Duncan Hotel

My rating is based on VALUE provided for price paid.
Pros:
— in the heart of downtown
— friendly and accommodating staff. Call in with preferences and they will try to accommodate.
— Richard Longo, the General manager, runs a tight ship
— hotel has character
— inexpensive vs. other hotels (less than 50% cost of nearby hotels)
— Suite has windows at front and back so you get a nice stream of air. I didn’t need an A/​C, but then again it wasn’t that hot outside.
Cons:
— hotel is old. The style is old, the colors are outdated,. but on the positive side it adds to the charm.
— No website or online booking.

If you ever went on the Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror ride at Disneyland and thought «I would like to sleep there» then your wishes have been answered.
The front lobby may remind you of Barton Fink or the Twilight Zone or the Twin Peaks or Beetlejuice or the Addams Family or some other tv show or movie where you could realistically imagine a ghost jumping out and dragging you to Hell.
I think the concierge mentioned that the hotel was built in 1894 and that their elevator, which was installed in either 1916 or 1917, is the oldest in Connecticut.
Some of the rooms have air conditioning but not all do. Some of the rooms have bathrooms but not all do. The TVs are the old tube TVs with the screens that balloon out at you and have a smeared looking picture.
This is a great place if you want to be shown the life of the mind.

I have to confess that I was a bit nervous after reading all the reviews. However, I really enjoyed my stay at the Duncan. The location was perfect as I was there for Family Weekend at Yale. It was a 5 minute walk to my daughter’s freshman dorm. I found the staff to be friendly and helpful. I did remember to bring my own shampoo and conditioner since the only amenity provided was soap. Although I did take off a star for some dustiness in room corners, I was satisfied that the room was generally clean and that my towels and linens had been freshly laundered. I plan to return to this hotel the next time I am in New Haven.

Amazing. There’s a collection of human hair in one corner of the restroom; which is impressive because the floor is sagging so dramatically to the middle that you’d think that surely nothing could make it all the way up to the corners to accumulate. I’m impressed by the melted areas on the plastic bathroom sink of this non-​smoking room where individuals have repeatedly rested their cigarettes while shaving, grooming or… The small roach in the bed was an exciting surprise-​like being part of an insect safari. Also I’m super down with the ear splitting, snake-​like hiss of the 100 year old heater when it kicks on. The man at front desk was kind enough to look away from youtube after a few minutes to check me in, I thought that was first class of him. I think there is crying coming from the adjacent room which really heightens the ambiance of this splendid establishment. The seemingly permanent «guests» of the hotel are also a delight if you’re cool with the combined smell of old urine and booze. Of course the best part is the feeling that it may be wise to keep ones clothes on while sleeping in the bed – very comforting. Overall I’d say Hotel Duncan is highly recommended for the traveling serial killer, satanist or sociopath. Enjoy!

The only reason I’m giving three stars is because it is fairly cheap and the location is PERFECT. Rooms are of course nothing special and the hotel has no amenities. One poor slob has to haul up luggage and operate the elevator (oldest in CT). Don’t come for ambience, come to see New Haven and get around easily. Catch a show at Yale Rep for $ 10 and the local museum for free.

