We booked a mid-week package at the Harborside Inn for our first trip to Block Island. The package was a good value and convenient in that it included the ferry tickets, bicycle rentals, beach chair rentals and dining certificates. The Harborside is a historic old building that is in walking distance from the ferry in the heart of Old Harbor, so it is convenient to everything. We happened to hit a heat wave and luckily had booked one of the few rooms with air conditioning, otherwise it could have been uncomfortable. The room was very small, but had pretty much what we needed since we didn't spend a whole lot of time there. The bed mattress was terrible and worse than what you would expect to find in a cheap motel. It was bearable for the two nights we were there. The restaurant in the Inn was very good and served breakfast, lunch and dinner. Much of the summer staff are young eastern europeans that come to work for the summer. It was a decent place for our first visit but when returning we will be looking to try one of the other establishments that were recommended by people we met on Block Island.

We booked this hotel spur of the moment enroute to Block Island. The location is terrific and convenient to ferries arriving in Old Harbor. We booked a small room with a double bed and private bath without a view. The room was clean and large enough for one night. We paid around $150 after taxes, which I felt was a fair price. Two major downsides were the lack of quiet in the hotel, partly because of the age of the walls and partly because of our fellow guests. It proved difficult to get a good night's sleep with teenagers running around the hallways. Our room was also adjacent to the stairs leading up from the lobby. The restaurant was adequate for breakfast, although the staff was somewhat inexperienced and slow to get orders. The view from the deck was beautiful.

The Harborside Inn wouldn't be my first choice on Block Island, but if I had a hard time finding a room or if I was on a budget the hotel is more than adequate. Probably best for short stays.

The best thing about this hotel is the location: directly across from the ferry in Old Harbor. It's also in the heart of Old Harbor. We never spend a lot of time in the room or at the hotel, so it was nice to be able to pop-in, drop purchases off, freshen up and head back out without losing a lot of travel time. The second best thing is that they have a bag storage area so, if you arrive early or plan to catch a late ferry back, you don't have to lug your bags around.

The hotel was built in the 1800's which mean small rooms; no big deal, we had plenty of room to move around. The room and bathrooms were clean. Our room didn't face the ocean so, we had a window AC unit that kept the room cool. Bad thing, being in the heart of everything and being built in 1800, you hear everything from outside. Luckily the AC drowned out the outside noise. Our bed was firm, but every time you moved it squeaked. Pillows were soft and I slept pretty well and I'm a very light sleeper.

The staff is mostly comprised of young kids from the Eastern Block. They were polite and did their jobs well. My only problem with this is, with our current economy I would like to have seen those jobs go to the unemployed who are citizens of our country.

The restaurant: view: magnificent. Sitting on the verandah overlooking the harbor. food: okay, nothing to write home about. Their computer system is a little screwy as is their breakfast coupons, don't be shocked to see multiple charges from the restaurant on your bank statement. Although, they do get cleaned up in a few days.

Overall, would I stay here again? Sure, because of the location. I'd just make sure I paid for my meals with cash.

I'm a little jaded as I used to cover Bermuda for work and also traveled to various locales and have stayed at some top notch places. If your mindset is right, the HS is not too bad. It's cheap. Staff is pretty attentive. Location is great if you are taking the ferry and not flying. My kids had a good time. I thought it was ok. However, and this is why dudes like myself, usually pay up for a better place (trust me I got the dough - I'm just cheap) --- the wife. My wife thought this place was disgusting, dirty, and that our room was way too small. Also, she complained the most about some cheap Ikea (new) furniture that gave off a bad odor that she could taste in her mouth 24 hours later. She truly hated this place. So, that's why you have such a variety of reviews. Everyone is different.