The Williams Inn
Williamstown
Plastic in our food, bloodstains on our sheets
1081150598
Our goal in going to the Berkshires was a serene, tranquil vacation. It was that EXCEPT for the unbelievable disruptions this hotel caused us from start to finish. Truly, we would not return. Here's why:
1. Made our reservation via their website many weeks in advance. As our arrival approached I checked for the reservation info only to discover I never received a confirmation from the by email. Panicked I sent them an email inquiring. We did have a reservation, and here is your confirmation number. But still why did we not receive any confirmation by email?
2. A one night deposit for our room landed on our credit card 2 1/2 months before our arrival date. Never in all my world travels have I experienced that. Okay, so long as they deliver, I said to my spouse. And yet . . .
3. On the way to the airport we get a phone call. "Um you asked for a quiet queen bed but all of our single queens are near the elevator and ice machine. But we can move you to a king room away from the elevator, is that all right?" Sure and thank you. Except . . .
4. On the plane we get ANOTHER PHONE CALL. "Turns out we can't give you that room after all. How about a room with two queen beds in a quieter area?" OK again, we reply. Only . . .
5 On the plane, we get YET ANOTHER PHONE CALL. "Um sorry, can't give you that room either. We're putting you back in the original room you asked for." Gee, thanks for helping make our day of arrival so stress free.
6. After a 7-hour journey, we arrive and head to the restaurant to eat. Third bite into my pasta dish and I hit a two-inch-long, hard piece of plastic, like from the lid of a food container. "So sorry, we'll remake the dish and take this off your bill." Ok, but still . . .
7. Day 3 of our 4 day stay. Phone rings in the room, waking us up from our nap. "We can now let you move into the king room we offered before, but took away from you." So much for our calm, serene vacation at this point, eh?
8. Next day, we leave the hotel early for a day of touring. Come back that night, pull back the top sheet and there is a fresh bloodstain on it. We have no open wounds at all. I call the front desk. So sorry, I'll send Housekeeping right up to change that and we'll give you a $100 credit to your stay." Ok, fine, but still . . .
9. Upon checkout, there is no $100 discount on our exit bill. I ask the manager on duty about that and she gives me her business card (see photos) and says it will get applied. Six days since then, we've received no discount. 4 days after I email her asking about it, I've received no reply whatsoever.
10. Finally, be prepared for this. The hotel billed to our credit card our first night 2.5 months before we arrived. They then billed nights two, three and four on the dates we were there. AND THEN billed the entire stay on top of that, when we checked out (see photos of daily charges PLUS the four-day-long stay, simultaneous).
Never have I encountered so much of a mess with a hotel in all my 40 years of global business travel. The Williams Inn is pretty. Just know that beyond the pretty, your experience there might endanger your health (plastic in your food and bloodstains on your sheets) and thwart your goal of having a relaxing vacation (constant phone calls along with room and billing anomalies).
If this sounds like the type of accommodation provider you'll enjoy, good luck to you. We will never return, especially at $300 a night.
