We've stayed at this B&B several times. It's legitimately funky and charming, with the ramshackle exterior appearance of the two separate Inn buildings (reminiscent of the Addams family!) more than offset by the excellent bedding, big Jacuzzis and state-of-the-art electronics within.

The in-room. microwavable breakfast includes good coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice, fruit and and tasty quiches and muffins. We happen to like the ability to eat when we want at a set table within our suite -- but others may have different preferences.

However, the innkeeper's response to difficult economic conditions seems to have been to increase room rates and decrease service -- which as others have pointed out is not delivered with a smile. Once one begins to get a bad taste in one's mouth during a stay, the shortcomings of the establishment become more evident. In the case of the Summit Street Inns, these include worn and soiled carpet, taped-up plastic in the shower, public areas that seem increasingly dank every time we visit, and signage that verges on the hostile.

We'll likely seek out other alternatives the next time we're in the area -- assuming that they will be more eager for our business.

Only one block south are two excellent local restaurants. The billiard room was fun. The exercise room was surprising, with perhaps $10,000 of Nautilus equipment. There were hundreds of free movies on demand, shown on a new flat-screen TV. The spa in the bathroom was relaxing, with candles, jazz, and free beer. Comfortable bed, pillows, and sheets. Breakfast was in the mini refrig (efficient, friendly, self-service).

We stayed here twice in September 2009; room 222 both times. The room was immaculate and beautifully furnished with many Victorian antiques. The innkeeper was friendly and helpful, and not “in your face”. Much has been said in the other reviews about the breakfast, so let me address that here. Breakfast is pre-made (coffee, juice, bagel, fruit cup, broccoli quiche) and waiting in the refrigerator; there is a microwave, coffee-maker, and small table and chairs. At the time of your choice, you just heat up the quiche according to the instructions and breakfast is served! I like the traditional communal B&B breakfasts too, but this suited us just fine, and we could eat on our own time schedule.

The Inn is located in the West End neighborhood with architecturally interesting homes and a lovely little park nearby. Just 2 blocks away were several nice restaurants; we ate at the 4th Street Filling Station and West End Café; both were very good! I imagine this Inn would be popular with business travelers who want something different from the usual cookie-cutter hotel room: it’s close to downtown, within easy walking distance of restaurants, and doesn’t have the “house party” feel that some B&Bs do.

After a week with our extended (daughters, their mates and grandfairies) family making it 10 people of various sizes in a rented house in Avon on the Outer Banks, my wife and I opted to head back to Ohio via Winston-Salem in order to visit some friends there.

Upon our arrival, this being an older house, the walls in places baring a couple water stains making, at least me wonder if we had made a correct decision, we were instantly eased by the manner of the Innkeeper. Ken is charming, intelligent, and simply a very nice fellow. He upgraded us to room 219.

Entering the foyer for the room, the first thing that struck us was hanging on the coat rack. A man's walking cane, and a feather boa. This spoke to a genteel sense of style and detail, something we found throughout.

To the left was the bathroom, with the very large Jacuzzi. Sitting on it were towels and a bubble bath. There were tea candles spread around the room and a full box of stick matches at hand to light them. The room with the shower (both American and European shower arrangements) and commode also had a towel heater. A step up to a dressing table yielded tissues and lotion. And of course, recognizing that no proper bathroom suite should go without, there was the mandatory yellow rubber ducky perched in the corner of the jacuzzi.

To the right of the foyer was the bedroom, a small table next to the window beautifully set for breakfast. It had a kingsize bed with wonderful pillows and linens, an antique headboard mounted behind it cleverly, as 'antique' and 'kingsize' generally don't find one another. A rattan settee and coffee table sat at the foot of the bed. There was a writing table with a working old upright Royal typewriter. Next to that sat an Oxford Dictionary, a deck of cards, scorekeeping pad and a pen. Interesting and appropriate artwork and other knicknacks and the like were tastefully placed around the room. Neither of us had ever held an ostrich egg, and now we know how heavy they are.

The breakfast was as described in other reviews. I figured there would be a quiche OR a ham bisquit. I'm not a bid broccoli person, but my wife loved it and I was fine with the toasted bagel, yogurt, fruit, fresh OJ and coffee. We DID try to order the French Toast for my wife and, alas, Ken was unable to provide it that day for some unknown reason.

After meeting him the morning of, all communications were by notes. i suspect had we needed something, a call would have brought him running, but otherwise, we felt alone, private and cozy in this wonderful house. When he first toured us through the suite, he showed us how to operate the Hi Def flat screen TV attached to the wall, with thousands of tunes, over 400 movies we could order up free, and cable. The mini fridge and microwave, by the way, were concealed in a lovely and appropriate wardrobe.

I should note Summit Street also offers a very nice billiards room and an exercise room. Additionally, when we made our arrangements Ken offered to make restaurant reservations for us and displays a large basket of menus to peruse.. oh... and lovely robes in the bedroom.

As we weren't there during cold months we can't speak to the heat and insulation, but the air conditioning and ceiling fans worked great during our stay.

This B&B makes us far more likely to come visit our friends again, as we could certainly see this Inn being a point of destination in and of itself. I've stayed at a number of fine Inns and five star hotels. This is among the most enjoyable stays I've had at any of them