"We were terrorized"
How were you "terrorized"?

"At 6:00 am we were absolutely desperate and started circling the place with the car, honking our horn and still no one stirred."
I'm sure the other guests appreciated that.

"There is absolutly no phone or internet connection in the room we were in"
That's not unusual in a B&B. In fact there website tells you that there is a phone in the gathering room for guests to use. There is no mention of internet - probably because it's not provided for guests.

"Today, the Stone House Victorian Bed and Breakfast Suites provide our guests with comfortable quarters, that are decorated charmingly with period furnishings and linens, but also include modern amenities. The Stone Room is our gathering room. It has a television, telephone, books, games, and puzzles for inn guests to use"


Was this the first time you stayed in a B&B? It sounds like you expected it to be staffed like a hotel. They are not.

"Someone finally showed up at 7:10 on Sunday morning. "continental breakfast" was supposed to be"
That someone probably wasn't sleeping in the B&B. Nor were the other guests if you were driving around honking the horn.

"Good thing we didn't have kids with us."


If you had kids with you, you probably wouldn't have gone out to your car to hang out and the whole fiasco would have been avoided.

One day I'm sure you'll be able to laugh about this. By the way, where is the Stonehouse Inn and Restaurant?

Sounds awful for you. But, really, for security the doors should be locked overnight. Guests probably don't leave in the middle of the night and expect to get back in. Honking your horn at 6 a.m. was a very thoughtful touch. Those guests were terrorized by you.

First post, probably hasn't stayed in a B&B before.

I think emalloy is correct. Perhaps they are not travelers. I have only slept in 2 hotel beds that were comfortable.

In my first stay at a B&B, the man of the house came up to our room every 10 minutes to tell us breakfast was ready even though we told them the night before that we would not be down for breakfast at 7 am. We were three women traveling together. We weren't "terrorized" but it was very rude and insensitive.

I can't wait to hear from the other guests who were terrorized by the lunatics "circling the place with the car, honking our horn" from 6 am until 7:10 am.

Well based on this first time post, I'll never stay at the Stonehouse Inn, wherever the heck in the U.S. that is!

It's next to the Stonehouse Restaurant.

The poster did say that there was supposed to be a way to get in after hours and that it didn't work. What if they hadn't been sleeping and gone out to their car, just came in very late from the wedding?

On the other hand, the poster states "There is absolutly no phone or internet connection in the room we were in so when at 3 in the morning, couldn't sleep (because of the bed), we went to our car where we knew we could use our phone". Not exactly sure why they would need to go out to use the phone at 3 a.m.!

I'll stay there.

Fallingwater is on my Bucket List but I wasn't sure where I would stay. Stonehouse is referenced on their site -
http://www.fallingwater.org/126
and I'd give that recommendation more weight than someone who spent an hour honking the horn while guests were sleeping inside.

I think someone needs to GIVE an apology rather than complaining about not receiving one.

http://www.stonehouseinn.com/

"The poster did say that there was supposed to be a way to get in after hours and that it didn't work. What if they hadn't been sleeping and gone out to their car, just came in very late from the wedding?"

sf, my guess is that the innkeeper locked the interior door for security reasons when they left the premises late at night. Since everyone was in and settled in for the night, I doubt the innkeeper expected anyone to leave at 3pm. Or maybe it was a simple mistake and the latch was turned accidently on the interior door. In any case, being locked out from 3 to 7 was inconvenient, but not "being terrorized".

I'm wondering why they both left to go to the car at 3am. That's seems weird to me.

I'm sorry but using a phone IN YOUR CAR at 3:00 am because you can't sleep, driving around a B&B at 6:00 am without thinking of the other guests, honking like a "TERRORIZED" maniac, it begs to be asked...

Were you STONED?

I'm trying to be objective here. Let's not dwell on the fact that the OP needed to use their cell phones in the car in the middle of the night...

What if, I wanted to retrieve a book from the car trunk because I couldn't sleep in the middle of the night

I see why the OP is angry:
1) Inner door was locked when it was not supposed to be. I WOULD be upset if I were locked out of the inn and could not get back in.

