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    The Stepping Stone Inn

    4.7 (34 reviews)

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    Jessica B.

    This was our first experience at an Inn and it was great. Matt and Kelly were so warm and friendly! We arrived disheveled and exhausted from a long work week in Boston, so the warm welcome was really nice. The property itself is in the best location possible in Salem. It's across the street from the beautiful Salem Common and just a few minutes walk to everything. Matt had great recommendations as far as which restaurants to visit. The house itself is so cool, I loved this living room and wish we had more time to relax there but we only had about a day to see all the sites. We also missed the breakfast because it was our first day in two weeks to sleep in! Speaking of which- our room was so cozy! Our bed and pillows were far more comfortable than any hotel! Also, huge plus- there was a fan! We sleep at home with a fan, so we were even more comfortable. Thank you so much Matt and Kelly for the hospitality. I would recommend the Stepping Stone to anyone thinking about staying in Salem!

    In the parlor of the Stepping Stone Inn on my way to the 2014 Official Salem Witches Ball dressed as all 3 Witches of Oz.
    Sean B.

    I stayed at the Stepping Stone Inn many times to celebrate Halloween in Salem since 1995. I've always been very please with it's cleanliness and its location. Halloween is delivered to your doorstep and the Inn is walking distance to every restaurant, site and attraction for Salem's month long Halloween festival, Haunted Happenings. There is no place better to spend Halloween than in the New England town of Salem, MA with the changing Autumn colors and mild Fall weather. There's nothing like it. I returned again to Salem and the Stepping Stone for the second leg of my 2014 Halloween vacation. The first half was spent in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The Inn has just come under new management this year and the new owners have given the Stepping Stone a facelift and redecorated the rooms with warm inviting colors that brighten up the place and provide a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. The Inn is now, I'm happy to report, DOG FRIENDLY! See their website for details. http://thesteppingstoneinn.com/ The innkeepers themselves are a very charming couple who appreciate the historic building they are now fortunate to call home, in one of the most interesting historical cites in America. I was so pleased to have met them and their two very friendly cats, Youke & Petey, who also were very welcoming. Youke came upstairs to my room on more than one occasion for simulating conversation and to keep my company. Thank you, Youke. If you plan on visiting Salem, MA, I can not recommend a better place to stay. Be sure to book your room well in advance. It seems word has spread about the Stepping Stone Inn and it fills up fast. I have no doubt in my mind that you'll enjoy your stay and want to return in the future. I hope to return again for Halloween in 2016.

    Stepping Stone Inn is VERY easy to find--it's next door to the Salem Witch Museum!
    Sean B.

    "Halloween in Salem-Party with the Witches!" If you are staying in Salem and can't get into one of the two hotels in town (Hawthorne Hotel OR the Salem Waterfront Hotel) then a B&B would be the way to go as there are MANY in town. IF you are planning a Halloween trip to Salem, here is a very important fact that I keep to myself: BOOK YOUR ROOM AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. I'm not kidding, people. That small town fills up for Halloween by February. No lie. I LOVE staying with proprietor, John Brick and his cat at the Stepping Stone Inn because its right in the heart of the Historic District where all the Haunted Happening & Festival of the Dead events take place. Seriously, Halloween is delivered to your doorstep! EVERYTHING is in walking distance. There is no need to rent a car and you can take the train anywhere. Its only a pleasant 30 minute scenic trip to Boston. You can relax and see the changing leaves! John is very friendly an accommodating. Example: Before my first visit to the Stepping Stone, I'm a performer and was on tour with Disney doing a show one February in Braintree, just south of Boston, and had a day free, so I went up to Salem to visit friends that I had met the Halloween before. I rang the bell of the Stepping Stone to inquire about a room for the upcoming Halloween season. John let me look through the many unoccupied rooms and let me choose the one I wanted. It was the "off season" so I got to see 5 different rooms. I put down a deposit that very day. How many other people will let you tour the property and pick your own room? That's great customer service! The breakfast that is served is sparse and minimal, which is really my ONLY complaint--in fact, after having coffee there in the morning, I go to RED'S Sandwich Shop for breakfast. (Its more than a sandwich shop, with an extensive menu, good sized portions and teeny tiny prices. You'll love it!) Its my favorite place to eat in Salem. I know you'll be very pleased with it too. (See my review of Red's Sandwich Shop posted on YELP.) The Stepping Stone is very easy to find. It is RIGHT NEXT DOOR to the Salem Witch Museum and across the street from the Hawthorne Hotel, where many of the parties and Halloween events take place. I wouldn't stay anywhere else. Most rooms only have one bed and are small. Breakfast only lasts till about 9:30am and then its GONE. They don't wait for you. There is no real room service besides a daily maid cleaning. Parking is extremely limited, but remember, you really don't need a car--even if you want to visit Boston. Believe me, you don't want to drive those narrow streets in Boston. Best to take the train (really cheap) or a cab. And remember, friends, Book your room in Salem for Halloween early!--even if you stay somewhere else, BOOK EARLY for HALLOWEEN! ENJOY!

