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Email: gaskillbnb@aol.com

Phone: 215-413-0669

Street Address: 312 Gaskill Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Rates: $145 to $200 as of December 2004

* It's a wonderful place to stay. Special. Rare. Among Philadelphia's very best. *

Location Rating: Excellent. South Street is one block over. It's in a historic neighborhood. Many excellent restaurants are nearby. Close to many things, yet hidden away on a tiny, barely used side street.

Room Appearance: Elegant, classy, cozy, spotless.

Comments: Their website features the slogan "Luxury and Serenity in Philadelphia's Society Hill" and this is the perfect description of this facility. Behind the front door of 312 Gaskill Street is an extremely impressive, comfortable, relaxing, hidden get-away. Wow! I liked it here so much, I did not want to leave.

The buildings date back to 1828. In the 1970's, these two houses were made into one. I was stunned with what I found here. It looks like just another old house on one of Philly's old, narrow streets. Once I stepped inside I immediately realized this is no ordinary bed & breakfast.

I was greeted by manager "Guy Davis" and soon met his wonderful dog "Zephyr," of the whippet breed. Zephyr is playful, gentle and extremely well-behaved. And Guy is someone who clearly very much enjoys his job... partly because he lives in this beautiful home, and in this neighborhood he loves, but also because of the high quality of his guests, which he greatly enjoys.

To the left as I walked in I saw a small, very elegant and very well designed library. To the right is the main public room on the main floor. Interesting original art is everywhere. The owner, who appears to be fairly wealthy, spends around 90% of his time travelling the world. In his travels he discovered a very talented artist in Tibet, and large paintings by this artist are prominently displayed on the walls, along with other art..

An interesting feature of the main floor is how there is so much air and light. Part of the main floor has been cut away, and this reveals the dining area on the lower level with its nearby fireplace. Also on the lower level is a very classy, no-expense-spared gourmet kitchen with granite counters.

There are 4 guest rooms. When I saw the first guest room, wow! It is so comfortable.

A delightful patio area is outside in the back of the property. Even with all of the neighbors nearby, this space still had a very private, secluded feel to it. Being here, and looking out the windows on the main floor to this back area, it did not seem like the city at all! And I found it so surprising I could have this feeling in the heart of Philadelphia. It was like being here had transported me to some other place.

The other rooms were also of very high quality. Guy told me that all the rooms are very quiet. Guests seemed to like the privacy of the top floor. That room encompasses the entire floor and it features a brand new, large and lavish bathroom.

A deck is on the second floor. Strangely, even though busy and wild South Street is just one block over, the noise cannot be heard.

I sure do like their kitchen. Guy says he is highly-regarded for his skill in making omelets, and breakfast is included in the room price.

Guy loves this neighborhood and it seems he is a good source for getting advice on where to eat. He keeps a collection of restaurant menus for guests to peruse. Philadelphia is well-known for its restaurants and Guy says some of the very best are right here within easy walking distance.

There was just one thing that caught my eye which I thought might disappoint a guest here. One of the guest rooms had an old 19 inch television. Other rooms had larger, newer televisions.

And there is one other potential drawback... Guy is the sole caretaker and the owner is almost never there. So things need to be coordinated with him so that he can be certain to be there when you arrive. He told me the story of how a guest said he would be there at a certain time. Guy waited 2 and a half hours and then finally had to leave to take care of a pressing matter. When he got back, he saw the customer waiting outside, and the customer was steaming mad. Guests need to understand that Guy needs to get out of the house sometimes to walk his dog or whatever. And that customer could have called Guy on his cell phone, but didn't.

Compared to the Rittenhouse Square Bed & Breakfast, which I also like very much, I think the Gaskill House has a more interesting location and is more luxurious and has a more psychologically rewarding and visually appealing environment. At The Rittenhouse Square Bed & Breakfast, it is more like a hotel. Someone is always at the front desk and you can come and go as you please.

The location is excellent. The facility is wonderful. The very service-oriented host makes you feel at home, and Zephyr the whippet makes it even more of a delight.

The Gaskill House Bed And Breakfast is indeed luxurious and serene. I really didn't want to leave. This is a special, private, relaxing, very high quality place to stay. Truly it is one of the finest places to stay in central Philadelphia.

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