Biltmore Suites

This is a spectacularly cool old building that seems like it is run by a Days Inn franchisee. The only reason to stay here is if you like cool old things, but, unfortunately, whoever owns this building doesn’t have the taste to recognize and appreciate cool old things, let alone showcase or even preserve them.
For example, there is a great old brick courtyard between the two buildings that together comprise the hotel. Every bit of charm the courtyard might have is obliterated, however, by the row of huge multi-​color plastic garbage bins that line one wall, the corner full of old mops, mop buckets, and what-​have-​you, the naked 150-​watt floodlight that serves as the only illumination and glares down on the whole thing from where it has been clamped onto the side of the building two stories up, the Home Depot tables and chairs indifferently scattered about, and the two or three spindly bushes that pathetically serve as landscaping.
Overlooking the courtyard are what should be charming verandas. But, again, the charm inherent in the structure is irretrievably marred by the dirty tacky white plastic chairs stacked in the corner. And here is how clueless is the management’s sense of décor is: the original wood-​spindled veranda railings were apparently in need of repair at some point, so the owners simply wired sheets of white plastic cross-​hatch «fencing» to the railing and left it at that. They must have had some fencing left over they didn’t want to waste because there are a few odd pieces randomly affixed to the steps leading up from the courtyard to the main building. Hideous.
The rooms are more of the same. Cool floor-​to-​ceiling brick fireplaces with two frameless Impressionist prints crookedly nailed into the middle of the cladding and a dusty little bouquet of bedraggled peacock feathers in the firebox, dirty, overused furniture, no outlets and soiled extension cords running everywhere, and so on.
Even for guests whose sense of good taste isn’t necessarily offended by the degradation of a beautiful old cultural treasure, the Biltmore offers nothing. You could stay at a Knight’s Inn for half the price and enjoy the same degree of filth and disrepair. And, likely, at a Knight’s Inn you wouldn’t have to endure the aggressive hostility and financial chiseling of the Biltmore’s day manager – a woman who treats the guests as little better than burglars.

I’ve stayed at the Biltmore Suites twice: once in 2012 and once in 2015.
Pros:
Price– rooms are generally less than $ 100 per night.
Spaciousness– both rooms I stayed in included a sitting area with a couch.
Dog friendly– no size limits; always a plus.
Décor– this historic hotel was built in the 1800s and the interior boasts classic décor if you like that sort of thing. When I enter he front door I feel like I’m stepping back in time.
Cons:
Pet fee– $ 30 a night is a bit steep compared to other places I’ve stayed.
No elevator– hotel has 4 floors plus a few steps just to get to the lobby. Not a big deal if you’re on one of the lower floors but when I stayed on the 3^rd floor, taking the dog out was a bit of a hike up and down.
Parking– hotel has a deal with a nearby garage for guests to park for $ 3 a day. Isn’t bad except the garage has no pedestrian entrance and you have to go through a hospital lobby to get back to your car. This of course is a challenge when you have a dog.
Outlets in room– few and far between which isn’t convenient when you have two people with two smartphones each that need to charge.
Even split:
Service– my first stay the service was fine and I was even upgraded to the Biltmore suite (only room on the 1^st floor) for no charge. The second stay the receptionist was polite but not friendly or helpful. I had to ask specifically for details about amenities like the wifi password.
Cleanliness/​orderliness– the rooms are neat and tidy and cleanly but this is an old hotel and as such there is clearly some furnishings in disrepair. It may have looked run down but it didn’t feel dirty.
Bottom line– if you like historic décor or haunted locations (the Biltmore is rumored to be haunted), don’t mind lots of walking/​climbing, and you’re not high maintenance for customer service, then you’ll like the low price of this hotel. Otherwise, and if you have other pet friendly options, stay somewhere else.

Stop booking right now! I clicked the calendar changed dates to the dates I wanted it took me to a page with prices. I paid when I got to hotel they said it was for previous night. Watch dates!!! They change it and you still have to pay!!! They’ve turned into scam artists. BEWARE!

To echo another review, if you don’t have high expectations you won’t be disappointed! This place was definitely adequate. Room smelled of smoke but honestly the novelty of the whole experience was worth it to me. Huge sleigh bed and several pieces of what looked likely to be antique furniture in my room! I was in town on business and didn’t spend much time in the room, so it was fine for me. If you often find yourself complaining about hotels, do yourself a favor and skip this joint. If you just need a cheap place to stay and really don’t mind how it looks, go for it!
Staff was friendly and helpful. 5 stars for them.
Nicely located near Mt. Vernon spots and only about 20 minute walk from convention center and inner harbor.

