Jackson House Inn

We were so disappointed in our experience at Jackson House. We had stayed here 3 years ago and ranked it one of our top B&B experiences. We were anxious to bring friends back with us this year; unfortunately they did not get the Jackson House Inn we were expecting. This is no longer a Bed and Breakfast; it is a lovely inn. While I understand the inn has had ownership and management changes over the summer, the changes seem to be taking this lovely B & B in the wrong direction. People book Bed and Breakfasts for the bed AND the breakfast. Breakfast was an unbelievably weak offering of two baked goods (bought off site, not baked in the kitchen), plain yogurt, some sliced fruit, hard boiled eggs, and a quiche (again, bought off site). Every single day, this was the exact same breakfast, three days in a row. Not one thing changed except the fruit. In addition, the little extras that make a B&B so homey, have disappeared. The lovely and extensive coffee service set up in the front parlor is gone. No wine in the afternoon, or cookies or treats. No water or ice available. There is a brand new inn keeper, and hopes are that she can restore some of the warmth and hospitality that we had expected. However, the new owners are the ones that have made the breakfast decision and give a feeling that this has become a corporate affair now. I hope I am wrong. The billing was a mess and the owner's response and handling of it were less than good PR. When I asked for his name and contact info in case the credit card charges did not shake out as he promised, he simply told me to email the info address at the inn. No phone number, no full name to contact him. I realize we stayed during a difficult time for the inn as the new inn keeper was starting the second day of our stay. All the more reason for ownership to go out of their way to smooth over any rough edges. My best advice to others at this point is to give it some time and watch the reviews to see if the inn is able to get back on the right footing. Otherwise, just know you are not booking a true B&B, but an inn in a great location.

location and rooms were great We stayed once when Kathy and Rick were managers/cooks Breakfast was A+++ Rick was a true master Second time last fall- new managers new cook breakfast elegant but way too rich in cream they did provide wonderful yogurt parfait instead Will not return or recommend now that the fabulous breakfast is replaced by simple continental that is not what people expect from a Bed and Breakfast

The positives of our stay included the wonderful staff, beautifully appointed room and pretty grounds. That said, we were very disappointed in what the inn actually offers vs. what is posted on-line. The website has these fabulous pictures of a gourmet breakfast that has nothing to do with what is actually served. Both mornings a choice of (2) breakfast breads (one day it was stale), two choices of quiche (neither appetizing), yogurt with sparse selection of fruit including terrible looking apples & bananas. Day two was a repeat of day one. If you don't like quiche or can't eat dairy, you are out of luck. No egg selection, fruit plate, cereals, ETC. Frankly, we've had better breakfasts at low-cost chain hotels. The website shows a bar that offers signature cocktails, but the bar is closed. Both of these items are false advertising. Other annoyances and suggestions for improvement: - One iron in the whole establishment and no ironing board. - Water is available but there is no ice or "guest refrigerator to store anything. - While rooms are attractive there is an overall lack of warmth or places you want to sit in common areas. Suggestions include providing newspapers, magazines, flowers, wine glasses or beverages/snacks at select times. I understand the owners are new, so I wrote to them to voice complaints and never got a response. I wish them good luck. We have stayed in Woodstock many times before and plan on returning but we won't book this Inn again. Sincerely, M. Green

The Inn and grounds are lovely and the staff kind. We were in a nice room on the 3rd floor. Keep in mind however, you will have to climb 3 flights of steps with luggage! Coffee service not available in the room so 3 flights down if one wants coffee before breakfast. Also, the new breakfast buffet is a bit limited and just ok. Both days, buffet offerings were: choice of 2 breads, pumpkin & banana, yogurt with fresh fruit, 2 quiche choices or hard-boiled eggs, juice and coffee/tea. They have a lovely little bar area, but it was not open or available. BYOB! So what would make it better? For the price, a served breakfast as is typical with a B&B like they used to offer, or more extensive breakfast offerings besides warmed-up quiche. Perhaps a breakfast meat and maybe toast?

We had a great stay at the Jackson House Inn this past week. It really is an exquisite property. From the lovely grounds, to the beautiful decor, to the amiable Richard welcoming us to the morning breakfast, we enjoyed our stay completely. The location is quiet but near enough to the village to be convenient. We love Woodstock and look forward to a return visit to the Jackson.

An absolutely quintessentially beautiful New England Inn. The staff was incredibly hospitable, the ground were exquisite, the breakfast buffet was delicious and the room was beautiful. Can't wait to come back and visit this extraordinary spot.

We checked in during the first week of August, to learn that new managers had taken over the inn on August 1st. Those chef-created, gourmet multi-course breakfasts for which the Inn is famous? They decided to stop offering them. Immediately. So everyone who had made a reservation before August 1 (meaning, pretty much everyone) learned at check-in that the new managers would not honor the Inn's previous commitments, offering instead a sad and sorry "enhanced continental breakfast" that looked like it had been bought at a convenience store. They could have made this change in any number of ways, such as phasing out the breakfasts over time or communicating the change in advance and offering to waive cancellation fees to any guests who chose to stay elsewhere. But they didn't do that, and instead were combative and defensive toward those guests who voiced surprise and disappointment when learning -- after checking in -- that they would not receive what they paid for. The new owners don't seem to know the first thing about hospitality, or about ethical approaches to running a business, instead choosing profit over people. It was so disappointing. I would not stay there again.

The Inn is a lovely mix of exceptionally well maintained old and new renovations inclusive of beautiful furnishings, well kept gardens and ponds, and many spaces both inside and outside where you can read, play board games, or just enjoy relaxing on the property. We were disappointed to learn from other guests the morning after our arrival that the ownership had changed the day prior. Significant changes have been made to the breakfast which has been simplified to a self-serve continental breakfast vs a 2 course hot breakfast prepared by an executive chef which we understand the Inn had taken great pride in for many years. The staff were gracious and clearly making the best of a difficult situation. While we can appreciate the challenges small business owners are now faced with economically, we agree with other reviews in that up front communication to guests about the new ownership and any resulting changes would have been helpful, allowing us to reconsider the lodging decision we had made months prior. Otherwise, we enjoyed our stay and hope the Inn continues to be a welcoming place of respite for many in the years to come.

Our second stay at the Inn did not not disappoint. We were in the Cranberry Room, which, although not large, was cozy and tucked away and private and had its own little patio overlooking the gardens (pictured). Extensive beautiful common spaces, big front porch, bountiful breakfast with the chef doing a great job of taking my dietary restrictions into consideration were all plusses. Our host Shelley was friendly and attentive. We didn't ask for housekeeping service, just fresh towels daily, and that was taken care of.