2) According to the OP, the Inn owners have not replied or apologized for this mistake

If it were you, wouldn't you be upset? [tho honking at 6am would not have been my "solution."]

I am with yk here. If the interior door was supposed to be open it should have been. The OP's hyperbole, unreasonable expectations, and odd/annoying behavior aside, they had good reason to expect the inner door to be open if that is indeed what the procedure was supposed to be.

You're right YK.

*hangs head in shame*

I would be upset about being locked out too.

I ALWAYS make sure my card key works or someone is standing at the door to let me back in when I make a trip to the car without a card key...or is it key card?

My apologies, Ciaopiazza for having fun at your expense. I'm sure it was miserable and lack of sleep does not lend itself to reasonable thinking.

Perhaps your experience will prompt them to fix the problem.

By the way, what happened with breakfast? You left us hanging.
~Deb

I certainly would have checked the door to make sure it didn't lock behind me if I were leaving the residence. MAybe it seemed like it was unlocked when it wasn't. I don't know what I would have done had I been in your place besides lots and lots of laughing. That's what I do when I cause crazy things to happen while traveling. I can see us sitting in the car just laughing our heads off. Maybe heading out to an all night place to have a bite or cup of coffee. Is this place likely to have an all night place nearby?

Rooms are priced at $97.01 per night. That's a clear indicator that something is very strange there. They should be 96.99. Or $100. No way we'll be stopping there next week on our drive from bethesda to burlington.

This is the kind of post to which the only possible response is the well-known "Dear Sir, A madman appears to be writing letters and signing your name."

Whatever justice might have been on the OP's side was forfeited through ranting and hyperbole.

We were terrorized because as stated in the review we were locked out, it was pouring rain, middle of no where. That was very upsetting. Do you work for the B&B?

I have stayed in many B&B's and have never had this experience

I'm amazed at the hostility exhibited. They don't give you a key or key card for the doors. I have traveled to Mozambique and had a better experience. We had a right to expect to be able to leave the hotel and get back in. They do claim to have internet and phone service, but there was none when we were there. To accuse us of being stoned is outrageous.

Um - if the OP was in their car to make phone calls at 3 in the am - for some reason, althouhgh don;t know why they didn;t do it from the room - why didn't they just call the number of the Inn and ask to be let back in.

As for the bed not being sufficiently comfortable -- I have found that only about 10% of all beds are comfortable - most are WAY too soft. the answer is just sleep anyway (are they the princess and the pea?), I must admit that once or twice the bed was SO soft that I unmade the bed and slept on the floor (on the comforter - with sheets and duvet) - which was much more comfortable.

I'd be pissed if I went out in the middle of the night for some reason and couldn't get back in. I wouldn't have honked my horn, though.

As for the suggestion to find an all night place to go to to hang out, unless the person went to the car at 3AM with a wallet, they would not have a drivers license and money with them.

That must have been terrifying. Wow, to be stuck in a room with no way to check facebook at 3am! Going so stir-crazy without your precious internet that you had to run out into the pouring rain? In the middle of nowhere (yet with an open-all-night hotel just down the street?)

NIGHTMARE!

Glad you survived, what did mommy say about all this when you phoned her at 4am?

When my DH and I were traveling in England we stayed at a B&B a young couple had just bought. Somehow we went outside early in the morning - probably to take a walk and the door locked behind us. We couldn't get into the front office and we started knocking on the front door. We were joined by other "guests" who were also locked out - and finally (about an hour later) the young couple came and let us in.

They apologized because they had overslept!!

This is sometimes to be expected at B&B's.

I hope the owners/manager will take your complaint to heart and make some kind of provisions for emergency contact. You never know - if this had happened to a child and there was no way to notify anyone or get back in they could have a lawsuit. I'm just saying having a plan for such an event might be sensible.

I agree with the OP 100%. This place is awful. We stayed there and at 6 AM on a peaceful Sunday morning, some deranged people kept circling the place honking their horn. I will NEVER stay THERE again!

Why the hostility toward the OP? Would you be happy to be locked out in the middle of the night because the innkeepers didn't follow their own procedures? Who cares why the OP went to the car at 3AM?

