The Morgan State House Inn

My husband and I booked a room for one night as a short getaway. We loved the feel of the place with all the original woodwork and large windows. Our room was not in the main building but one of the studios.
The only complaint we had was that the heating pipes woke us up twice during the night with really, really loud banging.
The neighborhood is fantastic for walking to restaurants and bars.
Would definitely stay again and recommend to friends.

Old world charm with modern amenities! My husband and I stayed for 1 night and we were blown away with this historic building! Grand staircase, formal sitting parlor, dining room, full kitchen stocked with food/​drinks, and a serene backyard with climbing ivy, flowers, and several sitting areas. The staff was friendly and wonderful.
ROOM: Our room was on the second floor in the front of the building overlooking the park. If you are sensitive to noise, I suggest selecting a room that is not streetside. You will hear cars pass by. However, Albany is a city so you will still hear the gentle hum of the passing cars and people walking/​talking. The bathroom was lovely — floor to ceiling built-​ins, tile flooring, lighting options, french doors, and a tub with jets. The feather bed and other furniture was very comfy. My husband and I felt right at home.
PRICE: Worth every penny. Very affordable. Better than a big name hotel.
Parking: There is only street parking. We arrived Saturday morning and departed Sunday afternoon. We did not have any issues with finding a parking space.
DINING: The Inn is centrally located near tons of great restaurants — most of which are in walking distance. The hotel offers several coupons for local restaurants — take advantage!

NOTE: There are not blinds or curtains on the windows however there are interior shutters for each window. They fold in/​out of the window frame.
OVERALL: Fantastic hotel experience — I highly recommend this unique Inn. My husband and I will be back.

At a glance this place seemed amazing. My husband and I stayed for two days during January. We were in the artists studio, or 4B. The first morning the room was extremely cold. We had the heat turned up to 80° and we had to wear sweaters to bed. The room never seemed to warm up all the way. Every room here seems to have a fireplace which is part of the charm. I really hoped to have a fire lit, but the one in the studio is hooked up to the radiator-​so no ambient lighting. The room also was very dirty in small areas. It seemed clean until we dropped something under the bed. Upon finding it we saw broken glass, old wrappers, and hair in the dust.
The place as a whole was lovely. They played easy listening music in the living room and the main areas of the home were welcoming and comfortable. (Through to speak to a staff member you have to call them on the phone, and then they come up from the basement. This was awkward at times). The location has good food around (amazing sushi at Shogun) and we were able to walk to food even in the cold. We would stay here again, but probably in a smaller room in hopes of it containing the heat better.

This is a beautiful hotel, which offers more of a bed and breakfast feel. They have the main state house and then the rooms in the tower. I highly recommend staying here versus a big name hotel. It was more affordable and cozier, much like staying at a friend’s house. I prefer that experience in a hotel stay. It’s never fun sleeping in a bed that isn’t your own, so why not enjoy your stay in a place that feels like a home away from home.
The bed was so comfortable. Lots of cozy blankets are a bonus, especially when staying somewhere in the dead of winter in NY. The room had a desk and chair nook, plus a mini kitchen (stove, silverware, plates, cups, microwave, fridge, etc.)
Since it’s an older building, it has some quirks. The wind howled, but I found it comforting because I need some noise in the background when I sleep. The water in the shower takes forever to warm up, so let it run. I could also hear footsteps and some noise from the room above me. I think the person just happened to be extra noisy. And, none of this was a deal breaker, I still had a wonderful stay.
I loved the selection of coffee and breakfast items available in the state house. They serve breakfast each morning 7−10am. The coffee was good and strong, and again, it felt like I was staying at my aunt’s house since it was a full kitchen, dining room, and living room — very cozy and the staff is so friendly and helpful. The fridge was full of fruit and yogurt. There were english muffins and other breakfast foods. Continental breakfast kicked up a few notches.
Also, they came to the rescue and didn’t even know it. I left a bunch of toiletries at home, but was so relieved to see they had makeup remover face wipes. That was one of the first times I saw something like that as a toiletry provided by the hotel. Plus, free wifi!
The hotel is also walking distance to Lark St, which has a bunch of restaurants. They also offer several coupons when you check in to nearby spots.
Whenever I’m in Albany, this will be the first place I’ll stay.

Very, very beautiful setting, right next to the gorgeous Washington Park. It was also just a 20 min walk to the State Capital building, which was also gorgeous. The room was beautiful as was the common areas, and the fact that the cleaning staff even did the dishes was a godsend. Highly recommend for a romantic or family getaway from NYC.

Not being familiar with Albany NY I looked at reviews, both here on Unilocal!and elsewhere before booking a hotel. I saw the photos of the Artisan Suite and booked the room, only to later discover my oversight, it is a third floor walk-​up, something I could not deal with. The folks at Morgan State House Inn were very accommodating and switched my reservation to a nearby building where they rent out some some condo units.
This is an old building. Some folks might call it charming, I would describe it as badly dated. The apartment needs a refresh. To take a shower the water must be run for at least 5 or 6 minutes to heat it up. The commode is low, with a small seat and uncomfortable. The tab on the sliding light switch in the bathroom kept falling off when I adjusted it. The room was relatively cheap compared to the Artisan suite, but it was still overpriced for what it was.
You may ask, why did I give this place even 2 stars? First, I kept in mind that my booking was originally with the House. Had I seen photos of the condo, I never would have booked it. The second reason is the helpful and courteous staff who did everything they could to make our stay pleasant. Finally, there was access to the beautiful parlor and terrace of the House itself and finally, the generous continental breakfast.
Book the house, if you can handle the stairs and I am sure you will be 4 star happy. The condo, not so much.

