The Tidewater Inn Easton

Our stay at the Tidewater Inn was great from beginning to end. Every member of the staff went over and above to help make our visit great. There was an error on my part and it was handled without ANY problems at all. The in house restaurant..Restaurant Local..was good, with excellent service. The original room we were assigned was under a "little repair" and we were given a great upgraded room, with much apologizing !

Dan, one of the porters, was very outgoing, friendly and helpful, with many excellent recommendations. The Inn was beautiful, with gorgeous antiques all around, and perfect cleanliness. We arrived at breakfast a little late, but the coffee and assorted bread items were fresh and hot.

I can't say enough about the Tidewtaer Inn and plan to visit again as soon as possible.

We booked two rooms for our family's stay at the Tidewater last week. The rooms booked were a room with two double beds and a room with a queen bed.

We used the valet service upon arrival. There was a family checking in before us, so we had a little wait for the valet and check in. Just be prepared for a wait if the hotel is busy. This is a small Inn and there didn't appear to be a lot of employees at this time around 7:30 p.m.. If you know this ahead of time then check in will be less stressful. Both the valet and front desk personnel were very friendly and helpful. I asked several questions about the area and both happily answered my questions.

Both rooms were decorated beautifully. The beds were very comfortable with down comforters. (before arriving, I requested that one bed be feather free and this was done). The room with two beds was very large with three windows, two wing back sitting chairs, reading lamps, and a great flat screen television. The bathrooms in both rooms were on the small side but they were also recently refurburished and were adequate, nice and clean. The size of the bathroom fit with the size and decor of this Inn.

The queen bedroom was a little smaller than the double but it was also furnished beautifully and was quite comfortable and cozy.

There was a very small continental breakfast available that included apples, bananas, two types of bread (croissants and banana nut) along with coffee. We really enjoyed sitting in the lovely Rose room where the light breakfast is served. I believe on week-ends there is a brunch served in the hotel's restaurant.

There are nice stores (antique, art) and restaurants within walking distance. This hotel and the historic area are only about a mile or two from the main road (Rt. 50). We stayed at this Inn about 6 or 7 years ago and I thought it was nice but after the recent renovations it is quite a lovely and charming Inn. If you enjoy historic hotels, this Inn fit the bill.

We recently went to Easton for some R & R and good food (see review on Scossa). After reading the reviews on Trip Advisor, we decided on the Tidewater as the place for us. We love atmosphere and comfort and find that many of the 'old classics' offer that best. Since The Tidewater has been renovated in the last year or so, we were delighted with the hotel. The front desk, although busy, was congenial and helpful. The rooms are, generally, small, but have all the amenities expected.

We were so pleased w/the quietness and comfort of our room that we booked another night. I might add that the rates for an Eastern Shore hotel were VERY reasonable!

Don't expect to make a breakfast of the morning continental, but the coffee is fresh and the Rose Room is lovely. The front porch is a great place to read the paper and relax.

A couple times a week there is a very talented singer who performs on the front patio. The new restaurant is a welcome addition to Easton, too. (see review on Local).

We will definitely go back!

We will definitely go back!

After reading lots of negative reviews on this website, I was a little wary of booking a room here, but I am so glad we did. We arrived two hours before check in time, but the staff happily checked us in. Everyone at the Tidewater was very friendly and helpful.

Our room was quite nice and I didn't find it terribly small, even with a king sized bed. The bathroom was updated and included Aveda bath products. The bed was incredibly comfortable...feather bed, nice linens, down comforter, down pillows, and a super soft throw blanket. My only issue with the room was that there were a few marks on the walls, but otherwise it was great.

We booked our room with the $79 travelzoo rate and were very pleased with the value. Even at double that price, it would have been worth it. Many other reviewers complained about it being noisy. Perhaps it was more quiet in the winter, but I didn't hear a thing. They offer free coffee and pastries that were really good. The croissant and blueberry muffin we had tasted fresh.

We had lunch at the hotel restaurant and I was not terribly impressed. The decor and smooth jazz were pretty cheesy and the food was just mediocre in my opinion.

All in all, I would highly recommend staying at the Tidewater.

Got in 15 minutes before check-in and friendly desk staff signed us in. Took the elevator to room 313. There was a beautiful curved staircase surrounded at the second floor by old round windows, which my wife and I walked later. Magnetic key swipe - small, cozy, clean room. Bath was super-clean, great amenities, curved shower rod, glass shelving and his and her Calvin Klein terry robes. Handwritten note in envelope from staff that wanted to make our stay pleasant. Nice flat-screen TV, lots of furniture. Yeah, it's small, but bigger than a lot of our rooms in London.

We booked this because of a travel-zoo special and loved our stay. The restaurant is excellent. Two pound lobster for $39. And if they are on the menu, do try the lobster mashed potatoes. Ymmm. Plenty of wait staff. Great food and great service. The bar was equally as nice. Lots of single malt scotches and even some "Hady's Perfection" at $450 for 2 ounces. That's $450 with no decimal point.

Easton is as nice as ever, fine shops, few or no chain stores and friendly shopkeepers. Nice display on education at the historical society. Lots of fine old architecture. Fast food one mile out of town if desired.

We weren't sure what to expect from reading the reviews, but we loved it. Real logs burning in the lobby fireplace, gas logs in two fireplaces at the outside dining area. Assistant manager was greeting folks in the PM and AM in the lobby. Complimentary cold breakfast, but brunch was served on Sunday morning in the Local Restaurant. French toast with cinammon whipped cream and pancakes with vanilla NE maple syrup. Ended up spending more on food than the room but it was worth it. Nice theater right across the stree, the Avalon. Leon Redbone and The Temptations slated for later on. We'll be back.

Restaurant Local was amazing. I agree the staff needs work but it wasnt bad enough to dampen our evening. The food was amazing, the decor exceptional and the selections of wine, out of this world. Would come again and again!

