On a recent visit to Buffalo in New York, right by Niagara Falls, I was lucky enough to spend a weekend in a historic 1898 mansion, InnBuffalo. This building is now a quaint Bed and Breakfast (or “BnB”) that sits within Buffalo’s vibrant Elmwood Village.
It was as typical a BnB as you could expect to find anywhere in the world – an experience that sometimes feels forgotten amongst the rise of AirBnB, which now sits as unrecognisable to what the Bed and Breakfast was supposed to be. Both were born of the same objective – to provide an alternative for the chain hotel stay – but InnBuffalo served a reminder that there is nothing that beats the original.
For those who may not have enjoyed a stay at one of these fine establishments in recent years, what defines a Bed and Breakfast? Typically, a BnB takes over a larger house, with a finite number of rooms, and a shared dining area. It’s there where the (usually complimentary) “breakfast” part of its namesake takes place. Sometimes these will even be cooked for you by the proprietors.
The locations don’t sit as part of a chain. These are “Mom and Pop” businesses that emerged in North America in the late 1970s as a response to chain hotels. I for one was surprised to learn it didn’t go the other way around.
Looking back at this 1982 piece from New York Times writer Gloria Levitas, which details the at-the-time emerging accommodation option, it proves remarkable how little has changed from the original intent, bar the relative ease by which you can find out about any accommodation option today.
Having enjoyed travel to some of the world’s most picturesque locations over the years, I can safely say that the experience of staying in any location – particularly more regional locations, where sometimes a BnB is the only accommodation option – has always been amplified when I’ve stayed in a Bed and Breakfast. You have the chance to meet the locals, enjoy some delicious food and sleep in a place that will quickly feel like home. InnBuffalo was no exception, and sets the standard for what you’d hope a BnB experience would offer.
Twelve rooms occupy the 125+ year old building, with almost all of them upstairs. On the ground level you’ll find a room with a piano and a dining area, as well as many places to relax comfortably, and meet the people who run the place, as well as the Inn’s fellow guests.
Downstairs, you’ll find a pool room with help-yourself (by donation) drinks, open from 11am to 10pm. There is a distinct tavern vibe down here, with lots of tequila, scotch, a TV, pool table and a funky water feature to wash your hands (you’ll need to see that one for yourself to know what I mean).
On the ground floor, they serve continental breakfast from 730-1030am, with hard boiled eggs, juices, yogurt and fruit. They also have scones and snacks sitting out all day. These items are individually packed so you can take it back into your room, at your convenience.
Out check-in process happened via text, and the keys were left sitting out for us on arrival.
In our room (The Sarah Dutro), we had a view onto the main road. There’s impeccable and classic features in all the rooms that date back to the BnB’s origins as a 1898 mansion. You’ll find beautiful lamps and a classic wooden closet with ample storage space. There’s an iron and board there for your use, and two luggage stands sit at the end of the very comfortable bed.
The bathroom was split in two, with a dual-headed shower in one room (romantic, no?), and the toilet and sink in the other. Self serve toiletry dispensers could be found in the wall, with Paul Mitchell colour protection shampoo and conditioner, plus body wash.
You’ll find the hair dryer near the sink, plus vanity kits and makeup towels. Plenty of comfortable towels are provided, as well as a small fridge with two freshly filled water jugs, and milk for the in-room Keurig Coffee machine.
A desk sits in the corner with books and details about the hotel – making it all feel lived in. Elsewhwere, a nightlight sits in the bathroom and there’s a remote Fujitsu air conditioner in every room. They really do have everything you need.
During the stay, they reached out via text to see if you needed housekeeping, and we had great conversations with the staff working in the kitchen during the breakfast service. Others staying in the hotel were lovely – though it was impossible not to hear their kids running around in the hallways while we were in our room. This is an old mansion, so sound will travel – that’s part of the deal with any building like this – but there was never a sense that we didn’t have our privacy in the space.
Wi-Fi is complimentary and check out is at 11am. We were able to leave our bags at the hotel and collected them when we were ready to leave.
The accommodation sits in Buffalo’s beautiful Elmwood Village, which is walking distance from the Buffalo AKG Art Museum; in my opinion the best museum in the city. There’s a fantastic cafe on site, Cornelia, where you can enjoy breakfast or lunch, as well as dinner on Thursday and Friday nights. I highly recommend the breakfast sandwich with rosti.
Across the street from the attraction is Delaware Park where you can go for a lake ride in a flamingo (or a duck!) in Hoyt Lake (head HERE for rental details), or enjoy a cocktail and a beautiful bite to eat at The Terrace. The park is as beautiful to sit in as it is to explore, as it was designed by the same man who developed New York’s Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted.
And this is but a taste of what is in the area. It’s also far from the only Bed and Breakfast style accommodation in Buffalo – head HERE to look at the rest.
Final Verdict
While they brand themselves as “boutique accomodation”, if you look up “Bed and Breakfast” in the dictionary, it may as well show InnBuffalo as the definition. They capture everything that’s wonderful about the “BnB” experience, and set it at a terribly high bar. The service was fantastic, the beds comfortable, the elegant design of the 1898 mansion both inviting and awe-inspiring. And you’ll definitely want to take the time to explore every nook and cranny you can. You will need to discover this water feature for yourself.
If you’re heading to Buffalo, New York anytime soon, definitely consider a night at the InnBuffalo. It may just inspire you – as it did me – to consider staying at more Bed and Breakfasts when travelling around the world. There’s nothing quite like it.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The author stayed as a guest of InnBuffalo for two nights, with the support of Visit Buffalo Niagara.
