This house encapsulates the period feel of the area in which it is located. Its richly decorated upper floor contains some attractive, fascinating even, furniture redolent of the mid-20th century. It's authenticity makes a stay here like stepping back into a movie or TV series of the 1950s.
However, for those wishing to spend some time here, it also includes other items which should most definitely not be redolent of the mid-20th century. The kitchen is at least a generation out of date, and the state of the bathroom is, quite frankly, lamentable.
After we had established ourselves in the house, we agreed that the whole stay was taking on the aura of moving into the home of a distant, recently-deceased single relative in order to finalise the estate. Everything was of a different time - and, when it comes to cooking, cleaning and eating, this should really not be the case in a holiday rental.
Below stairs, there is a separate and very different apartment. The topography and meteorological history of Galveston determines that ground level accommodation needs to be ready to survive anything - and here, the feel is of a sturdy hurricane-proof 1960s bunker. Unattractive furniture shares rooms with thundering fans, A/C and de-humidifiers - damp is obviously a problem (Hurricane Ike imposed itself to a depth of 3 feet). The layout of the kitchen area here suggests a rapid and ill-thoughout compromise and the overhead cupboards are a killer for anyone over 5 feet tall (why?).
The back garden (yard) could do with some husbandry: bushes and trees need cutting back extensively and the lawn area isn't working. Attention to this would make it a lighter more atractive area. Our stay (late October) was when the mosquitos are at their height, so the overgrown garden was, in essence, a no-go area.
This neglect or lack of attention is all such a shame. The historic neighbourhood is interesting and pleasant and this house could be a tremendous part of it.
The upstairs needs to be connected internally to downstairs; kitchen and bathroon facilities (in both) need shaking violently into the 21st century and... result? A fabulous place, rich with heritage, spacious, attractive and accomodating.
We'd be back like a shot.