Hotel Duncan, New Haven

a very classic hotel, a number of steps above a cheap motel, but no 5 star resort. we were very pleased with the service and our stay at this hotel. take the great marble staircase or a very classic hand operated elevator up to your room.

I have used the Duncan Hotel on and off for many years. I am not going to say that it is the best place I have been nor am I going to say it is the worst. As you read the reviews here please take the negative ones with a grain of salt. The hotel is 116 years old and does have a certain charm that goes along with the age. Are all of the rooms perfect, no they are not. Most are clean and neat without any problems. Some do have the signs of age more apparent then others. But if I wanted a brand new cookie cutter hotel/motel room I would go next door to the Study where you will pay nearly five times as much or more for a night. I and my family like the older style of room as well as staff. I have gotten to know them and for the most part they are great. Can they get a little testy sometimes, of course they can and I have seen it. That is in fact the reason I am writing this review. Who wouldn't get a little worn down by guests that constantly berate the hotel with unrealistic expectations. They try very hard to make everyone's stay pleasant. But they do offer the lowest rates in New Haven for a place to stay. No they do not have breakfast in the morning like "all the other hotels" do. A complaint you will hear constantly if you sit in the lobby like I do. The bathrooms are clean. What people mostly see is not indeed dirt. Will there be an occasional slip by the cleaning crews, of course. Just like in any hotel. The patina of the tile floors and porcelain sinks and tubs goes along with the period motif of the rooms. The heating system is in fact a one zone steam system that is turned on as needed. The old style system clanks as the heat rises and the radiators do hiss a little. But what some of the spoiled brats who post negative remarks about it don't realize is that is normal for such a system and I for one, and many people I know who frequent the Duncan know, is that is part of the charm of the place. In these hard economic times, the staff has been reduced and if we find something less than perfect in a room all we do is ring the desk and they always take care of it right away. As for the cost of a stay, it is based on the number of people staying in the room. When I read about other guests complaining about paying for a room and not being allowed to have someone else stay with them I laugh. The rate schedule is based on how many people are staying in the room. When I am there by my self I appreciate the discounted rate of 60 dollars. When my wife accompanies me I pay the 80 dollar rate and still think it is a bargain for being in the downtown area. When you check in you are specifically asked how many people are in your party and your rate is based upon your answer. The ones who post complaints about the policy are the ones trying to get away with being cheap and if you ask me, most likely can't afford the other hotels anyway. They come in with a chip on their shoulders, treating the staff like they are subordinates and then complain that they are not getting four or five star service. Come-on!!! In this day and age everyone is looking to get the most for their dollar. I am as well. When I stay in a hotel I want a comfortable room and a good rate. I do not want to pay several hundred dollars for my luggage to sit in a pretty room while I am out doing what I came here to do. I also don't want to pay 5 dollars for a crappy cup of coffee because the condiments are placed on a faux antique chest of drawers. I want a hotel that makes you feel like you belong there, like you are home away from home and that is what the Duncan Hotel does at the best price in town for a place to sleep. As for the people bitching about all the petty stuff I have one thing to say- Fork up the 3 or 5 hundred dollars a night for the place next door or simpler yet -- put up or shut up.

I've stayed at the Duncan two years in a row now. If the conference I attended these past two years wasn't moving to another city in 2011, I'd stay again. The location is great, the price unbeatable, the service excellent (especially from the elevator operator, who has a far better education than 99% of his passengers), and while the building is old and a bit tatty, it's not unpleasant. I think that's called character, actually. The lobby is fabulous, and I wish I had a weekend to spend just sitting there with coffee, book and time to watch people go by. My room was clean, the bed fresh (except the duvet, but those are never any good in hotels) and the washroom at least as clean as my own at home. This was true both times I stayed at the Duncan, and was true for my two travelling companions in their rooms as well. Unless you want to be an accidental tourist, a travelling armchair who dreams of being at home, this is a fine place to stay. If you want to immerse yourself in the place you travel to, stay at the Duncan. It's part of New Haven's history, and part of its present. Heck, you might even loosen up and enjoy yourself.

Not particularly cheap. Located close to yale, but so are other better hotels. The quirky lift and the guy taking you up and down was the only ok part. Room stank of cigarettes, and in need of desperate revamp. Ancient heating system that clanked all night long. Clank for the hour warm up, hiss hot steam into the room for an hour, then clank for an hour warming down. We contacted lobby to inform them of noise and steam and were assured that the heating wouldn't be on again that night so there was nothing to worry about. This was untrue, and we woke every 2 hours. Horrible for two adults, horrendous for a baby! Next morning, staff were unperturbed by our lack of sleep and could only offer an insincere apology. For a few extra dollars, say somewhere comfortable. What was once I'm sure an authentic yale hotel with character, is by now a dump.

