I read several reviews of various hotels in Ashland before selecting the Bard's Inn for our weekend getaway, and I'm confident I made the right choice. A lot of the complaints that I had read stated that they felt the experience wasn't worth the price tag (our room's base rate was $209 for a Saturday night, plus an additional fee for our two dogs), which is normally more than I like to pay for a one-night stay anywhere, unless I am specifically seeking a fantastic...nay, outlandish hotel experience. I don't travel for the hotels (and I don't understand the people who do), except on very special occasions.
That said, when we rolled up to the Bard's Inn, I was initially a bit trepidatious. It looked like a motel, albeit one splashed with a medieval-adjacent coat of paint. I didn't realize at first that the hotel is spread across three buildings, each on different corners of the same intersection, with different room types in each building. While we ended up in the motel-like section (where the pool, office and dining hall are located), the other two look more like apartments, so depending on your booking, your room style may vary wildly.
We checked in, and were given a end room on the bottom floor, a huge bonus for us, with two pups in tow! Our room was spacious enough for two adults, a teen and two dogs, without feeling cramped. Décor: functional without being fancy. TV had DirectTV, which is sluggish and unresponsive on its best day, but we barely used it. Mini-fridge included in the cabinet came in handy for insulin that needed to be refrigerated. Continental breakfast in the morning hits all the standard notes, but it will be ravaged by 9:00am, so get their early! Pool is open from 7:00am (what?! awesome!) until 10:00pm, and is a nice place to cool off on a balmy yet humid summer evening.
The beds were firm yet very comfortable, the pillows downy soft and wonderful, among some of the best I've encountered at any hotel; my wife slyly suggested attempting to cram the mattress and pillows into the back of our SUV to take home, but I was able to dissuade her...barely.
Where the Bard's Inn truly shined, however, were in the places that mattered most: customer service and...what's the real estate cliché? Oh yes: location, Location, LOCATION. No other hotel has such convenient access to the heart of Ashland's downtown area, and finding another pet-friendly hotel pushes you out even further. You can't ask for a better location, so I'm not terribly surprised to have to pay extra for it. As for customer service, each staff member we interacted with, at check in, check out, and in-between, was friendly, personable, helpful and pleasant to talk to. I've rarely ever been so impressed by the quality of care, concern and...eagerness is probably the best word, than I have been with the staff of the Bard's Inn. That alone earns them five stars.
In short: if you're traveling with pets, the Bard's Inn is your best choice. Heck, it's close to your only choice, if you want to be close to the action, but that shouldn't detract from its perks. And even if you're pet free, you can't ask for a better location, helpful and friendly staff, and comfier beds than this place. You have been warned, knaves!: Bite your thumb at this hotel, and there may be more than one Shakespearean tragedy during your stay in Ashland, in addition to the ones being performed at the Allen Elizabethan Theatre! read more