I travel extensively and loved my 4 days at this property. The staff was very helpful and friendly and it has to be the best location in Easton. Stop searching for anything better, this place is the best in town with great history, great staff, service, and accomodations. The room was spacious and beds were very comfortable, I slept very well. Great location to hold meetings and to host events. New owners and operators and you can tell they are really turning it to be spectacular.

Once again the staff was excellent, from the front desk and housekeeping to the General Manager. The General Manager, Maryalice, even took time to talk to me and tell me about the history and improvements they are making. She was absolutely wonderful, and really cared about my stay. You can bet I will be back and will tell everyone I can about this wonderful historic Inn.

You won't regret your stay.

Stayed at the Tidewater for a wedding. It was a really nice property. As stated earlier, they are under renovation. We were there on a Saturday-Sunday and there was no construction going on. They charge $10 for valet parking, but they are great about advising where it is okay to self-park. Even though there is currently no restaurant on site (due to the renovations), there are several restaurants within two blocks. Also, they gave us a coupon for a free breakfast at one of two places within a block, which was great. We really had a great stay. The only downside is that you can really hear the people in the hallway. But, the beds and linens are nice enough I still had a great night sleep...

Ive been budget traveling around the maryland area for a few months now and this hotel is one of the best ive stayed in. The lobby and rooms were beautiful and unique, it was centrally located in the middle of a totally adorable little town, the staff was friendly and the televison got all the local stations (a big deal to my boyfriend who complains when chain hotels only have 4 or 5 sations none of which are ESPN). The bathroom was kind of small and the toliet and shower a little old, but in my opinon it added to the charm. Theres no way to control the temperature in your room except by opening or closing a vent but the hotel was always very confortable and who likes those big ugly noisey best western-style air conditioning units anyways? The maid did come by a few hours before check out but was happy to come back later when we asked if she could come back in a hour and we didnt hear from her again. The bed was amazing! the sheets, comforter and mattress were so comfortable i didnt want to leave! valet parking was great, our valet guy was so friendly and told us where local places to eat were since the inns restaurant was closed and valet with in and out service was only $7, an amazing price considering I'm going to pay $30 for the same service tonight in baltimore city. i loved this hotel and cant wait to stay again!

The Tide Water Inn and Conference Center in Easton, Maryland is under construction, but you would never know that from the service that was provided. From the time we walked through the doors we were treated with concern for our comfort. Staff were more than accommodating and couldn't do enough to make our staff a pleasant experience. We were afraid of the noise that comes with construction, but management seem to have this under control as well. We can't wait to go back and check them out when they finish the project. This Inn is sure to be a crown jewel for the Easton area.

My husband and I have traveled extensively in the United States. We always choose to stay at an older Inn, if possible. We were at the Tidewater Inn in the early part of August and we had a lovely stay. We were forewarned when we booked online that they were renovating and we came prepared with snacks and drinks in a small cooler. We found the staff very accomodating, friendly and knowledgeable, providing us with excellent information regarding the area. Our room was very clean and comfortable and we had more than enough space (we were only there for three days, we weren't moving in). If you love the "Inn" thing as much as we do, you will not be dissapointed, we found it to be very quaint and cozy.

I have to admit, my husband and I were REALLY NERVOUS about staying at this hotel after reading the reviews on this site! We were, however, only stayng for one night so we figured it couldn't be that bad. We were in town for a show at the historic Avalon Theatre right across the street, so it was most convenient. Anway, we couldn't have been more pleased about every aspect of the hotel. From the moment we arrived. In fact, from before we arrived -- the woman who took our reservation was cheerful and funny, the desk staff (although busy) were very pleasant and helpful. The room was beautiful -- I can't for the life of me figure out what others were complaining about. This is an old, historic hotel -- the rooms are very European (translation: small and cozy). If you want to sit in a big white room with ugly plastic pictures on the wall and polyester bedspreads and watch HBO all night, go to the Econolodge on Rt. 50! The decor was very Laura Ashley. The bathroom was very clean; there were enough towels, nice toiletries, all that stuff . . . We came back to the bar after the show with the band (friends of ours) and closed the place down. The bartender was just the greatest. I think she was the only staff there yet she was very patient with the very full room of Halloween revelers. Even our breakfast brunch the next morning was made even more special by the very pleasant and extra helpful staff. All in all, it was one of the most pleasant weekend getaways we've ever had. I would stay at the Tidewater ANYTIME. In fact, now I am going to try to think up reasons to spend a weekend in Easton as often as possible!! Whatever problems they might have had in the past -- they are obviously over now.

Just had to comment on our pleasant experience. We stayed at the Tidewater Inn this weekend, as my husband was playing music for a local concert, and the hotel was booked for us.

At the last minute before leaving our house, we looked at their website and noticed that the hotel was pet friendly, so we decided to bring our dog. For you pet lovers - a real plus.

The lobby was beautiful - elegant and lovely, and I was amazed that no one batted an eye about our border collie lounging with us in the lobby, (along with another well behaved golden retriever). The room was a decent size, small but adorable - larger than a typical European hotel room, and in fact had a European feel to it, (the bathroom also). The style was traditional, but with old charm. OK - so maybe I wouldn't want to stretch out for a whole week there, but for a night or two - just lovely. Ample drawers and closets. Very comfy king sized bed, with luxurious covers. For those who can't do without - wide screen TV.

My only slight complaint (and I do mean slight), was that they gave us mixed signals on the phone about what we could and could not do with our dog once we were there. As this won't apply to the majority if you - no matter. We were told there were plenty of local restaurants with outdoor seating that could accommodate us. But once there, the hotel's outdoor veranda restaurant said no dog - impossible. And the girl at the desk said it was a Talbot County law - no dogs in eating establishments anywhere. We decided to try anyway and with no trouble at all we found 3 places that would serve us outdoors, with animal in tow.

We had a lovely dinner on the patio at Mason's which I HIGHLY recommend.

Now Easton itself is a very conservative - sleepy town, neat with cute Victorian houses, but the people were extremely friendly and nice (small town syndrome?), and the proximity to other Bay towns makes it a plus.

