Shady Lady Bed & Breakfast

Bring dinner along unless you’re up for driving, since Shady Lady is a long way from town. The stay itself was quiet, comfortable, and affordable, and breakfast and coffee were better than we expected. We felt welcome from the start. The owners spent time with us, treated us like family, and shared ideas for places to see in the park. We enjoyed wandering around their land, with peacocks roaming outside and well-behaved pets. One of the kids got to feed the peacocks, and the owners were welcoming to families traveling with dogs. I’d recommend it to people passing through.

We didn’t stay at Shady Lady Bed and Breakfast because our trip was canceled, but the way the cancellation was handled put me off returning. I’d planned to go back after canceling, and I no longer intend to, based on this exchange. Other travelers may want to know about it. At first, booking through a third-party site went smoothly. The innkeeper, Nigel, seemed pleasant and accommodating, and agreed that I could switch from a standard room to a private cabin and pay the difference when I arrived. Later, I only needed an email confirming the cancellation for travel insurance. He agreed to send one and took my details. After waiting 24 hours without receiving it, I followed up by email, then called again the next day when there was still no response. I would have been fine with a short reply confirming the cancellation. Instead, he recognized my voice and sounded irritated as soon as he answered. When I asked if he could reply or send the email, he yelled that he’d sent it the day before, said he didn’t know what to tell me if I hadn’t received it, and that he’d already spent enough time on my reservation. Then he hung up. I don’t understand how someone in hospitality could act so hostile. I suppose he may feel the same way about me.

The owners were so kind and gracious, and breakfast was great. I really liked the peacocks, too, such cool creatures. Shady Lady is cozy and a pretty unique place to stay. Really nice people.

We left soon after arriving and drove back to Beatty to stay somewhere else. We’d planned to spend one night at The Shady Lady, but concerns about safety and cleanliness meant we didn’t stay. At check-in, the proprietor seemed intoxicated, fell onto our backpack on the bed and into me, and then played off the unwanted contact as a hug. I can’t say whether it was intentional, but it left us feeling very uncomfortable and unsafe. We also weren’t given keys or a door code. When we asked, we were told they weren’t necessary, which was a serious safety concern. The room was much smaller than the pictures and description suggested, with no place to put either of our bags. The main light didn’t work and seemed to have bugs inside it, and only one bedside lamp worked. There was a strong pet smell. In the bathroom, there was heavy calcium buildup, a visible hole in the wall, and discolored towels even though they’d been described as white. The proprietor also seemed upset that we planned to leave early to catch the sunrise at a nearby national park, adding to the uncomfortable atmosphere. This might suit travelers who are comfortable with very rustic conditions and informal hosting. For us, it didn’t meet basic expectations for safety, cleanliness, or comfort.