Inn at Tanglewood Hall

When the NUMBER 1 LODGING INDUSTRY COMPLAINT these days in Maine and the rest of the country is LACK OF SERVICE along with limited availability of helpful staff, this review is perplexing. We were both General Managers for an upscale national restaurant company and have degrees in Hospitality Management, so unless the definition of service has changed since we entered the service industry in 1969, we're confused. Naturally we are present and attentive to various needs during breakfast which is served buffet style in our dining room. We greet guests as they come out of their rooms and explain what we are serving that day. With a full house, we are focused on monitoring an array of items that might need replenishment so everyone has plenty of food to enjoy (Do we need more of the entree, fruit, yogurt, granola, juices, breads, bagels, croissants, coffee, cream, etc?) Plus we are always on alert to make sure one of us is there to open the swinging front door for every guest as they balance their trays to carry outside to the porch, where everyone has been social distancing in the ocean air for the past four years. We then clear empty plates and trays when people are finished. Kinda difficult to accomplish standard dining service if we’re sequestered in our kitchen on the other side of our house. Oh, and once breakfast is over, you likely won't see us again until the next morning unless there’s a question we can help with or we encounter somewhere in passing, inside or out of our home. Our over 17000K guests usually rave about Andy's helpful suggestions, directions, maps, and "handy magic marker". Even folks who have been coming to this area for 40 years have been enlightened by the hidden gems and secrets we've discovered during our 18 years of owning the inn and exploring our beautiful region. We actually spend the off season traveling about seeking out new ideas to share. Guest Reviews published on our website since 2006 have literally thousands of posts with words of praise for Andy, as does everyone who comes back excited to share tales of their adventures. And sometimes we “walking almanacs” learn new tips from them, found while they were out and about! Despite so many properties discontinuing housekeeping with COVID, we still personally service rooms every day: making beds, replacing towels, glasses, tissues & TP, emptying trash, and wiping down baths. And for the past four years, we have indeed opened everyone's windows every day for ventilation once they leave for the day, unless it's 80 degrees or above. This summer, we hit 80 twice. The day in question it barely broke 70 here due to our unique triangulated proximity to the ocean. And yes, we have had people in the past who have tested positive after arrival, which makes us concerned and vigilant to make sure fresh air is flowing for the safety of everyone present in our home. Since this 1889 house does not have an exhaust system for ventilation like a modern hotel does, we follow CDC’s alternative recommended protocol to keep windows open. The following statement, along with other policies, is required to be signed off on when anyone makes a reservation and is restated in every guest's “Please Read Carefully: Inn at Tanglewood Hall Arrival” info email sent the day before: “The CDC recommends maximum ventilation, so please keep your windows open as much as possible. We are surrounded by ocean on three sides 500 yards away, so there are wonderful ocean breezes. We will also be keeping windows open in our common areas.” We also ensure that all room windows are open for at least four hours before the next guests check in. Our COVID-conscious guests appreciate these measures and choose to stay with us because of them.We used to be open year round, but due to ventilation issues in cold weather, we have only been open May 15 – October 15 since 2020. Hopefully another resurgence of COVID will not be an issue next year and we can all loosen up.