Keswick Hall — Hotel in Charlottesville

I have been staying at Keswick for a few years now. First with as a girls getaway for 2 nights, then with my young niece and mother last year for 2 nights and this year with my 18 year old niece. I have always enjoy the beauty of this resort, the amenities, the setting, gardens, and of course the hotel itself. This last time we came on Aug. 28th and stayed at a rate o $1k for the night.

We were early for check in so we had a lovely lunch and drinks by the pool. The hotel itself seems almost empty save a few folks at the pool. Given it was the day before the Labor Day weekend it made sense that it was most likely empty getting ready for the holiday weekend. I asked the front desk staff if we could check in early-she said our room wasn't ready but she would put us on an expedited list--I went back to the drinks and pool area with my mother and niece and about 45 minutes later I asked again and was told our room was not ready but if we wanted to enjoy the pool we could change in the "hall bathroom" of the hotel. Of course my next thought was and then where do we put our clothes? I asked again if there was anyway to just get into a room-we could change and then finish cleaning-she said no-this was about 1 hour and 30 minutes before the check in time.

She said she "called" housekeeping and they said they were working on it but didn't have a time-I asked her if she could go to the room and see herself and/or ask them-she marched away angrily and came back and said she didn't know (I have serious doubts that she even spoke to them and I think she went down the hall and came back aka "pretended".

I said are there any rooms in the whole hotel that are clean-again given that it was empty throughout the hotel on a week day she finally "looked" and to her amazement there was 1 room but wasn't directly on the golf course (we never asked for that to begin with) and the room she gave us was the same one as I stayed in the year prior and we loved it.

While I know early check in-is never guaranteed, the way in which it was handled made me and my family feel like we were "bothering them and second class citizens" like they would not budge one bit" for what reason I don't know. The other 2 girls that were working seemed utterly bored and mute the entire time.

For $1k a night I don't think I should be told to change in the hall bathroom. I believe there was a room available for us and it seemed it would be an easy fix to just say-"let me see what we have available" and even if there truly wasn't one clean room it could have been said we don't have anything but we can offer you a drink by the pool or allow you to put your luggage in a room and change" or anything hospitable but they made us feel as if we were just a problem they wanted to go away-which is such a shame because it made me not want to return to a place I have so enjoyed coming to over the years. For $1k a night plus food and drinks spent-I expected a lot more. Service has never been that bad before but this crew was terrible. The next day they were well dressed and friendly and lovely and seemed like different people although the one woman who was most nasty to me never looked at me. I have sent my feedback to Keswick Hall and have not heard a response yet and that is 2 weeks ago that it was sent.

Keswick is a gorgeous location and beautiful hotel and grounds and the valet and bell boys have always been amazing and were this trip but the front desk was bored and then when I did present them with a "challenge" they acted annoyed and bothered and just inhospitable. As I stated I have never had service that poor at a resort of such caliber and I will he hard pressed to find a reason to recommend it to others or go back...

Shockingly amateur and unbelievably disappointing.

This review is in reference to my experience at Keswick Hall this past summer. We booked two nights in a suite for my wedding weekend. Although I have lived in NYC, LA, and Washington, DC for my entire adult life, I grew up in Charlottesville.

We checked in late on a Saturday evening following my wedding reception. The room was traditional yet well appointed and attractive. We were unpleasantly and unexpectedly awakened before 8:00 am the next morning by major demolition on the golf course which our suite overlooked. Really? At $800/night and absolutely no acknowledgment of the weekend construction plans by Reservations?

We went down by the pool for the afternoon. A staff member asked us how our stay was going. When I acknowledged the early morning disruption, he made a rude and sarcastic reply that left my husband and I looking at each other in confusion.

Later that afternoon, we decided to open a wonderful bottle of Krug that we had received as a gift and enjoy the sundown on the hotel's veranda. I entered the small bar area off of the pool area to enquire whether we were allowed to use glass stemware poolside. Two inebriated patrons, a washed up looking, middle aged woman and her drunken, baseball cap-toting boyfriend, sized me up.

My husband joined me and as we proceeded towards a side door, the woman put out her arm and said, "Nope, you need a passport to pass through."

