For background, I am a seasoned B&B guest. I expect a certain level of service for my money, and adjust my expectations accordingly. Due to the cost of this lodging, and positive reviews perused prior to booking, they started out with my expectations "high".
We booked online, and I noticed check in was listed as starting at 1pm on the site, and at 3pm on the inn's website. I contacted them directly, and was asked to give them an arrival time. As we were arriving by ferry at Sidney and having lunch and then driving down, I chose 1:30. Again, just before our arrival day, I received another email, asking us to confirm our arrival time.
Imagine our surprise to arrive promptly at the requested 1:30, to find the inn deserted. There are signs directing you to ring the bell for service. No one answered the bell until 2:15. The young lady was apologetic, but it was not an auspicious start. She also did not speak English well, mistaking an immediate "restroom" request for a "restaurant".
We had ample time to take in the garden while waiting. It was sadly in need of mowing, and pruning. It looked nothing like the photos online. A large thorny rose bush branch was sticking out in the driving lane, making it difficult to exit the parking area, especially with the employee's van parked in the lot. The Inn itself has peeling paint, like a grand old lady showing her wrinkles. The hot tub squats inelegantly in the corner of the front yard.
The entry of the inn is the bright, windowed breakfast room. Different sets of china are pre-laid on the tables. (Guests tend to handle them while looking around, then you'll eat on them in the AM) Further in is the library, a smallish room where afternoon tea and coffee and sherry are available. Spice cookies were laid out the first day, but not the second. Morning coffee can be found here, at 7:30, before the 8:30 breakfast.
Our room, the Emily Carr, was on the second floor. There is a sitting room with a "fainting couch" (right out of a Wild West saloon) and a straight back chair. (pictures online show two fainting couches and one has been relocated downstairs to the library) Dominating the room is the Jacuzzi tub, a rather jarring note in the Victorian room. The bedroom is behind French doors, and the bed has a satin canopy. Unfortunately, this room was dark and dusty and the light fixture was wreathed with cobwebs. There were literally balls of dust on each side of the bed under the tables and the canopy was plainly in need of a good shaking. Unhappily, I now find other reviews saying the same.
The next day maid service made up the bed, despite my having left my luggage and clothing on the bed, which I mistakenly thought was a universal "do not touch" sign... but did nothing about the dust balls.
There is a separate bathroom with toilet and shower and sink. The water pressure was fair and while the hot water took awhile, it lasted long enough to shower each morning.
The television does not have all the channels listed on the paper in the room. Possibly they have downgraded their cable package.
We stayed in the Spring, in warm weather. Radiators keep the room warm, but they never had to come on during our stay. Rather, we had the windows cracked for air. Unfortunately the employees felt the need to light the fireplace in the main hall in the morning- "so the guests could see it"- and it warmed the entire middle of the house through the hot afternoon. I found the breakfast room far too warm each morning.
Now, breakfast. Part of your "bed and breakfast" experience should be a truly memorable breakfast. However the first morning was a forgettable banana muffin-dry and lacking taste. This was followed by salmon eggs Benedict that was acceptable. The second morning I'm not sure what the muffin was...something Southwestern with corn. The main dish was French toast, covered with blueberry compote and other berries. It came already drizzled with a haze of syrup. The toast seemed to be Wonder bread, as only one side of the toast was cooked, and flipping it over revealed the white uncooked slices. If I have to sortie from my room to meet a specified breakfast time (and 8:30 is too late for early touring folk and too early for lazy vacationers) then I expect more. C minus for breakfasts.
What were the pluses? With only 3 other couples staying, we did have a parking spot each night in the private lot. If you are spry, the walk to town is easy.
Dust in the bedroom aside, the bed itself was comfortable, thankfully. The Jacuzzi tub works as advertised. It was too hot to try the fireplace, but a Presto log was provided. Someone had tried it, as a previous log was half burned and still in the grate.
In all, it certainly was not the five star experience I see it rating on websites. I fear some of those ratings were given by folks more familiar with Holiday Inn than custom bed and breakfast Inns. read more