Jubilada, in agreeing, with yk, said it best:
<The OP's hyperbole, unreasonable expectations, and odd/annoying behavior aside>
This is why all the hostility. FWIW, I agree that there should have been a way to get back in. But it's hard to get over all the other weird stuff in the OP's post to reach that conclusion.

Why the hostility toward the OP? Because the "nightmare stay" had a lot more to do with the OP than with the Inn. "Why the hostility toward the Inn" would be the better question.

Oh my, they started breakfast ten minutes late! Visit the real world much?

Being locked out is the only legitimate concern in my opinion and that is what I addressed.

Just my two cents worth. IF the OP could not obtain access back into the B&B HOW would the PD and/or FD and/or paramedics be able to access the B&B when needed? I will not stay at any lodging that does not have a 24/7 desk clerk and that is due to the most terrifying and heartbreaking experience of my life.

Something to think about.

When I see a new poster with an apparently over the top warning about some place being absolutly (oops, it's absolutely) awful, I google a key phrase. I Googled "There is absolutly no phone or internet connection in the room" and got a complete page of identical complaints by this poster on lots of sites. He is spamming the internet. I suggest leaving this hornblower to his own devices, and end this thread.

The OP is also gone - from this site anyway.

"The OP is also gone - from this site anyway."

The OP posted this morning and then 'de-registered' him/herself.

SPAM.

Nevertheless, I still stress that I will NOT stay at a lodging that does NOT have a 24/7 desk clerk. If you do, and do ask, do find out if the the lodging can be accessed by the PD/FD and Paramedics. Think about it, please!

Well don't stay at my house because I don't have a desk clerk on duty 24/7.

We don't know that they were locked out, only that they did not know how to get back in. Might have not listened to the instructions given at check-in, or read the notice posted, or seen the emergency buzzer.

Love, I am so sorry that this thread resurrected the most distressing experience of your life. I am also sorry that clark felt a need to make light of this. You do not, and I might say never, deserve such a response from anyone on this board.

Right now I am up at 3:00 AM unable to sleep. We are at our timeshare on Cape Cod. It is not staffed 24/7 and you can bet that if we go out of our unit after hours, we make sure that we have our keys.

One new addition that I have noted this year is a blue placard that is bolted on the back of the entrance doors of the unit with explicit details of what you should do if you need help when no one is on duty. It has details for both non-emergency and 911 types of help.

I must confess that years ago, my partner and I had to try to sleep in our little two seater sports car -- in the rain, no less -- all night in Miami. We lost our room key during the evening and when we returned to the motel (not a B&B, but about a 45 room motel!) the office was locked with no notice of how to get hold of them in emergencies. We'd have driven the two hours home, but alas, all our luggage was in our room.

I could have screamed about how the place was horrible because they don't allow for such emergencies, but I accept that S--T happens, and in our case it did. The bottom line is -- if you leave your room in the middle of the night, it's a good idea before you close the doors behind you to MAKE SURE you can get back in. Sorry if some think such advise seems cruel or mean -- but it just seems pretty damned logical to me!!!

And by the way, the lesson we learned was to always get TWO room keys, even though you think you'll only need one.

OMG, did I really just type "advise" when I meant "advice"? Sorry, typo police!

Neo's inspirationally sane post made me realize that the OP's refusal to take any responsibility for his predicament that night is another reason his post has generated hostility, at least from me. Adults know that "S--T happens".

Neo's story reminds me of one I'd forgotten. 15 years ago we were staying in the oldest inn in our state. Check-in went fine. I visited with the new owners of the B&B/inn, we went to our room to get situated and got ready to go out and do some house-hunting. The door to the room wouldn't open. There were no phones in the rooms - not unusual in a B&B. We knocked on the door and yelled but no one was near to hear us. I checked the window but it was pretty high off the ground and we really didn't want to jump. We sat for a while and repeated the knocking/yelling process. Finally, I was just completely frustrated and got a credit card of my wallet. I'd never tried doing it before, but I eventually got the door open. We went directly to the check-in desk and the (brand new) innkeeper was completely surprised and I'm not sure how much help she would have been if she had heard us.

