Pickle Factory Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Covington

We've stayed here twice in the past year, once when attending a concert in Covington and once when visiting Cincinnati (I've included pictures from both stays). We stayed in the Soda Pop Room in May. It is ADORABLE. It's a studio apartment and was quaint and cozy with a kitchenette, living area, queen bed, and bathroom. Everything was clean and tidy. Our only issue was that several parking spots were blocked by equipment. The management was quick to respond to my message and gave us parking directions. There isn't a front desk like a hotel but the instructions provided were easy to follow for check in. We appreciated the sound machine provided since we'd forgotten ours. The coffee and tea supplies were appreciated.

On our most recent trio, we stayed in the Neon Room. It was cute but we liked the Soda Pop Room better. The neons were neat once we got them all turned on, but I didn't like all the cords. We had an issue when we first arrived with the heater. I messaged management and he offered help and even came by. Luckily, it started working before he got there. I think it was just the first time it had been used in awhile since the weather had been warm. It worked fine the rest of our visit. Everything was clean again.

No parking issues this time BUT the alley that we were supposed to come down was blocked. Luckily we knew to come through the bank parking lot since we'd stayed here before. The alley has recently been covered in beautiful interactive murals. We really enjoyed seeing them.

I know there are complaints about noise in other reviews. That hasn't been our experience but there weren't many occupied rooms during out visits (both on weeknights). I would think that might be an issue in any old buildings but the noise machines should help with that.

There are instructions to follow prior to checking out (taking bedding off, gathering garbage, collecting towels, etc.) These are things I do regardless of where I'm staying, but I know some people want to leave all clean up for the staff.

We love staying here and hope to come back and try a third room since they all have...

Based on previous reviews, I thought this would be a great spot for a weekend getaway with my partner 1/10-1/12. The location is great and the rooms are cute. After a 7 hour drive, a nice warm room and bed was what was needed. It's too bad the heat doesn't work in at least one of their rooms. We booked the Cigar and Bourbon room.

After some phone conversations and asking for a refund, we were provided a different room to stay in where the heat actually worked. Then on 1/13, I receive a text message from Neat Suites, "please write a review". I responded to that text thinking it would be sent out into the void of automated texts. I will be writing a review of how unacceptable this situation was. Whoever received my text got offended and instead of acknowledging and apologizing, they went into defensive mode. "To be clear. We did x,y,z." "This cost us money". "What are you trying to prove here."

In their room instructions book, they have it noted that if the heating system doesn't work, take these steps. Someone from the company texted me saying they aren't aware of any heating issues, but you have written instructions? And they have a blog that was updated a month ago advising best practice for rental owners is to check the HVAC between seasons. If cost and the comfort of your guest is your priority, it's probably best that you check your units regularly. It's also best not to point fingers at the guest when it's not my/their responsibility to make a broken machine work.

The interaction during the issue was appropriate, but the messages I got afterwards are wildly inappropriate. Because of this person's conduct, I reported Neat Suites to the BBB (Better Business Bureau. They are referring to me as unreasonable, and I am hard to work with. I have asked for us to come to a resolution for the single night that as guests, we did not have heat. We will see if they...

SUMMARY: Fun alternative to hotels, in a great location, but falls short on details that would make it a no-brainer. Reference: Booked "soda pop" room for a weekday overnight. No other bookings in the building that evening.

PROS: Great location near lots of restaurants and highway access. Reasonably priced. Fun room designs with amenities and features that make you feel at home - it makes you excited about your stay! Assigned parking spot right by the door. Both main and room doors have keypad locks, and since your personal entry codes come with your confirmation, you can arrive and gain immediate access without the hassle of checking in at a front desk. Confirmation email and guide binder had very clear directions, that I knew exactly what to do.

CONS: Though everything looked exceptional on first glance, certain overlooked details really detract from the experience -- during my stay specifically, there was no tissues, toilet paper was a rough 1-ply, some dishes weren't fully clean, towel rack was falling out of the wall, floor had a dusty film on it (like it had been swept but not mopped), chandeliers hadn't been dusted. The bed and pillows were very hard and left us with sore muscles. There was no easy way to contact anyone for on-site assistance (that we saw). This lack of an on-site person to greet you can also make arrival at night somewhat sketchy-feeling, especially if you're alone.

Overall, satisfied enough with my experience and definitely worth mentioning for those visiting. The unique environment bring energy and joy to the stay. However, set your expectations accordingly and don't expect...