The Thomas Lamboll House

We had a wonderful visit, the Innkeepers were friendly and helpful, gave us a tour of the house and some interesting history facts about it. We had a lovely breakfast and were treated very graciously! Our room was beautiful, neat and clean however; we do understand that these older homes have their problems, but the plumbing needs attention, the toilet did not flush well and was not pleasant to deal with!

The house was built in 1735. I found it in good condition for a house of that age. We enjoyed our visit and the hosts of the home.

This was the 1st time my daughter stayed in a b and b. I'm blessed to be the one to share this with her while visiting the one to share this with her while visiting the art institute of charleston. she has enrolled and will start in oct. We hope to visit this b and b again in the future. She loved it! A future photographers dream beautiful backdrop!

After reviewing a lot of B&B's, I was very impressed with the picture of Lamboll House on their website. It looked just like a place I would want to stay. I contacted Marie and she was absolutely wonderful so I decided to pick it and I'm glad I did. We had a marvelous stay....each morning and evening we sat roof top, among the birds and squirrels, where we could overlook just about all of Charleston. The house is near the Battery, easy walk to it...and convenient to everything in the historic district...the market, the restaurants, the historic homes, the rivers....also free parking. Marie and her husband Emerson were perfect hosts...knowing when to greet us and when to let us have our privacy. The continental breakfast was a good start to each morning..., choice of cereals, hot breads, fruit, and wonderful hot coffee served in very fine china in a antibellum dining room...lots of atmosphere surrounding you as you enjoy your morning breakfast. You'll feel like royalty at Lamboll House. For those seeking a relaxing experience and those who enjoy antiques and history, Lamboll House is great. If you are not able to walk a lot or go up and down stairs you should pick another location. We are all in our 60's and were able to do the stairways and walking just fine but for the faint of heart, it might be more difficult. For those who chose to stay here, please know your manners and realities of staying in a B&B. Owners open their houses to you and offer lots of hospitality so it's up to you to respect their belongings....B&B's don't have bellhops, spas and weight rooms nor conference facilities and computer hookups. The whole idea in going to a B&B is to step back in time, enjoy your stay, be treated like a guest and relax.

If one seeks a very private historic home that captures the charm of antebellum Charleston, SC, the Thomas Lamboll House has something unique to offer. We planned our visit (three months in advance) with another couple to celebrate our anniversaries while enjoying the history and grace of the region. This house and the innkeepers, Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Reid, offered just two private rooms in a fabulous location "South of Broad" in a very gracious old historic home. Rooms on the third floor were clean, comfortable and spacious. Breakfast offerings were continental -- coffee, home-made biscuits and breads, cereal and fruits -- just enough to get us started on our tours. Our hosts were gracious and accommodating, providing interesting information about the history of the peninsula and the area. One morning, we were able to arrange a private carriage ride in the historic district (through Palmetto Carriage Works) that originated and ended at the Thomas Lamboll House. This is a truly unique and delightful way to tour the city. One of the high-points of our stay was finding the grave sites of Thomas Lamboll (builder of the house at 19 King Street) and his family in the old Circular Congregational Churchyard, which the Reids had been seeking for some time. For art, architecture and history devotees, staying in this location with these wonderful Charlestonians is a delight rarely encountered.

We had such a wonderful week-end get-away in Charleston at the Thomas Lamboll House. Mr. and Mrs. Read were gracious hosts and made our stay so enjoyable. To stay in the Thomas Lamboll House was like stepping back in history (but yet with modern conveniences). We enjoyed being walking distance from the beautiful Charleston battery. We hope to be able to visit again soon.

We were looking for a traditional Charleston B&B and found it. Very well priced and in a GREAT location on King St. Beautiful old home and wonderful sweet owners!

I'll begin with the positives: the premium location in Charleston (South of Broad), the homey, spacious rooms with access to the treetop "piazza" on the third floor, the vintage bathroom, and the professional way our original reservation was handled by innkeeper Marie were all great. The negatives stem, unfortunately, from the fact that Marie was not present at the inn during our two-night stay. No one on the premises ever welcomed us, asked if we needed anything, or seemed to care in the least whether we were there or not. I didn't see any restaurant information, city brochures, walking maps or any portable literature about Charleston. Fortunately I had researched ahead of time, but it's always a bonus to have innkeepers valuable suggestions. The way breakfast was served during the innkeeper's absence would have been comical had it not been for the fact that it was a meager, sub-standard meal, even for a Continental breakfast. A rushed, unkempt son who was placed in charge was well-meaning enough, but a few tiny (but hot) biscuits, ten strawberries (one of which was moldy) for 4 guests, and poor coffee couldn't quite compensate for all lack of grace (and possibly hygiene) from the server. Oh yes, there was also some uninspired cold cereal and bananas available, and the china was nice... According to the reviews, most guests at the Thomas Lamboll House have had better personal experiences than did we and the other couple staying there at the same time. At least we had each other with whom to express our experiences.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
I am so sorry my guests had such a bad experience. I went on vacation and thought I had left everything in good hands. I am totally embarrassed and will not allow this to happen again. If I knew who was staying with us at the time, I would gladly give them restitution for the poor service.

- Marie Read (innkeeper)

The inn was the true southern raised cottage with high ceilings, hardwood floors and antiques. Each morning we were served b-fast in the formal dining room. Superb stay - great value for the money.