It never occurred to me to get really upset with her and make a big deal over it. It was an old lock - the house was built in 1896. We were locked in. It was frustrating - but we weren't "terrorized". I met the former owner the following morning (he came to help the new owners to serve breakfast on their first holiday weekend) and he's the one who told me about the place I bought. He was a neighbor for years and I can't even remember if we ever talked about the incident again.

The short story was an old lock didn't work correctly. We were locked in for about an hour - but would have been there a lot longer until someone happened by. It's not the way you want things to happen, but as Neo pointed out "S--T happens".

And in a roundabout way it lead me to my much beloved place in the mountains which demonstrates the saying that flowers can grow out of....well, nevermind.

LoveItaly, We stayed in a small mom and pop over Labor Day weekend. They had no 24/7 desk clerk. The room had no telephone. It was in the middle of nowhere. It occured to me that our only contact in an emergency in the middle of the night would be our cell phone, but what about someone who had no cell phone. I think your advice is valid.

And starrs' story makes me realize that some people keep a positive attitude whole others have what I would call poor coping skills.I have friends who freak out when things go wrong and spin themselves and everyone around them into a frenzy; afterward, they retell the story of the horror over and over, saying "I will never forget it." Well, I tend to find the humor in the situation, and I do tend to forget the bumps in the road b/c I don't give them much space; I'd rather look back on good travel memories than a series of mishaps.

Hi cd, the lodging where the incident happened was named X Hotel not a X B&B. I had no idea that the desk clerk left at 11:00PM and due to their switchboard they turned off the phones in the rooms. My husband after midnight had a heart attack. I picked up the hotel room phone to call 911 to find there was not a dial tone. I in a panic dug my cell phone (thank goodness I had it with me) out of my purse. I knew the non 911 number to the PD/FD direct line thankfully as if I had punched in 911 I would have reached the CAHP and would have lost minutes while they transfered my call.

Having said that when I reached the local dispatcher via their non emergency 911 number I was told they could not access the hotel unless I went down to the entry and opened the door for them. I had to explain to my husband while I was leaving and ran down all three stories. The PD/FD and paramedics were waiting outside as I opened the exterior front door for them..they sure made good time!

Would my beloved husband have lived? I don't know of course. But I do know that I will never ever stay anywhere that does not provide a 24/7 desk clerk and a working 24/7 phone in the room.

Having to leave my husband alone still breaks my heart. The whole scenerio was a nightmare.

And regarding being "locked" in the hotel room for an hour, starrs, that wouldn't have been a good outcome if there had been a sudden fire, it could have been a very big deal and not just a bump in the road.

Anyway, we all make different decisions in life and I have stated mine regarding lodgings.

I'm so sorry, LoveItaly.

While I agree that the OP sounds like he/she overreacted to the situation, I don't think that should obscure the fact that the B&B was still in the wrong, IMHO.

Although unclear, it sounds like the OP tried to do as instructed, but the security door or inner door lock wasn't as it should be, and calls to the management went to voice mail. Both things that shouldn't happen. And it sounds like the final straw was the lack of apology.

Not saying it's the end of the world, or that it warranted the OP's rage, but I can understand being very annoyed.

I too am so sorry LoveItaly.

Oh, I missed LoveItaly's post--I'm so sorry you had to go through that.

" But I do know that I will never ever stay anywhere that does not provide a 24/7 desk clerk and a working 24/7 phone in the room."

Again, I believe that to be good advice and neither will I.

LoveItaly, I'm so sorry you had to experience that. It's heart-breaking to read what happened to you and your husband.

And starrs' story is a bit frightening too.

When I was young and traveled w/my parents, my dad always made sure that I (and my brother) knew exactly where the fire escape was located before we retired for the night.

These are all good reminders when we're on the road staying at unfamiliar places. While we always think, "It won't happen to ME," it's better to be safe/prepared than not.

let's remember the last person to leave the b+b was the op. perhaps, unknowingly, they did something when they opened the interior door to leave.. and it self-locked.

put a shoe in the door like you would during a fire.