I’ve stayed at The Duncan 3x during my early 20’s when I was partying a bit too much in downtown New Haven. A room at The Duncan was always cheap although when the front desk attendant realized there were always 3 – 4 of us checking in he charged us per-​person which is not normal from my experiences at other hotels. This front desk attendant was very arrogant but humorous at the same time which makes no sense, I know. He was just a really eccentric dude, I guess. I couldn’t tell if he hated his job THAT much or if he was utterly in love with the hotel and just hated the guests.
I remember the rooms being dingy and having a layer of nicotine on the walls. Topically the bathrooms were clean but I doubt housekeeping ever got down on their knees to scrub but I could be wrong. I never saw a rat or a bug. The bed linens were always clean although I wouldn’t sleep on the sofa bed or walk barefoot on the carpet. It’s just an old place that hasn’t been renovated in a century and needs a heavy duty cleaning.
Every room is different so all the rooms have character which I like. It seems like many rooms at The Duncan would have a unique story to tell (if the walls could talk). The entire hotel has character from the checkered lobby floors, the strange «Stephen King like characters» who stay there, to the rickety old fashioned elevator which the bell hop was incredibly happy to take us to our floor in. During one of the stays we chose to take the stairs which was spooky. The hotel is straight out of the Twilight Zone. No joke. I remember walking down a hall and passing by this old women, she looked like «Juno» from «Beetlejuice» standing in the hall with her cigarette sans smoke coming out of her neck; thank god! I wouldn’t say the place is haunted which disappoints me but the history the building holds is wonderful and the creep factor is fun or maybe I’m just weird.
During one of my stays we walked back into the hotel from a bar at 2AM where a very elderly fellow dressed like Frank Sinatra was manning the front desk. We couldn’t tell if he was drunk or just senile or both but he was chatting our ears off about being an opera singer during his hay-​day or knowing a famous opera singer and showing us photo’s of singers in the 40’s. That guy was AWESOME!
Staying at The Duncan is an experience. The end.

Judging by some of the reviews I’ve read online, you’d think this place was rat-​infested, peeling wallpaper, and junkies in the halls. I have no idea what the standard is that people are holding this place to, but I thought the Duncan was great!
First off, it’s smack in the middle of Yale campus. You could not ask for a better location. Second, the prices are incredibly reasonable (one-​half and one-​third the price of the next two closest hotels). Really, these two things are huge, and what more do you need to know?
Sure, it’s a 100+ year old building, and there’s been deferred maintenance, which impacts things like plumbing (though mine worked perfectly) as well as aesthetics. But the rooms are clean and large, the furniture is nice, and the staff was friendly & helpful. (A thank you note from the housekeeper after a tip? Very sweet.) My room had a fridge & window A/​C unit. Plus, this place has character!
Biggest downside, of course, is the lack of parking. And they don’t have some of the usual hotel amenities (shampoo, coffee). But the $ 100 or so a night that you’re saving can buy a lot of shampoo.

I have to admit– this place is a SH-​T HOLE!!! However, we kind of enjoyed our stay here. (In a weird way!) Although the hotel and everything in it are older than dirt, the place kind of has a teeny bit of character. I kind of get why they haven’t changed it. Either that, or they figure, why change anything if stupid people are still willing to pay $ 150 a night for: a room with no a/​c, lukewarm showers, a raggedy elevator, a bed with rock-​hard mattress and a bath tub that desperately needs refacing from Bath Fitters?
We enjoyed its close proximity to Yale and the fact that restaurants and stores were in walking distance. What I did not enjoy was having to summon the elevator attendant every time we needed to go up or downstairs. One of the attendants was an a– too, until he realized my bf was going to tip him. He was ALL SMILES then! lol.
The front desk guy had an air about him that rubbed me the wrong way. He was so snobby, you would have thought he earned a few doctorates from Yale himself! Just obnoxious for no reason.
We enjoyed our stay, but I doubt we’ll ever stay there again. It was our first time in New Haven, so I think we didn’t mind being inconvenienced just this once. This place has no wifi, no microwaves or irons in the rooms, and no pool or gym. Also, the temperature this weekend was only about 78 degrees and our room was entirely too stuffy. Last but not least, they only gave us one washcloth, so my fiancé’ and I had to share one. Sad, but true! lol
P. S.- Believe all the posts below mine. They’re entirely true, especially the parts about how bad this place looks.

