When I first started reading reviews on the 1805 Phinney House, I wondered if there were two of them in Cooperstown, because the glowing compliments really don't apply to the place we stayed. Given, there were some strong points -- the location/proximity to the HOF, the interesting history of the home itself and the adjacent property & the excellent breakfast (though the woman who served it was gruff in the 0.03 seconds we saw this "hostess"). Also the towels were wonderfully soft and the sheets were comfy. And it was nice to have parking available. But unfortunately, that's where the good attributes stop.

When you get out of your car at this property you are struck by how shabby the back porch looks. The check in room was fine. The next room you go through on the way to the staircase was an "okay" tv/siting room. But when you ascend the staircase (with the frightenly wobbly banister), be sure not to look to your right at the shelf with the tea cups on it. 'Cause if you do look you will notice a good inch of dust & dirt all over the shelf and the china on it. It was actually pretty disgusting. To quote Phil Rizzuto: "Holy cow!"

We were shown to our room. We told our host we wanted to head right over to the Hall. Thing is he likes to hear himself talk. A little chat/history is fine. But when the guests have mentioned numerous times they are in a hurry to get into town, the host should take heed of that and leave them in peace.

As for the condition of the room itself, that too was a disappointment. Every piece of furniture in the room was dusty. The windows were dingy, and the window sills actually dirty. The paint on the fireplace was chipped (and the brick chimney noticeably buckled). There were two pictures hanging in the bathroom; their matting was water-stained, and they were very crookedly hung. Also, there were mega-sized toiletries next to the shower, which was fine, except most of the bottles were nearly empty and the shampoo *was* empty. The toilet paper was single-ply and crumbled. You pay what these people charge per night and you expect nice amenities, not what is put out in a cheap Motel 6. Finally, there was the bed. The mattress was a much smaller size (by several inches on both sides) than the box spring & frame. So getting into the bed was more than uncomfortable.

I understand from another review on here that the owners of this establishment are re-doing their rooms and have only redecorated one so far. Fairplay. But then don't have the nerve to charge the same price for the shabbier rooms as for the (apparently) nice room. I'm sure the owners have a high mortgage, but they shouldn't take it out on the guests by overcharging for a less than spectacular place, because that's no way to engender repeat business. The 1805 Phinney House will surely never have that from us, or anyone who takes more than a glancing look around when they are in it.