Dear Disappointed,

We are very sorry you were not satisfied with your stay, and thank you for taking the time to let us know why; we always want to know of anything which could use improvement. But it would have been even more helpful if you had let us know while you were here, so we could have tried to make your stay more enjoyable. Of all the resources you invest in a vacation, time is by far the most precious, as it can never be refunded.

Among all the authentic antiques used throughout this historic 1886 home, cheap imitation antique bedframes would seem instantly out of place. King and queen size beds were virtually unknown in that era, and yet we try to satisfy the modern preference for these larger sizes. So we reconstruct full size antique bedframes with solid support for the larger mattresses. With a Queen size, once it is made up with our puffy down comforters and pillows, if people notice anything it is usually the quality of the bedlinens. But we agree that a King mattress looks pretty silly in a full bedframe, and have a woodworker scheduled to come in February especially to create a suitable head and footboard, using some matching material from another antique bedframe.

Most of our guests do not require multiple beds in their room. While we have a few rooms regularly equipped with twin sized daybeds, we have one 'blow-up' twin bed to bring in for special requests. It is the best we can find - Grandin Road brand, and cost about $200. If anybody knows of any better, please let us know. When used it is dressed with our usual quality cotton mattress pads, high thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, cotton blankets, and down pillows and comforters.

With continued attention to period decor, we have one pull-chain toilet which has a modern reproduction wooden seat (this is one item which mercifully does not survive the use of the ages!) It is thoroughly cleaned, just the same as the modern white ones used in all of the other rooms. The shabby old curtains you mention, I'm glad to report, have been replaced with beautiful velvet full length material; it had long been on our to-do list, but with the limitations of the recent economy and the fact that we have 52 long tall windows to dress, it was put off until we had taken care of the first priority, quality bedding and robes. The windows with broken rope, while operable, are also on the to do list for our incoming woodworker (if it was easy, it would have been fixed long ago). As our housekeeper says, "Paso a pasito, mas bonito" (Step by little step, more beautiful.)

We have long been pondering the issue of providing a public common room in addition to our splendid ballroom, cozy little snug room, and the original dining room of the main house. So we are preparing the Library for public use, with the fine old fireplace it is just the place for afternoon tea, etc.

Last but not least, the subject of Breakfast, dear to the heart of any innkeeper. We take care to procure only the best quality ingredients, mainly organic and local, and serve at the time most suited for the majority of our guests on the given morning, with a two hour window of time on account of Safe Serve guidelines. We cater to a great variety of guests with very different schedules, from early morning birders to late night dancers. But our priority is to provide the best ingredients at their freshest state. For example, orange juice is not some factory produced item ever-ready on the buffet counter; we wait until guests are seated to slice and squeeze organic oranges, so we can provide the very freshest and tastiest juice.

For similar reasons we prefer not to let baked goods sit around during the day, and most of our guests are happy with the bowls of fresh organic fruit in front hall and dining room, available for a quick snack or handy to grab on the way out for a stroll. But as they say, there is no disputing taste, and we can't please everybody all the time. If you prefer eating at Denny's, I'm glad you found something you like, and hope you will be satisfied in every way with your very next trip, wherever that may be.

best regards,
Vivien