As experienced B&B guests, we found the place minimally acceptable if one must stay in this part of Brooklyn for a night, but certainly nothing to write home about. On the other hand, the only alternatives except in dicey adjacent neighborhoods are a Marriott, a Holiday Inn, and a Holiday Inn Express at $325-$500 per night. Actually, the "overall experience" rating should be the reverse -- "Lots of problems, but OK if absolutely necessary."

Be aware that bathrooms are shared, only one for the three rooms on each guest floor. On one floor the bathroom has recently been renovated, with new wall tile and a modern tub-shower; the other floor's bathroom has a traditional clawfoot tub with shower attachment. Unfathomably, however, the innkeeper will not allow booking of a specific room, despite the protections provided by the house's strict cancellation and refund policy -- rooms are assigned only on arrival.

Decor seems to be striving for "typical" B&B ambiance (e.g., flowered chintz wallpaper everywhere, and some old pieces), but the impression mainly was of stuffing the rooms with whatever cheap furniture they could find, regardless of era, style, or condition (in our room, mostly '70's-type student furniture). Bathroom towels were plentiful but worn. There were no drinking glasses or even paper cups in either the shared bathroom or the room itself.

The breakfast room is jammed with furniture, but with table space for only four guests although the house sleeps up to 12. (Some of the rest, if they all show up at once, evidently are expected to sit in extra straight-backed chairs or on a little sofa, with their plates and cups in their laps.)

Although not visibly grimy (except for the dust in the corners), every surface in both guest room and breakfast room felt sticky to the touch -- floors and furniture alike.

As another reviewer said, the breakfast offering gives new meanng to the phrase "continental" -- one wonders what continent they have in mind. The cereal boxes, supermarket plastic-wrapped breads, and jam (only one jar, almost empty except for a few bottom scrapings, with no replenishment in view) were what one might expect in the family kitchen of a family with a fundamental disinterest in food. The innkeeper says in her response to previous criticisms that most of their guests prefer the local restaurants for breakfast -- no wonder, we concluded (and this is not mentioned on the house Website, nor by the innkeeper on check-in, much less when booking). All the boxes and jars, as well as the cutlery, felt sticky too. Breakfast is "self-service," meaning scrounge through the fridge and pour your own juice out of a carton, and pile your dirty dishes with those of others in the sink; as another reviewer commented, the "self-service" scheme apparently also extends to brewing your own coffee, as the innkeeper herself (Johnanna) was present and chatty but paid no attention to the pot, just letting it run out.

After reading the innkeeper's responses to prevous negative reviews, my net impression is one of disingenuousness. (1) She says that the bathroom sharing arrangement is disclosed "to those inquiring," but in this day and age most travelers -- even B&B enthusiasts -- expect private baths and would not think to inquire. (The house Website does disclose this, but not everyone looks at the Website before booking.) In our case it was not disclosed at all in the first phone discussion, and in the final phone discussion was disclosed only after our credit card number had been taken. (2) She distances herself as "owner of the business" from the "owner of the building," but omits to mention that the latter is her mother. (3) She blames other reviewers' complaints re lack of hospitality on "several part-time employees," but this must refer to housecleaners (if there are any), as she personally greeted us on check-in and we saw no trace of other staff.

But what really grates is that, when departing, we asked the innkeeper if we could use her computer to verify an address in the city to which we were about to travel. She refused, saying they do not offer amenities such as Internet access. We then asked if she herself could check the address for us; she fumbled and stammered that "even in this day and age" she does not really have computer skills and couldn't do this for us either. Imagine our surprise, therefore, upon our return home, preparing to submit a Tripadvisor review, to find that this self=styled "computer-illiterate" not only frequents Tripadvisor herself, but somehow manages to submit lengthy defensive responses to customer criticisms.