If you like to stay in places with character, the inn provides a nice change from B&Bs. You don't have to mingle with other guest if you don't want to, on the other hand people are so friendly (and there's something about having a dog with you that invites friendly gestures), so it is easy to strike up a conversation if you are so inclined.

I would definitely return to the Tidewater Inn, (and bring my border collie).

Sitting in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express on the outskirts of Easton, wondering if it was worth $149 a night, my wife (who spent part of her childhood in Easton) suggested the Tidewater. Called, got a room for $99, and were happy we did. Read the other reviews - it is an old property, and does not have the amenities that newer chain places out on the highway do, but it does have beautiful public spaces, is in the middle of a growing restaurant scene in Easton, and the rooms are clean and comfortable. We had a wonderful dinner at Portofino Ristorante, a half-block away (the BEST pesto fettucine I've ever had), and there are plenty of other dining and drinking options all around the hotel. This place is a legitimate options for your Eastern Shore getaway.

Husband and I stayed here May 16-18, 2008, in connection with a bar association conference. This is a classic old hotel--remember that, and adjust your expectations accordingly. The size of bathrooms, for example, reflects the norm 75 years ago. If you want a state of the art facility, look elsewhere. If you enjoy old, historic places and the quirks that go with them, this hotel is for you.

The hotel is set catty-corner in one of the main intersections in the historic district of Easton, one of Marylan'd earliest settlements. A convenient pull up allows for unloading during check-in, a process which was smooth and very friendyly. Out front, there are lovely rocking chairs arrayed as though on a front porch. Inside, all was old style elegance: beuatiful woodwork, exquisite flower arrnagements, stunning antiqque funriture, et al., with a glorious curved staircase winding down from the second floor (must use elevator for 3rd floor).We are private people who do not like to use valets, bell staff etc. so I can't comment on these services. We stayed in Room 312, which has two large windows overlooking the shopping street and the double fireplace on the hotel's outdoor patio. Our room was quite spacious and gracious: Federal blue with crisp white trim on the walls, drapes of a golden hue. One jarring note was the dull, speckled brown carpet--out of character with the rest of the room, but husband liked it because it was brand new. The federal- reproduction furniture was of very high quality. It was oddly arranged, however. We did some rearranging to place the upholstered wing chair by the window, utilize the ottoman, better view the flat screen TV (big kudos from husband on TV) and it was a big improvement. The bathroom was as others have stated: not large, not much room for toiletries, et al. But I thought it was charming rather than a turn off, with what appeared to be the original old tile. Folks, if you don't want an old-style bathroom then why are you staying at a histoic hotel?

The immediate problem was the air conditioning: ithe room was a freezer, and the air was BLASTING out so strongly the drapes across the room were flapping., accompanied by a roar from the wind. The old controls indicated you could either have the vent open or closed; that was the extent of the control one had. Ok. we turned the dial to "closed." Black dust and smut flew out of the vent and soiled the bed! Air still ppoured from the vent, though not as strongly, and the roar was much worse. We were running late for the conference opening event. I reported it directly to the assistant manager downstairs, emphasising that the problem was the air flow and noise. The response was to send a housekeeper to change the bed! After the housekeeper called his supervisor (I guess they have no engineer on duty on the weekend), I was told that that is how the system operates, the only way to turn it off to our room was to turn it off for the entire hotel! He said he'd report it to the assistant manager--the very person I complained to originally!

We left for the conference dinner and never heard another word abot the problem, no one followed up. We froze in our room the whole visit, tried to turn on the radiator heat but it was not operating, so we piled on the blankets. Had to really turn up the volume to hear the TV over the roar of air from the constricted vent. This is something they really need to fix. They've done a lot of renovating and I am sure this will be addressed soon. The ducts need a serious cleaning, a problem we have noted in even the "best" hotels like the Wynn Las Vegas (which was filthy, though beautifully decorated).

Downstairs, the cocktail hour was in full swing in the beuatiful, elegant Crystal Ballroom. It had the feel of being in a restored old plantation house--loved it. Bar service was quite amateurish: no limes, lemons or olives. Imagine a gin & tonic without a lime. The organizers of the event were in a frenzy, tables that were needed to hold the awards to be given out, et al. were not set up and it was a big to-do to get the staff to get the tables, haul them through the partying lawyers, etc.

Those are my only negatives about food or drink during our stay. The dinner was excellent, grilled salmon with an olive tapenade. No small thing to serve salmon to 100 people and have them all happy with the meal! Additonal meeting spaces include a garden courtyard off the ballroom (the weather was'nt very nice but we took a quick walk out and it was lovely); an intimate space that could serve as cocktail space for a much smaller group; and a boardroom.

We slept like lambs, no complaints at all about noise (I guess the jet engine--er, air conditoner--in our room drowned out any of the noise that others complained of.) Th following day we had drinks outside in front of the firelpace and later repaired inside, where the friendly bar maid tuned in the Preakness for the room full of race fans.

All in all, a very pleasant place to stay. I repeat, if you love old places which retain their sense of place and age, this one's for you. If you're looking for large, modern bathrooms, go to a cookie cutter chain hotel. If they fix the AC/duct problem and professionalize a bit more on the service/customer issues, they will havea first rate hotel.

The Tidewater Inn has recently gone through a thorough renovation. I'm sitting in our beautiful room as I write this review.

The staff are wonderful and helpful. The rooms are beautiful, clean and well appointed. DSL internet in the rooms, wireless in the lobby.

The breakfast buffet is a bit meager, but otherwise all aspects of this hotel are A-1.

You can't beat the location. Within walking distance of everything.

We stayed in Easton two years ago at the Holiday Inn Express. That is a fine hotel, but you can't beat the location and amenities of the Tidewater.

We paid $147 per night. Valet parking is $10 per day. I would highly recommend the Tidewater.

(Stay away from the new restaurant at the Tidewater, Restaurant Local. The new management hasn't figured things out yet.)

