Abercrombie's Farrington Inn Hotel

Beware -- the room they show on the net exists but does not have anything to do with the rest of the inn. This place is actually very dirty. Carpets, floors, and shelves seem not to have been cleaned for years. There is also a funny smell in the air all over the place. Ok, the bedsheets were clean. Check-In is also quite funny (no office, you have to call someone), no hostel atmosphere, no common rooms, no kitchen, no patio. The area around is quite ok, a few good restaurants and cafes, although quite noisy. Lots of students around. Quite pricey.

I've met a very bad hostel boss in this hostel. his name is Bob. he said I double booked the hostel and insist to charge me double price, even I told him the computer had been hang for one hour between two bookings and I've just got one confirmation letter from another booking website, he fooled me that I could go to the manager Ed on the following morning and if found something wrong I could get the money back. He told me he was a manager at that time.on the following morning the manager Ed just let me talk to Bob directly again, he had nothing to do because Bob was the boss and he was just a staff, and Bob on the phone very rudely said: "I wouldn't give money back, I said that just because I want to make both of us happy! and $25 is so cheap, why do you waste your time on just $25!" Jesus, how come I met the people like this? He must've thought I'm just a visitor, he could do anything as he like--fooling his customer! and what's more strange is he haven't shown up, he was in the hostel but he alwayse\ talked to the customers with phone, hid like criminal, whenever I asked a question I was passed the phone by the receptionist (who refused to give his name).

I needed an inexpensive place to sleep for one night in Boston back in the fall of 1999 and this place was great. Felt like I was a guest at someone's home -- not like a sterile hotel. I remember there was a pretty good pub close by that I walked to -- around two blocks. It was very close to the subway as well and I took it into another part of the city to a club where a friend of mine worked as a DJ. It was incredibly easy to find -- I just made sure to accurately plan the route beforehand and had no problems even on the way back feeling a bit tipsy. The neighborhood felt very safe (I'm female but I am very accustomed to travelling solo) and the Inn was a comfortable place to crash. I hope it's still as nice because with accommodations being so expensive in Boston this was a great deal but it is definitely far from the realm of a hotel. If you want room service, cable TV, Nintendo, WiFi etc. look elsewhere. This place had a New England home style of charm and the Boston area is beautiful in the fall.

I arrived here in August when it was awfully hot and humid. The directions by telephone were okay. Although the guy at the door (I never saw any office) was rather nice, he was completely clueless. The room was like the worst room I have ever seen, the door could not be locked and a second door to the stairway did not even have a lock. It's an old house so I don't want to complain about the smell in the hallway and the bathroom, but the prices are awfully high (we paid $90 per person!!).

I've visited this hostel.. way back in 1994.. But I've got very good memories from this hostel. Very friendly and helpful.. It didn't feel like a hostel.. more like a nice little cozy house.. But then.. I don't know how it is nowadays.. Greetings from The Netherlands - Maastricht