«Don’t expect too much and you won’t be disappointed»
My thought after entering the place.
Located walking distance from downtown and close to the Univ. of Baltimore is this niche hotel. The building echos to the past, namely 1896, the mural painted in the foyer of the place. It looks much like a hotel or apartment from that time. The configuration of the rooms says as much, as my room clearly was something else back in the day… I buzzed myself in, according to the hand-​written sign just above the door knob in the old lobby. The place has a quaint, Victorian I guess? interior offset by a mix of newer amenies that are either just worn, behind the current times or passé. I checked in early (nice) and was given an actual metal key. My room was on the first floor and harkened back to this place’s former self. The ceiling was high, a doorway was walled off and the space had a small kitchenette and closet that led to a bathroom aside from a rather spacious bedroom area. The features were basic, mininal and in various stages of quality: The beds were firm and soft, the furniture newer with a table and chair in good shape to offset the lack of knobs on the drawer. The kitchen area had an older refrigerator and microwave and with a small sink. A basic coffemaker was in place as well as a roll of paper towel. The bathroom had a little more care. Despite minimal toiletries, the towels were softer-​than-​expected, the sink sufficient and the shower surprising adequate. This made up for the soft yet ineffective shower mat and the nice but too just-​big-​enough bathroom mirror. The kitchen area floor tiles were badly laid out but it was OK. The room had basic cable, which was fine considering everything yet a channel guide would have been nice. A nice touch, if you will, was the retro rotary phone which sat curiously between the two twin beds. The walls were a mix of paint and wallpaper, an adequate yet not-​so-​great paint job.
For all these things I have to say, it’s not a bad place. Really! For the price and location (which isnt so great looking but is close to downtown) this spot was «A-​OK» with me. It was what I would have expected for what I saw from the outside… maybe a little more so. It served it’s purpose for me and I was comfortable. I didnt expect greatness yet didnt get disappointed.

Lovely little hotel, some friends and I stayed for a weekend last year.
However the woman who runs the place tried to charge my friend extra «taxes». The reservation had been made online and taxes had already been applied, so this woman was trying to get more out of us.

After experiencing this hotel, I don’t have many complaints beyond the fact that the patterns plastered on the walls, carpeting the floors and the sheets/​bed seemingly hide all the grime. It’s somewhere. I just can’t see it. Everything feels slightly soiled. Overall, the retro feel of the building/​rooms is cool. If anyone asked, I’d tell them it seems like a place where a celebrity would commit suicide.

Not a bad hotel. Very old, feels like the stairs are going to collapse when carrying my stuff up to my room. Bad part of town though, no one would deliver food to is after 9 pm

In response to Terry D’s review from late 2013: My family and I are staying at the Biltmore right now, and I read this review to my family. We are all laughing our heads off!!! This place is pretty rough. A lot of things don’t work right, the floors are dirty, there is a hole in the wall covered up by a table-​runner-​turned-​tapestry, I could go on.
However, there are some good things that I should mention about this place as well. Our bed linens look perfectly clean to me. We had hot water without a problem (I guess it might depend on the room). The staff is very helpful and accommodating. I went down to ask for a corkscrew, and the manager gave me a nice wine opener. I asked for extra foam cups, he gave me four wine glasses. I asked for an iron, and he gave me that as well. I also asked for a hair dryer, which he gave me also (it didn’t work, but ok).
So with all of the problems with this place (and there are quite a few), I’m still in good spirits. For $ 89/​night, I got a kingsize bed with a 40 inch flat screen LED TV, and an impressively spacious separate living room. Each room does vary considerably from the others, so make sure you know what you’re getting.
It’s old, it’s not the cleanest, and many things are broken, but the staff is great, and you get a lot of space for a decent price.