    Room door.
    Pete T.

    Great place for a weekend getaway! Our hosts were wonderful, and pointed us in the right direction for everything we were looking to do (and even better, they gave us great advice on what not to do). The rooms are older, but they have character. Everything was very clean, and I appreciated all of the vintage decorations throughout the inn. The breakfast room is well-appointed. There's plenty of fruit, breads, cereals and cheeses in the morning for you to choose from, and a Kuerig-type machine for tea, coffee and hot chocolate. If you're heading to Salem I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Stepping Stone Inn.

    My room had a pretty view of the park!

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    Excellent location and welcoming innkeepers. The B&B is quaint and cozy. Free continental breakfast and 24/7 tea, hot chocolate, and coffee.

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    Ask the Community - The Stepping Stone Inn

    Review Highlights - The Stepping Stone Inn

    The owner, Matt, was very accommodating helping us find and secure a reservation during the busy summer months.

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    Northey Street House - The two room, modern Loft suite can accommodate up to five people in three beds.

    Northey Street House

    4.3(30 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    We decided to come to Salem on a whim in August so finding something available the 3rd weekend in…read moreOctober actually in Salem was like winning the lottery for us. The price was decent and the reviews were great. My fiance called multiple times to confirm certain details but those calls were never returned. We arrived a few hours prior to check-in (one of his calls had been about early arrival luggage storage). Flora's daughter greeted us and helped us store our luggage so we could get some food and walk around Salem. They did not have an available bathroom for use aside from the porta potty in the driveway, which we were told is the norm for Salem anyway. That was the one and only time I had to use a porta potty, thankfully, and it was clean. Once our room was ready, we were given a code to open the key lockbox and told we were on the 3rd floor. We entered the house and took the narrow high stairs all the way up to find 2 rooms... neither of which are numbered. We chose correctly the first time and started to get settled. The ceilings are super low (we are very tall humans), a queen sized bed with 1 side table, a sofa with a side table, a dresser with a TV, a dinette for 2, an ottoman, a non-working fireplace, and a very large bathroom. The bed was comfy enough and we eventually figured out how to turn the heat on. The water pressure in the shower was fantastic and the temp was perfect. The first day we arrived it rained like crazy nonstop. We were completely soaked through. They do not offer use of their clothes dryer so we were relegated to using a small house fan to dry our clothes out. The next morning we couldn't figure out exactly what we were supposed to do for breakfast because the book in the room has conflicting info - either show up during these hours for hot food or text. The first morning there was the most delicious frittata I have E V E R had. There is also a selection of all kinds of other quick breakfast items. Our last morning we went down during the set hours, but there was no breakfast so we text asking for hot breakfast. Flora ran to the kitchen to scramble eggs and cook sausage (we weren't given an option - she just cooked). The eggs were great but the sausage was still frozen so that was a bummer. She seemed put out by having to make us breakfast, which I thought was the whole premise of a bed and breakfast. And for what they charge, I definitely expected a bit more hospitality. The location of Northey Street House is wonderful. It's a quick walk to Salem Common and everything you need or want to do in town. If I had to do it again, though, I'd pick somewhere else that feels a little more homey. Otherwise we could have just stayed in a hotel with more creature comforts.

