The Merchant

My fiancée and I recently stayed here for a night to celebrate our third anniversary. We chose the hotel because of a Travel Zoo deal that made the price very affordable for a night away. The small size of the hotel and the historic ties were both pleasant surprises that we learned about after booking a room through Travel Zoo. We really enjoyed our stay at this new hotel. The interior is updated and very modern. Some features, however, preserve the historic nature of the building and blend old and new – the rustic door handle on the front door, exposed wood floors, and uniquely shaped rooms, closets, & bathrooms. Our room was clean and welcoming, with many aspects that made our stay very comfortable, such as a bluetooth capable clock radio, wine glasses, and light blocking shades for the several windows. In the common areas, complimentary snacks and beverages were provided. The employee who greeted us upon check-​in was very welcoming and helpful in getting us settled in, and also provided an iPad with suggestions for local activities and restaurants.
A few negatives that we experienced during our stay… We found that the water in the shower would not get what we considered «hot.» It was warm at best, but consistent in temperature through the shower (i.e. it did not get freezing cold, thankfully!). Due to the historic nature of the room, the TV had to be mounted on a wall parallel to the bed, and thus felt like it was at a bit of an odd angle for TV viewing. Finally, I found a large clump of hair on the bath towel I used – clearly matted into the towel from the laundering process, but unpleasant nonetheless!
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay in this interesting, historic, and quiet hotel. The location was very convenient to numerous restaurants and shops, and we enjoyed the ability to walk to dinner in just a few minutes. One other note – plan for a short walk if you drive, as the parking lot is not onsite!

We stayed at The Merchant on 12÷30÷15 for a little one night getaway.
The Inn is gorgeous; so comfortable, with a very successful and warm marriage of the traditional and stunning 18^th century architecture with contemporary colors and whimsy.
We stayed in the historic George Washington Room, which we suspect George would barely recognize :) The fireplace and heated bathroom floors were welcoming and luxurious on a chilly, rainy day /​night. The bed was extremely comfortable, and linens perfection. The view from the front windows was charming; framing a holiday lit village snapshot. The room, bathroom and hotel were SPOTLESS. The thematic décor in the room was terrific: the eagle over the fireplace, the star spangled ceiling, and the George Washington silhouette pillow –special favorites!
But, the whole experience was ‘made’ by the lovely hotel manager Jennifer. She was simply fantastic (had to save a fitting superlative for her!) From our arrival in wet dreary weather and her warm greeting, welcome, tour, and ‘settling us in’, until we checked out, she was so warm and welcoming, knowledgeable and helpful (without being intrusive). She recommended great restaurants for lunch and dinner. An example of her over the top hospitality: I called prior to arrival date to ask if there was a refrigerator in the room, and was there an ice bucket and ice, as we thought we would be bringing a very good bottle of champagne. We opted not to, but when we arrived, Jennifer had four ice buckets (including elegant cut glass) from her home to choose from, and ice. WOW!!! She is charming; we could not imagine anyone better suited for this job.
We have already recommended the Hotel to friends, have a reservation made in a few months, but hope to be back sooner.
What a lovely experience. Thank you!
Jeanne and Jack

The Merchant is a creative blend of the new and the old, a beautiful and elegant historic building with all the modern amenities anyone could ask for! All 11 guest rooms are spacious and inviting, with gas-​fired fireplaces for those cold winter evenings. The flat-​screen TV, free wi-​fi, and Apple-​TV make you feel connected, while the quiet rooms, insanely comfortable furnishing and bedding, and great common spaces for just hanging out make you feel you’ve gotten away from it all. And the little touches, like underfloor heating in the bathrooms, give that little sense of luxury missing in some many hotels today. Can’t recommend The Merchant highly enough. The Merchant is within walking distance to all the Salem attractions, and too many good restaurants nearby to count. We had a really great stay!