3.5 stars
The studio (in an apt building) was perfect for us w a couch, desk, TV, wifi, small kitchen which we only used the fridge to store our food. Plenty of room. U can move ur car around every 2 hours on the street during the day and park in Washington park overnight or u can pay $ 10 for a gated parking spot behind the main house in which then u walk 5 minutes to get to the apt building. The location is walking distance to all the main attractions (see my list) and many restaurants.
con: they could easily fit a queen bed, but it’s a full w a soft foam topper that’s smaller than the bed and ours had a crinkle in the middle and it just sunk. The pillows just sunk too. I woke up w back and neck pain.

Okay, before I say all the good things I’m going to say to justify my 4 stars, there are a few things you should know:
1) There are two places you can get a room: the state house proper and the apartment building next door. Both are great but, if you stay in the apartment building, you’re going to find yourself thinking, «Hmmm, this sure does look like an apartment that got turned into a hotel room…» Because it was. And the apartment building is quite old – some will find it charming, others might not as much.
2) If you’re staying in an apartment-​room, you’ll have to walk to the state house proper for breakfast (it’s like a 10 second walk, though…)
3) Parking is weird, but it’s Albany. You’ll be given a spot in a lot that’s a street away and it’s sort of hard to get to… I suggest pulling up curbside and unloading your bags before parking.
Okay, now, for the rest of it: it’s great! I’d definitely stay here again. The breakfast spread didn’t include anything hot but there are plenty of cereals, bread goods, fruits, etc. It’s a very pretty old building and there’s a nice outdoor seating area. WiFi is free and the beds/​linens were very comfortable. The proprietors are super friendly and very accommodating.
If you strongly prefer the feel of a brand-​new Holiday Inn (which I’m not knocking… I love new Holiday Inns) then this place may not suit you. But if you’ve ever stayed in a B&B that’s in an old building and you liked it, then you’ll like the Morgan State House.

Stayed there in early December and had a wonderful stay!
I had initially had a bit of a hard time finding parking. Downtown Albany has some funky one way streets that all kind of funnel you into one direction and cause you to have to do a lot more driving that would normally be necessary.
Eventually, I called and asked about parking, which they informed me is available for a $ 10 fee. Being the miser I am, I opted to do a bit more to try to find free street parking. Finally, I found my spot on the street directly behind the Morgan State House, As I was leaving my car, a man who was parking in his garage noticed me and asked if I was a guest at the M.S.H., to which I replied in the affirmative.
He identified himself as the owner, and invited me to enter through the garage. I complied, and followed him into the property of the main house.
The main house is a beautiful, historical building that is very well maintained and decorated. The owner introduced me to the manager on duty, an cautious or perhaps even tempered young man. He escorted me to my room in the other building, but upon arriving at the building and riding int he elevator, I told him I might not be comfortable with the elevator due to my elevator phobia.
I expected him to point out the stairway, but instead, after talking to the owner, I was invited to stay in one of their nicest rooms in the main house! They asked if I would like that, and though I hadn’t even seen the room I was booked to stay in, I enthusiastically agreed because while the building with the standard rooms seems nice, by comparison, the vibe of the main house is really incredible.
The manager showed me to my upgraded digs and I was very impressed. The room was huge, beautiful, historical, with an gorgeous, newly remodeled en suite bathroom. The bed was beautifully done, and supremely comfortable. I took my time at the Morgan Sate House Inn, eating the complimentary continental breakfast during the last hour (and going a bit late), chatting with another guest at breakfast, checking out late, and then staying for yet an hour longer while I worked at the kitchen table.
In conclusion, I’d have to say that the Morgan State House Inn, while not at the level of say, the St. Regis Hotel in NYC, is the best hotel Albany has to offer in the downtown area.

Amazing bed and breakfast

We’re staying this evening at the same property that «Truc U» mentioned.
True, the room is not in the historic «main house.» Our room is immaculate, faces the park and is a small suite for the same price (or less) for chain hotels in the area We are very pleased with the room and service. For less than the price at a H****n in the area we got a full kitchen, small dining area and spotless room. Delightful stay.
It’s a B&B, not a dull, homogeneous big chain. Adjust accordingly (please!).

I was very disappointed in my experience, as I didn’t even stay in the Morgan State House Inn! With no warning or explanation, I was put in their property three doors down, which is basically a very shabby hotel room. (My room had a view of a brick wall three feet away.) If I make a reservation at a bed and breakfast that talks up its accommodations, I expect to be staying in those accommodations! The rooms at the actual bed and breakfast part may be quite nice, but as far as I can tell you have no guarantee you will actually experience them.