High Hampton Resort

The big issue was checkout and what happened after. My bill had charges of $250 and $50 that weren’t mine. Courtney at checkout said they’d be removed, but they showed up on my American Express statement. Justin at the front desk said he’d look into it the next morning, but I heard nothing that day. I called again the next day, and Nicolina promised to speak with the manager and get back to me. She did later that afternoon, which I appreciated, but getting this sorted took poor follow-through and was a real pain. For $1300 a night, it wasn’t worth it to me, and I wouldn’t return or recommend it. It feels like a members club where guests come second. Management has a lot to work on if they want this to be five star. There are some good things: the place is nice and well kept, the rooms were clean, the old Field of the Lodge is still there, and the views are great. Dayton, the Belman, greeted us with a smile, brought our luggage to the room, and later delivered ice with the same courtesy. We’d booked a special two-day getaway because we’d been to High Hampton years ago and wanted to see the new edition. While our room was being cleaned, we went to Halstead house for a drink and to look around. The main dining area was full of members playing cards, so we took our drinks to another room. Soon we were asked to give up our table for four people I assumed were members. That felt rude and left me feeling like a second-class guest. We had dinner reservations that night, but after seeing an online menu with only four appetizers and four entrées, we decided to eat in town. The manager said that was fine and we wouldn’t be charged. We got no orientation to the amenities. We only found the self-serve continental breakfast, coffee, muffins, and fruit on the second day by walking around. At checkout we also learned there were cold drinks and snacks by the front desk, but by then we were leaving. I wish someone had told us about these things at the start. We also couldn’t use croquet because it was jammed with members.

Our room in the Lake Cottage was gorgeous and very comfortable. The decor throughout is beautiful, though the pool chairs look old, uncomfortable, and out of place against the lake and mountain view. They seem to have been overlooked in the update. Housekeeping missed some hair in the shower, which happens, but after our dinner experience we were already noticing everything that went wrong. We paid $5k for three nights and felt humiliated. On our first night, my husband didn’t have a jacket for the dining room dress code. Rather than making an exception so we could eat, they sent us to a place 15 minutes away. The hotel manager even suggested a second-hand store where we could buy a jacket. The staff felt snobbish, and the whole thing was really upsetting. I didn’t realize from the website that High Hampton is first and foremost an elite country club. Hotel guests can use the club, but in summer it’s full of members and their guests, with no area just for hotel guests. We felt out of place. We expected something like the Blackberry Farm name associated with High Hampton, but Blackberry Farm is a five-star hotel for guests only, while High Hampton is primarily a members club, crowded every day with hundreds of members using it all summer. Nobody explained how to use the amenities during our stay. There’s no spa, room service, minibar, or poolside service, and in the room there was only water and coffee. The pool, lake, canoes, kayaks, and lounge areas were crowded with members and their kids. Croquet requires all white clothing. The booking price was misleading because a 20% charge is added to the whole bill. Not having to tip is nice, but $200 a night in service charges felt excessive for the service we got. Valet is another $37 each day, also subject to the 20% charge. We looked up the High Hampton initiation fee and found $200k, while the most expensive country club near us costs $40k. Walking around the property, my husband and I were the only people on foot. Members in golf carts stared at us. Maybe it was my own insecurity, but I’ve never felt that sense of not belonging at a hotel. It wasn’t a good stay for us, and we’d never return.

Our room was quite small, and the activities and amenities were limited. We won’t come back; for what we paid, the resort was overrated. The staff were friendly and accommodating. Just be aware that a 20% service charge was added to the room, about $175 a night for us, on top of the room price. Nobody explained it. When I asked at checkout, they couldn’t clearly say what it covered, only mentioning tips, valet, and other essentials.

The location is excellent, the design and decor are immaculate, service was very good, and the restaurant was fantastic. But as a guest surrounded by members, the atmosphere felt so off. This is a huge, crowded country club with an inn and cottages, not the five-star hotel I imagined from the photos and price. It has nothing like the Blackberry Farm experience: hundreds of members spend their summers here every year. I don’t think the website or other reviews make clear that it’s 90% members-only club and 10% hotel. There’s no part of the property just for hotel guests, and some areas seem to be members-only. I’ve never seen a luxury hotel set up this way, and it didn’t feel like a luxury resort stay. I’d only come back if I bought a summer house here and became a member. We arrived Thursday at 7pm, tired and hungry, checked in, and got an 8:30 dinner reservation. The info sheet in our room listed the dining room dress code. I was wearing a dress and nice shoes, but my husband had khaki shorts and sandals. At the lobby they discouraged us from eating there, then drove us by golf cart to Holstead House to “try to get a seat,” saying it was more casual. It was packed and seemed to be for members. The hostess told us to get a drink and she’d find us, or we could eat at the bar. We sat at the bar and ordered drinks. The bartender asked for our member number; when we said we were guests, she didn’t speak to us again. Others were eating at the bar, but we weren’t offered menus or place settings. It was loud and crowded, and we felt so uncomfortable that we walked back to valet to get our car and find food. A staff member came out to check on us. When we said nobody had offered dinner, she recommended a place and called to get us a table. That was kind, but not the hospitality we’d hoped for. The next day we shopped and ate in the dining room. Many people wore sport coats, but there were also men in shorts, including one in shorts and flip flops, so they should have let us dine there that first night. There’s no room service or minibar. The room had an empty fridge, a few coffee creamers, water bottles, and a Keurig. I’d thought guests had several dining choices, including something casual, but we found only the dining room for a very nice dinner costing $250 or more. The layout is clearly made for golf carts. To reach the gardens or pool, you walk along car roads or golf cart paths used by members. We felt conspicuous carrying our things to the pool while everyone else rode in carts. There are hiking trails, but they’re lined with members’ houses and construction on more member homes. One evening we walked behind the inn to a patio with three fire pits, Adirondack chairs, and a view of the lake and mountains. It was crowded with big families playing bingo, so we went back to our room.