Great grounds, neat activities, service and rooms unpolished and unimpressive

I wrote this review and posted it on Tripadvisor after my experience.  Funny thing is, that I gave it 3 stars and wish I could lower it to 2.  Honestly, the service here is not good and my post stay experience only reinforced it.  I got an email from the GM asking me to complete a survey IF I got one post stay so that they could always improve service, etc.  This was a form email and was not in response to any complaints or anything.  I actually responded to the email and linked my TA review and said, well I already did a review and if you want my thoughts, here they are.  Ironically, I never got a response, never got a post stay survey (which I find odd) and the hotel replied to almost all reviews before and AFTER mind on TA but ignored mine.  No response, no comment, no apology, no email to discuss, nothing.  All that just seriously reinforced what I focused on in the original review, which is that service and training and customer commitment at this place are atrocious.

The main lodge area where you check in is a nice building and has a very nice spa and pool area outside. Upon our arrival though, we stood in the lodge lobby with suitcases for 2 minutes and no one came to help, asked us if we were there to check in, etc. The lobby was empty in fact. Eventually, one person came and sat at a desk and ignored us, and then later a second person came in and finally checked us in. No room upgrade given as Globalist and a review of the available rooms indicated that what appears to be the standard upgrade was available and no mention was even made. I said nothing because I did not really care but I dislike when properties cannot follow the terms properly of the program and I don't like asking for stuff like an upgrade, even when I am supposed to receive it automatically. To the staff member's credit, he did a very thorough job of explaining everything else about my booking, benefits, and the property itself on the map.

When we got our room key later, since it was not ready yet at 1pm, the room itself was fine. It was in a hallway that frankly smelled of chlorine and seemed like a Motel 6 hallway...drab, long with room doors on one side, closed in.  There were about 8 empty wine glasses stacked in the hall next to a supply closet and they remained there from the moment we checked in until we left over 2 days later, despite actually watching several housekeepers pass by them.

The room itself was nice enough and had an outdoor tub on the balcony. The shower in the room was sad and weak, with a narrow stream, which is one of my pet peeves. Housekeeping came by and knocked on my door at 0900 hours and then when they asked what time I wanted housekeeping, I told them and they agreed and then they failed to come at that time, instead they came 40 minutes later, by which time I had already returned from breakfast, so I had to send them away again. The housekeeper came holding a small bag of cleaning supplies only, which did not surprise me, given that the top of the fireplace area on the balcony was covered in a layer of filth so thick it was clear it had not been cleaned in ages. I got the impression the cleaning service was akin to the hotels where the housekeeper runs in, touches up the critical areas and restocks some items and runs out. Ironically, to make a comparison to Ventana Big Sur up the road, I walked in on the housekeeper there while she was cleaning and I saw her spraying and washing the shower door, which I found surprisingly thorough. Can't say I expect I would have seen that here.

Service in the restaurant is pretty unpolished as well, as delays are long and common (read the flyertalk discussion thread for this hotel and you see SEVERAL mentions of that issue, so it is clearly common). Service was friendly and the food in the restaurant was very good, but it was slow and haphazard. While I was having breakfast one morning, an employee begins mopping the floor about 5 feet from me with a very strong lemon smelling chemical, which ended my ability to enjoy breakfast. The server was mortified to her credit when I mentioned it and she had clearly noticed the incident as well, but the damage was done. Just basic training issues that seemed to crop up here constantly at check in, at the restaurant, at housekeeping, etc.

Also, they text you and tell you to let them know if you need anything, and I asked for either milk or real cream for the coffee machine in the room instead of the non dairy non refrigerated creamer in the room, and was told I could get a take away order from the restaurant if I wanted milk or cream. Now, this is where properties like Ventana Big Sur or other actual high end properties distinguish themselves...at true 5 star properties, I would never expect that kind of answer to a guest request that is so easily fixed and frankly I do not think is even a little unreasonable. I expect that kind of response in some places but the thing is, when you are charging midweek rates of 500-1500, like you are at this property, I don't expect that kind of response.

The food itself in the restaurant was good for dinner and breakfast, and unexpectedly the portions were a good size.  It is not cheap but they give you quite a bit of food for the servings, and we could not even finish what we ordered for dinner one night (the roasted garlic appetizer was like 5 entire heads of garlic for example). 

This place is definitely a neat destination, with its farm animals and flower fields and vineyards, all of which make for great exploring on property. We hiked up and saw the horses and goats, enjoyed the views, saw the sheep and vineyard and flower fields. The property has a slate of interesting activities on offer every day as well, from honey tasting to cheese-making which is really cool.

Bottom line, room was good although shower was seriously subpar. Grounds are awesome and lovely and worth exploring...goats are adorable, horses are great, sheep, chickens etc. All fantastic. Views on the grounds are super lovely and the property is just beautiful. The activities add interesting things to see and do, but service, training and polish are sorely lacking for the price point. Frankly, service was more in line with what I would expect at a property like the Hyatt Regency in Monterey, which can be had for <$200 a night at times. Not a bad place overall, and I would maybe consider staying again, but based on my experience, it would have to be at the VERY lower end of the rate range to feel justified.  Probably not though, especially given the post stay proof that they just don't care.