I would be VERY upset. No one's business why I would go out to my car. To have a cigarette. To fetch a hair clip, map, flashlight or a book. Who cares?

There should be an emergency number on the door in case something like this happens again or a passerby sees fire.

Two people both left the room supposedly to go outside. Hmmm
I do NOT believe that ANY B&B or hotel would leave the property without someone in charge of it.
It's all bogus.
And as the last post says, there would be an emergency number.

BTW...OP's profile has been disabled.

Gretchen, I have no idea what the OP and spouse experienced that night but having said that I do know that it is possible that some properties are left unattended during the night. Read the post regarding what I experienced. There is nothing bogus about what I posted.

I have been thinking of you all day, Love. I am so sorry for the terrible tragedy that you endured. Please ignore the thoughtless things that some people post.

Gretchen you have no idea of what you are talking about. MANY properties are left unattended at night, including the timeshare property, a facility with 28 units where I am staying as I write this. There is a lobby with a front desk that is totally unattended after ~8 :00 PM every night.

Also you replace the word "would" for "should" in the post above yours. Lincas said that there SHOULD be an emergency number posted, which is very different than the statement you make in (allegedly) quoting him (her?) that there WOULD be an emergency number posted. They mean opposite things!

I've never stayed in a motel that didn't have a sign up at the desk stating what time the desk closed if it was not 24/7.

AAA notes desk times in their guidebooks.

Stayed in two motels out in the country last fall that had no room phones, I would not stay there without a cellphone.

I doubt there are many motels, hotels or inns left anywhere that still have "switchboards" that "turn off the phones".

socialworker : "I am sorry that clark felt a need to make light of this".

Clark felt no such need, please don't tell others how we feel.

Loveitaly.. I am so sorry I got wrapped up in answering the post instead of sending a hug to you FIRST!

Sorry clark, but when you replied, immediately after LoveItaly had posted and said,

"Well don't stay at my house because I don't have a desk clerk on duty 24/7",

how else could it be interpreted? Please enlighten me as to what you meant. And please don't say that you were responding to the OP, b/c 24/7 was the phrase LoveItaly had used in the post immediately above yours.

LoveItaly I am so sorry you both went through that. And I will take your advice to heart.

Thank you, dear Fodorites, for all your kind words.

To my knowledge we never stayed at any other lodging that didn't have a 24/7 desk clerk but since we never had any other emergency maybe we had without being aware.

Anyway I decided after I got over the shock, the terrible heartbreak etc., that I would share what we went through with anyone that was interested.

May you all have joyful and safe trips!

LoveItaly, that is a terrible situation and your advice is very well taken.

I am not surprised the OP de-registered after the reception she got on this thread. She has obviously been visiting every travel forum trying to warn people about the establishment because their experience was so awful. Isn't that what these forums are for---to share information??

Kswl2, every food and travel forum I visit tends to be hard on first-time posters who come out of the gate with a scathing indictment of an inn or restaurant or whatever. The OP's reception here was harsh, but it wasn't, at least IME, unusual. The trouble with posts like the OP's is that they are filled with hyperbole and the business in question is ALL bad--again, IME, boards react poorly to them.

I don't think you're supposed to take a review that you posted on TripAdvisor and copy/paste it here. It has become the property of TripAdvisor (or something like that).

I think this one was first. She left the part about their driving around the inn, honking the horn at 6am out of the TripAdvisor version.

I really think certain posters stalk threads just to disagree and generally berate.

Someone who has had a particularly bad experience is certainly likely to post about it on every forum they can, whether or not they've posted previously.

Obviously, anyone reading such a post can decide for themselves what to do with the information.

"I really think certain posters stalk threads just to disagree and generally berate."

Couldn't agree more--

LoveItaly, I just read your post about your tragedy. I am so sorry. It has made me realize that with my husband's medical issues I really need to verify whether there is someone available 24/7 at any place we stay at.

Dear orangetravel, I am aware your husband has serious medical issues and consequently I am glad to read that you will check if there is a 24/7 desk clerk when on trips. My thinking has always been if I could save one person or family from going through what we experienced it would be a good thing. Best wishes to the two of you.

