Bissell House Bed & Breakfast

We greatly enjoyed a 3 night stay in this classic old Victorian house. We chose the Morning Glory room and it was lovely. The grounds are nice and plenty of places to sun or read or even jump in the pool.
Breakfast was awesome every day and tastefully done. We were well fed enough to last us on our daily adventures around Pasadena.
The house is like living in an episode of Antiques Road Show, many of the furnishings are original.
The innkeeper shared many interesting facts of the homes history including a stay by Albert Einstein.
Overall it provided us a peaceful escape, we would stay here again.

The best Bed and Breakfast I’ve ever been to. We’ll be back in the future! There is enough space and freedom to do whatever you’d like: swim around the pool, relax and read by sunlight in the library, play board games and enjoy the classical style.

My husband and I recently stayed at the Bissell House Bed and Breakfast for three nights to celebrate our 30^th wedding anniversary. The inn was very quaint inside and out. We loved the period décor, the gardens, and the big porch with the rocking chairs. The pool was an added plus! Our room was a nice size. The bed was very comfortable, and it didn’t squeak! The bedding was so soft and comfy! The two breakfasts we had were delicious! It was nice talking with other guests of the inn during our meal. Our innkeeper, Zayana, was gracious from beginning to end. There were two unfortunate events during our stay. One was the electricity went out for almost 24 hours through no fault of the inn. I just feel there could have been a little more concern from Will, the other innkeeper that evening when we returned to a darkened inn, and a little more communication the following morning. There was no note in the dining room, and no note on our door that breakfast would not be served. Fresh fruit and a croissant would have been appreciated, as we understood that cooking was not possible. The electricity was out from about 5:30 Sunday evening to about 3pm the next day. We did receive a bottle of processco from the innkeepers for our anniversary, and for our inconvenience. That was very nice and thoughtful. Poor Zayanna, she seemed embarrassed, but we really understood that the incident was out of their control. It really was the lack of communication that bummed us out. Also, after the electricity went back on, we had no running water in our bathroom. My husband showered under a trickle of water. There was no way I was going to take a shower with only a trickle of water, and I had to get ready for dinner that evening. Our plans would not be changed since it was the day of our actual anniversary, and I was not going to change into my dressy clothes without a hot shower! I went downstairs to inform them we had no water pressure. Will told me to run the water for several minutes until the pressure returned. When the water did not return, my husband went to let the innkeeper know we still had no water, and that’s when we found out the water had been turned off because of some repairs done earlier that day. Shortly thereafter, the water pressure returned. Aside from the electricity going out and not having running water for one shower, our stay at the Bissell House Bed and Breakfast was enjoyable. I would definitely recommend Bissell House for anyone looking for a romantic getaway! Do we plan on staying at the Bissell House Bed and Breakfast in the future? You bet we will! We experienced a few hiccups during our stay, but nothing is perfect, except maybe being married to the man of my dreams for 30 years!

I have stayed here two times in the past and I enjoyed both stays immensely. Some of the rooms are quite large and the baths were great fun as many potions were included. I loved the lace covered water bottle in the cabinet and the Victorian gowns in the closets. Some guests even come down for breakfast dressed for the times.
I have fond memories of this place and plan on returning now that I am done with the Langham.
Also there is an afternoon tea service here that you can enjoy without being a guest here. I don’t know if this still exists though — it did when I stayed here before.
Yay, Bissell House! :)

New parents on a weekend getaway to a bed and breakfast= amazing! Juli and the other staff were very welcoming and friendly. We had never stayed in a bed and breakfast before and were nervous with what to expect. Upon arrival, we were given our keys, some general instructions, dinner recommendations and a tour of the inn. There is a pool (we didn’t use it but looked inviting), a small library with an eclectic collection of books, and an area with baked goods and coffee/​tea available. We stayed in the Prince Albert room which was small but cute! The bed was also very comfortable; we slept great. I agree with other reviewers that the breakfast was really really tasty! Even my carnivore husband was impressed. We ate ALL of it, within a few minutes. We will definitely be back and will also recommend Bissell House to friends and family.