This is the creepiest hotel I’ve ever stayed in. That’s also its redeeming quality though.
If it’s not haunted, it ought to be. I mean it, this place is straight out of a Steven King novel. The interior’s been described in every other review so I’ll skip that part.
For me what really stood out is when you stay there you feel like you’re in the Twilight Zone. Everything is the same nicotine-​stained shade of beige and its time-​capsule feel falls somewhere between creepy and depressing. I walked out of my room the next morning and there was an old woman standing in a doorway, just staring off into space. I passed her and had to look back, half expecting that she wouldn’t be there. She was still there, still staring, but the whole scene was so surreal that it was impossible not to be at least a little spooked.
All this said, I’d recommend staying there just for the experience and bragging rights among New Haveners, and if you’re a writer, particularly in the horror/​fantasy genre, you should check it out for inspiration alone.

I stayed @ Duncan twice. The first time before freshman orientation, and the second time for my graduation. My mom found blood stains in the room we stayed. The front desk person was also quite rude to us. I remembered leaving New Haven in a really bad mood after staying in this miserable place for 3 days.
I think they charged by # of persons stay in the room, so you would pay for each person staying in the room rather than the standard double rate. If you count by number of guests, then Hotel Duncan is not the «cheap» hotel next to the Study.
It is cheap because of the smelly facility, the poor attitude, the rude management, and the squeaky shower.

The only thing redeeming about this place is the location, in a fun spot of downtown new haven. Other than that the place is terrible. Staff was busy watching WWE at front desk. Found two rotten bananas in the room upon checkin which really set the mood. Air conditioning was non existent. Carpeting and comforters both looked like they were at least 30 yrs old.
If you want to stay in downtown spend another $ 20 and upgrade to the mariott or other decent hotel. If you want to go the cheap route there are plenty of respectable bargain hotels outside of town.

Don’t do it. I’ve been to old New England hotels, so I get it — I wasn’t expecting the Intercontinental. But don’t mistake this place for a quirky but charming inn; it’s a cheap, crummy hotel that no one’s bothered to renovate in at least 30 years, with awful customer service.
Was attending a wedding that, conveniently, coincided with reunion weekend at Yale, so the rates were jacked up to $ 90 a night. Not exactly free, and certainly not remotely worth it.
Rooms are shabby and unclean — we found a cigarette butt on the floor of our bathroom and the air smelled heavily of smoke. It was the only room they had left with an air conditioner (window unit), and it was oppressively hot and humid for early June, so we took it, but I wish we hadn’t. The air conditioner worked not at all but made lots of noise all night long while we sweltered in the dark. Sheets were old and scratchy, and the quilt looked like it hadn’t been washed since someone bought it at a thrift store in 1973. Exposed pipes and a view of an air shaft. Bare light bulbs in the overhead fixture. In short, one of the most depressing rooms I’ve ever stayed in.
My boyfriend had made the reservation, and when I went on Trip Advisor and saw the reviews I was immediately skeptical, particularly given the heat. We called 24 hours ahead to ask if we would be able to get a room with an air conditioner. They said they couldn’t guarantee it, so I asked to cancel and they refused, stating that they have a 48-​hour cancellation policy and would charge our card for the entire $ 90 cost of our reservation. Interesting that this never came up before, nor did the fact that — in a week when temps were averaging in the high 80s — they didn’t have AC. Sorry, but any Motel 6 can at least guarantee that.
As we were leaving (we ended up staying a second night at the New Haven Hotel — oodles better and just $ 50 more expensive) I saw another exasperated, sweaty guest at the front desk. He said they wanted to check out early and when the person working the desk asked why he gave him this pitch-​perfect look of utter incomprehension and exasperation. At least I’m not the only one who feels this way, I thought.

Avoid, avoid, avoid. My room smelled like cigarettes, or some other kind of smoke, overlaid with cheap deodorizer. It was actually hard to breathe. I kept both windows open all night and still couldn’t breathe totally freely.
It appeared that the interior had not been updated since about 1980. I’m not kidding.
I should have turned around and looked elsewhere but was too tired.
Will never go back and would not recommend that anyone go here.