    We stayed two days with the folks at Northey Street House. At first, we weren't sure what we had…read moregotten ourselves into, given we were assigned a room in the attic space which required us to carry our bags up at very narrow staircase to the third floor. By the time I lugged my wife's gigantic bag to our room I thought I had just gotten off the Stairmaster! Our room was adequate-- queen sized bed, sofa, small table with two chairs, and a nice sized bathroom with a shower. The mini-split style AC keep our room nice and chilled for a solid night sleep. The following morning, we enjoyed a home cooked breakfast of scrambled eggs and three egg omelet with tons of healthy spinach! Conversation with other guests around the table, that had place settings for six, was enjoyable. Access to restaurants and tourist attractions were within 12-15-minute walk.

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    Northey Street House - The two room, modern Loft suite can accommodate up to five people in three beds.

    The two room, modern Loft suite can accommodate up to five people in three beds.

    Northey Street House - The Appleton Room, our second, spacious historic room on the third floor, with Federal style 6'8" ceilings built in 1809.

    The Appleton Room, our second, spacious historic room on the third floor, with Federal style 6'8" ceilings built in 1809.

    Northey Street House - The Appleton Room, our second, spacious historic room on the third floor, with Federal style 6'8" ceilings built in 1809.

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    The Appleton Room, our second, spacious historic room on the third floor, with Federal style 6'8" ceilings built in 1809.