Likes: Was the cheapest hotel around which is why I stayed here and it was pretty close to the green, bus stops, downtown clubs, and eateries. They locked the doors at night as well but you just ring a bell and they let you in. Dislikes: Well like I said it was a cheaper hotel of the bunch. I came in and although the bed sheets were nicely folded you could tell they weren't so clean. There was a box of trojan condoms in a drawer next to the bed. If they really did clean and check the place that would have never been left there. The tub still had hair (looked like female) in it. Any hotel assumes you're going to have at least TWO people stay in the room. I had some friends come over one night as I got ready to go to the club and I received a call from the front desk saying that they would charge me per person if the people spent any more time in the room! What kind of crap is that? I couldn't even have a friend stay with me in the same room because they bumped up my nightly rate which I could not afford. Overall they did help me when I needed help or directions but due to the room for improvement in cleanliness and the greed from not allowing other people in the room I cannot recommend this hotel. If management changed then maybe things would get better.

the room was dirty, the receptionist was rude and hostile, they charged my credit card twice I am still trying to get my money back...

i found duncan old and unclean. the carpet was greasy, bathroom floor had blood (!) stains, and the noise from the cooler (not ac) was earsplitting. one day, the cleaning person forgot to replace the trash bag and clean the bathroom. moreover, i found a bag of melted mozzarella cheese that earlier guests had left in the fridge. sometimes the front desk person was friendly, but other times the person on shift was not as nice. i live in it only because it is probably the closest to yale (and cheaper than the study hotel next door). other than that, i cant think of any particular reason to stay here.

Location is everything when trying to visit your children at Yale. All the hotels in the area raise and lower their prices at the drop of a hat when they know parents are arriving. Forget about Parent's weekend and move in day! If you didn't book ayear aheard you're out of luck or paying $400-600 per day. The Duncan is not the Ritz but is nice enough for a few nights. I spend the days visiting and sightseeing, so a clean and friendly place is great. The beds could be better, oh well... Booking is only a month or so out.. so you can get a room in the heart of campus when all else is sold out. I love the staff and get great service.

People seem to either love or hate the Duncan. Unfortunately, I'm in the latter category. I've stayed at this hotel twice (once in 2007 and once in 2008), and I had a miserable experience both times. The rooms are in poor physical condition. My air conditioner was noisy, the door handle broke, the bathroom door wouldn't close all the way, and I could hear people coming and going in the stairwell all night. More problematically, the hotel staff seems angry and sullen. When I called in advance, the person answering the phone claimed that garage parking was available down the street at an additional nightly rate. But when I checked in, the garage attendant had already left for the night even though the garage was still open. I asked the the clerk at the Duncan what I needed to do to make sure my car was okay there, and he snapped "I don't work there, so why the hell would you ask me about it?" They also insist on making you leave your room key at the front desk every time you leave the hotel. This was annoying at best and personally invasive at worst. They also threatened to charge me for bringing another guest back to my room to watch television for half-an-hour. On my most recent trip to New Haven, I stayed at the Super 8 in West Haven. Yale was a 10-minute drive away, but at almost same price as the Duncan, the service was 10 times better and totally worth it. In sum, until the owners of the Duncan get with the times, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

First, let me say that the only time a maid has ever thanked me for a tip was at the Duncan. The bellhop seemed genuinely surprised to be tipped for taking my bag to the room door, and the concierge was helpful and friendly enough, both on the phone and in person. I came across the Duncan when my son took me to the Thai restaurant in the basement. I’m glad I noticed it, because when I wanted a reservation for Yale Parents Weekend, every other hotel was blacked out—and this four months in advance! The Marriott had one room around $350 a night which may be a song for many Yale parents, but certainly not this one. I got a room for $100 a night at the Duncan and was quite happy with it. The location is perfect. It’s on the part of the Yale campus that houses three art museums, the school or architecture, and the school of drama. It’s only a half mile from Ezra Stiles, my son’s college. There are lots of restaurants (including Louis Lunch), shops, and attractions nearby. The Duncan doesn’t have wifi, but there are several places within a block or so where you can grab a cuppa, open your laptop, and catch up on emails. Staying at the Duncan, rather than a low-priced motel out of town, allowed me to take a shuttle from JFK rather than renting a car, a big plus for me. Sure, some of the nooks and crannies were dusty. It’s an old hotel, which means a lot of the pipes and electrical are not hidden in the walls. Those things attract dust. I live in an old house that has lots of dust catchers. The essentials were clean, though—carpets, bedding, towels (and they gave me more than enough), furniture. I found the room comfortable enough to watch TV or read. Besides, I like old places with character. I can picture Barbara Stanwyck striding across the lobby or Madeleine Kahn riding up the elevator. Or maybe Gloria Swanson sweeping down the staircase. A word on the visitor policy: I had read in a few reviews that they do not allow visitors in the rooms. When my son wanted to see my room, I asked the concierge if it would be all right. He had no objection at all. It’s rowdy parties they want to avoid, not one or two quiet visitors. For big events such as Yale Parents Weekend or graduation, they don’t take reservations until a certain date. Then they start at 8 a.m. EST and are full by 9, so if you are looking for a place for these must-have dates, it can be a nail-biter waiting for that day and redialing again and again until you get through. Both times I needed a room, I got one, but you have to jump through that hoop. The reservation is contingent on a deposit by check (you can pay the remainder by credit card when you check out). I followed up with a phone call to make sure it was received. I have booked two rooms for graduation, and am looking forward to enjoying the ambience of the hotel and neighborhood once again.