I have not even checked out yet but I am compelled to write this review.
I wanted to like this place, really– I did. It’s very shabby chic, and in a cool old Victorian building. There’s plenty of funky antique furniture, nice big windows, and lots of character. It’s old and creepy, and we are totally down with that. The bed is huge, and we were able to get a two room suite that had a fridge in the room too.
So, on Xmas eve me, my SO and two teenage kids came in and the first thing I noticed as we were humping all our luggage and gifts up three double-​flights of stairs because there is no elevator, is that the walls and floors are all at kind of interesting angles and the carpet is pretty much scary filthy.
I am NOT a prissy pants. I have a very high tolerance for «character» when I stay somewhere. My basic requirements are that the room be clean and secure, I need hot water and clean bedding, and the room should be more or less tidy.
Our room was plenty spacious, but as I was checking things out, I noticed that it looked like someone had been cutting lines of coke on top of the television. Yes, really– as in cocaine. It was all over the top of the tv, you couldn’t miss it. Did they even clean this room? Upon further poking around, I discovered a well used crack stem in the armoire. Classy.
We were all tired from the drive and I wanted a shower, so my next move was to the bathroom. When I sat down on the toilet it almost fell over. The toilet was kind of caulked to the floor, but not securely. It’s lucky none of us are large people because you have to balance pretty carefully to use the commode. Of course if we were large people we would not have even made it up to our room… Next I turned on the shower and gave it a good while to warm up. No dice. No matter what I did I could not get anything warmer than tepid to come out. Then SO figured out some little trick and we managed to get it a little warmer.
Next we pulled out the sofa bed for the kids. Totally gross. Just… Gross. The blankets were so old I would have thrown them away before giving them to the Salvation Army. The ones on the big bed were the same. And the pillows are so lumpy that I was not aware pillows could get to that condition– I’ve never kept pillows longer than 10 years, but they are the lumpiest grossest pillows I’ve ever seen. There was also a weird scratchy noise in the room all night. I decided it was probably something to do with the window and window shade but not sure.
The next day, we left the room at about 8am, and left the «please make up the room» sign on the door. We were gone nearly the entire day– did not get back until after 4pm. Since we had given each other gifts, there was a lot of trash and we REALLY needed the room made up. That’s part of what you pay for when you stay at a hotel– part of the experience is NOT having to freaking clean your own room.
When we got back to the room, not only had it NOT been cleaned, but there was a very strong oder of marijuana in our room. Not in the hall, IN OUR ROOM. I can’t swear to it, but it looked like some of our things had been moved. Nothing was taken — Also worth mentioning is that although the whole place is non smoking, I could smell stale cigarette smells in the room.
After we managed to brush off the heebie jeebies, I took another coldish shower and then came over to lay in bed. When I pulled the blankets back, there was a pile of dead leaves IN THE BED. WTF!!! I mean, just WTF??? I have no idea where they came from or how they got there. Just like I don’t know where the crack pipe and pot smells came from…
I haven’t said anything to the staff– I seriously doubt it will do us any good. Honestly, I would not know where to start. I mean, what am I supposed to say? «Um, excuse me, but I think our room is being used as a drug den, and there’s leaves in my bed, and the blankets are like 50 years old, the toilet keeps almost falling over and nobody cleaned our room???» I just want to get through the last night we have to stay in this creep show, then never again. If they had even bothered to clean our room I would have given the place 2 stars, but that was my breaking point, I can deal with the dirt, the grossness, the cold water… But I am paying to not have to sleep around trash and I want my bed made.
So, if you want to stay somewhere that would make a cool set for a documentary on crackheads (the ones who can afford over $ 100 a night anyway) then this is the spot for you. If you want a clean, secure, comfortable room– maybe not so much. You’ve been warned.
Edit: ok the pot smell is back, and it’s not in the hall. And it’s not us. Which leaves me to conclude it is either the room above or below us. Or it’s ganja ghosts… There’s rumors the place is haunted so perhaps the spooks have rolled up a Yuletide blunt. And the staff was nice about letting our pizza order guy in last night…

Stayed here in early June of 2011 when I flew in for one of the many Dog Fashion Disco reunion shows. Arrived Thursday night and departed Monday morning. The front door into the building is locked at all times. You have to ring the door bell and eventually someone will come open it for you. My plane landed pretty late and we didn’t get to the hotel until close to midnight. It was well after that both nights after the shows too. So the wait to get in was pretty lengthy and a bit inconvenient.
Went walking around the area after I got checked in the first night looking for food. Would have ate at the airport when landed but everything was long closed. Was hoping to run into a pub or something but everything seemed to be closed. When I returned to the hotel, I asked the man at the front desk if anywhere was still opened. He pointed me in the direction of a bar, but I was in no mood in walking that distance. He then gave me a pizza menu that delivered. Then he even called my room when they showed up.
Room was clean, but the building is ridiculously ancient and it showed in the room. There was a mini fridge stuck in the corner next to the bathroom that wouldn’t shut properly, so a sliding bolt lock for a house door was attached to it to keep it from flying open. Also included was a microwave that worked just fine. TV was 28″ and full screen, which wasn’t important. I knew I wouldn’t be returning to the city anytime soon so I wanted to see as much as I possibly could in it.
That was probably why I also wasn’t bothered with the elderly room. It was the cheapest I could find that was still within walking distance of the venue (Bourbon Street) that had a comfortable enough bed with four walls surrounding it. There was also I cat running around the hotel lobby. It was super nice and let me pet him/​her. Had I seen it near my room, I would have had it sleep in my bed with me. Give it that home sweet home feeling.
The air conditioning vent was on a high wall to the side of the bed. I wanted it on but I didn’t want it blasting on my face. So with one foot on the bed and one on the chair, I aimed it towards the ground. When I went to put my other foot back on the back I lost my balance and came crashing down to the floor. Not sure who is more to blame. Me for tampering with things or the hotel for having the vent fifteen foot above the ground. I didn’t get hurt, but it was still pretty terrifying.
My bathroom window was in the path of the fire escape, which people would use through out the day for some strange reason. The shades covering the window could easily be seen through, in and out. So whenever I would be making a deposit, sure enough, here comes a group of people walking down the escape, looking in on me. Needless to say, it was pretty embarrassing.

