The Pygmalion House looks great when advertised on the Web. However, there are some issues that seem to signal impending doom for the house as a viable b & b.

My wife and I rented a room at the house for one evening, a Sunday. We had a nearby wedding to attend, and needed a place which had a more flexible check in time than the hotels situated a couple of blocks from the house. And, it seemed romantic to stay in an old Victorian.

The rate we were quoted was honored, so unlike the previous review, we have no complaints there. The neighborhood was a little sketchy, although it does appear to be undergoing a bit of gentrification. Even so, we have lived in similar neighborhoods in the past so we were not intimidated. It did seem strange that we were the only people staying there, and the breakfast schedule (it is a b & b afterall) was scribbled out. This prompted us to depart as soon as we got up in the morning, leaving only enough time to hand over the room key to the owner.

Another odd thing is the fact that she thought we had decided to not stay for the night. We are not sure why she thought this as we told her we were off to a wedding for the afternoon and evening. Perhaps she has some sort of sensory perception powers, because we certainly discussed grabbing our things and heading to a hotel as soon as we saw our room. We were in a hurry, so we ended up staying.

The room was very dated, even for Victorian decor. It was nice to have a bathroom in our room, but being in the basement (all guest rooms are in the basement) was a little creepy. The house is large, so it feels odd being the only people in the house besides the owner, who was largely recluse.

Oh yeah, the house is literally right next to the freeway.

Overall, I would not recommend this place if you are looking for a quaint b & b. If all you require is a bed, and a shower, it should fit your needs. The house is a nice example of a Victorian, and it does have (or did have) potential to be a warm, cozy place to stay while exploring the wine country. However, I think the owner should consider hiring a small staff to handle the day-to-day business, including someone to make breakfast, or at least offer up some store-bought pastries and coffee. Without the breakfast, it's really only a b, not a b & b.

I reserved two rooms for me and a couple I was traveling with for the night of July 3, 2004. I was quoted a rate of $106. My friends got to the inn first and was told the rate was $119. They were also informed that there would be no breakfast as the owner was "all alone." My friends called me on my cell phone to tell me. They also said the place was on a seedy street and that several police cars were around as something had just happened nearby.

When I called the owner to ask abou the room rate increase she said it was because the man in the couple was large and she said he would only fit in the king sized room. I said that was fine but that I was quoted $106 (he and his wife sleep just fine in a queen bed at home). When I asked why no breakfast would be available, she said that her oven wasn't working. THEN she told me that her mother had died a few days earlier ?!? When I asked why she didn't call me (and I had just spoke to the woman the day before and she never mentioned this) she said that she called some but couldn't possible call everyone (There are six rooms in this place, and I had 2 of them). I find this hard to believe, as the woman is in her 70's. THEN she tells me that she is just going to not rent for the day, and she hung up on me. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL. I think the woman may be too old to conduct this type of business anymore alone.