Does these casual companies of strangers gathered together in the "hotel" or "around the houses of several families"?

Does these casual companies of strangers gathered together in the "hotel" or "around the houses of several families"?

should i read it like: " and subjecting the singular influence to a closer, calmer examination and before casual companies of strangers, drawn together by vague curiosity more than rational interest, or predetermined and invincible hostility" or " before casual companies of strangers, drawn together by vague curiosity more than rational interest, or predetermined and invincible hostility" is the following part of " than could be given to it at a hotel"?

Some ten or twelve days since they gave up their rooms at the hotel and devoted the remainder of their sojourn here to visiting several families, to which they had been invited by persons interested in the subject, and subjecting the singular influence to a closer, calmer examination than could be given to it at a hotel, and before casual companies of strangers, drawn together by vague curiosity more than rational interest, or predetermined and invincible hostility. Our own dwelling was among those they thus visited; not only submitting to, but courting, the fullest and keenest inquiry with regard to the alleged "manifestations" from the spirit-world, by which they were attended.

From The History of Spiritualism, by Arthur Conan Doyle "