More than an overnight accommodation, it is an experience to remember. An experience to have a taste of genteel southern living, to live in a house of architectural style very “Charleston”, rooms filled with well-appointed antique and furniture (elegant yet not stuffy), breakfast properly served in silverware and china with classic music in background (granted it is not full hot breakfast, but the setting matters!), soaking in claw-footed deep tub, sitting on the rocking chair on piazza. Marie, the hostess, is so gracious, balancing the fine art of having interesting chat with you and giving you space and privacy when you need. If you long for an unique experience of southern gentility, it’s it, you don’t need to look further. That’s exactly how I felt when I first saw the pictures and read description on their web-site, and my experience has certainly got my longing answered. Gigi

Lovely old home furnished with antiques. The hostess is very gracious and accomodating.

How wonderful to stay in an early Charleston house on Historic King Street. you can sit on the rooftop porch and see across the city.

They mishandled our reservation terribly, having rented one of our reserved and confirmed rooms to someone else, forcing us to scramble to find a second room elsewhere in town, even though we arrived as agreed at 3:00 PM. There was no one there to discuss the situation, and we ended up having to take an expensive hotel room far away from our friends members who stayed in the one free room. The owners have clearly lost interest in running this place. With all the good places in Charleston, steer clear of this one. PK in NC

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
It is now November 28 and I JUST noticed the critical review sent to you by one of the guests who was supposed to stay here. I searched and have saved the confirmation to them for ONE room when their reservation was made on July 24. When they called , I believe that they asked for two rooms but I did not remember that when they later booked and when I sent their written confirmation. They were never confirmed in writing for TWO rooms. I never received a response from my letter, letting me know that a mistake had been made and that the reservation was supposed to be for TWO rooms not ONE. Naturally, I would rather have rented two rooms rather than just one I was on vacation when they were due to arrive on October 16 for three nights. My son was acting as our host at the time. He always leaves a note letting our guests know how to get settled in their room when he is unable to be there to greet them. I was devastated when I returned to find out that they had wanted two rooms and I wrote a letter to them apologizing profusely. I sent them a gift certificate for a night at our Bed and Breakfast to try to compensate. But I never heard from them again. I can understand how upset they must have been. I was just as upset when I heard about it. They did not stay here but their friends stayed in the one room for all three nights and my son said they were very nice and seemed to enjoy it. The critical review that was given was not by their friends who stayed here for three nights but by the person who made the reservation and sent this review. I do not see how they could give this review when they did not even have the experience of staying here. This poor review is based solely on the fact that they did not respond to the confirmation letter that I mailed to them which clearly stated the reservation of ONE room.

- Marie Read (Owner Thomas Lamboll House)

My daughter and I came to visit Charleston this past week and found this delightful inn. The owners have been in the area for 44 years.. incredible stories that made our stay more enjoyable. The room was very nice and clean and the service was above board. The breakfast was served beautifully in the main dinig room. Will return.

Very historic/old, yet comfortable. Southern hospitality charm. Would come back here again!

The house was just incredible. Furniture and living arrangements beautifully dates this house to when it was built. Walking distance to everything in downtown Charleston.

Elegantly appointed bedroom furnished with antiques. Large bathroom a generally very cozy, welcoming room. Very pleasant hosts who offered us sherry every evening.

We enjoyed our stay in this wonderful historic home! Marie and Emerson are gracious hosts and are full of knowledge about the area. We were able to park our car at the Inn and walk to everything we wanted to see and do including some of the best restaurants in Charleston. Our room was large, beautifully appointed and clean. It was a pleasure to go out on the piazza and view the city skyline. We will be telling all our friends about this treasure and hope to be able to stay in this great Inn again.

Perfect location for touring historic Charleston- very quiet. Very comfortable accommodations and good continental breakfast served in a beautiful historic setting. Completely met our needs- would have loved to stay longer.

Our stay met our expectations and was very clean.

absolutely amazing. southern charm, clean, nice windows, and we both can't wait to stay again!

Charming old home in historic Charleston. Inn keepers were very friendly and helpful.

The Thomas Lamboll House was a perfect spot for a historic southern get-away. The 200+ year old house exudes southern charm and was within walking distance of Charleston's historic sights. Great hosts too.

A fantastic place to stay. The bedroom was huge, comfy, and furnished with an antique sofa, many beautifully carved chairs, and excellent pieces of china and art. Off street parking was available. The bathroom fixtures were antiques and fun to use – a genuine claw-foot tub. The French doors led to a piazza with a lovely view, and you could hear the many fountains in the neighborhood. There is a friendly spaniel and persian cat who will sit with you downstairs. Continental breakfast was an elegant experience. Mrs. Read serves breakfast in the formal dining room on beautiful china and polished silver.

Recently in March 2007 we stayed at the Thomas Lamboll house . Lovely home. We found excellent accommandations right in the heart of the historic district. It was convenient to all the attractions. Our hosts - Marie and Emerson Read were gracious and welcoming. They made recommendations for restaurants etc when we asked and also gave us our privacy. Hard balance to acheive. We made it a point to go to breakfast each morning to enjoy Marie's hot biscuits. We would go back to their B&B in a minute. Loved it!! My daughter loved to play with their dog and cat. I recommend it to anyone looking to stay in Charleston.