The house was very nice, but the rooms were a little musty. The room was very well decorated and the bed was very comfortable. Breakfast was subpar; the pancackes and sausages reminded me of items from those microwavable breakfasts I used to consume as a child (so much so that I am half convinced that's what they were). However, for Amherst, these are nice accomidations given what else is out there. Debbie and Allen were very nice and the rates were affordable.

I spent two nights at the Allen House Inn last weekend (September 2nd and 3rd, 2005) while in Amherst for a wedding. I based my decision to stay there more or less entirely on tripadvisor reviews, which just goes to show that neglecting to note the date of these reviews is a mistake. I also neglected to check the fodors talk forums, though the sheer volume of tripadvisor users makes this site a more reliable barometer. I thought.

The Allen House is indeed an old Victorian house. If you adore dark wood and William Morris wallpaper, perhaps you can overlook its flaws.

I payed $329.10 for two nights B&B. I should add that I was requested to pay the amount in full, by check, some weeks before arriving. The check had cleared before my stay began, which left me with no recourse had anything been seriously wrong with my stay. Thankfully nothing was wrong enough to demand my money back, though as you'll see from my comments below I won't be returning.

My room, the "Oscar Wilde Room" on their website, "Peach" on the doorplate, was generously sized with a queen sized bed. Windows faced onto the side and the back of the property. The ensuite shower-room was, as one expects in period houses converted into B&Bs, the size of what had been a large closet. The sink was placed in the bedroom itself, which did not bother me and in fact was quite convenient, as it meant more natural light when getting ready for the wedding. The house is not air-conditioned but there was a ceiling fan and my room had three windows on two different walls so ventilation was adequate.

I imagine that most people looking for B&B accomodation in Amherst are either visiting one of the Colleges or dropping off their progeny at them. So you'll most likely have a car. The (off street) parking provided by the Allen House appeared to be large enough to accomdate all of their guests, and the drive into the center of town is slightly more than a mile down a single street. All very easy and convenient.

If you plan to walk from the Allen House into the center, that too is reasonable. A few caveats: it was about a fifteen-twenty minute walk in sneakers and quite pleasant in daylight. But if you (or your child) are wearing dress clothes, for a college interview say, or a wedding, don't expect to walk. I also recommend not walking after dark, as the Allen House is located far enough away down Main Street for the streetlights to have given way to a semi-rural feeling. The cars zip by and it's quite dark.

Which brings me to Allen House's flaws. The cars really do zip, there are many of them, and they combine to generate quite a bit of road noise. Even in my side facing room at the back of the house, I could hear and was aware of the traffic noise at 1am. I live on a busy street in Central London with night buses going by at all hours so this didn't disturb me. But for those of you hailing from more idyllic environs, be aware that road noise could be an issue. Especially since no air-conditioning means that in the warmer months you'll want to keep your windows open.

The room itself was clean: no obvious dust, no bugs. But it was musty. I'm realizing in hindsight how truly musty it must have been to drive me to the following: firstly, rather than hang my dress in the musty smelling wardrobe, I hung it on the bathroom door. Secondly, and even more upsetting, my sheets smelled really stale. I do not accuse the housekeeping staff at the Allen House of not changing the sheets. When I pulled down the covers from the bed on my first night the sheets were taut, so they had not been slept in. But the bed smelt so stale, as though no one had slept in it/aired it in months. I actually placed the tank top I'd been wearing all day on the drive up over my pillowcase and slept with my head on that, rather than press my face into the bedding. I did not complain to the owner however, since it was quite late when I finally got to bed that night. I probably should have, but that's my mistake and not a reflection on the staff. The towels smelled fine, which leads me to believe the problem is with the actual pillows and mattress, not the bed linens themselves.

I hesitate to criticise breakfast at the Allen House because I've only really stayed in B&Bs here in the UK. I'm not familiar with the standard for US B&B breakfasts. However I am American and I *know* that we can do breakfast like nowhere else. So why was I so disappointed? There were no choices. No eggs cooked to order, no water glass with the place settings (and no jug of water on the table either), no breakfast cereals hot or cold. No newspapers to peruse. There was a small goblet full of fresh fruit each morning though, which was nice. I have no idea what I would have eaten had it not been late summer, since a plate of sausages and some pancakes were the only food offered and I eat neither of those things. If the proprietors of the Allen House had put as much effort and thought into the food as they did the table settings, I'd have given them another orange dot.

The Allen House Inn is not a travesty. It is a neat looking house and conveniently located if you have a car. There was a nice little porch upstairs for sitting outside in good (read summer) weather if you have a couple of hours to kill. But don't go expecting B&B brilliance. Right now I'd summarise my stay as mediocre at best: the sight of William Morris wallpaper just wasn't enough to overcome the less enticing tastes and smells.

My wife and I have stayed at the Allen House Inn on several occasions over the last few years and look forward to staying there again when in the Amherst area. The authentic Victorian decor is quite charming, the rooms are light and airy, and the setting is peaceful and serene. The hospitality has been excellent, and the informal breakfasts have been particularly delightful.

I have stayed at the Allen House quite a few times over the past six years. The House is beautiful, historic and so convenient to Amherst and all things in Western Massachusetts. The breakfasts are wonderful, as well. But best of all is the warm, friendly atmosphere that Ann and Allen have created. It is a joy to stay there. It is the BEST place and best value in the area.