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Biltmore this past weekend. I have never written an online review of anything, but seeing all the negative comments about this hotel prompted me to come to its defense.
I have stayed in five-​star hotels and sketchy, dirty rat traps and I can say that walking into my room at the Biltmore was the first time I’ve been blown away… but in a good way! For about $ 90 a night we were put in a suite that had a large living room area, a decent bathroom (stocked with clean towels, I might add) and a spacious bedroom with a HUGE comfy bed, which also had clean blankets and sheets. There was a very loud party going on in the room next door the first night we were there, but there was also a door to the bedroom that shut out all the noise. I honestly don’t remember the last time I had such a good night’s sleep.
The staff we encountered during our stay were nothing but friendly and helpful. Parking was not an issue as we left our car at the medical center parking garage about half a block up the street for the duration of our stay and it was free on the weekend.
The neighborhood was very quiet and safe. We were out walking around pretty late and never felt threatened.
We didn’t really look into breakfast options at the hotel, but there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops within walking distance.
Sure, the wallpaper is peeling here and there. The furniture is mismatched and different in every room. There is no elevator so GOD FORBID you have to walk up a few flights of stairs! There are actual keys to each room as opposed to a card. This was a house built in the 1880s, not a Marriott built last year. If you are staying in Baltimore and are looking for all modern conveniences and amenities try staying in the Inner Harbor. But if you want a unique and charming experience in the heart of Mount Vernon then definitely stay at the Biltmore Suites. I know my boyfriend and I will go back.

after a roomate situation went sour i have stayed here for the past few nights. I couldn’t be happier w/​the comfort and the pleasant attitude of the staff. The hotel has a distinct personality and sits in a great location in Mt. Vernon. The décor is eclectic and homey w/​cathedral ceilings. I would think it has been used in a movie. if not it should be. It is close to popular clubs and a plethora of fine restaurants. Check it out i’m sure you will not be disappointed!!!

Look, here’s the deal, if you want to stay in the same looking and feeling hotel/​motel for the rest of your life with the same hotel furniture, same check in and plastic card instead of a key, same people in uniforms at the front desk with the gym and maybe pool you won’t use, stay at a Holiday Inn or the Marriot. Don’t go within a mile of the Biltmore because this place is for the adventurous who love things a little different and aren’t afraid of a little peeled paint or cracked plaster if it means they can stay in a one of a kind room at a very reasonable price in a great historic building. Complimentary gray cat greets you at check in. Guests love him so much they send him post cards! After being given an actual (gasp) key, make sure to take some time and check out the decorative elements in the beautiful main room: HUGE carved wood staircase, molded plaster ceilings and big fireplace (the clerk was nice enough to show us the back office which had creepy cherub heads molded on the ceiling!). We were upgraded to a room with a balcony because we chatted with the night clerk and he liked us. Our suite consisted of a bedroom and sitting room with full bath and balcony. It was full of old furniture, all mismatched, complete with funky plastic flowers and stenciled wall paper, giving the whole room that forgotten Victorian period look. Vintage black telephone with actual rotary dial sealed the deal. Despite the ‘shabby chic’ look, everything was very clean, including the linens (I’m a freak when it comes to clean sheets and pillows and do an inspection every time I get into a room before unpacking). For $ 89, it was steal and that was the week the Phillies came to Baltimore — not a room for under $ 100 to be found for miles!

