The Richardson Hotel - Hotel in Buffalo - 444 Forest Ave, USA

Loved my 5 day stay at this quintessential Buffalo hotel. The developer has done an excellent job refurbishing the complex and the historical touches are abundant throughout this architectural marvel. The grounds are well kept and there are quiet places to sit and reflect on this historic landmark. The staff was very friendly and professional. The cuisine onsite was delicious as well. I will definitely be back again.

For such a beautiful and expensive hotel it is lacking in amenities. There is no mini fridge, no microwave, no extra blankets or towel, no extra toilet paper, exactly 2 coffee pods for the coffee maker. Our showers lacked seals and leaked water all over the bathroom floors. Breakfast was an immense disappointment- none of the usual fare: no muffins, waffles, cereal, only egg was quiche, only gluten free bagels. Went went to several of the nearby coffee shops. The dinner was delicious. They did not know how to handle our check in and check out because we booked through Hotels.com. We never received a receipt from them after they had problems and told us they would email it to us. We had to dispute charges- they charged $0.10 per security deposit, and a weird random charge of $210 and change which has not been resolved. The manager claims it doesn't show in my account as a charge or balance do. He says it is an "authorization" and my credit card should not have handled it as a charge. Anyway, the dispute is now pending with my credit card company. Although everyone was very nice, the front desk did not know how to do their job, and the manager mentioned that he "was just filling in".

We were pleasantly surprised by how clean, comfortable, and cozy our stay was. We were excited to stay in a castle, and the photos looked fantastic! We booked the hotel a few hours before arriving, as we were passing through Buffalo and needed a place to rest. Upon arrival, it was dark, and we were initially spooked by the abandoned buildings around us, wondering about their history. Suddenly, the beautiful, illuminated castle appeared amidst the desolation, and our excitement returned. We parked the car and checked in, asking the friendly staff member about the castle's history. She recommended visiting the museum downstairs. After dropping off our bags in our clean, modern, and well-decorated room with high ceilings and large windows, we went to explore the museum. Located on the ground floor and open 24/7, we discovered that the castle was formerly a mental asylum. We were amazed by the transformation and how well everything had been remodeled. Though we were a bit unsettled after learning about its history, we had a fantastic time and a memorable experience. We would definitely recommend it and are eager to see how the rest of the property develops.

Loved this place! Stunning old architecture that thankfully has been preserved. With history. Not many can say they slept in an old insane asylum and were able to leave on their own. New rooms nicely furnished with great heat / AC and no musty smells as my wife has allergies. Beautiful park-like grounds. Walking the halls viewing the large photos and looking at the woodwork with a cocktail was fun. Good breakfast. Five stars!

At first we really liked being here. The hotel itself is great, the history is interesting, the beds are comfy, the grounds are nice, and there were some good food options within walking distance (or a short drive), and Shakespeare in the park and the jazz shows on the grounds were fantastic. But the longer we stayed, the more things caught our attention that just weren't right. The bathroom door had tape over where the door latches, so it wouldn't fully close. Later we found out this is because the handle can come off, and this way you won't be trapped in the bathroom. The breakfast was good some days and lacking others. One day we came down with an hour left in the service (9am), and the food was basically all gone, and there was no attempt to replenish any food items. A consistent protein option would have also been nice (hard boiled eggs maybe?). The housekeeping was also lacking. We were almost out of tp, and when I asked them they said they didn't have any (luckily the front desk had some). Another day we got the letter saying that because of high amounts of check ins/outs they wouldn't be able to service the room. The last thing is we could hear people in the next room cough, meaning the walls are relatively thin. All in all, we enjoyed our stay here and if we're ever in Buffalo again we'd probably stay here.

We looked at several venues - all attractive, all well-staffed, all with amenities - but we chose the Richardson, as their accommodating nature, incredibly personable staff, and eye-catching renovations made this out top choice. Erin was our guide, and she brought her knowledge of the history of the hotel along with her empathy to a new couple and what they are going through. Her expertise really helped ease our stress over the gravity of our choice, and she handled our tour around another event with seeming ease. We loved how we were the focus of her attention, while she still made our families feel not just included, but important. We could actually picture our wedding set among the ambiance and architecture, and the Richardson stood out above the others in that regard. We can't wait to work with the professionals here in the months ahead and we have absolute faith that our wedding's venue could not be better.

My boyfriend and I stayed at this hotel for the weekend. I booked it because I fell in love with the architecture of the place just by the pictures and it did not disappoint. We were extremely please by how accommodating the hotel was. They allowed us to check in a few hours early, which is rare to find in the big chain hotels. The gentleman that checked us in was very professional and kind. The only reason why I gave a 4 star is because parking was awful. Parking is free on property, but for a hotel as big as this one, a big lot is essential. We got back extremely late one night and there was no parking available. I understand they are sold out but not having enough parking for your guest is just unacceptable. Thankfully the front desk guy came out to assist and eventually gave us his parking spot, which was completely incredible. The only other small issue is that from the bathroom, you can hear everything going on in the bathroom upstairs. You are 10 minutes from the airport which is a plus, 35 minutes from Niagara Falls state park and 45 minutes from Canadian border. We would recommend to stay here; we definitely will stay here if we are ever back in the area.

I was on an architecture tour in the area and the group stayed here for two nights. The site is a former "insane asylum" and I must say, it was unique. Rooms are huge and comfortable. Unfortunately there is only continental breakfast (which was good) but no bar or dinner service. Away from downtown Buffalo, but close to other cultural location in Buffalo. If you're looking for a unique place to stay, the Richardson is it!