After reading the reviews I was not sure what to expect...... We went Sunday thru Tuesday Memorial Weekend. I thought the customer service was very good. We could not check in until the 3pm time (which we expected being a holiday weekend) the rooms are small but it was clean. Yes it does get a little warm we asked for a fan to circulate the air since the a/c is not the strongest! We had drinks at the bar and we had two different bartenders which both were very nice!!! The dinner was great and worth the money! I thought there would be alot to do around town but some stores were not open on Sunday. THe antique thing whatever it is called for outdoors is a joke! I expected an all day walking around and when we got there I think there were about 3 tables! Of course hubby was happy about that! We took a drive into St Michaels which was a 15 min drive and that was nice there oh and the outlets were about 15 miles. Overall it was cute and quaint and I would stay again for if the price was right. We got ours off of travelzoo for about 89. per nite,

Enjoyed my stay at the Tidewater Inn. It's a charming inn located in a lovely town. Our room was a little worn but I prefer it any day to a cookie-cutter chain hotel. The beds were great-complete with Frette linens and a featherbed. I guess the air conditioning must have not been on in the past, but it was working when I was there (almost too cold since you can't control the temperature, only the fan speed). The patio bar was closed for renovations, so we had no problems with noise. My only complaint is that the shower had mildew on it. Parking was a small inconvenience but we easily parked on a nearby side street. Got a great rate ($99) on Travelzoo

My husband and I stayed at the Tidewater one night (Saturday) after enjoying a great performance by Robert Cray at the Avalon Theatre. This hotel is extremely convenient to the Avalon and everything else in downtown Easton. We thought the hotel was charming and full of character. We found the staff to be very friendly and helpful. True, our room was small but we only needed a place to sleep. Our room appeared to have been recently renovated - it was tastefully furnished and spotlessly clean. We had a fluffy down comforter on our bed which was really nice because it was quite cold that evening. I was pleasantly surprised. The bathroom was small but it too was very clean and had everything I need in a bathroom! The climate control seems to be outdated ( I would have liked more heat in the room) and I wouldn't have minded more hot water when I took a shower in the morning but I viewed those things as minor when looking at the big picture. I would not hesitate to stay at the Tidewater again. Especially since I paid less than half of what competing Bed and Breakfast's in the area charge per night.

My boyfriend and I just returned from spending the night at the Tidewater Inn and thought it to be very quaint and comfortable. We were in Easton to see a show at the wonderful Avalon Theatre and wanted a convenient location in which to share our first romantic getaway. The Tidewater more than accomodated this request. The room had a king sized bed was dressed with fresh linens and ample pillows.

The staff were friendly and courteous. As other reviewers have posted, hot water is not in generous supply, temperature control in the room was quirky and it was a little noisy BUT the lobby is beautiful and the overall European feel to the hotel more than made up for the modest inconveniences. We will definitely recommend it to our friends.

We, too, were cautious about the Tidewater Inn after reading negative reviews. Turns out we were delighted with our stay, Thanksgiving weekend 2005. The sleeping room was comfortable; the staff friendly, knowledgable, and responsive. The continental breakfast was plentiful and nicely presented. The bustling lobby struck just the right welcoming note: elegance without stuffiness. The lobby's huge fireplace, sporting an actual wood fire, was a big plus. We had our little lapdog along, so we loved the pet-friendly atmosphere, although we realize this will not be to everyone's liking. Also, if you are looking for a large bathroom in your sleeping room, better stay somewhere else. Our bathroom was quite small.

My husband and I stayed here for one week of our precious vacation time. While this inn is circa 1950s it is roomy, airy and clean. Understanding that the bathrooms are old, one must realize that there is only so much brightness housekeeping can achieve from cleaning products. Nonetheless, everything is cleaned on a daily basis. Given the fact that it is located in the heart of town and surrounded by history, shops, restaurants, a few art galleries, the streets remain quiet at night. One can even open their window and hear nothingness. The white rocking chairs in the front of the hotel entrance accommodated my quiet time for people watching and the café bar allowed me to get my groove on socially. The concierge was very, very helpful with his suggestions regarding the proximity and the “goings on” of St. Michaels, Oxford, and Ocean City as well. I loved staying here that week. As far as I am concerned it is charming and the only place to stay in Easton.

Tidewater Inn is a very cute hotel in a great location. The bed in our room was amazing and very comfortable. It was almost as great as the heavenly beds one can find at a Westin! The rooms were cute, with a nice flat-paneled TV, and the ammenities that is expected of a room.

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Tidewater Inn and will probably return there, but the place has a lot of work to do in improving other areas of their hotel. Almost all of the staff members we interacted with were very nice and sweet, however, the hotel seemed to be incredibly understaffed for a long weekend. Their computer systems seemed to be causing them a lot of problems as well.

The restaurant, Local, had good food but their service could use A LOT of work. For a restaurant who prides itself in having an extensive wine list, our server admitted to not knowing anything about wines, brought us a warm bottle of white wine that she left chilling in an ice bucket throughout our entire meal until the very end when ANOTHER SERVER offered to open the bottle for us (admitting that our original server did not know how to open bottles of wine) which by that time we didn't really want our wine anymore.

Lastly, bring ear plugs if you have some on hand. The walls are very thin, the doors don't shut after the first try (so folks have to often slam them), adn you will not sleep in without hearing your neighbor's showers turned on or your neighbors walking and talking up and down the hall.

We were in Easton, Maryland for our wedding and were looking for a nice place to stay our wedding night. I checked my weekly Travelzoo updates and jumped on the $89/night rate for subscribers. Quite a deal compared to the normal rates. I checked in earlier in the day to get our room keys. We arrived around 11:30pm and there was no bellman or valet to help us with our baggage or park the car ($10 a day fee, but there is ample parking on the street). So, that was a little dissapointing. My husband had to go find a luggage rack inside and get our bags, then go park the car. We were suprised to find a nice bottle of champagne chilled in the room for us.

