The Darby

If I could rate this place below zero stars, I would. This so-called "boutique hotel" is a disgrace — a health hazard masquerading as hospitality. A friend and I booked two rooms for the July 4th weekend, expecting at a well-appointed hotel, given the website and Instagram. What we got instead was a revolting, neglected motel that should honestly be shut down by the health department. Let’s break it down: First impressions? Vile. When we arrived around 4 PM, the parking lot looked like a landfill. Trash was scattered everywhere, clearly torn out of the dumpster by animals — and no one had even attempted to clean it up. This wasn’t just unpleasant; it was filthy. Not what you expect when you're paying to stay somewhere, even at $20 a night. Frankly, I’ve seen cleaner gas station rest stops. Security? Nonexistent. The front desk was completely unmanned until 9:30 the next morning. Our room keys were just left out in the open, with our names on them. Anyone walking in could have grabbed them. Zero regard for guest privacy or safety — a complete breach of even the most basic standards. The rooms? Disgusting. Mold was growing in the kitchen. The walls were stained with who-knows-what, the bathroom floor was coated in someone else’s hair, and the lighting was broken. Every inch of the place reeked of negligence. How this place is even operating is beyond me. Between the mold and the filth, it’s hard to believe this hotel hasn’t been cited for health violations. False advertising. No breakfast. No coffee. No tea. Nothing but lies and grime. Customer service? A joke. We had a family emergency and had to leave early. I called to explain the situation and was met with total indifference. The person on the phone might as well have hung up mid-sentence — that’s how little they cared. No refund. No understanding. Just apathy. Follow-up? Nonexistent. I emailed after our stay to share how awful the experience was. No reply. No apology. Not even a generic acknowledgment. Just silence — which tells you everything you need to know about how this business is run. Bottom line: this is not a hotel — it’s a neglected, unsafe, unsanitary mess with no staff, no service, and no standards. Avoid it at all costs.

I chose to stay at the Darby Hotel the last time I visited Narrowsburg, NY. It is a hidden little gem right across the bridge and a five minute walk to all the shops and restaurants in Downtown Narrowsburg. The hotel was a former nursing home but the owners have assured that it is nothing like that inside. The interior has nicely furnished common rooms and soft music and lighting. There are plenty of places to sit and talk and the hotel encourages mingling. What I enjoyed was the fire pit outside the hotel in the evening to sit and relax and talk to other guests. Another nice place to talk to people is at the Continental breakfast the hotel has in the morning. I thought the hotel should have provide a bit more food as people were really hungry in the morning. The best part of the hotel is the rooms. The bed is so soft and firm that you sink right into it and will get one of the best nights sleep you will get in this quiet environment at night. There is a bar on premise that everyone was enjoying and it was further away from the rooms. The hotel is a real hipster hangout and some of the locals stop up and have drinks at the bar so you never know who may meet at the fire pit. I just enjoyed staying here to get away from it all. It was such a nice stay with a good night’s sleep and wonderful service throughout the stay. What nice grounds to walk around as well.