My wife and I decided to finally see what Salem, MA was all about and wanted to stay in a nice place, within walking distance to everything. We found the Amelia Payson Guest House on this site, and with all of the excellent comments, we couldn't resist trying a Bed and Breakfast for the first time in all our travels. It turned out to be more than we expected. Right from our arrival, we were warmly greeted by Ada, given a map and overview of the town, shown our beautiful room and sent on our way to explore the area. This guest house is on a beautiful street and is within walking distance to EVERYTHING! There's a lot to do in this town, and it was great to park and not have to drive to be exposed to everything there is to see. Our room, at the top of a winding grand staircase, was very beautifully decorated with antiques and had a nice firm canopy bed. The room was extremely clean and instantly brought us back to the old days! The condition and attention to detail that's been given to this property had me in awe the whole time. The home's history is extensive and it was enjoyable to be able to read about it on a printout on our desk. The room's private bathroom was very large and nicely located around a corner from the bedroom. We enjoyed relaxing in the cozy room both nights after lots of walking.....no street noise, or noise from the other guest rooms. There is a nice sitting room just outside the second floor rooms and the hosts won me over by showing us a Senseo coffee machine, with tons of dark coffee pods right outside our room! Loved it! We relaxed and drank coffee in the evening and also used the machine to have a warm cup in the morning after waking up. Ada sold me on that machine! The sitting room also has a refrigerator, phone and plenty of stuff to read. Very convenient! Let's not forget to mention our excellent breakfast, which was served in 1st class style in a beautiful dining room both mornings by Ada and Don. Great coffee, juice, waffles, fruit, delicious egg bake and toast. We enjoyed great, homey, conversation with them and the other guests, and got lots of tips and tidbits of info about the area. We were also given the wonderful opportunity to visit the huge, huge, Peabody-Essex Museum for free, thanks to Ada and Don letting us use their passes to get in. Overall, a more than excellent stay. We left very relaxed and satisfied with our first stay at a B&B. We're so glad we chose this one for our first try. We will definitely go back to this beauty and these nice, nice people and are already making plans to stay in this home away from home, and take the ferry into Boston. Thanks Ada and Don!
Highly Recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Emily and I had a wonderful holiday here. VERY thoughtful hosts had everything at their fingertips, and everything was a short walk away. The room and amenities were top drawer:tasteful with a touch of old Salem. Enjoy!
Richard Hare,
Ossining NY

I booked this BnB after a very quick look at the website because it was a last minute trip extension after staying in Boston. I got lucky: from start to finish, my experience was terrific.

The hostess offered to pick me up at the ferry, which was an unexpected and much appreciated bonus. She gave me city and tour tips, loaned me a pass to the museum, and served a lovely, plentiful breakfast that far surpassed the "continental" style advertised. She served fresh fruit, tea or coffee, juice, and yummy home-made main dishes that differed each day. The host and hostess were helpful, personable, kind, and great conversationalists who made each meal time a pleasure for everyone. It felt like a well-planned dinner party, though it was morning.

Equally pleasing was the charm of the place: nice antiques, good books to read, games to use, and little amenities like a guest fridge that made you feel at home. Better yet were the great bed and bedding, and all the little thoughtful touches, such as; satin hangers for my nice clothes and a rolling cart for all of my toiletries for next to the great, deep, antique bathtub which was in a bathroom of dream size proportions. You could do yoga in it if you wanted! Perhaps best of all was that the cleanliness of every square inch of the inn was unsurpassed.

The location was great too, easy walks to all the sights, but a few blocks from the noisy late night restaurants/bars. I'd go back in a heartbeat. It was very, very enjoyable to stay there.

My boyfriend and I took a side trip to Salem and had not booked a room ahead of time. We were very pleased to find the Amelia Payson House. Ada and Donald were great hosts. Ada went out of her way for us, showing us a map of Salem and telling us where we could get a quick dinner. Her warm personality made us feel very welcome. After driving all day and not knowing if we'd even be able to stay in Salem, it was like walking into a relative's house.
The room was spacious and comfortable and the house itself is absolutely charming. The breakfast was good and more than we expected being that it is advertised as "continental."
We would definitely recommend the Amelia Payson House to friends and family.