Concerning the room...it was not everything I had envisioned after hearing that it was the nicest hotel in town. It did have a few pluses: The bed was huge and very comfortable! The flat screen tv was a favorite of the husband. There was a nice full length mirror and nice fluffy robes. The bathroom left much to be desired. It reminded me of a bathroom in an old dorm.... old dingy tile, a toilet like those i public bathrooms with a cracked lid, a small pedastal sink and a shower/tub combo. There was hardly any room to place toiletries in the bathroom.

I do not think that I would stay there again if I had to pay full price for the room. It turned out being an absolute bargain, but did not live up to the hype.

We stayed at the Tidewater over Memorial day weekend. The lobby is beautiful and the room was small, but comfortable. The bed was VERY comfortable and dressed in high-quality linens and bedding. My biggest complaint is that the walls are super thin so I was able to hear every conversation going on in the hallways and the adjacent rooms. Also, my sleep was disrupted by doors slamming throughout the night and early into the morning. The staff was friendly and helpful but do not go to the spa downstairs! The people who work there were particularly rude when I tried to schedule a pedicure (not to mention that they all were pretty frumpy). The restaurant - "Local" is fantastic! I would make the 5-hour drive down to Easton again just to dine at Local again, but I probably would not book another stay at the Tidewater.

Though we had seen some of the negative reviews, we booked the Tidewater Inn because some of the bigger chain hotels in town were booked up! And we found a good deal on Expedia ... though when we got to the Inn, they couldn't find our reservations at all, even though we had an email from Expedia and from them with our confirmation code. No one could find it in the system. However, they did have a room, which they gave us, though it was a double bed, as opposed to the queen bed we requested.

The Inn was nice, very old style, and clean. Yes, the rooms were a little small ... but you'll find that in any older building. If you want a big room, book a newly-built chain hotel, rather than a historic inn! The room was very clean, the bedding was superlative, and while the a/c wasn't on a lot, we solved that by opening the window (which frankly, was a nice change of pace, since the new places are usually sealed up!). We couldn't find an ice machine or even some vending machines, which was a minor annoyance, and the elevator periodically wasn't working (apparently it's slated for replacement as the place continues to be renovated). We didn't try the hotel restaurant ("Local,") but it was packed both nights we were staying there.

Easton was nice ... but quiet. Really quiet. Some nice little boutiques and stores downtown, but all close around 5 pm, leaving just a few restaurants and coffeeshops open. The whole place seems dead by 7:30. They must roll up the sidewalks or something. We walked around when we first got there, and got bored pretty quickly. We did have dinner one night across the street at Legal Spirits, which has good food. The best thing about Easton is that it is very close to Cambridge, Oxford, and St. Michaels, all of which were nice places to visit, particulary St. Michaels if you like all sorts of shops and galleries, or Oxford, if you like absolute peace and quiet with a killer waterfront view.

And regardless of what brochures you read, avoid Tilghman Island. There's nothing to see or do there whatsoever.

The Tidewater is the best bar in Easton. Only becasue it is the only bar (besides Sidetracks, which is a place you do not want to visit, unless you want a (as a local told me) hooker, drugs, or death.) that will stay open late and has a fun clientelle. I met many locals who were fun and easy to talk to.

The room is another story. Antique sinks and showers made me feel like I was in the 50's. The channels on the TV were basically NBC baltimore, NBC Washington, CBS Baltimore, CBS Maryland, etc. They DID NOT EVEN HAVE ESPN! The smell was I guess rustic, but I am too young to understand rustic. No closet space. The walls were paper thin, you do not want to know what I heard fron the room next to me (no, not that).

I would recommend the Tidewater only because it is next dooe to the theater and they have a fun bar. If you go, say hi to Courtney for me.

My boyfriend and I were also in town on February 11th to see the Aimee Mann concert at the Avalon and stayed at the Tidewater Inn. This is a perfect location to stay after a show there since it's within a few steps of the theatre. I echo the previous posts that the accommodations were cozy/charming and the atmosphere is very laid back. However, if you are the type that needs a hot shower in the morning in a large, modern bathroom, or if that musty historic building smell is a turn-off, this is not the place for you. But the convenience and price (make your own reservations through their web site for great deals) more than made up for any drawbacks.

I was a bit reluctant to stay here after reading some of the initial reviews, but I also know that management has recently changed and they are in the process of bringing this hotel back to life. I stayed there one night and had a nice experience. Though it was rather hot and the lack of A/C was a bit of a challenge, the staff found a fan for me and it helped cool the room down a bit. I believe it was the lack of A/C that had the prices so remarkably low!

The hotel bar was fun, too - and it's definitely a spot the locals come to, as well - which is always good to see.

All in all, it's a nice place to stay and is an easy anchor for sightseeing, an evening out, etc. As a business traveler, there's no internet access or business center, per se. But there supposedly is a coffee shop down the street with free wireless - though I didn't use it.

I would stay here again.

The reviews on trip advisor indicates that the hotel is in need of renovation and rather stodgy in general. I think this is hotel is better than the reviews suggest.

However, the hotel is not a high end boutique hotel as the four star rating and exterior pictures could suggest. It does come with a lot of charm though. The rooms are clean and well kept, the furniture of traditional style.

This hotel is not more expensive, sometimes cheaper, than the motels that I have stayed at in the area. For someone looking for a weekend getaway, with a bit more anonymity than a B&B, I highly recommend it.

As an aside, it is often possible to gauge the aspirations of a hotel by looking at the toilettries they provide - at the Tidewater these were of decent quality and a wide range - not only shampoo and conditioner, but also mouthwash and lotion ;-)

My wife and I selected the Historic Tidewater Inn for an overnight getaway on Thursday night, July 10. We enjoy the charm and history of old hotels in comparison with the "cookie cutter" Hiltons and Marriotts.

Although our room fronted the street, we weren't bothered by the noise outside. The staff was friendly and helpful in suggesting places to go on Thursday afternoon and provided a map of the town. Our room was clean and big enough for the two of us and the amenities were fine.

There is one caveat, however, that potential visitors should know. The Inn is "pet friendly". Although we're not opposed to the policy and even have a pet cat, we were not prepared to be awakened by the sound of barking dogs at 4 am. This continued until 7:30 or so, when, I assume, the owners took them for a walk.

