In taking into consideration the comfort for cost ratio I must give this hotel an "above average" rating.
I paid $50/night (plus $6.00 taxes/night) and had a teriffic room. It was spotless, had a tv, maybe not all the niceties one is used to but for me it was just fine.
It is very close to virtually everything...Yale U, museums, restaurants.
I found the staff to be helpful and congenial.
I've stayed in hotels where I have paid three times as much and didn't like them nearly as much as this one. As has been previously mentioned, there is something rather old-fashoned and genteel about this place. It is not your cookie cutter type hotel.

I live in New Haven but stayed at the Duncan one night when my water heater broke. The man at the desk was very nice to me and put me up in a huge, stately suite with bay windows overlooking Chapel Street (and my car). It cost $50. I remember calling the front desk about the lack of heat until it eventually came on. I had a comfortable night. For those of you unfamiliar with New Haven, the location is superb.

SOme Guy with a key came in to my room thankgod i was in the bath room I thought that he was staff and he was going through draws and stuff and went over to my laptop and said Hi can I help you and he replied is this tracy's room I said no can I have your name and he darted out the room and I called down stairs and ask the man down their that there was a man in my room with akey and said that thats impossable their only two keys and he has the other so I said then who just walkedin to my room and said I dont know and that was are PROBLEM to handle it. I SAY NEVER COME TO THIS HOTEL SLEEP OUTSIDE INSTED AND LET THE PLACE BURN..........

I've stayed there once every three months for last year and a half.
It's an excelent value, the employees are very nice, the rate per night is best your will find anywhere in new haven. Don't expect internet access unless you do dialup but remember you didn't pay $100 a night either.
So if you remember what you paid you will feel more positive about where you are staying. Clean.
-David in Boston, MA