Don't waste your money or time on this place! I agree with ciaopiazza 100% but for different reasons. Below is the correspondence I am still tweaking to send to the proprieters of the Stone House Inn in Farmington, PA - I was just there this past weekend. I also intend to contact Fallingwater about their connection with this inn.

I have been staying at B&Bs and family owned/operated inns for over three decades and my recent stay at your inn was by far the worst experience for lodging (and dining) that I can remember and I felt compelled to let you know about my visit - this is the first letter of this nature that I have ever written. I booked 5 months in advance in order to secure a room in the historic section of your building with a private bath and off the road. However when I arrived I was directed to a room (Braddock) at the front of the building right on Rt. 40 that was far too noisy to even read, let alone sleep later, so after a short amount of time I went down to the desk to inquire. I was informed that the room I booked (Lincoln) was already occupied by another guest. I had my confirmation email with me for the Lincoln room and asked the young woman if she would like to see it but was told no. I did not want to disturb or annoy any of the other guests therefore I did not cause any commotion or confrontation – I simply asked to be moved to a quieter room.

The room I was moved to was a shock, and not in a good way...holes in the wall, wall paint splattered all over the floor, no window shades or blinds, mismatched and deteriorated bed linens, nails sticking out of the wall where I can only assume there used to be something hanging and to top it all off, it was over the kitchen and back of the bar. The kitchen smoke and smells became obvious after I had settled in and had me so nauseated by the next morning that I left about 2 hours earlier than planned. The 'private' bathroom was down a small hall that was exposed to the common room through what appear to have been former outside windows with no way of making it truly private and it could also be entered from the kitchen below. The lighting in the bathroom was so poor that I could not even use the mirror over the sink. On a side note, I cannot recall seeing any smoke detectors, sprinklers or any such safety devices anywhere…maybe they are just extremely well hidden.

My family and I had dined at your restaurant a few years ago and had a good experience but I cannot say the same this time so I can only assume that there has been a change in kitchen staff. The prime rib was edible (it’s normally one of my favorite things to eat), the mashed potatoes were sticky and gooey (like they had been 'mashed' in a food processor and over processed until glue-like) and most of the mixed vegetables were overcooked. The dessert was not good at all – I chose that dessert based entirely on the waiter’s suggestion after being told that the normal choices of two types of chocolate cake were not available. On a side note – there was nothing fresh about the continental breakfast except the coffee and there was no one around to assist when the milk ran out between 8:00 and 8:30.

I was not offered any explanation, apology or compensation of any type for the problem with my room or the food. Not only does your inn need extensive rehab/fix-up it also needs a staff overhaul. The current state of the inn is not conducive to bringing you repeat business.

dls, so let me understand this. You've never posted on Fodors before, and probably never even been here before, yet somehow you just KNEW that there was a post here about the Stonehouse and you just HAD to come here, register, and then comment on a post that you magically knew about.
Did I get that right?
Have you ever stayed anywhere you liked? If so, this board is for recommendations, not just rants about horrible experiences. Now that you're registered, why not offer a few reviews of those other good B&Bs you've stayed in over the past 30 years?

funny how these threads get revived - I'm never sure how that happens.

funny to see loveitaly here too.

what a weird thread.

It wasn't that hard for this poster to do, Patrick. When you google Stonehouse Inn, this OP comes up within the first dozen or so hits. Ever since Fodors went Google, this can be done quite easily.

OK, but my comment still remains. What a pain if people just use Fodors to come here, register and rant negatives without also providing positive travel experiences.

Actually a negative can be a BIG positive, if it is valid.

I agree. But all negative posts here without any recommendations of good will drive people away in no time!

By the way, your "if it is valid" is the biggie here.

Neo, sorry but you and I are STILL here despite all the so-called "negative" posts.

This B+B stuff is great when that's all there is to stay in but it makes me glad I'm not above staying in some dreaded chain hotel

Perhaps the first OP's problem wasn't valid, but the new one seems to be pretty specific. I'd at least investigate that if I was considering this B&B.