The Covington Inn — Hotel in Saint Paul

On FB we want everything to look to perfection… I did that but it wasn’t!!

First off no host!! We got there. Called a number on door and she gave code to let ourselves in. My pilot room key was on table with a guest card. Sorry I won’t put my credit card info on something like this (PayPal took my money) to leave on a table for others here staying to see. I Called number on door and she stated “I’ll meet you after my chiropractor appointment”. Okay… We waited 2 hours.. She never showed up!! Ruined our dinner plans waiting on her to show up!! Once we realized we all on our own, we just left to eat dinner. No rules, where to smoke if you did, what you can and can do Nothing!! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!

Second it was “A HOT BOX” in main area. No air conditioner anywhere. Me and my guest had to go outside to get air it was so hot. We went to our area and same thing!! Seriously, I have MS and heat is not my friend!! This place is not disabled friendly either!! If you’re disabled not for you!! Wish the google page they have would mention that!! Yet they “DON’T”!!!

At 10:30pm i went to get coffee (make some). No coffee anywhere just tea. So my tea in hand and possibly a smoke outside off the boat. Went to get my smokes and I almost had a heart attack walking up the stairs to get them. For a person was laying on the outside front porch, with a Bible open. I figured it was someone no one told us about staying on aboard. So I went out an introduced myself. She was actually a homeless girl and said sorry a million times and left. I felt bad. Really bad. This place has cameras!! Why didn’t the people owning the inn catch it faster!! I then felt unsafe the whole entire time there!! That front door is nothing but a kick and they can get in!! I was so scared I didn’t sleep till 4 something in the morning.

$320 dollars I’m sorry WTH is this? A escaped concept hiding from capture? Won’t lie.. I actually thought I had the whole boat to myself but I didn’t. I now feel bad. For walking in and out to smoke and my friend helping me with medication I needed I now feel bad. But HOST NEVER TOLD US ANYTHING!!

Breakfast served here in this room are you seriously serious? No breakfast served in our room! Hot box main area we had to go!! Ridiculous!! Seriously I thought pilot room got breakfast in private on private deck…. nope

9 Am breakfast time from host…. No host. Nothing. No Greet no meet no coffee. 9:45am finally coffee and nothing said. Served breakfast but not asked if allergy’s or what is okay…. Was served an o er sweet breakfast I couldn’t eat and I’m diabetic and had heart surgery…. Her dog too omg. Said was friendly. No it’s not!! Owner had on a leash and it violently barked at my guest, making him feel very uncomfortable.

To me not worth $320 I spent. $120 sure for, the view and everything. It’s not very clean and my pilot room bathroom stunk. The fan didn’t even work to get smell out!! It was hard to sleep in that room!!! Opened window with air on was how I...

You guys this place is CRIMINALLY underrated, I had such a great time! My boyfriend surprised me with a night here and oh my god our room was so freaking cute, very clean and very comfortable. The room he booked even had a little upstairs with a little living room and our own private deck! We got to sit out at night under the fairy lights, there were lots of little electric candles provided that we set up and we drank wine, ate sushi, and watched fireworks over the river (we were here the day after the 4th). It was very hot and humid during the day we went but the AC onboard was immaculate.

The owner was so kind and chill, she made us coffee and breakfast the morning of our checkout and chatted with us, and then actually let us stay on the boat/in our room as late as we wanted because she didn’t have it rented out the next day! And the main room of the boat is so adorable and comfy, lots of plants and books and little gizmos to look at, my boyfriend found a guitar to play.

And I’m so glad we went! Looking at the few negative reviews here we were feeling skeptical beforehand - but we had absolutely no issues. The owner told us about all the hardships she’d faced since buying the place like a year ago. I guess there was bad flooding last summer and the boat had to be chaotically emergency moved (hence the guy who gave a one star view, saying that this place doesn’t exist 🙄) and because of that, and over the winter, there were so many issues with water lines freezing and a bunch of crazy stuff! So honestly, don’t listen to the negative reviews. Maybe when the owner first bought this place things were in rougher shape, but with all the extenuating circumstances, cut an entrepreneurial badass woman some slack guys my god. When we stayed here the water and everything was working great, with plenty of free bottled water provided besides (like seriously, the lady who gave a negative review because she had to resort to drinking tap water with her hands… MY GOD THE HORROR 😱☠️ I hope she survived and is doing ok). The negative reviews really made me roll my eyes 😂 My boyfriend was always able to easily get in touch with the owner. Yeah the location is right near Harriet Island park in the heart of Saint Paul, so if you don’t feel comfortable in downtown areas probably don’t come here. But like seriously… it’s an unhoused person sleeping on a bench not a wild jackal Traci, I think you’ll be fine. I felt perfectly safe at the Inn.

So all in all I’d totally recommend this place. The owner is running this whole operation by herself and, from my experience, she’s doing a great job 👏 I...

I've stayed twice here. Once in the pilot house and also the river view suite. The place is quirky, yet inviting and the views into St. Paul are great. However, my first stay was in the winter and the aesthetic was different than a stay during the summer. I purposely came back for summer with plans to sit on the deck with my husband and watch the world go by. We didn't get to do that, though. There is no shade on the deck, no umbrellas for the various chairs which seemed to just be haphazardly scattered about. We were stuck trying to hide in a corner where the boat created a small area of shade. The main part of the boat was not air conditioned so sitting in the common area was almost warmer than being outside. We also weren't impressed with the cleanliness of the Inn. One of the first things I noticed in our room, which had a couch, was how stained the couch cover was. It also appeared that the carpet by the bed had not been properly vacuumed. The entrance onto the boat was also poorly maintained. A planter below the sign for the Inn had an empty bottle in it the entire we were there. The table outside the main door was so coated in dirt/dust. It wasn't an inviting first impression. I'm not sure why there aren't any comments about the pot smoking. Both times the smell has been so pervasive, and if this is not your thing, then being inundated with it each time you are in the common area, is questionable at best. None of this comes across as very professional. I also tried to call before we arrived but the mailbox for the phone is full, which I recall it was when I tried to call when I stayed during the winter. I was so disappointed this time around. The place apparently had been closed for a while due to the flooding, but if anything, this should have given time to get the place cleaned and spruced up, but it appeared that the place was left in disarray and hastily reopened without much preparation. There were things seemingly scattered about the common area, and when we left this morning, someone's personal clothes seemed to be tossed on the couch. Lastly, as much as I love St. Paul, the area is not inviting. There is garbage EVERYWHERE. Broken glass all over the parking lot. Questionable people walking around. We won't return which is...