John R.
Yelp
We first visited Bedford Springs Hotel in 2009 and were enchanted by the location, grounds, and interior spaces. It was the day after Christmas and there were some lovely decorations. The food was good in the two restaurants we tried.
Our second visit was overnight after meeting our daughter and grandchildren whom we had not seen for more than a year due to COVID-19. It was also our 50th wedding anniversary "splurge."
Unfortunately, it was a great disappointment. Ten years have taken their toll on the place, and it looks like the owners and management have not bothered to maintain it. We were also surprised that having paid more (almost $400) for the room than we had ever paid, even on the French Riviera, that our reception was not more welcoming.
As required, we turned over our car for valet parking and were asked if we wanted help with our bags. We declined thinking that we would check in and then get some help with them. When you arrive at the portico where you leave your car, you enter what appears to be the main door and find a space that is not the lobby or reception desk. In fact, where that desk is was not marked, so we started hiking, mercifully in the right direction. We arrive at the desk and checked in. We clearly had our bags with us, and I was walking using a cane. The reception clerk did not offer to have our bags transferred and gave us directions to our room, which were so complex that we had to ask her to repeat them. She handed us a floor plan of the massive linear building, but the print was so small that it was useless.
Another odd thing happened. She insisted on charging our credit card and additional two hundred dollars as a sort of "incidentals" account. (I figure it was in case we swiped one of the rather lovely woven coverlets on the bed.) When we questioned this, she assured us it would be refunded if there were no charges against it.
She neglected to tell us the room was as far away as you could get from the desk. We walked, lugging bags behind us, and walked, and walked. We walked past the chess table room, around the corner, past the pool, past the snack bar, past the gift shops, and finally encountered an elevator to take us upstairs.
The signage to direct us to the rooms was rather, shall we say "discreet?" Leaving the beat-up looking elevator, we spent a few minutes out of breath deciding which way to go. Happily we were right, and walked another distance to the room. We sat down, exhausted. The thing is, the last time we were there, we were in a much more central location and were not aware that one end of the hotel was in the next county! This place needs many more elevators to help in access at different points.
At first the room looked lovely. It was nicely decorated and appeared clean. It soon became apparent that the pristine room we had stayed in previously was no longer the standard here. I cannot complain about the cleanliness, except for the bathroom sink, which appeared to need a good scrubbing.
What I found most unfortunate, was the condition of the furnishings. The two tables had either large patches of worn-off finish or were pocked with dings. The TV cabinet had a lot of raw wood showing through the finish. A painted night table between the beds was scraped along the edges of the top, and the bed frames, too, were all banged up. I have seen better furnishings in a much less expensive Mom and Pop-owned B&B. In the bathroom, the shades on the wall sconce were all cracked and broken. I have included photos of these shabby pieces.
We attempted to make reservations for the Tavern and were told they did not accept reservations but it should not be a problem getting in. Dreading the awful trek back past the reception desk and through a long gallery to the Tavern, we called the desk and asked if a wheel chair was available. My wife pushed me to the Tavern (not always easy on the heavy (but frayed) carpeting on the way. A hamburger, onion rings, and macaroni and cheese with shrimp plus one soda cost us $44.
Arriving at the Tavern, we were told there would be a 25-minute wait. We sat in a long gallery that resembles the deck of a ship on rather uncomfortable chaises longues-style deck chairs. When called, we were ushered to a table. The waiter was very personable and attentive. Unfortunately, because we ordered tremendously complex and difficult dishes (a hamburger and macaroni and cheese), it took the kitchen another half-hour to send them out.
Back to the room, where there was only one upholstered chair to sit in (the other being a straight-backed side chair), so we spent a moment watching the TV and called it a night. This was after considering taking a nice hot shower since it has been so cold in the Tavern, but since there were no grab bars or safety devices, my wife talked me out of it.
In the morning we agreed to forego breakfast and decided to leave. Next time in Bedford, we will stay at the little mom and pop motel downtown.
