The Preserve Sporting Club & Resort — Hotel in Richmond

2/1/24--Welcome to an extensive review that will guide you through our three-night stay at The Preserve Resort and Spa. Join me as I share our experiences, both delightful and challenging, in the hope that it will help you make an informed decision if you're contemplating a stay at this establishment. The memory of this hidden gem resurfaced recently when my husband, recovering from a 15-day hospital stay, expressed a fervent desire to travel. Jesus did a miracle , my husband is alive and well! I delved into Google Maps reviews, only to find a myriad lacking conciseness and substantive details. Our initial allure to The Preserve Resort and Spa encompassed its spa facilities, culinary offerings, equestrian activities, and the enigmatic Hobbit House. The equine encounter, in particular, stood out as an unforgettable experience for me, an avid horse lover. Grooming a horse named Hickory and embarking on a delightful ride were complimentary elements that added a touch of magic to our stay. Transitioning to our check-in experience, the process was seamless, providing a promising start to our stay. However, a disconcerting incident marred our check-out on Sunday, with the resort's computers malfunctioning. The lack of proactive communication was disappointing, leaving us awaiting an email for resolution. The spa experience, a significant factor in our decision to stay, unfolded with unexpected intricacies. An unmentioned policy prohibiting day spa bookings on Saturdays and Sundays without a paid treatment raised eyebrows. Despite our explicit intent to indulge in the spa, navigating the intricacies of booking proved challenging. A last-minute decision to pay $75 for a two-hour spa session led to additional surprises regarding closing times, creating a discordant note in an otherwise decent spa experience. Our culinary adventures began at the Double Barrel Steak restaurant. The gastronomic experience was commendable, with the establishment tastefully adorned in a horse theme. The Hobbit House, undoubtedly the highlight for us and our guests, offered a unique dining experience. The lack of information on complimentary transportation for resort guests proved to be a minor hiccup, but the enchanting drive in a golf cart added a whimsical touch. The HH price tag is mainly for the House, food not so much. No coffee,no bathroom and time limit (you are told at the 15 min mark , you have only that much time). Unless you are Taylor Swift expect to be told you have 15 mins left There is no privacy at the HH, you will have a waiter with you there at all times. Our accommodation, resembling a cozy tiny house with a kitchen and laundry section, provided a tranquil retreat. The unit, intriguingly available for sale, exuded serenity, especially during the quiet nights. Heated bathroom floors and an array of complimentary movies enhanced our stay. The outdoor activities promised in the resort's offerings remained unexplored, with the elusive gun club remaining a regretful miss. The spa saga, Despite my husband's efforts to address the issue with the manager, a disheartening response – "We don't own the spa" – echoed through the phone. Amidst the trials, a commendable mention is reserved for Cara, the hairstylist. Our status as seasoned travelers, having explored destinations across the globe, lends a discerning eye to our evaluations. Next stop :Mamounia Hotel. Draw your conclusions, the Hobbit House meals, not so great, you are paying to stay at the house for a limited two hours. Olivia was great but at the Hobbit House you won’t have much privacy . Spa, you cant used Saturdays and Sunday, hopefully all treatments arent booked as it happened to me. Dont expect much from management. Draw your own conclusions. There are so many things they could say to potential customers ahead of time for no surprises . I have a lot more to say , sadly , google maps has a limit on how much I can write . I hope this helps you to make an inform decision. Would I stay here again ? No . For a...

I don’t leave reviews often, but wanted to warn others about the resort management and lack of transparency.

Overall, the resort is beautiful and service on property is great. Expect to pay 30-50% more than the advertised cost with fees. BUT If anything goes wrong, DO NOT trust what management tells you — they will likely not reimburse you for any issues. If you’re okay with that (or get travel insurance), then you should definitely visit the property since our stay was otherwise great.

DETAILS OF OUR EXPERIENCE

To start off, the resort itself is beautiful and every staff member we met on property was helpful and polite. There’s a ton of activities on property, and it’s a very nice, quiet getaway surrounded by nature. We found a few ladybugs on our bedsheets, but the rooms were otherwise very clean. Expect to pay 30-50% more than the advertised price due to the daily fees and taxes charged throughout your stay. We booked with a 3rd night free promo code, but the per night fee came out to almost double what the “pro-rated” nightly cost we were quoted on booking was, so not sure if the promo really made much of a difference in the end.