We had planned to sleep in and spend some time milling around Easton, Oxford, and St. Michael's. However, with only 4 hours of sleep, we were just too tired. So we "threw in the towel" and headed back across the Bay Bridge to home.

While we really liked the hotel, the one problem experienced was enough to ruin our trip. We won't be back until the hotel changes its policy.

Though Easton is a charming town - and the Inn is in a wonderful location - I would not book this again in the summertime AND I would make sure that the room included a king sized bed.

Upon arrival at the Inn we were greated by a very friendly staff. Unfortunately, the room did not live up to the warm welcome. The room we were assigned had obviously suffered from the heat and humidity as it was at an incredibly uncomfortable temperature and perhaps because of the lack of AC, it smelled bad. Additionally, though the bed was billed as a queen size bed, it was not the queen size bed that one has at home. It is the size of a double bed. This may not be a big issue generally, but along with the heat it became too cozy for two people to stay in the room

I was offered a refund for the room if we chose not to stay. We decided not to stay and drove home that night. Just as a summer month warning to others - if the AC issue has not been addressed, you may not wish to stay here..

We checked in on Thursday August 9th- Sunday Aug 12th. We had an incredible rate of $69 (with free valet parking) through a Travelzoo promo. Given the price, it was an exceptional value. However, we did encounter some problems. The AC did not work adequately to cool the hotel. Since we were/are in the middle of a summer heat wave was quite uncomfortable. And NO POOL. One lady stated it was 85 degrees in her room. I asked and received a fan which helped. The weather cooled down the 3rd evening we were there and it was quite nice in the room.

The rooms were very small but due to it's historic nature, I expected as much. I think our ship's cabin and bathroom on the Disney Magic was bigger than this room.

The flat panel TV's were nice. Bedding very comfortable. Nicely decorated. Perhaps too much furniture for a small room.

We enjoyed sitting on the rocking chairs on the front porch eating our nightly icecream from a shop around the corner. The hotel has FINE dining so we did not eat there due to a 5 and 7 year old.

We loved the restaurant bar across the street - Legal Spirits. (Will review separately) The Washington Pub was also very good kid friendly dining. We found Easton a great place to explore the Bay area including St Michael's, Tilghman Island, and Oxford.

I would go back in the Fall when I did not need AC and with no kids so we could enjoy the restaurants and shops.

My Husband and myself stayed at the HistoricTidewater Inn Aug 2. I had stayed there two times before. Which is why when I needed to come to the area to attend my mothers funeral I thought what a great place to help with the stress. I always remember it being a pristine place to stay. However, this time it was a different story. The lobby is no doubt old fashion elegance! The front desk service manager Walter was very polite and did help us right away.WE booked our room through Travelocity. The valet parking was none exsistant. We ended up parking somewhere around the block and dragging our suitcases. We did not mind because we like to walk.Some one older would not be able to do so. There was one bell hop who was so busy he could not help anyone.The room was extremely small. We could hardly move around.The bathroom shabby. It had dirt in the shower. The fixtures in the bathroom were falling apart. We had reserved a queen bed. Which I could swear was a full bed.or maybe a large twin! We were on the second floor. I imediately phoned down to the lobby. I explained to Walter, we really needed our rest for the next day to deal with family and friends and the bed was barely big enough to even relax. Where or how they considered this bed a queen size I had no idea. Walter did try hard to accomodate us. He moved us to the third floor.Room 345. While we ended up with two doubles(Which looked exactly like the bed they tried too pass off as a queen) The room was again very small. The electrical outlets were all out of the wall. Beware of getting shock! The bathroom a little better. Same gruby shower however, at least paint was not peeling off the ceiling!.Forget about decent air conditioning. Does not exsist. The bedding is very good. The sheets and blankets confy. The hotel use to have a pool. They plowed that in this past week.

We did not eat at the restaurant or bar because we were meeting family. However, it both did look very inviting and the menu looked great. The next morning I got up around 6:pm and went down to the lobby. They did have complimentary coffee and muffins. The muffins are really good. I must say I did enjoy sitting outside early in the morning in the rocking chair enjoying the coffee. I guess my diapointment was that the hotel use to be a grand hotel and is now shabby and worn. The perfect service that use to exist ,although very polite is slow or sometimes not there. On the bright side. The hotel is in a great location. You can walk to bars, restaurants and shops. The streets around it seem very safe. Coffee in the morning in the front of the hotel is restfull However, because of the very poor service, the uncleaniness of the bath I think I will try the B&B across the street next time.

My wife and I stayed one night on a Saturday. The hotel if very nice and is in the middle of an extensive renovation. Huge problem is the air conditioning. There is only central air for the entire hotel. You cannot control the temperature and the AC was not enough to cool the rooms. Very uncomfortable in the summer heat and humidity. Parking on street was plentiful and free. The new bar was very modern and had an excellent selection. We did not eat at the hotel restaurant, and there are plenty of restaurants near the hotel. Bathrooms are small and there is very little place to put toiletries, hairdrier, and curliing iron. Staff was very friendly and quick to respond to requests for a fan (which didn't help cool the room) and a bucket of ice. If it wasn't for the uncomfortably warm rooms this would have been an excellent experience.

The Tidewater Inn is lovely, not cookie-cutter, but overall provides terrible service. This boutique hotel is located in a small quaint town but that does not excuse the rude staff and bellmen and the lack of service provided for the only slightly less than Washington, DC prices. The suites are large and lovely, the regular rooms quite small. The beds are FABULOUSLY comfortable and the high point of any stay at the Tidewater. Do not expect air conditioning, unless maybe they turn that on in July (but it would be helpful in May as well...) They are still renovating and upgrading (and prices are rising...) their banquet facilities and meeting rooms - they will now cater more to weddings than corporate conferences. But a word to the wise, I planned a meeting there and was horrified by the lack of professionalism and zero attention to detail. I would not allow anyone I know plan their wedding there.

In the end, for a wedding or meeting, run, run away.