    Fox Pond Bed & Breakfast - Fox Pond ~ Coral Room

    Fox Pond Bed & Breakfast

    4.5(4 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    My bf and I stayed here in March. I found the website online and was convinced it would be…read morewonderful because of the gorgeous pictures of the place and the stellar reviews I found all over the internet. When we got there, we found the owner and his girlfriend cooking dinner. They were very nice and welcoming. I knew to expect the owners living quarters to be really close to the guest rooms because of some of the reviews I read but since the room we were in had a private entrance we weren't worried, we figured we could come and go and have the privacy we were looking for with no problem. We told Ted that we were late sleepers and not to worry about providing breakfast for us (the website says breakfast is served between 8:30-9:30). We would much rather sleep in and then grab brunch somewhere and we didn't want to hold him up from whatever he may have had planned for the day. He seemed somewhat resistant to the idea of not providing sustenance for us so after a little discussion, J and I told him "okay, how about 10:30?" He said he would leave certain items out for us. The house and our room really were gorgeous! Ted is an architect and he has done a really great job on the house and grounds. We stayed in the pond room which had cathedral ceilings, a two person jacuzzi, a gas fireplace, double glass doors, lighted double sinks that automatically turned on when you walked into the room, a whole wall of windows, decks, and heated floors. We were really happy with the room. It was very clean and decorated with a subtle nautical theme. From the moment we got there, we kind of felt like we had to whisper in our room. Probably because there wasn't any other guests there that weekend and the owner was having dinner 20 ft from our door. I know they probably couldn't have heard us but it did make me feel more uncomfortable than I thought it would. In the morning, we were woken up bright and early by the sun coming through the large, high windows in our room. No wonder breakfast is so early, how can anyone sleep through that? However, I do have to say that if I wasn't a cranky morning person, this would be a really enjoyable way to wake up, sun and beautiful blue sky and trees to look at while lying in bed. We pulled ourselves together and quietly went to the kitchen for breakfast. Ted said he would leave things out for us so we assumed we'd be alone. He immediately came around the corner when we got to the kitchen so it felt like he may have been waiting for us. He served us cantaloupe slices with yogurt, granola and berries and a tomato and basil quiche, which was all very good. What wasn't good was that he talked to us from the kitchen the whole time we were eating, so we had to keep turning around in our chairs to respond to him. It was uncomfortable and awkward (if he had sat down with us, it wouldn't have been as bad). During our weird breakfast conversation, it comes up that J is a software engineer and next thing you know, Ted is asking for help with a website he is working on. I have no problem with J helping someone out, but DUDE we're on vacation and we are paying you good money, don't ask for business help while we are trying to relax. It just wasn't appropriate. I said "Maybe when we are on our way out on Sunday he can help you for a bit". After that, we pretty much chose to use our private entrance to the room when we came and went from the house. We didn't feel like discussing in great detail every time we came back from somewhere, what we had done and where we had gone. I think Ted meant well, he had a lot of advice and suggestions for things to do and he was a really nice guy but it just didn't mesh with our style. For the most part, we like to be left alone when we go away and Ted didn't seem to pick up on the signals we gave him. I think this B&B would be really great for an older couple, for some reason I feel like older people are more open to this type of attention. On Sunday when we packed up, J was heading out to take some things to the car and Ted followed him outside for help on his website. He spent more than an hour working on something with him, while I sat in our room waiting. We probably won't go back. Gorgeous place, beautiful backyard and pond, and nice trails that lead to a running path and the harbor. I really liked the physical surroundings but didn't really feel relaxed because Ted was overly available and obviously in closer earshot than we would have liked. A week later, Ted called and asked BF to go on trip advisor and write a positive review of our stay!! No wonder I found so many good reviews online. 5 stars for aesthetics and 1 star for invasiveness! It wasn't horrible but it was not our style. **Updating this review in March '09: Ted called J a month or so ago and said he found this review and apologized and offered us a free night at the B&B. Not sure if we'll take him up on it but nice that he tried to make amends.**

    Two weekends ago my friend and I spent a lovely weekend in Marblehead at the Fox Pond Bed and…read moreBreakfast. This gem is nestled in a quiet neighborhood bordering a 37 acre sanctuary with trails that lead down to Salem Harbor. I looked at a number of B & Bs before finding this obvious and rare jewel of a home. Ted and Sophie, our hosts, were flexible as we arrived early and left a bit late since the off season is easier on everyone. This home has been meticulously redone, as have the beautiful grounds. Indeed, this property is featured in a number of architectural, gardening, and home magazines. The obvious care and attention to detail is very very unique. Our host, Ted, and his lovely dog, Sophie, made us feel right at home. Ted has an easy way about him that makes one feel like family the second you walk through the door. As is common with Bed and Breakfasts, you are a part of the family while in residence - that's the charm. The breakfasts were lovely and we invited Ted to join us as we learned about the house, its history, and received numerous tips about local attractions, restaurants, shops, and some of the local North Shore news. All in all our stay was wonderful. Ted opened his home to us and helped make our stay a memorable and relaxing time. I most enthusiastically recommend the Fox Pond B&B; we'll be back!

    Photos
    Fox Pond Bed & Breakfast - Fox Pond B&B ~ Rear over Pond

    Fox Pond B&B ~ Rear over Pond

    Fox Pond Bed & Breakfast - Fox Pond ~ Cloud Room

    Fox Pond ~ Cloud Room

    Fox Pond Bed & Breakfast - Fox Pond ~ Pond Room

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    Fox Pond ~ Pond Room

    A Lady Winette Cottage - Full moon rising at Chandler Hovey Park

    A Lady Winette Cottage

    3.9(7 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    Lovely views from the deck where I sat and read my book all morning after a lovely breakfast of…read moreyogurt and berries and the BEST coffee. Suzie is a gracious host and the beds are soft and comfortable. The decor is whimsical beachy with boxes of seapearls and mirrored vanities in the bath and lovely hues of lavendar and blue in the bedrooms. Lots of beautiful flowers in the garden and a morning sitting porch for breakfast that she lights at night to welcome you home. Rooms are adaquately air conditioned and rooms are cozy and quaint. A lovely respite.

