Arms at the Glen

We were able to shower after our hike because they let us check out late, and they gave us wine tasting tickets. The cottage was very clean, cute, and had a mini fridge. The bed was really comfortable, and it’s a short walk to the state park. The owner was very nice and left our keys in the mailbox since we arrived late. There was no coffee pot or microwave, though Dunkin was a short walk away. No breakfast, even though it was supposed to be included. The owner said she’d take $20 off because she usually includes a Dunkin gift card. I might stay again, but $220 for one night felt VERY expensive with no breakfast, coffee pot, or microwave, just a window AC, and you never see the owner. We made a last minute reservation and stayed in cottage 2, which was new as of July.

The private cottage was spacious enough, and the shower was fine. There was a nice front porch, but it faced the street, so it didn't feel private. The "privet" description felt like a stretch with the street right there and only blinds, no curtains. We arrived to find no desk or check-in, just our keys and instructions in an envelope, then had to find the room ourselves. The manager was nice when we met him as we were leaving and gave us tips about a great waterfall at the state park. For what you get, it was way too expensive. It felt like a B&B without breakfast, and the bed was awful.

The room we were moved to was awful: old and musty, with a completely uncomfortable bed. It felt like one of the worst places I've ever stayed. I got the impression the Inn Keeper was looking for the cheapest option since she was paying, not a comfortable one. We also heard similar complaints from the other people on the tour who were staying at the Arms at the Glen, and they said more than once they were jealous we'd been moved. We never met the Inn Keeper, and couldn't reach her throughout the whole experience. She doesn't live on site, so when there was a problem, there was no timely help. She seemed overwhelmed by the business. The trip had been meant to include two nights and a wine, beer, and distillery tour. I bought a Groupon, which required payment before booking. I called several times and got no reply. When she finally called back three days later, my preferred dates were already taken, so I settled on July. The place was the Watkins Glen Bed and Breakfast, also called the Arms at the Glen. Despite the name, there was no breakfast, just a bed. My boyfriend wisely suggested confirming the night before we left. I didn't hear back until the next day, when we were an hour from the Finger Lakes. The Inn Keeper called to say she'd double-booked our room for the second night. She said she'd find and pay for another place, and I didn't feel I had much choice but to agree. Check-in was supposed to be at 4. We got to the Arms at the Glen at 5, but there was no key in sight and nobody there to check us in. I couldn't reach the Inn Keeper. Some 20 or 30 minutes later, I got a text saying the key was in the mailbox. Being made to change rooms was especially inconvenient with a wine tour starting at noon. We were in limbo, needing to check out of one place and unable to check in at the next until after the tour. We wanted to leave the car at the new place and have the tour pick us up there so we wouldn't need to drive afterward. The Inn Keeper didn't answer that request. We waited at the Arms because we didn't want to miss the tour. Five minutes before it started, the driver arrived and said he'd pick us up there. He was surprised nobody had told us. Because of the mess, we missed hiking Watkins Glen before the tour, one of the main reasons for the trip. We had nowhere to shower after hiking before the tour either. Such a disappointment. The tour itself turned out okay, but we felt like the red-headed stepchild. The other guests from the "B&B" rode in a Cadillac; we got a dated Toyota Corolla with broken air conditioning in 95-degree heat. Our guide had only given the tour once before, a year earlier, and the Inn Keeper had called him at 9 PM the night before to ask if he could do it. He was clearly at a disadvantage as a last-minute addition. The whole experience was a mess. We were supposed to stay two nights, but the Inn Keeper told me our room was double-booked for the second night after we'd already set out. She promised to arrange and pay for another place, leaving us with little choice but to accept. I bought the Groupon, which required payment before booking, for a two-night stay with a wine, beer, and distillery tour. After I called repeatedly with no response, she called back three days later to say our preferred dates were booked, so I chose July. The place was called Watkins Glen Bed and Breakfast, or the Arms at the Glen, though there was no breakfast. Check-in was meant to be at 4 PM, but when we arrived at the Arms at the Glen at 5, there was nobody on site, no key, and no answer from the Inn Keeper. A text arrived 20 or 30 minutes later telling us the key was in the mailbox. The second-night switch made our noon wine tour awkward: we needed to check out but couldn't check in elsewhere until after the tour. We asked for pickup at the new place so we could leave our car there and avoid driving afterward. She didn't respond. We waited at the Arms, and only five minutes before the tour began did the driver confirm he could collect us there. He was surprised we hadn't been told. We missed hiking Watkins Glen beforehand, one of the main reasons we'd come, and had no place to shower after hiking before the tour. The tour was okay in the end, but we felt like the red-headed stepchild next to the other guests, who rode in a Cadillac while we had a dated Toyota Corolla with no working AC on a 95-degree day. The guide had only done the tour once, a year earlier, and the Inn Keeper asked him at 9 PM the night before to fill in. He was clearly disadvantaged as a last-minute addition. We never met the Inn Keeper and couldn't get hold of her through the experience. She doesn't live there, and it seemed she was overwhelmed by the business. The replacement room was old and musty, the bed was very uncomfortable, and it felt like one of the worst places I've stayed. I got the sense she cared about finding the cheapest place since she was paying. The other tour guests at the Arms at the Glen had similar bad experiences and repeatedly said they were jealous we'd been moved.

STAY AWAY! My wife bought a Living Social coupon for the "Cottage Room" and requested that room when booking. At first she was told there was availability and they'd do everything they could to make the cottage available. After several emails trying to confirm, the reply was that the cottage was only a preference and couldn't be guaranteed. They said there was a very good chance because of the time of year, unless we wanted to definitely UPGRADE for more money. My wife asked to cancel while still within the Inn's stated 30-day window. The Inn refused to refund the $283 she had paid. That's very bad business practice. We later found out the place was under new management and, from what we heard, cash-strapped, unable even to afford a liquor license for a wine tasting event. Do yourself a favor and stay away.