\"Amazing Hill Top Castle\"
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 3/28/09
Let me start this by saying that my boyfriend and I were hesitant to stay here, after reading some of the other reviews. I called a few times, late in the evening, and spoke with Jim (he is wonderful!) about the place. He pointed out that accomodations do vary because they are condos owned by different individuals, and then gave us advice on which rooms were nicest overall.
Upon arrival late Friday evening, I was blown away by the beauty of the Manor from the outside. A group of deer were grazing nearby, adding to the lovely scene. Jim greeted us, as did two blazing fires in the fireplaces of the gorgeous lobby. One previous review complained about the walk from the lower lot to the building. Honestly, unless you are disabled or extremely old and feeble, I do not see why this would be an issue. It can't be more than 50 feet from the lot to the hotel entrance. Another thing mentioned by someone was that they considered it tacky to have to leave a deposit for remotes to use in the room. I was not particularly fond of that, but it is a condo you are renting, so I can understand why the owners would want their property safeguarded.
As another reviewer mentioned, the hallways are not the greatest. They are also not the worst. Granted, they do not match the splendor of the lobby area, but we did not mind them at all. Now for the room--awesome! It was beautifully appointed, from the Tiffany-style lamps to the beach-themed touches. The kitchen was equipped with all of the tools we might need, and there was a TV with vcr/dvd player downstairs, and a flat screen with dvd in our loft bedroom.
The terrace was unbelievable, and I spent a lot of time out there, both day and night, enjoying the incredible view and breathing in the crisp sea air. As I mentioned, deer gather at night, and the lights of the town are beautiful on the water. I couldn't wait to wake up and see it in the day after our first night! The sunsets are not to be missed! If you are going to stay here, definitely get a water view room--it is so worth it! We were on the first floor, and our terrace was huge, with seating and a concrete table and benches.
The pool/hot tub/sauna area was nice, but we were not that thrilled with the fact that there is always a lifeguard on duty, as we had hoped to catch it when no one was around and have some alone time. Another small issue with it was that (this may only be on weekdays) it was only open from 6-10 p.m. There are tennis courts on the grounds, which we did not get around to using.
On our second day there, management sent us a bottle of wine, and later wished me a happy birthday, which was a very nice touch. Adding to it was that I don't know how they knew it was my birthday, as neither of us had mentioned it. Late one night, we went out to the lobby to sit by the fire, and the player piano was turned off. Jim made sure it was turned on for us, and it was really a lovely atmosphere in which to enjoy a glass of wine and each other.
One issue I had was upon checking out, when the woman at the desk acted put upon because my boyfriend told her we were running late. It was Monday morning, and I think she could have been more pleasant about us taking a bit longer than checkout time. Also, we did not eat at the restaurant in the hotel, because the consensus seemed to be that it is not the greatest. There is a small bar there, however. Definitely inquire about what rooms are best before staying, and don't expect there to be a plethora of activities in the winter months.
Overall, our stay there was absolutely wonderful! If people are looking for a mainstream, corporate hotel, they should stay elsewhere. If you are looking for a lovely and relaxing trip in a gorgeous setting, go to the Manor!