    We planned a trip to Massachusetts to Salem for a spooky October trip. We found A Lady Winette…read moreCottage and thought it was perfect and quaint. A nice size for our group. We rented out both rooms upstairs. With our initial phone call with the Innkeeper Suzie she was so pleasant, nice, and informative. As the trip was getting closer we called her again just clarify a few questions we had. We asked if could check in early as we were driving from Michigan (15 hours) and wanted to get cleaned up and unpacked before going out and exploring. She seemed to not understand why we would want to do that and why not grab lunch and explore before - we went around and around a few times until she finally agreed to let us check in before going out. We then asked her if we could do breakfast a bit later in the day as we planned on taking advantage of sleeping in while on vacation and we're night owls and wanted to enjoy the town. She said no, if was at exactly 8:30am and she didnt need to explain why she wouldn't move it to a later time. A simple no would have sufficed. So the day of the trip - we drove through the night- we were about an hour away and we were instructed to call her once we got close and multiple times. So we did and she was super short with us the first phone call but told us there was a big storm that went through the night before so she was trying to clean up the mess from it she wasn't too happy that we were checking in at 2. Though she said it was alright. Then we called a 2nd time when we were in Marblehead and asked if where we were going to park if that was okay, she said "yea. I have to go bye" and hung up on us. It was so strange as she was so sweet and nice to us weeks before when planning the trip. We then walked up to the door and she told us that we could not roll out suitcases on the carpet and would have to lift them. Totally fine, but that was literally the first thing she said to us. We then took the corner to go up the stairs to the rooms and I don't think I've ever seen steps more narrow or steep. But not Suzies fault at all for that, it was just suprising. We then got up to the rooms with Suzie behind us, she told us to put our luggage immediately on the luggage racks as to not ruin the carpet. Mind you the carpet is very stained and could stand a vacuuming. Suzie then told us that we were not allowed to go on to the balcony because of the storm that happened the night before, and even blocked it with a plant, which we thought was super strange and disappointing as we really wanted to spend some time out there and enjoy the views. But oh well, we were able to enjoy it later on in out stay, which was great. Our breakfast was fruit, bread, coffee and water. At breakfast suzie was asking us what we were doing for the day, when telling her she said oh no, don't do that, that's not worth it. With almost everything we had planned. I appreciate the help on making our visit worth it, but this is our trip and we want to do what we planned and were going to do them regardless. Suzie was also applying and clipping her fake nails 2 feet away from where we were eating... At that same breakfast Suzie said she saw our food in the rooms that we had for snacks and quick lunches as we were trying to be frugal while driving. She said that she told us we were not allowed to eat in the rooms and that she had told us that, when in fact she did not. Her place is very cluttered, and hasnt been deep cleaned in a long while (dust, cobwebs with bugs in them, etc.) Also, the shared bathroom upstairs between the two rooms is also shared with Suzie. We did not know that before hand. Some of the pros: The balcony is beautiful and we really did enjoy it out there. The beds were so comfortable we all slept like rocks and so soundly. The location was great with the cove in view at a times. Her garden was beautiful as well. Overall it wasnt a horrible stay but we will not be staying here again due to the cleanliness, and how overbearing Suzie was. She was very nice and thankful that we were staying there. But it was all way too much.

    Photos
    A Lady Winette Cottage - The Bay

    The Bay

    A Lady Winette Cottage - A lady winnette cottage

    A lady winnette cottage

    A Lady Winette Cottage - Upstairs porch off bedroom

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    Upstairs porch off bedroom

    The Stepping Stone Inn - bedbreakfast - Updated May 2026

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