Inn At Saratoga, Saratoga Springs

this was our third and last visit to the inn at saratoga. our reservations were messed up the last two times, the rooms are at best average. every time we've been there at least one piece of furniture in the room was damaged. the location is fine except for the huge construction project going on across the street. the complimentary breakfast this past weekend was staffed by a surly woman who was berating the guest. we'll look elsewhere from now on.

I will NEVER book a room at the Inn at Saratoga again nor recommend it. My fiancée and I purchased a room for one night at the Inn at Saratoga through Priceline. When we arrived, the front desk clerk had no record of our reservation and no empty rooms to offer us. When I presented my confirmation papers, he explained that he would have to “walk” us to another hotel (ie. Call up neighboring hotels and see if there are any vacancies). Because it’s a busy weekend, he called several hotels before finding any empty rooms. The first room he offered us? A room with a single TWIN bed for me and my fiancée at a neighboring hotel. The second option was a room at a hotel three miles away, nowhere near walking distance to downtown. I reluctantly accepted it because I was getting angrier at the whole process. The clerk gave us a pre-printed letter for overbooked guests where he had written in the name of the new hotel. When we get there, the room that we were given was across the hall from a wedding reception. When I spoke to the manager of the Inn at Saratoga, he said that Priceline and I had done everything correctly with my reservation. His explanation was that someone at the Inn had made my reservation for one night PRIOR to my scheduled arrival. He could not say who had made the mistake and chalked the whole thing up to human error. He said that “sometimes mistakes do happen and unfortunately, I’m sorry that this time it happened to you.” I wrote it down while I was talking to him because I couldn’t believe that someone in the hospitality industry was settling for human error in handling hotel reservations. I made sure that Priceline refunded our money. The Inn at Saratoga paid for our new room at a hotel on the outskirts of town. We ended up needing to drive everywhere we wanted to go. The whole experience was the last thing that you want to deal with on a vacation. I believe that one mistake from a hotel is too many in an industry that depends on customer service and customer reviews. Where would they have put us if this was racing season? If you want to risk mishandled reservations and being reassigned to less than ideal accommodations, take your chances with the Inn at Saratoga.

Conveniently located near all the major attractions including the racetrack, dance museum and shopping, the Inn touts itself as history refurbished. The overall effect is a mixed bag. First, the service is friendly and enthusiastic when you get it. I had to wait over 1/2 hour to check in. Similarly, I had to wait over ten minutes to be seated at the near empty dining room. However, the staff in both the restaurant and lounge were quite pleasant and helpful. One night, the assistant manager was serving in the dining room and was an absolute delight. Her knowledge of the menu and wine suggestions were outstanding. However, while the food is good, it is on the pricey side. The menu was unusual-alot of tamarind and root vegetables- and a bit heavy for summer. The first night I dined there, the unpleasant oder of garbage permeated the room. Patrons are also able to dine outdoors as well as in the lounge. The charm of dining on the main drag of Saratoga was lost on me. The Inn offer a complimentary breakfast which features hot and cold offerings. My first breakfast there was great but the second was not--the hot offering, a version of a crossandwich , was greasy and unappealing and I was reduced to eating cold cereal. My room was absolutely hideous with garish striped wall paper clashing with hideous floral wall paper. I was on the second floor, overlooking the unattractive parking lot. The spotlight was blinding and I had to pull down the shades and pull the curtains as well as shut the bathroom door so I could sleep. The bed was not terribly comfortable but the bathroom was bright and clean.My room was stifling hot but there was a small window air conditioner. It was very noisy but did eventually cool off the room. The hallways were dingy and the maid service did not pick up the room service trays left outside the rooms. The sight and smell of them became progressively more unappealing. The carpets and hallways were dingy and there is no gift shop or courtesy store where one could purchase memorabilia or toiletries. The decorators appear to be conflicted as to style. The wall paper and the framed artwork tend to clash. There is a statue of a horse outside which is a nice touch but inside there are mannequins dressed in a grubby Victorian fashion blocking a door to the restaurant. The free internet service is in the open by the restaurant and the elevators are very slow. Parking is free in the small lot surrounding the inn. Saratoga springs is a great location with many interesting things to do and see. However, the Inn does not live up to its billing and was, despite some bright spots, an overpriced disappointment.

Everything went well. The location, the staff and the hotel itself were on point and consistently so. Saratoga itself is an amazing town and the hotel just melded right in with the vibe of this wonderful upstat local. I could have just as well been here 85 years ago. The property was well maintained, up to date and the staff was extremely helpful. We got to know them over the 4 day period we visited. I recommend without hesitation.

We did not stay at the Inn but we ate there 2 nights. The food is outstanding. Absolutely impeccable 5-star cuisine. If you are looking for a great place to eat - especially during August when other restaurants have inflated prices and can't keep up with the crowds - this is the place to go!