They say "Historic". They mean "Roughing-It"
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 6/27/11
We reserved the Lenhart because we needed to stay in Bemus Point for a function and there were no other options. The best thing about the place is the location. The Lake was beautiful, the town was adorable. The Lenhart, however, was more than a disappointment. I had checked their website and spoke to them on the phone before reserving. So, I knew I had to pay extra for a bathroom, however odd that is. I was led to believe that it was a quiet, romantic, quaint get-away. When we arrived there were fancy, Victorian sitting rooms off the lobby with tarps over the furnature and buckets on the floor with water coming in through the ceiling. Being an historic building should not mean that we have to rough-it. We checked in and had to carry our own bags up three flights of stairs. Each floor we passed smelled mustier and mustier, and I knew then that my breathing condition would flair up due to the poor air quality. There is no A/C, or ventilation system aside from opening the window. But, trust me, the noise from the veranda, the Casino next door and the street are all you get from opening the window. We had to call the front desk from our cell phone (no phone in the room) at 3 am to complain that the drunks outside were still going strong. The room doors are so loose in the jamb, with no seal at all, that every time a door on our floor opened or shut, our door would rattle in the catch, sounding as if someone was trying to get in. There was a door inside our room that led to the next guests room, with no seal either, and cotton stuffed in the keyhole. It sounded as if the people next door were right in our room. The bathroom sink ran all night. The sink, toilet and tub were definitely original, with rust stains, cracks and all. The ceiling had water stains and the wallpaper was peeling. There was a small closet with an extra blanket and some wire hangers. No iron, no luggage rack. There was an annoying lack of horizontal surfaces. We ended up having to set a lot on the bed. For instance. there was no place in the bathroom to set our toiletries. There was an antique dressing table-type piece in the bedroom but they had used that surface for their decor, leaving little room for my necessities. Not even a night stand. I had to set my glasses, phone and inhaler on the floor. I hated to set my curling iron on their antique, but there was no alternative other than the carpet or window sill. The lack of soundproofing explains why there were no TV, radio, phone or alarm clock in the room. But, no lamps and no clock! And no nightstand to set our watch on. No excuse for that.
When we checked out, we were still furious about the obnoxious drunks that kept us up all night (at this point, I was thinking that the free breakfast would have to be worth $150 for this stay to be worth the money). We complained again about the situation to the front desk and were told that it is a cronic problem, especially during the summer. Ever since the Casino opened next door, its been worse. The Sheriff's Department is not nearby and are slow to respond, if at all. Certainly doesn't make us want to return. I suggested that be reflected in their prices. We'd have gotten a better night's sleep in a tent somewhere.
I understand that the cost of maintaining an historic site that size must be astronomical, however, the prices (we paid $168.00 for 1 night) would be easier to take with a few simple amenities.
A few suggestions for the Lenhart: A little goes a long way. For that price I would expect at the very least to have real coat hangers, luggage benches and a bell hop. Some guest are not as young or fit as we are and to carry our own bags up 3 huge flights after forking over almost $200/ night was borderline insulting. If you have trouble with unruly guests on weekends, hire a security guard to deal with them. Get some weather stripping for the guestroom doors. Get rid of the dampness and smell. At the very least, put a clock in the room.