Charming, quiet, comfortable, with excellent breakfasts done with imagination and flair by innkeeper Juli. Convenient location, but confusing to find initially because the address is on Orange Grove but the house, somewhat camouflaged by foliage, is actually around the corner on Columbia. We’ll be back!
–Dave Felthous, Seattle

I have been staying at the Bissell House for a number of years, whenever business takes me to Pasadena. During each visit I have always received the fine, first rate service I have come to depend on and thoroughly enjoy. It offers a wonderful refuge in a beautiful neighborhood of Pasadena. The grounds are lovely, the Bissell home is a wonderful period piece from a pervious era, the furnishings are a delight with great attention to detail. I always feel pampered, from the comfortable, high quality beds and elegant bedding, to the spacious bathtubs… a perfect place to relax and unwind. I am always greeted in a warm and welcoming manner. It is apparent that the owners care a great deal about their guests and their comfort and satisfaction. It is a pleasure to know about this wonderful resource and I look forward to my next visit.

LOVED my stay here! The house is absolutely adorable and has such a cozy and welcoming feel to it. Snacks and tea are available in the front room which is sunny and inviting. Guests were gathered there and in the front library room throughout the day. It was very interesting to talk to them and learn about what brought them to this outstanding bed and breakfast. More than half of them had stayed there before and consider it to be their ‘special vacation spot.’ Juli was the innkeeper during our stay. It was clear that she enjoys her job and takes great care in seeing to it that her guests are well taken care of. Her cooking (breakfast is included in your stay) was DELISH! We even got to enjoy an espresso from the machine that’s available to guests. They’re very accommodating as far as food preferences if you let them know when you book your stay.
My experience at Bissell House was excellent, I will absolutely refer my friends there and I myself an to be a guest of theirs another time soon.

We stayed here after we viewed the Rose Bowl floats on the 4^th of January. The house is well kept and decorated like a traditional bed and breakfast. It felt very warm and cozy with all the decorations. The rooms were very nostalgic which is what I really liked about it.
Janet and Juli were very accommodating and gave us great recommendations for local restaurants and things to do. Very easy access to all the freeways. A nice little gem in Pasadena.

I can’t give it any stars since I have been trying to reach them for information, left two messages and never a call back. I’m sure it’s cute but getting service in advance sucks.
I was going to write an article for my Newport Beach newspaper on weekend getaways but on his one I may have to pass up.

Absolutely blissful! I booked a two-​day getaway for myself and reserved the Rose Room. It was as charming as pictured, and perfect for one person. The house and grounds are gorgeous and beautifully kept. Janet and Carrie, the innkeepers, were lovely and provided wonderful suggestions on neighborhood walks and restaurants. The breakfasts were outstanding. I would come up again in a heartbeat! (Thank you Janet for recommending I visit Koi – it was marvelous!)

My Aunt and I stayed at the Bissell House this weekend and had a wonderful time. They were very personable and went the extra step to make sure we had everything we needed. We didn’t have a car and Janet (one of the owners) volunteered to take us and another guest site seeing. We had a wonderful time and felt like we had been all over Pasadena and learned so much about it. The house itself was really was full of history and you could feel the love that went into keeping it alive. Thank you again to everyone at Bissell House. We will see you again.

I love this inn. Every room is unique and equally charming but GARDEN ROOM is my favorite. The Inn Oozes charm, and peace and quiet. A great city escape plus super comfy-​chic for out of town visitors. Nummy breakfasts and lots of hide-​away places to get away on the property itself – the poolside, library, living room and fireside. Thanks for making our stay so perfect!

Nice one night stay in mid-​August. We stayed in the Rose Room right at the top of the house. Smaller room but it was fine. Great bed. Did not get a chance to use the pool but it was very clean and looked like a great dip. Breakfast was good but we would suggest not opting for the grab and go breakfast as it is limited. Local dinner was a pick up from Radhika which we enjoyed.

I was very excited about staying at Bissell House for my birthday and was expecting a lovely comfortable hassle free stay with maybe some good food! I’ve only had good experiences with B&Bs so I didn’t know what was possible! Firstly Jennifer who is one of the owners was very unprofessional and intrusive. She made us stand in the foyer for ages talking our heads off even though we were visually exhausted and wanted to lie down. The food was… How do I out this? Very disappointing. While the chef is a real sweetheart he wasn’t making anything i would consider eating. Every breakfast consisted of different baked eggs with tons of cream and butter is small soufflé dishes and yogurt with fruit. There are no options for the meals and if you ask for something specific they charge you extra! The room was fine, nothing fantastic but pretty. The street traffic is pretty noisy and the channels and size of the tv (smallest tv EVER) left something to be desired. All in all I wouldn’t stay there again and I’ll be very careful choosing a B&Bs in the future!

