Our hosts, John and Connie Lancaster, enthusiastically welcomed us upon arrival, showed us around,…read moretook our breakfast orders, and showed us to our rooms. My adult son stayed in the Rose Room, while my husband and I stayed in the Cowboy Room. There was a pleasant common area outside the rooms.
That evening, the hosts did a thoughtful turn-down service with chocolates, ice, and bottled water, (we stayed 3 nights but the turn-down service was only 1 night). The refrigerator was stocked with complimentary beverages. The beds were comfortable, the sheets high quality, and we slept very well. Built in 1889, the property is impressive with a lot of historic charm, beautiful lighting, and a pool and spa out back. Breakfast the next morning was lovely, and John chatted warmly with us before leaving us to enjoy our meal.
Unfortunately, things became much less comfortable the following day. Connie greeted my husband and son with warm hugs but barely acknowledged me. When she did decide to speak to me it was about the breakfast the day before, which John had served, she had mistakenly made me a fruit cup containing yogurt after I had requested dairy-free food. I understood mistakes happen, I saw the yogurt and I didn't eat it, but I became concerned because I had experienced significant digestive discomfort after eating my "dairy-free" omelet. Thinking something else caused it, I ate the omelet again the second morning and experienced the exact same issue within an hour. Perhaps the veggies were cooked in butter without realizing its impact on dairy-sensitive guests.
One interaction with Connie left us particularly uncomfortable. She noticed blueberries on my husband's shirt and began scolding him. When she asked what I wanted her to do about it, I told her he does his own laundry and to ask him. She then pulled my husband by the neck into her chest and said, as if speaking to a child, "Oh but they need to know someone cares about them!" I found this comment hurtful, judgmental, and territorial. After 38 years of marriage, if my husband, who is now retired, wants to help out by doing his laundry while I work full-time with orthopedically impaired students and commute an hour and a half daily, I'm going to let him. Of course she didn't take the time to learn any of this about us and instead decided to judge us!
Later, in the guest common area, Connie came up and scolded my husband for not having a shirt on, then insisted on taking his stained shirt to wash--despite him explaining he had already dabbed the stain out himself. The exchange became increasingly uncomfortable, and I eventually had to step in and ask her to stop. In my opinion, she blurred appropriate boundaries. We paid $2,020 in full 8 months in advance for privacy. It is NOT appropriate to be pushy, push personal judgements, or physically pull a guest's head into your chest. Unwanted touching crosses a major line.
We were also concerned about 2 visible cameras in the common area. We couldn't determine if they recorded audio, but being observed in shared guest spaces made us uncomfortable. An intermittent buzz kept going off until my husband put his shirt on, making him feel monitored. Guests should be clearly informed if cameras are present. Lastly, for Texas summer visitors: water alone doesn't replace electrolytes, let alone purified water, which was provided, but void of electrolytes. I experienced severe leg cramping and recommend bringing proper hydration supplements.
Lancaster Manor is a beautiful historic property with great beds and a lovely breakfast. However, the host interactions made the stay feel awkward and tense. Hospitality requires being attentive while knowing when to give guests space--we needed less bossing, more listening and engaging conversation instead of being talked at and judged.
I wouldn't mind going back to Texas but I will not be staying here when I do!