Love the Duncan – wish I had discovered it sooner!
First, let me say that the only time a maid has ever thanked me for a tip was at the Duncan. The bellhop seemed genuinely surprised to be tipped for taking my bag to the room door, and the concierge was helpful and friendly enough, both on the phone and in person.
I came across the Duncan when my son took me to the Thai restaurant in the basement. I’m glad I noticed it, because when I wanted a reservation for Yale Parents Weekend, every other hotel was blacked out – and this four months in advance! The Marriott had one room around $ 350 a night which may be a song for many Yale parents, but certainly not this one. I got a room for $ 100 a night at the Duncan and was quite happy with it.
The location is perfect. It’s on the part of the Yale campus that houses three art museums, the school or architecture, and the school of drama. It’s only a half mile from Ezra Stiles, my son’s college. There are lots of restaurants (including Louis Lunch), shops, and attractions nearby. The Duncan doesn’t have wifi, but there are several places within a block or so where you can grab a cuppa, open your laptop, and catch up on emails. Staying at the Duncan, rather than a low-​priced motel out of town, allowed me to take a shuttle from JFK rather than renting a car, a big plus for me.
Sure, some of the nooks and crannies were dusty. It’s an old hotel, which means a lot of the pipes and electrical are not hidden in the walls. Those things attract dust. I live in an old house that has lots of dust catchers. The essentials were clean, though – carpets, bedding, towels (and they gave me more than enough), furniture. I found the room comfortable enough to watch TV or read. Besides, I like old places with character. I can picture Barbara Stanwyck striding across the lobby or Madeleine Kahn riding up the elevator. Or maybe Gloria Swanson sweeping down the staircase.
A word on the visitor policy: I had read in a few reviews that they do not allow visitors in the rooms. When my son wanted to see my room, I asked the concierge if it would be all right. He had no objection at all. It’s rowdy parties they want to avoid, not one or two quiet visitors.
For big events such as Yale Parents Weekend or graduation, they don’t take reservations until a certain date. Then they start at 8 a.m. EST and are full by 9, so if you are looking for a place for these must-​have dates, it can be a nail-​biter waiting for that day and redialing again and again until you get through. Both times I needed a room, I got one, but you have to jump through that hoop. The reservation is contingent on a deposit by check (you can pay the remainder by credit card when you check out). I followed up with a phone call to make sure it was received.
I have booked two rooms for graduation, and am looking forward to enjoying the ambience of the hotel and neighborhood once again.

This is one of creepiest places I’ve ever stayed. Floral patterned bed linens that looked to be about thirty years old and I could not make out the original color of the carpet. The room was furnished with mismatched thrift store style pieces, including a television that required you to turn a giant knob on the console to change channels.
Our room was keyed into in the middle of the night. I ran to the door and slammed it shut and the guy mumbled some kind of apology and disappeared down the hall. I can’t blame him though. The only thing identifying our room was a number written on a POST-​IT note on the door.

I stay at the Duncan regularly and have always had a good experience. As the other reviewers have stated, this is clearly not a luxury hotel. However, the rooms are clean, the location is great, the overall experience is pleasant, and the price is definitely right.

Worth what you pay, but its in a great location.

I love the Duncan and would like to give it a five. Obviously, this is not a luxury five star hotel. Given what it is, a really cheap hotel in a really great location, the Duncan is excellent. I stayed there once a couple nights in between apartments, and have housed visiting friends there. I stayed there one night while I *did* have a nearby apartment because I oddly craved television. I recommended it to a Yale Sakai meeting attendee looking to travel on the cheap and he told me never to recommend it to anyone again (his cheapest rate room lacked air conditioning. Air conditioning is highly recommended for the humid New Haven summer).

This hotel is smack dab in the «good part» of New Haven, a couple of blocks from the campus, and costs $ 45 a night. In other words, it would have to really suck to get a bad review. It’s not the greatest hotel in the world, obviously, but it has an element of old charm (the oldest hand-​operated elevator in Connecticut). The room was probably about what you’d expect at a Holiday Inn.
I’d stay there again in a heartbeat. A quick websearch shows the Courtyard by Marriott New Haven costs $ 135 a night. Courtyard surely has nicer rooms, but I’ll take the hundred bucks.