Now for the bad part. We had booked a 3-night stay, and got unlucky because there was a city-wide power outage on our 2nd day. The Preserve did not have any backup generators, so it lost power as well.

On the night of the outage, we were told by the front desk and staff members that this was an unusual occurrence and they had no idea when power would be restored (this was about 30 minutes into the blackout). Because we lived 3 hours away, they recommended we leave early since they weren’t confident power would be restored any time soon and assured us that we would be reimbursed for the remaining nights, given the severe weather event and lack of heat/power on property. We took their advice and checked out early.

In the days after, we called the resort management multiple times to confirm that we were properly checked out and would be reimbursed, getting confirmation each time that they would process it as soon as the system lets them — on the day of our original check-out.

On the day of our check-out, we did get a call from management that they had processed the refund and we should expect to see it on our credit card statement in a couple of days. We thought that was the end of it, until we were charged almost double the amount we agreed on the next day. We thought it was a mistake and called management, who agreed it was a mistake and said they would speak with their accounting department. A day later, we get an email that the charge was actually correct, and all the previous discussions were incorrect because the resort policy was that we would be charged the full fee since we “cancelled”.

Now, the amount itself was not that much and we luckily did have trip insurance coverage from our credit card, but we were overall disappointed by management’s response to the situation. To be clear, the power outage was in no way their fault, and we would’ve completely understood if they told us at the time that, if we chose to leave, it would be considered a cancellation. Instead, we were told the same thing by multiple people over the course of a week, then charged almost double that, and when we inquired about it, were told it was our fault for choosing to leave and “per their reservation policy” we would be charged the full amount, including...

I went in with very high expectations but walked away with a bitter taste in my mouth, candidly. Paid $1,900 for a little house for one night. Got there later than expected, close to 8pm, got a tour of our accommodations and went straight to dinner. Restaurant was fine, but it took about 20-30 minutes to get a drink so I could only have two during dinner. My companion wanted to try a Reesling, waited for 20 minutes and then was told that they were "out" of it. Waitress was nice but service was slow and getting a drink was very challenging. Would have spent more if the drinks didn't take so long to arrive! Went back to our little house to discover that the room temp had risen to 89 degrees in the only area where there was a king bed. Went out of our way to have a king bed but now it was stifling hot there! For some reason the auto setting was not working so I turned the AC on Fan full blast and lowered thermostat as much as I could. We debated sleeping in a small bed elsewhere, which caused unnecessary friction. You'd think at this price the AC would work. I see all the ads about being in the lap of luxury and I'm guessing sweating your face off is not a part of that experience, hahaha. It was too late to bother anyone there, not sure how that would have helped. Ended up waiting until temp got down to 80 and went to bed.

Next morning, we were looking forward to experiencing their grass tennis courts. They were presented as a great option and we play tennis but rarely get to play on grass. When I called the front desk to reserve the court, I was told that this feature was only for Full members, not folks who stay overnight! I explained that this was never mentioned when I made my reservation, quite the opposite, and we would really like to play on them. I was told to give them five minutes to call someone. They called back to say they were sorry, but it was a hard NO. Sadly, the heat on premises was stifling and it zapped our energy to experience the other activities. Also, every activity was an ala cart expense that was super high and I already felt like I'd given them enough to sweat all night and then made to feel like I'm beneath their "members". Oh, and when I called to ask for a late check out since our stuff was spread out all over the place due to the broken AC, I was told we could have another 15 minutes but that's the maximum!

When I checked out, I mentioned the issue with the AC and was told "thank you for informing us, sir." That was it. Robbie, the guy at the front desk, was apologetic and when I explained our disappointment about the tennis courts he tried once more to get us onto them, only to be denied once more by someone that we never met. He did kindly comp us our lunch, value of about $100.

Maybe it was just my experience. Others told me they loved it. The grounds were impeccable and the people at the desk near the dining room were very nice. Overall, folks there were kind and thoughtful, but I think for that price, the AC should work and you should not be made to feel like a second-class citizen. They also should have lights for the tennis courts. Then we could have played on the clay courts at night when it wasn't so hot. Great potential not being fully met,...