Huh? I was in such a good headspace and still elated from my wedding that I didn't initial realize that she was making a racial slur. Let me qualify -- one half of my family arrived in the US in the 1600s and the other half from the Middle East in 1900. Clearly, she was implying that I was an "illegal immigrant" (since she was probably not well versed in World Geography, I presume she thought I was Mexican or Hispanic).

We brushed by her and I barely contained my contempt. Once I was on the terrace, I became furious over her self appointed, racist role in determining who can patronize a restaurant.

I came back to the bar to get some napkins and was immediately addressed by the same drunken couple.

The woman belted towards me, "Habla espanol?" At first, I didn't realize she was addressing me. She repeated her question in an even more comedic, poorly pronounced manner.

Every patron in the tiny bar AS WELL as the THREE Keswick Hall staff members, looked at me in uncomfortable silence.

I replied that maybe someone needs to cut off her alcohol. The bartenders, who heard the entire conversation, DID NOTHING.

After my husband berated a server for their appalling lack of proactive behavior -- ejecting the drunken couple would have been the most appropriate course of action -- we got a weak apology from the main bartender.

The next day, we related the story to the concierge, who was truly appalled and very apologetic. At some point, she told the general manager of the hotel about the previous day's activities. He called us in our room and in the most pathetic, "Ah shucks!"/Virginia good ol' boy manner, offered to buy us a round of drinks at the pool?

Really? I think I will stick with my Krug.

No follow up. No letter of apology.

I have been a Food & Beverage Director at a major NYC hotel. I have managed 5-Star restaurants. THE SERVICE STANDARDS AT THIS RELAIS & CHATEAUX PROPERTY ARE APPALLING.

Beautiful setting but if you plan on spending that sort of money on a room, head to somewhere that has...

We recently stayed at Keswick Hall near Charlottesville, Virginia, to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary, but unfortunately, our experience ended with a series of unpleasant incidents on our last day that left a bitter taste in our mouths.

While trying to enjoy the last day at the pool, a particularly rude staff member was responsible for moving our belongings without asking. I had moved to the shade behind our original seats to take a phone call when he rolled up our items and carelessly tossed them aside, showing a complete lack of respect and disregard for hotel guests. This unprofessional behavior reflected poorly on the hotel's commitment to guest satisfaction. When I paused my call and told them it was our belongings, instead of apologizing he immediately gave us attitude and implied that we were in the wrong for taking up 3 chairs and told us he was using our seats for the next 30, 45 minutes tops to conduct a photoshoot.

We ended up needing to completely move because they were standing right on top of us and had placed gear on our seat. They didn’t leave for well over an hour.

A group of about 10 ended up in our seating area and preventing us from thoroughly enjoying our last few hours by the pool. It was frustrating to see our peaceful time disrupted by the hotel's lack of consideration for other guests.

To make matters worse, after the photoshoot concluded, the staff failed to provide us with new towels, which we needed to continue enjoying the pool area. You would think they would return the seating area to how it was before their arrival.

Additionally, during the photo shoot, the group had about five drinks from the hotel, which they left behind once they were finished. Unfortunately, these abandoned drinks attracted gnats and black flies, creating an unpleasant and unhygienic environment around the pool area. We had to take it upon ourselves to return these drinks, further disrupting our experience and tarnishing the relaxing atmosphere we had hoped for.

Despite these disappointing experiences, we must acknowledge that the spa at Keswick Hall was enjoyable. The spa facilities were well-maintained, and we were able to find some relaxation and rejuvenation during our visit.

However, the incidents with the rude staff member, the disruption caused by the photoshoot group, and the subsequent neglect in providing fresh towels and addressing the issues with the drinks left us deeply dissatisfied. It is disheartening when a supposedly reputable hotel that is not cheap, fails to provide a satisfactory experience, especially during a special occasion such as an anniversary celebration.

We sincerely hope that Keswick Hall takes this feedback constructively and addresses the issues mentioned. Improving the professionalism and courtesy of their staff members, ensuring a peaceful and enjoyable environment for all guests, and promptly attending to guests' needs are crucial steps towards regaining trust and delivering a...