. We visit Chautauqua Institution in summer, and we live far enough away that we need a room for one or more nights each trip. We’ve tried several options before, from an on-grounds guest house to two local hotels. I’d had my eye on the William Seward for a while and booked a room there this July. The website presents it as a classy bed and breakfast with lovely old-fashioned rooms. When we arrived, around 6:30 p.m., I first noticed a for-sale sign, then that there were no other guests around. That seemed unusual for a desirable property in the middle of the Chautauqua season, though I tried not to worry since it was still fairly early. A young Latino man greeted us, presumably the same person other reviewers mentioned. He was pleasant enough, but seemed to be the only staff member there and somehow out of place. He told us the room we’d booked in the main inn wasn’t available due to “renovations,” and that we were being “upgraded” at no extra charge to a room in the carriage house. I found that odd since we’d asked for a reservation less than a week earlier, when the original room was marked available. Owners usually plan renovations more than a few days ahead. Our reassigned room was the first-floor Wagner Room. As soon as we opened the door, we noticed a strong mildew smell. The lighting was unusually dim because every lamp had a low-wattage bulb. The “sitting area” in this “upgrade” was two chairs just inches from the bed. I was disappointed that this pricier room didn’t even seem as nice as the website photos of our original choice. We left the air conditioner running and went to our concert, hoping it would clear the odor. When we got back, the smell was almost unbearable. The old, drippy window AC might have been the source. It was too late to do much, so we sprayed some Lysol and went to bed. We slept poorly, and I woke up coughing with a scratchy throat. I also noticed signs the owner was having trouble maintaining the inn. It looked worn beyond what I’d expect of a well-kept historic building. Some work, such as replacing and painting porch supports, was unfinished, and there seemed to be far too much to do for the only employee we saw. The William Seward Inn may once have been a nice place to stay, but it seems to have been allowed to run down lately. Booking there may be a gamble.

This place has been closed for four years. It shouldn’t even be listed here. Don’t waste your time with this joint.

The guest rooms were nicely appointed, the hospitality was great, and breakfast was excellent.

A great little place to stay in a small town.