I love an old boutique hotel. This is definitely that and has so much potential, but its potential is just not met. The floors are uneven and creaky. It’s dark. The linens aren’t very fresh looking. Carpets are dirty and torn. Chairs are patchworked. I truly didn’t want to sit in them. The blinds had decades of dust on them. Cats and chihuahuas walking around the lobby. Only enough hot water for one shower. If this building were ever renovated and its original character maintained, it would be gorgeous, but it’s just a cheap crash spot in Mount Vernon. If that’s what you need and you’re going to be out and about more than you are going to be in your room, then it’s a great deal. But expect no frills whatsoever.

This place should be haunted! It looks like the setting of a old murder mystery. Or like if the eyes of the paintings on the wall followed you around the room, you would not be susprised! Found this place by Unilocal!Needed a place to crash for the night before a flight of BWI. Room was $ 100 and its like a suite! Victorian shabby is spot on! Quirky, but cool! The room was clean and smelled good, tv are old but they work! I will be back next time in town for a different hotel experience!

I stayed here for 2 days. This is a pre-​war building in Balitmore, MD that has been refurbished. It’s a 4+ floor building. I stayed on the 3^rd.
The Good
–The style is early 20^th century industrial.
–The phone is a plastic touch tone phone shaped like a Bell rotary phone.
–Vending machines, lobby, PC and water available on the ground floor.
–The maids kept my room clean everyday.
–Microwave, fridge and coffee maker. Paper towels.
–Ceramic plates, cups and silverware on the wood table.
–Decent walking location, near the Route 27 bus.
–There’s supposedly Wifi available, but you have to request it from the front desk.
–The A/​C and heater was adjustable on the wall. It worked well.
–Relatively quiet. You can hear the rooms next door if people are talking loud.
–My bed had white laced privacy drapes on either side. Ladies might appreciate that.
–I played with a cat roaming the halls. She seemed friendly.
The Bad
–Creeky floors.
–Not much sales material in the room or mention of any available services. How do I get the front desk?
–As mentioned by one reviewer, the ceiling near the door entryway in my room was peeling and falling apart.
–The TV is a huge, clunky tube tv only connected to Comcast. They need to switch to LCD TVs with HDMI inputs for portable devices.
–No free electrical outlets. All are taken by the lamps, tv and clock. Bring a power strip.
–No laundromat services.
–There was an ironing board in my room but no iron!
Terrible
–The bathroom hot water couldn’t go beyond luke warm. I wasn’t able to get a hot shower in early February.
–No elevators. Be prepared to walk up creeky stairs. If you’re handicap, stay away.

This place definitely has «character.» And by character, I mean a lot of disrepair, weird color schemes, strange smells, and several flights of stairs that feel as though a hefty patron could bring the whole thing crashing down.
However, for $ 120 you can get a room that is actually two rooms and would be an interesting location for some sort of kitschy photo shoot. I wouldn’t stay here again personally, but I don’t totally regret the decision.

Visiting my brother who was in the shock trauma unit of University of Maryland Hospital I was trying to find a hotel for one night that was economical. That is how I found this place, thinking it was an old historic hotel! NOT THE CASE AT ALL!!! (This is perfect if you are looking for a place to rent by the hour.)
The entire building smells like urine and the sheet rock is crumbling off into the floor. There was at least an inch thick of dust on most of the furniture. The floor almost caved in under my feet in some parts of the room. I would have NEVER taken my shoes off on that disgusting carpet! There were two dim lamps that did not even come close to lighting the room. There were old stained bed sheets draped over the old rickety furniture. All over the bathroom floor there was a wad of long black hair where the place had clearly never been cleaned! There was no lock on the outside door to the building we were staying in and if you have ever been to Baltimore you know how dangerous that is! THis is a crime ridden city. I was in the room for about 30 seconds before I picked up the phone and made a reservation at a nearby name brand hotel! This place was by NO MEANS livable and the owner and general manager refused to give me my money back! I was very nice by explaining my concerns before the lady was extremely rude and told me they would not give me my money back! After all we have been through with my brother it makes me wonder how people can be so cruel… we ended up having to pay for two hotel rooms in one night! We did not even stay at the Biltmore Suites!
THe health department needs to be contacted and this place needs to be shut down!!!

This place is in a great location in Baltimore and a great deal. It is not a luxury hotel, but it’s funky and cozier than your average hotel. The building is an old, interesting place and the rooms are all different and interesting. I got a room for 2 for $ 100 on
. It was the perfect place! There’s parking on the street that is free on the weekends. Otherwise the hospital parking garage is only a block away and they validate your parking there. I would totally stay here again!