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Baltimore's hotels and B&Bs offer up Victorian-era style, waterfront locations and even an Edgar Allan Poe-like flourish
Inn at Henderson's Wharf
Owned by the same group as the Admiral Fell Inn, and just five minutes away, this smaller, 38-room lodging has a more relaxed, boutique-hotel feel. A wine and cheese hour is held six nights of the week, and the 24-hour fitness centre caters to comfort-seeking business types. Thankfully devoid of foot traffic noise from outside, the peaceful rooms feature oak accents and writing desks looking out onto the scenic 256-slip marina, and the continental breakfast gets top marks.
• 1000 Fell Street, +1 410 522 7777, harbormagic.com/the-inn-at-hendersons-wharf. Doubles from $159
Carrollton Inn
Just a few minutes from Inner Harbor, a civilised red-brick courtyard marks the entrance to this cozy, richly-adorned B&B, where almost two centuries of history is on display through museum-quality oil paintings and handpicked antique furniture. An opulent dining room makes the perfect setting for private group dinners, though if the weather's nice, an al fresco breakfast in the courtyard is hard to beat. The individually themed rooms and suites are well-suited for couples, who will most enjoy luxury touches such as four-poster canopy beds, marble fireplaces and hot tubs.
• 50 Albemarle Street, +1 410 385 1840, 1840scarrolltoninn.com. Doubles from $95
Hotel Brexton
After decades of neglect, this handsome Victorian-style building in the heart of the Mount Vernon neighbourhood reopened in 2010, though its original red-brick facade, interior spiral stairwell, and distinctive twin turrets hint at the hotel's original founding in 1881. The intimate property contains 29 rooms, all fitted with flatscreen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and iPod docking stations. On the top floor, room 601 draws the most guests due to its breathtaking views of Mount Vernon.
• 868 Park Avenue, +1 443 478 2100, brextonhotel.com. Doubles from $299
Admiral Fell Inn
Seven smaller buildings join together to form this 80-room waterfront hotel, originally settled by a community of Quaker shipping merchants in the 1700s; later on the site evolved into a boarding house for sailors. The legend goes that Admiral Fell's ghost, along with that of his wife, can be spotted wandering through the spartan, beige-accented rooms. You can even book a ghost tour at (and in) the hotel for $9.95.
• 888 South Broadway, +1 410 522 7380, harbormagic.com/admiral-fell-inn. Doubles from $159
Inn at the Black Olive
Health freaks will get a kick out of this 12-room Mediterranean-style hotel, whose organic-only linens, hydrotherapy bathtubs, and chemical-free cleaning agents set an example for other hotels to follow. Inside the rooms, low-slung beds are matched by hand-woven rugs and funky purple- and red-painted walls; the harborfront views are also a plus. The Greek family who owns it boasts two generations of hospitality experience, and that expertise is carried over at Black Olive, the on-site restaurant which specialises in native dishes such as grape leaf-wrapped manouri cheese and kakavia, a Greek seafood stew.
• 803 South Caroline Street, +1 443 681 6316, theblackolive.com. Doubles from $179
Scarborough Fair
This charming six-room property first opened in 1997, though the current owners are undertaking a renovation to freshen up the rooms. Already complete is the Edgar Allan Poe suite, which features maroon-accented curtains, a writing desk, a small parlour area, and a bust of Virginia Clemm Poe (Edgar's wife). Similar author themes are played out in the Brothers Grimm room and the F Scott Fitzgerald room. Breakfasts are homemade and delicious, and the surrounding Federal Hill neighbourhood makes for great self-guided walking tours.
• 801 South Charles Street, +1 410 837 0010, scarboroughfairbandb.com. Doubles from $179
Inn at 2920
Guests can arrive by water taxi, if they choose, at this artsy, five-room boutique hotel in Canton, a hip downtown neighbourhood on the Baltimore waterfront. Contemporary decor plays throughout the 100-year-old building (a former brothel called the Blue Lantern), with added youth-centric amenities such as a DVD library, board games, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. A complimentary, full breakfast is served every morning in the first-floor dining room, where the chef's signature dishes have led many a guest to request recipes upon check-out.
• 2920 Elliott Street, +1 410 342 4450, theinnat2920.com. Doubles from $175
Blue Door on Baltimore
Equidistant between the neighbourhoods of Butchers Hill, Fells Point and Patterson Park, guests certainly have their pick of sightseeing spots: whether picnicking in nearby Patterson Park, or taking an evening stroll along the Waterfront promenade, most of downtown Baltimore is within easy reach. An original turn-of-the-century rowhouse, this B&B's three guest rooms have a modern yet refined feel, with soothing white linens, classic hardwood floors, and clawfoot tubs; the adjoining Hampstead and Patterson rooms even offer a private outdoor terrace with limited views of Inner Harbor. Full, home-cooked breakfasts, free Wi-Fi, loaner iPads, and evening turndown service complete the package.
• 2023 East Baltimore Street, +1 410 732 0191, bluedoorbaltimore.com. Doubles from $139
Mount Vernon Hotel
Smack in the centre of Baltimore, this gorgeous Beaux Arts building, three blocks away from the Washington Monument and Museum, a must on any first-time Baltimore traveller's list. Inside the tiled lobby, high arched windows, miniature Greek busts, and a baby grand piano set the pace; the immaculate 135 rooms range from standard kings to bi-level lofts, and all offer free Wi-Fi. Though the ground-floor Bay Atlantic Cafe's menu is limited (breakfast is really the only meal you'll eat here), a full range of quality cafes, diners and restaurants can be found along bustling Charles Street, only a block away.
• 24 West Franklin Street, +1 410 727 2000, mountvernonbaltimore.com. Doubles from $79
Empire House
This four-room brownstone sits on a quiet block in the historic Mount Vernon neighbourhood, a few steps from Lexington Market, Pratt Library, Washington Monument, and the Walters Art Museum. Though you could spend hours exploring the area's cultural attractions, there's inspiration, too, in the freshly renovated Victorian-style rooms, from the art gallery-esque Front Parlor to the sleeping quarters (two rooms, two suites), which reject fussy antique displays for simple, classic furnishings, resulting in plenty of space. Unlike the other three rooms, the Monument Suite is available for long-term rentals, useful for visitors who happen to be making an extended stay.
• 9 East Chase Street, +1 410 929 6367, empirehouse.us. Doubles from $110
Alex Schechter is a freelance journalist. He lives in Gowanus, Brooklyn
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