Half-Mile Farm

My boyfriend had carefully planned to propose at Half-Mile Farm, where my family was staying, with a small group of his family there to see it. Just before he was going to do it, staff asked his family to leave. My family tried explaining the plan to a staff member, a woman with short blonde hair, and mentioned our dinner reservation at Madison’s right afterward. She brushed us off and suggested he could propose in the garden at Madison’s instead. The wine garden was closed, and the weather and logistics made that difficult, so he ended up proposing in our hotel room. It wasn't the moment he had planned. A pitcher of mimosas arrived the next morning as an effort to make amends, but it didn't undo the disappointment. There was also a comment from that same staff member about my service animal that made me very uncomfortable. She said, “I am sorry you have to have a service animal,” which felt inappropriate and insensitive. We came for a long weekend to celebrate both our birthdays, and the stay was disappointing from the start. The air conditioning in our room wasn't working properly. I reported it promptly, but it wasn't fixed until the third day, after I suggested moving us to another property. Before then, the temporary fix was two box fans running at full speed, which wasn't adequate. We were compensated for one night, but lost a full afternoon packing, transferring to Old Edwards Inn and settling into a new room. There were efforts to address the problems, but the way these important moments were handled fell short of what we expected.

“Unwelcoming” is how this visit felt, which was a letdown because our earlier stays at Half Mile Farm were wonderful. We love the food, service and beautiful grounds, and it has a special place in our hearts. Now we're a bit hesitant to return, though I'd love to have a reason to write a better review someday. We arrived a few hours early and asked if our room happened to be ready. We'd stayed before and sometimes gotten in early, and made clear we were fine if it wasn't. We planned to hike nearby. The front desk employee was curt and dismissive, as if the question itself was a major faux pas. When I asked where we could leave our luggage instead of leaving it in the car at the trailhead, she brusquely said there was no secure storage. I understand policies and the historic nature of the property, but I've never had a hotel unable to hold guests' bags. Her condescending tone bothered me more than the policy. After hiking, we got back about 15 minutes before check-in and waited in the car. Another employee repeatedly peered into our vehicle without saying anything. Again, it left us feeling out of place, like we'd done something wrong.

I came by myself and will definitely return. The grounds were immaculate, the staff were wonderful, and the heated saltwater pool with full service was a particular treat. A five-star place all around.

We've stayed at both Half Mile and Old Edward’s and enjoyed each one. Half Mile felt fresh and relaxing, with delicious breakfast on site and very accommodating staff. It really had a bed-and-breakfast feel.