We stayed in the cozy Rose Room on the third floor overlooking the pool. Sadly, we arrived later than we had hoped and did not get a chance to soak in the surroundings and the pool at night, but had a chance to enjoy both in the morning. (The pool was very clean and the temperature was perfect in July). The inn’s entrance is subtle, so we accidentally passed it first. But that adds to the privacy, as lush vegetation and trees surround the corner property. The neighborhood was high-​end and the home was very authentic for the period.
The furnishings and décor was an attraction in itself, and a step back in time… everything from the original door knobs, to the outlet covers, glass windows and pipes around the bathtub led to the historical ambiance. The home was updated and attractive without losing the original flavor, and the breakfast was good also. The owners spared no details, from the thick pool towels in the library leading to the pool to the bathrobes. They were helpful in making you feel at home, without hovering. It was a welcome respite at an affordable price after a stressful year.
The air conditioning was a treat also, as it was a warm weekend. Not too noisy and it cooled quickly. Bed was comfy… ceiling/​wall had a sloped gable which added to the charm. (Though tall folks should watch their heads getting up on that side of the bed). I hope to return and spend more time to enjoy the surroundings and the nearby treasures that South Pasadena has to offer. Guests were also treated to cake at night, coffee and tea, and a library of books to borrow from during their stay.

This was my second visit to Bissell House, I love this place. Was very happy to see the same chef was there making fabulous breakfasts. I stayed in the same room as before and as always everything was great. The rates have gone up a little bit since 2009, it is worth it. They have a special refrigerator for guests so you can keep your take-​out food and drinks cold, also a microwave in the dining room for your use anytime. There is a pool, cake and tea are available in the sitting room and you can hang out in the garden or in the study as well. TV and wireless in every room. Original fixtures and period furniture make this home beautiful. Soaking in the claw-​footed bathtub was lovely. Breakfasts in the dining room with linen tablecloths and china were special. I have met some very nice and interesting people at the dining room table. Highly recommend and will return again for sure.

Everytime I stay at the BH, its great, The gals make me feel at home and I love the house of course, being a fan of historic old homes. I tell everyone the Bissell family connection to the house and they love it. My favorite is the breakfast and the beds sleep great. Cant stay in Pasadena without roses and the landscaping is beautiful. Close to the 210 and 110 fwys, you can explore Pasadena, downtown and dont miss South Pasadena, a little town in itself.
If you are having an event and need a location or just a night to excape, you have to give Jane, the owner a call and she will fix you up for the best place to stay if want something different than the same old hotel.
Alison Winston

my girlfriend and i live in Venice, and decided for a little «stay-​cation» in Old Pasadena would be great. Bissell House was the first search result for «bed and breakfast» and we were hooked before we even got there. $ 160 was a solid price for the Morning Glory room, on the third floor with a private bathroom, flat-​screen tv and dvd player (though we brought a movie to watch, it’ll go without saying that we didn’t watch any TV that night). for $ 50 they left a really nice bottle of French champagne and truffle chocolate.
breakfast the next morning was homemade quiche kind of thing with fruit, OJ, and coffee. you can either sit at the bigger communal table (there were 4 or 5 other couples who were staying that night and they were all pretty cool) or you can have a private breakfast at the smaller table.
Couple reading rooms, fireplace in the living room which also has assorted teas and water available 24 hours, every room seems to be decked with a couple COMFY chairs. All in all, this place is almost too cute to be real, but the coziest stay you’ll have just about anywhere. i want to get their gift card special for just about every couple i know!

My husband and I were riding our tandem bike from SF to LA for our one-​year anniversary celebration. We were arriving pretty late into LA and were pretty exhausted. About 6pm I started calling around to find a place to stay. Unfortunately, we were on a budget since my husband was recently laid off. But we wanted to stay somewhere nice for our Anniversary and for our only hotel-​night of the whole trip.
The Bissell House kindly met us at our budget! We were so happy to have a comfortable room, soft towels, a great bathroom and a pretty view of the garden from our room. They also had tea and a pastry out on our arrival. One of the best night sleeps of our trip. The house is very pretty and comfortable with a nice porch and garden for reading.
In addition, we had just picked up our car which was loaded with our surfboards and all our camping gear. I felt totally safe parking it in their very private hedged parking area.
It is also close to the freeway and a hop-​skip-​and-​a-​jump from a little downtown area as well as the Huntington Library and Botanical Garden.
Thank you to the Bissell for making our anniversary trip special and memorable!