Let me preface what I am about to say with the fact that the Elm Arch Inn was selected because it was one of the few local places that still had space during the busy July 4th week. My wife and I were placed in an unfortunate position to look for a inn after the small house we were renting had a problem with their septic system a day after our arrival.

With a short 3 day stay as a backdrop we took the first available room which was at the Elm Arch Inn. We stayed in room #27 in the Richardson House which is adjacent to the main house. Both my wife and I fully understood that the room was basic and lacked certain amenities or creature comforts. After staying there I realized that the room actually lacked what I would better describe as the basic essentials. Blankets were badly worn and had holes. The sheets although having been laundered were stained after many years of usage. A lamp that was part of a table refused to work. The latch on window was broken with the screw pulling out of the window frame itself. What some people apparently have described as "charming" on this very site is a room that is just plain old and worn out. The most up to date item in the room may be the 10 year old TV set. The AC unit appeared more than 20 years old and had a missing control knob. The bathroom was wrapped with some type of laminate wall covering that was worn out. I recall this type of laminate paneling from the 50's. There was no ventilation in the bathroom other than a window. The shower/tub combination would have benefited by a standard shower curtain rather than the accordion like shower doors that were a pain. There was very little room within the bathroom to spread out anything beyond a toothbrush and some toothpaste. The main sleeping area had one double and one single bed. The beds were not particularly comfortable with the single bed being the worst since it's mattress was very worn out and soft. This became important as we had our oldest son visit us for a couple of nights. Table space was limited and the "charming antique furniture" was very uncomfortable particularly the straight back chair. The closet was the only thing of size in this room. What was a bit disconcerting was the fact that all the rooms in the Richardson House, that had already been made up but had not yet been rented out, were left wide open. The only thing separating the room from the outside elements was a wooden screen door. Their were many rooms left this way giving the impression that the inn was hardly half full during this busy holiday week. More importantly, leaving the rooms in this state, with the doors wide open, allowed the rooms to absorb the outdoor moisture and with it a mildewy odor. I've never been to any other inn that did this anywhere in the US.

I've stayed at charming, old type inns in the past but what they may have lacked in modern amenities they made up for in cleanliness and comfort. Everyone should expect and demand at least that much and is apparently what the Elm Arch Inn has forgotten how to deliver. The Elm Arch Inn would benefit greatly with new mattress', fresh linen and some selective upgrades within the rooms themselves. It is sad that such a historic and ideally located inn should suffer from such inattention to the details that matter most.