Great Oak Manor
One of Maryland's historically significant estates, Great Oak Manor sits on twelve acres directly on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland's Eastern Shore. With large common rooms and beautifully appointed guest rooms, comfortable outside... more
Here is what guests had to say...
| "A quiet, secluded retreat"
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4/28/2008 |
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My husband planned a surprise weekend getaway to celebrate my special "milestone" birthday. He selected the Great Oak because it looked to be a wonderful secluded place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. The grounds, the scenery and the home and its surroundings were beautiful, and very peaceful. However, we were not as impressed by the service.
Our initial impression when we first arrived was not what we expected. After being on the road for over 4 hours with the first 2 in heavy traffic, we were looking forward to a relaxing weekend getaway. The innkeeper welcomed us by telling us she was just sitting down to dinner, then rushed us through a hurried "tour" of the home. This made us feel uncomfortable the moment we walked through the door, because we were imposing. Feeling rushed is exactly what we were hoping to leave behind.
During our 2-night stay, the housekeeping staff removed from our room our fine crystal champagne glasses we brought with us. We brought them from England and they were a discontinued pattern. We did retrieve them, however, they were unfortunately run through the dishwasher. The staff also removed some water bottles we planned to keep (we purposely left them on the table and did not discard them in the trash can less than a foot away). I think the housekeeping staff should leave the guests' personal belongings as they are.
All in all, the Great Oak Manor was a lovely place. Being awoken by a chorus of birds in the morning was one of the highlights of our stay.
View Reviewer Info
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| Innkeeper Response |
I was happy to read that you found your stay with Great Oak Manor Bed and Breakfast to be “all in all a lovely place”. Therefore it saddened me that I misread you on your arrival. It is our intention for our guests to feel at home. I am very sorry if I made you feel hurried or uncomfortable. Arriving frazzled during the dinner hour, perhaps you misinterpreted my intention in the abbreviated tour. Although most Bed and Breakfast Inns are the innkeepers home, we fully understand that it is a 24/7 responsibility. Dinner for us is usually a juggling act that we try to keep invisible to our guests. My elderly father also lives with us so we try to keep his meal on schedule. I am sorry I did not take the time to fully explain the situation. Most of our good local restaurants have their last seating at 8 PM and I wanted to insure you would get proper seating. Your enjoyment on your days spent here are up most on our minds and I would not have wanted you to spend it at a pizza parlor. I guess I should have taken a few minutes to explain all of this, I am sorry.
As for the stemware that was removed from your room, sincerest of apologies are in order. We hope that you recognize that staff inadvertently removed these items not knowing their value to you and significance. They simply assumed that the glasses were ours as it is highly unusual for guests staying with us to bring such valuable and precious items. We do offer Anniversary Champagne on silver trays with champagne flutes. Our morning shift just did not realize they were yours. Our staff also mistook your empty bottles of water for ours since this is also offered complimentary. We have had a talk with all the employees so that they are more aware of personal items that should not be handled.
I hope this brief letter helps to explain our actions and in some small measure retrieves the good name of Great Oak Manor Inn. I hope that sometime in the future you will return to a full measure of hospitality.
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| - Cassandra Fedas (innkeeper) |
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| "Relaxing by the bay"
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5/10/2007 |
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Just like the Otis Redding song "Sitting by the Dock of the Bay, the Great Oak Manor has perfected the art of getting away by the bay. When asked by friends to find something wrong with our three-night stay all we could think of was that it was too short. The elegant accommodations, gracious hosts, friendly staff and delightful cats resulted in an enervating restful stay. The breakfast each morning was first class with warm muffins, fruit, yogurt, and a full hot meal that varied for each day. Having a parlor, library, solarium (with giant hot tub), sun room, and lounge as common areas all with very comfortable furniture provided a wonderful surprise. The many chairs, hammocks, and chaise lounges doting the manicured lawn overlooking the bay was indeed a vacationer’s delight. Having access to the executive length golf club next door was a real bonus. Being able to watch bald eagles, osprey, blue heron, and numerous other birds rounded out a complete relaxing occasion. The Great Oak Manor is not just for special occasions but is worth the visit anytime you want to get away and relax. View Reviewer Info
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| Innkeeper Response |
Thank you so much for taking the time to write about your experience at Great Oak Manor. We are thrilled you enjoyed your stay and can't thank you enough for the wonderful review.
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| - Cassandra Fedas (innkeeper) |
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| All reviews are the personal opinions of BedandBreakfast.com site users and do not reflect the views of BedandBreakfast.com. |
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Contact Information
 
Great Oak Manor10568 Cliff Rd Chestertown, MD 21620-4115 USA
| Phone: | +1-410-778-5943 | | Fax: | +1-410-810-2517 | | Toll-free: | +1-800-504-3098 |
Innkeeper(s)
same as above
Rates:
$165 - $310
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