For a night or two in Easton, I would stay again, but don't come expecting too much by way of service, you'll be very disappointed.

Restaurant Local. Food was just perfect but I have problems with the service. The wait staff do make or break a experience and the evening turned out not as we would have hoped. Service was a tad slow and not very informative. One of the problems I had is one of my newly acquired "pet peeves" the "Still or Sparkling" question. Water is on offer to you before being offered a cocktail? 15 minutes you sit before you can even get an order in for an apéritif. The pouring of water ceremony is getting out of hand and not only at this restaurant. One other problem that might seem minor but was annoying. a guest asked for a cocktail with ginger ale and we were told that the bar did not have ginger ale. I thought this would be a bar staple for sure. The food at Restaurant Local was truly wonderful and I hope that the wait staff are up to par soon because they are certainly an important part of your evening.

Placed my wedding group here in April.

Wonderful location and good staff that do not have decision-making authority.

Unfortunately we were not notified that the hotel has no air conditioning.

All my guests complained

Hotel has no parking facility and uses the city lots - ask before booking about regulations

Overall would not recommend this hotel until the construction is complete.

The manager was not available but I did manage to obtain compensation.

Interior of room very nice, clean, staff friendly but not always on top of things. Conferece facilites nice enough. However, patio outside bar is open until 2 AM and is very noisy - be sure to book room on far side of hotel. Other street noise comes right through the old windows - street cleaner at 5 AM. Number one complaint is valet parking - left a 8" long dent and scrape on my truck and didn't confess. Would not go back.

We arrived on Friday May 5th for two nights. The staff is very friendly and helpful. We were put in a smallish but elegant room- overlooking a parking lot towards the back of the hotel, no real view but I prefer the quiet. Covering the window were 2"wood blinds, looked very nice but not effective in keeping out the early morning rays. (I'm a late sleeper especially on vacation). The room had two closets but only one had a clothes bar, I guess the larger closet was to be used to store luggage. It was much larger, seems they may need to re-assess the closet situation, for the useless one could be a great walk-in with shelves. The bathroom was small as well. No real shelf for toiletries.

Needless to say the bellman informed me as he dropped off our luggage that there was no air conditioning, two things I like when I sleep is it to be cool and dark. This hotel was not for me. My companion agreed, we made a bunch of phone calls to other local hotels and found a room at the Holiday Inn Express on Rt 50. (2 miles) BTW it has everything the Tidewater didn't. We bundled up our luggage hauled it down to the front desk and asked to be checked out. The Desk Manager was very understanding, refunded the stay and did not charge us a fee.

This is a NON smoking hotel as well, actually a non smoking town.

We were also told they had a work out facility, but they don't.

My room was unbearable hot. No way to turn off the furnace. Was told to open a window. A/C not available. The shower was cold then scalding then cold again. No way to get it right. This is not a good hotel. The room was very small. Had to turn sideways to get around the room. The bathroom was tiny.

The only good part was the location. Across from the Avalon. Near great restaurants and shopping.

We stayed 2 nights on a business trip, 1 person was able to stay in a 'renovated' room (bathroom was not renovated) - the other 4 rooms were dirty and/or the room temperature could not be regulated. The bathrooms are very, very small, some had bath tubs and some had very narrow shower stalls. No room for cosmetics, dryer or curling iron in bathroom. The staff were friendly and helpful. The conference rooms and lunch provided was satisfatory.

We just spent an unpleasant summer night at the Tidewater Inn, in Easton MD. This is a quaint hotel with a great location and we had always wanted to try it. However, we were very disappointed. Never have I experienced so many problems with a hotel.

There is central AC throughout the hotel (guests can't control the temperature of their rooms), and although the lobby was quite comfortable, our room was stifling and offered inadequate relief from the heat outside. The hotel staff gave us another room, which made little difference.

The hotel is very noisy and one can hear every detail of the conversations in the hallway. The doors, even when closed gently, make a loud noise.

When we arrived about 15 minutes after check in time, our room wasn't ready yet. (At least when we were able to check in about 1/2 later, the room was clean).

We had bookd a king size bed and recieved what looked like a double. When we called to complain, they said that we had been misinformed about the choices because we booked over the internet (?).

One staff member was very gracious and hospitable but the others were surly and did not offer the usual information upon check in, such as where to park.

First, I must preface by saying I had won a magazine contest and our room and meal were comped. I didn't expect to get the best room in the house, but my bedroom closet is approximately the same size as the room we received. The room has recently undergone some upgrades including new paint and carpeting and a flat screen TV. The linens are high quality and the bed was comfortabe (but it was only a double bed). The bathroom had not been upgraded. You could not open the bathroom door all the way, because it hit the sink. There was no storage space for toiletries and the lighting was dim. In fact, the only other light in the room was a 60 watt bulb on the one nightstand. Several of the tiles were falling off the walls. There was no inroom coffee maker and the only way to get ice was to call to the front desk for it and have it sent up. On the other hand, the newly opened restaurant in the hotel, Restaurant Local, was outstanding. The food and service was excellent and the bar had a cool urban vibe. I will definitely return to the restaurant, but I'll stay at the Hampton Inn a mile away.

My husband and I stayed at this hotel for a wedding in August of 2006. The wedding was not at this hotel, but at a fabulous inn called the Oaks in St. Michaels, MD. The Oaks I would highly recommend, the Tidewater not so much.

First of all we were told this hotel offered a wonderful bar and restaurant. There was no mention upon reserving our rooms that they were renovating the amenities and the renovations would not be completed until November. Threy also failed to mention that there are no vending or ice machines in this hotel. If you wnt ice you have to call the firnt desk and wait for some one to bring it to you. Forget about adding your ice to tap water, because that comes out brown. There are several places in walking distance to get refreshments and many quaint shops, but the lack of amenities and lack of caring by staff was an inconvieniance. Wedding guests were provided with breakfast coupons for Coffee East, which was a charming establishment with good food. However they were not prepared for the volume of the wedding party in addition to many locals who clearly visit this eatery every weekend. We waited over 45 minutes for bagel sandwiches and fruit, after we were made to change our order three times because they ran out of white bread, croissants, and cheese.

