Ironclad Inn & Bourbon Room

This place was charming, clean, quiet and comfortable. Susan was the perfect host. Emily served up a terrific breakfast. And Kara mixed a delicious old fashioned as we capped off our evening. Easy walking distance to the river, and to downtown.

This place was great for what I needed, a one night stopover in the heart of town. The building and neighbourhood are quaint and historic. I stayed in Marye’s Heights and it was affordable and comfortable. Breakfast was a perfect ending to a short stopover. Staff was kind and attentive. I would stay here again.

Well appointed B&B with a gracious, welcoming hostess. Five minute walk to the historic area, and short drive to local Revolutionary and Cvivl War sites. The beds were very comfortable beds and they serve a great breakfast.

We chose this site because it was in town, and served breakfast. Totally regret our choice due to three major issues: communications about check-in, cleanliness of room, and access to staff for after-hours issues. The web site indicates late check in is after 8pm, but if you arrive after 5pm (we arrived at 5:35pm), it turns out the doors are supposed to be locked and there's no staff either on site or answering the reservation desk phone. Had no idea. The staff sent access instructions via email mid day - but we were driving. We were able to enter because the side door was (accidentally left) unlocked, and we finally located the envelope with our room key after 30 mins of searching for staff. Ideally, we would have received check-in information the day we made the reservation, with a reminder the day of check in. Regarding cleanliness, our room - the Rose Parlor, pictured on the site as a deluxe room - had lovely furniture, so first impression was great. Slightly smaller size than a hotel room. But the carpet and chairs were stained throughout. The toilet had water stains and the paint was coming off the seat. The ironing board supports were broken. Although sheets and towels were bleached clean, areas of the room didn't feel or appear clean, and even the top of the bureau was sticky. If staff had been on site, I would have requested a different room. Regarding access to staff: the wall heating/air unit beeped...every 33 seconds. All night. We could not get it to stop. We reached out to the emergency contact, who said someone would come to our room while we were at dinner. Instead, we received a text with instructions to try on our own - which didn't work. When we called again, no answer, and voice mails were full. We ended up sleeping in another room that was unlocked. Breakfast might be lovely; with the cleanliness issue, we didn't stay. We had driven all day to get to Fredericksburg; this was an overpriced and exhausting nightmare. Cannot recommend.

We stayed at the Kenmore Inn two nights but were never told nor does the website state that there would be no housekeeping services or a staff person available at night should there be a problem. When we contacted the owner, he neither apologized nor seemed concerned but instead claimed the lack of full service was due to precautions against spreading Covid (although none of the staff were wearing protective masks). The website does not state that this is NOT a full service bed and breakfast because had it done so we would have stayed elsewhere. The owner appears more concerned about making money than about providing a wonderful b&b experience. The lack of honesty on the website tells you the true nature of the owner.

The Kenmore Inn is beautiful, but its website is grossly misleading. The hotel has almost no staff, so there is no one to greet you when you arrive. They apparently use the excuse that staff had to attend "personal business" on every new arrival. No one there after five, even though the website says there is staff on site all the time. There is no room cleaning. No new towels. No way to get other pillows or blankets. When we complained the air conditioning didn't work, we were told "sorry." Lots of obviously deferred maintenance. The free breakfast was fine, but nothing special. We have stayed an many, many B&Bs, and none of them have treated us as poorly as this one. Save your money, stay at an AirBnB and get breakfast in town.

After a long drive we are looking forward to arriving at the Kenmore Inn around dinner time. We were imagining sitting in the parlor in front of a roaring fire and maybe enjoying a cup of tea or glass of wine. It was quite cold out. Shortly before arrival, we received a message from the Innkeeper that she had to leave due to a personal matter. We were instructed to let ourselves in through the side door. Not welcoming. It was kind of depressing to wonder around the dark Inn, with velvet ropes blocking access to the parlor and no one to greet us or recommend a restaurant for dinner. We rented the Mary Washington room which looked nothing like the on line photos. Poorly decorated, faded upholstery, blinds that didn’t work, rickety bedside tables. The “Soaking Tub” described as perfect for romance, was just an old tub. There was rust around the bathroom appliances and dirty windows, The towels were thin and just like free towels provided if you work out at a gym or spend a night in jail. The king bed was super uncomfortable. Maybe the mattress was worn, so they added a mattress topper which slid around on top of the mattress. We slept as well as we could & went down for breakfast where we met the Innkeeper. She was nice and a bit apologetic but UNMASKED during the Omicron surge. The only positive about this “long in the tooth” historic inn which is in dire need of upgrading and redecorating, is the super location and very nice breakfast. Don’t be misled by the website photos. The Kenmore Inn staff is unprofessional and the rooms are tired and in disrepair. A memorable stay for all the wrong reasons.

Built in 1793 with a newer back addition from 1931, the Kenmore Inn oozes character and charm from its attractive entrance and stairway to the elegance of the dining rooms. We stayed in the Betty Washington room in the original section of the property with it's 12 foot ceilings, fireplace and views of some of the gardens and across the street to other historic properties. They had a nice room with a fireplace and brick archway where we ended up with drinks one night. The breakfasts were great with 5 menu choices, and we went with the French toast and omelets each morning. Bacon, sausage, juices, coffee, teas, fruit, granolas, yogurt parfaits etc.. were all available each morning. We had stayed at the Kenmore in 2011 and remembered how great the outdoor lighted patio dining was as well as their fantastic basement bar. Sadly, due to Covid and possibly staffing problems, they were both closed. Hopefully, this situation will be rectified soon for a future visit. Lastly, the Kenmore staff, Susan and Susan were outstanding. They were both personable, friendly and informative and I received their call at 10:30 the morning of our check in, while we were in the visitor center, saying the room was ready. As much as we travel, I can't ever remember that happening.