The Skylight Hotel

This is a VERY UNUSUAL, BUT GREAT place! Don’t be scared (as we were) if you first see this place in the dark, at night. The hotel is located on Washington Ave., which is one of the main streets in downtown—a downtown that has suffered economically (maybe since the Flood of 1927) and looks destitute at this location at night. There is a park across the street, and we saw a few homeless people sitting on benches there in the morning. We almost left when we arrived, because, as we had been told by the hotel manager (staff person?) who answered our phone call when we told her we would be a very late arrival, the only parking is in the front of the hotel out on the street. My wife wanted to leave, but I talked her into at least looking at the place. We got out of the car, and everything was dark except the lit-up “Skylight” sign at the top of the building. The double doors in front were dark, unmarked, and locked. Nothing else in the neighborhood seemed lit or open. Then we saw a small sign or note to enter the hotel at a door to our left. That door was small and, I believe from memory, also unmarked. We opened it (interesting that it was unlocked late at night), and we were faced with a long stairway (another guest counted 28 steps). Again, no sign of any type. We very tentatively walked up and saw the long hallway of guest room doors that is accurately posted in a photo by another guest. It actually looked nice. We tentatively walked down the hall (not knowing which would be our room) and knocked on a door that indicated it was the office. A very nice woman came out (the same one who had answered our phone call) and talked us into staying (it was around 11 p.m.) rather than going out in the dark looking for another place. She told us that they had no breakfast in the mornings, only coffee in a heated urn outside her door. But, she informed us that “Jim’s Cafe” (open since 1909) was just a few blocks back up the street. She showed us that her security cameras were focused on the parked cars and assured us that parking was safe, that the police now removed any homeless people from the street at night, and that no guest had ever had a car broken into or damaged. So, from this dubious starting point, everything that followed was great: the hotel woman could not have been nicer. She insisted on carrying all our bags upstairs and into the room (which was next door to her office). She said that going up and down the stairs was good exercise for her. The rooms conform to the online photos. Our room was exceptionally clean and comfortable. We may never have been more comfortable in a hotel bed—with the greatest comforter and pillows ever. The bathroom fixtures were cheap but spotlessly clean. The room was quiet. We slept soundly and enjoyed our conversation with the same hotel woman in the morning. We tremendously enjoyed our breakfast at Jim’s Cafe. It’s a Greenville institution. My wife was born in Greenville and lived ther

This is the coolest, cutest and cleanest hotel ever! So happy to have stumbled across it on a roadtrip with my kids. The rooms have tons of character, original fireplaces….the sweet woman at the front desk told us the hotel was built in 1900 and there was plenty of lighted parking with security cameras out front. Felt very safe and comfortable. 10 stars.

This place is CLEAN!!! Adorable little boutique hotel in a historic building. It is so pretty and the lady at the desk is so warm and welcoming. Was here for my significant others high school reunion and needed a landing place. This was perfect. Only thing to be aware of, lots of stairs to get to hotel on 2nd story.