The rooms that were described as "charming" were anything but. They were small, cramped and outdated. The bathroom in our room was TERRIBLE. The shower tub was chipping so badly we could not tell what the color was supposed to be and when the hot water was on the handle got so hot you burned yourself if you touched it to adjust he water temperature, same with the sink. The bathroom was also ridiculously tiny. I did hear tell of some rooms with updated stall showers, but we were not so lucky.

The bedroom itself was the smallest I have ever stayed in. Lying in bed you felt as though your feet were going to touch the opposite wall. The window was broken and would not stay open on it's own and the wood blinds had to be tied to a nearby chair to stay open. You are not provided with a remote for the television, which is basically in the bed with you. You cannot open the doors of the TV cabinet and walk through the room at the same time becasue the door touch the bed blocking the only passageway in the room.

We stayed for two nights and had minimum baggage, I cannot imagine having a lagre suitcase or staying here with children.

Be sure to bring your earplugs as well as your own refreshments because the walls of this place are paper thin!! The phone rang next door and sounded like it was in our room. Everytime a door opened or SLAMMED shut, as they all do, I thought some one was coming in our room. You can hear every sound in the hallway and above and below you. Toilets flushing, showers running, people in the hallway or next door, everything. This hotel also allows dogs (under 20lbs they claim, not that German Sheppard we saw int he lobby) which is great for some, bad for those of us that do not enjoy barking at 6am. Also be sure to hang your do not disturb sign if you do not want ot be awakened with maids yelling at you at 8am and pounding on your door. Although you will most likely be woken up by them screaming to each other in the halls.

As I mentioned they were going some construction to the amenities, as our frinds found out when the scroll saw started at 7am on SUNDAY!!!!

Best advice if you are traveling to this area, there is a nice looking Holiday Inn on Rt. 50 and a Best Western in St. Michaels.

Extraordinarily displeased. Our two rooms were directly above the bar patio, so at 12:15 am, when the other bars closed, several drunk, loud 22-year old boys SCREAMED songs and obscenities below our window. When we called the front desk, nothing was done. So, at 1am I went downstairs, and the waitress said that there was nothing she could do. I had to tell her to bring the buffoons into the inside portion of the bar. She did. It was stunning that she could not figure this out on her own, or that it was not hotel policy. She called the restaurant manager, David, who came to meet me and apologized and said that they get these complaints "all the time." Then why don't you make people drink INSIDE the bar after midnight??? We are paying hundreds of dollars more than the cost of their beers. We had to have the windows open because THERE IS NO AIR CONDITIONING and NO FANS, EITHER. Apparently, the hotel had given out all their fans, so they can't even figure out that you should have enough fans to give out when you don't have any AC. I cannot imagine how hot it will be as the days get hotter.

David said that he would discuss our dissatisfaction with the hotel manager in the morning, but when we were ready to check out, I was told that no one was available that had any authority to compensate us for the egregious accommodations. David's 1am promise, was clearly disingenuous and the hotel has no responsible staff on duty the morning of a common check-out day, Sunday.

While the restaurant is not bad, the rest of the hotel is pretty bad. The staff were incompent in giving directions to the hotel. The staff seemed not to know what they were doing and were sometimes rude. The room and bathroom were very dirty and old. The bed linen was old and rather disgusting. Half way through our two day stay we were appalled to learn that pets are permitted in ALL rooms. We would never recommend this place to anyone.

Three rooms one night and I am not kidding! First room, really not clean and no a.c. ; this is not working for this over fifty lady. After a looong wait a second room was grudingly offered and was moderately cleaner and cooler. Please note that the rooms are very small and have not been updated in many years. Both the resturant and the small bar were empty in the evening. There is an inviting outside patio that offered a good guitar player. We passed and had a fabulous meal at The Inn at Easton. Upon waking up my husband went to take a shower- no, I mean no, hot water! The front desk's solution-gave him another room key and told him to take a shower down the hall! While trying ( desperately) to check out, at 7 a.m. the hotel ran out out of coffee! While it makes a good story, the weekend was ruined and very unpleasant-stay away!

Just about every part of our stay at the Tidewater Inn went badly. We made our reservations for a King room three months before our arrival, received two confirmation notices in the mail, but found out the night before we arrived (when we called just to make sure) that we weren't "in the system." We made a second reservation for a Queen room, but when we showed up the next day, we were in a closet with a double bed. The wall paper was peeling from the walls; the plaster hung from the ceilings; the decor was old and filthy; the bathroom was tiny. The worst part was that it was 95 degree outside and probably 90 in our room. When we called the desk to complain, they seemed shocked that the "air conditioning" wasn't working. They kindly brought us a fan and offered us the "Executive Suite" for our second night. We considered their offer only until we explored the hotel a little further: the pool, which was barely single-family sized, had 17 people competing for space; the single elevator hardly worked; the volume on our television was set too low to hear; and the restaurant looked like a small-town Shoney's. We stayed one night and left early the next morning (even though our original plan had been to make a weekend of it).

If you're visiting Easton, I'd recommend the nice Holiday Inn just outside downtown.

BEWARE........We checked in and out - all within 5 minutes. The hotel may have once been the "Pride of the Eastern Shore" but FDR was President at that time. We were greeted by sour pusses in the dingy lobby, got keys to our room (but only after one of the desk clerks had to take the elevator to the room to verify that the last guest had indeed left). Perhaps she should have checked the cleanliness of the room while she was there. The carpet was dirty and worn, crumbs all over the floor, dusty/musty smell in the room, an old newspaper on the nightstand with notes written on it, and absolutely no electronic access available. I was surprised there was not a dial telephone in the room. When I returned to the desk to check out (again, this was <5 minutes later), the desk clerk just accepted my keys back as though this was a normal part of doing business. We have since checked into the Hyatt in Cambridge, MD.....much more expensive, but well worth it.