MacCallum House Inn, Mendocino: Overpromised and Underdelivered, and Watch Out for Nickel-and-Diming
Written: Dec 12 '07 (Updated Dec 12 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Mendocino is a great tourist destination, and the inn is very well located in Mendocino
Cons: Overpriced, marketing claims are overstated, hidden charges, poorly communicated policy changes
The Bottom Line: There are better price/quality options in Mendocino, so we would not choose the MacCallum House again
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| ericgoldman's Full Review: MacCallum House Inn, Mendocino, CA |
In November 2007, we stayed 2 nights at the MacCallum House in the William Otis Kelly room. The hotel tries to position itself as one of the high-end luxury choices in Mendocino, but they aren’t in that league. Instead, we felt the hotel overpromised and underdelivered, leaving us disappointed guests.
The hotel has a prime location in the heart of Mendocino, just a block off both Lansing and Main Streets. The location makes it very convenient to visit shopping, restaurants and the headlands and return back to the hotel room whenever you want.
The hotel grounds are immaculate. The room itself was so-so. It had a lovely stone fireplace and a tastefully appointed bathroom with a large jet tub for two. It came with a microwave and a mini-fridge. However, the room was pretty small and poorly laid out. Most glaringly, the wired Internet connection was illogically located on the other side of the room from the (tiny) desk. I love free Internet, but I had to precariously perch my computer on the sitting chair’s armrest to get it. Also, the room had a smoky/musty smell. After trying to use the fireplace and coming close to triggering the smoke alarm several times, I suspect it’s because the chimney isn’t efficiently drawing smoke. Finally, they advertise the room as “extremely private,” but I have no idea why. People walking along one of the paths can look right into the room (unless you shut the window coverings), and plenty of noise came through the walls from other rooms.
All told, this room is more like a $150/night room. If someone paid the $275/night rack rate, I think they would probably feel cheated. We got the off-season special (60% off the second night), which worked out to about $200/night including tax. We still think it was overpriced.
When we made our reservations, the hotel advertised that it included a “complimentary glass of wine or beer and hors d’oeuvres during wine hour.” Between the time we made our reservation and our arrival, the hotel unilaterally changed its policy. Instead, my wife and I each got $7 credit against menu items at the restaurant. The hotel did not notify us of this policy change before we arrived, and this new policy worked to our financial disadvantage. First, the restaurant prices are so overinflated that it’s difficult/impossible to find any single item for $7 or less. Certainly there was no way to get the advertised terms (both a glass of alcohol AND hors d’oeuvres) with the credit. Second, we were charged tax on our purchases. Third, the hotel repeatedly reminded us that server gratuities weren’t included in the price. After overage/tax/tip, we ended up getting dinged for $5.
Our second night, the restaurant was closed for a special event. So instead of giving us $7 credits, they simply put a bottle of wine in our room. Once again, they didn’t communicate this substitution before we arrived or give us any choices.
We felt breakfast was similarly overhyped. Their marketing materials promised a “full gourmet breakfast.” In practice, this translated into an entrée, a glass of juice, and coffee/tea. This was plenty of food for us, but anything else on the menu was at our expense. Further, our bill again came with a huge red stamp reminding us that server gratuities weren’t included. Another $5 out of our pocket.
Our second breakfast was a train wreck. We ordered our breakfast and then we were ignored for 35 minutes. Finally, we signaled the server and were told that “due to a computer malfunction” our orders had been chomped. They can blame it on the computers all they want, but at *real* first class restaurants, the servers track their tables well enough to know if an order has been overlooked. The hostess apologized and offered to comp an item (breakfast was already free); we passed (we just wanted the time back, not more free food) but she brought us a fruit plate anyway. Then, they proceeded to ignore us for ANOTHER 25 minutes. WTF? It was so bad that we discussed just leaving without breakfast. At least this time I didn’t feel guilted into another $5 tip.
They claim their restaurant is “nationally acclaimed” but we were underwhelmed. We’re vegetarians, so maybe the meat options are better. We tried two desserts. The soufflé’s egg taste dominated over its purported berry flavoring, and the brownie was not very flavorful. At breakfast, the pancakes were bland, the tofu scramble was not great, and the granola parfait and French toast were competent. All told, if we had been “normal” paying customers, we would have been very disappointed.
One last point about breakfast: they ask guests to reserve a breakfast time in advance. I understand why they want to avoid a morning rush, but having to pick a time inhibited our spontaneity.
As I’ve indicated, we felt a little nickel-and-dimed by the MacCallum House. Two more examples of this. First, they charged $1 for calling 800 numbers. I know that some hotels do this, but it’s always annoying. Second, they offered a small but well-selected library of DVDs—but charged $4 for rentals. They should just toss this in as a perk rather than annoy customers for a seemingly modest amount of revenues.
On previous trips to Mendocino, we’ve stayed at the Brewery Gulch Inn and the Joshua Grindle Inn. See my wife's review of the Joshua Grindle. Both are not as well-located as the MacCallum House, but each is a better choice. The Brewery Gulch Inn charges a premium price for a premium product. They are a true first-rate property. The Joshua Grindle Inn may be a little cheaper than the MacCallum House, but it’s about the same quality-wise and feels a lot more homey. We think there are better price/quality options in Mendocino, so we would not choose the MacCallum House again.
For more information on Mendocino and other local attractions, see my other reviews:
* Comprehensive review of Mendocino
* Mendocino Headlands State Park
* Russian Gulch State Park
* Hendy Woods State Park
* Montgomery Woods State Reserve
* Jughandle State Reserve
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
ericgoldman
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Member: Eric Goldman
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Reviews written: 34
Trusted by: 31 members
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