The Bissell House Bed & Breakfast in Pasadena

Charming Victorian house turned B\&B with beautiful period decor. Each room has its own vibe — I stayed in the Rose Room with a clawfoot tub. The breakfast was homemade and better than most cafés. Hosts were warm and attentive but never intrusive. Peaceful, historic neighborhood. A total gem if you like unique stays

House is an absolute delight. We loved the library and living room. Afternoon tea being available was a real treat. We stayed in Morning Glory which is on the top floor, but the a/c worked well and the room was spacious. Bed and pillows were wonderful. Shower is in an original claw foot tub and is difficult to get in and out of and I didn't really feel safe as you don't have something to grab on to if it is slippery. Breakfast was just ok, but served beautifully in a lovely dining room. I hope to visit again, but will probably ask for another room with less street noise and an easier shower arrangement.

The area and the hotel are such a dramatic break from the LA scene. There is so much character in every room. I worked while here and modern stuff like wifi and fresh herbal teas are also excellent. Sitting in the library on my laptop at nights with a glass of wine and classical music playing was fabulous. I’d work here all year if I could. Breakfast was beautifully presented and filling. Coffee was available 24/7. The area is also worth exploring. Some fabulous houses to ogle in the streets either side of Arroyo Park.

We received a text message a few hours before checkin time (3pm) with instructions for self checkin. We showed up just after three and had no trouble following the instructions. The downstairs area was nice. There was a fairly large assortment of teas and a pretty lounging area. They also had carafes of water in a mini fridge, which was great for bringing to our room. We stayed in the Garden Room. It didn’t look quite as nice as the website, but it’s normal for photographers to make a space look fantastic. Our room had an unlocked door to an attic, which was a little strange. The bed was comfortable and not noisy, which is nice for a romantic weekend. My husband thought the pillows sank too much, but he is particular about pillows. The bathroom was separated from the room with glass paneled french doors with a sheer fabric over the class. It was a little strange being able to see each other on the toilet while lying in bed, but it was at least obscured somewhat. I think they did that to get natural light into the room, which was nice during the day. The shower head is at a lower height, which is not my preference, but there is decorative glass above it which I assume influenced that choice. The jacuzzi tub worked well. No issues with water temperature. I was disappointed to find during my shower that the body wash bottle was completely empty. My husband texted the staff and we got a response and a bottle about half an hour later, which wasn’t bad for 10pm at night. You can tell that the bottle is empty from the outside, so I think this could have been caught during room turn over. There were some maintenance things I think the owner should address, namely the crack-turned-hole in the bathroom ceiling, the noisy bathroom fan, some missing caulk around where the tub meets the tile, and the ripped paper around the window AC unit. The bathtub jets also looked like they may need a deeper clean. The AC kept the room cool, but we turned it down at night and had trouble keeping the room at a comfortable temperature. Neither of us slept well as a result, but that could have been user error. Breakfast was nice and the place setting pretty. They had a fancier nespresso machine as well as drip coffee, and quite a few fixings for the coffee. They had milk types to meet the needs of every diet and allergy I know of. Breakfast was quite good. We had French toast and a pomegranate seed and chocolate shavings yogurt and granola parfait. There were two tables which was helpful because my husband wasn’t feeling social. We only saw the host, Will, for a few minutes, but we had what we needed. If I had to leave early and eat the continental options, I would have been satisfied. The pool is unheated, which it does say on the website, but I hadn’t seen that. It was cold, but invigorating. The plants on the grounds were pretty and created a calming environment. I could see this being a nice place for two couples traveling together to stay and relax. Location

Everything was amazing!! Walking inside for the first time was absolutely magical, there was soft piano music playing and all the lights cast a soft glow. The Halloween decorations were amazing and hilarious. The bed was super comfortable, the food was amazing. If I’m ever in California again, this is definitely where I’ll be staying.

What a cool place. Best night's sleep I had during our entire 10 days on the road. Hung out at the pool with my daughter and son-in-law one night late...very nice. The Bissell House could use a little TLC here and there, but not so much that it takes away from the patina.

Absolutely beautiful property, a classic Bed and Breakfast, "Airbnb" type places are just not like this today. This home is lovely, like taking a step into history. So many indulgent amenities like a huge variety of teas and always available coffee, cool water and continental breakfast and snacks in the dining room all day. The hosts are delightful, never overbearing but available in the morning and by text. And the breakfasts were chef prepared and fantastic, like dining out every morning. They encourage the guests to share breakfast together and chat, I'm not normally social that early but we had a lovely time meeting other travelers. Otherwise it's a very quiet place, so cozy! Keep in mind it is a historic old house with all the quirks an old house would have, it is not 'pristine' like a brand new hotel. Make sure your expectations are set (it seems some people don't understand what staying in a home based bed and breakfast is like) and you will love this place as much as we did. It's so close to the south pasadena station so we got here easily from the airport.

We felt as if we were staying at a friends house during our visit to Bissell House; tucked into a beautiful residential neighborhood, we woke to fresh coffee and (many kinds of) tea awaiting us downstairs, along with a delicious breakfast including fresh squeezed orange juice from orange trees on the property! All this before we headed off for a day of hiking or running in the nearby park. The host was always available to answer questions while also giving us our own space. It was all so easy, as though it were our own place! We look forward to our next visit.

Outstanding B&B with personal service and welcoming hosts inviting you into their wonderful vintage home. Very nice common areas to take in a book or socialize. Nice comfortable rooms with tasty, creative breakfasts each morning. Probably the best B&B I've ever visited.