Oakwood Inn Bed & Breakfast

09/17/09

Don't they want our business???

by playswell at Citysearch

The inn itself is very nice. I have called three times now, leaving messages the last few weeks, and NO ONE ever calls me back. WhenEVER I call, no one picks up the phone. Go ahead, try it: 832-9712. I have called a zillion times, leaving 3 messages, and they never get back to me. That is so WEIRD! Also, there's no information on their Murder Mystery on their website. I think they just have their personal friends or their own "in crowd" attend.

• Pros: nice decor
• Cons: NEVER return phone calls

08/11/09

Catered Tea Parties

by KarenChoplin at Citysearch

I am so sorry to hear of the Wolfpack discouraged review and how you may have felt that day. I am the owner of the Duchess's Tea. I host Tea Parties every weekend at the Oakwood B & B and have been hosting them for 1 1/2 years now. I was not aware of this happening at the time and wish that I had been advised that day. However, Gary and I spoke breifly about this. With knowing him the way that I do and his work ethics, Im sure this was an off day for all people involved.

I have been working with Gary and Doris at the Oakwood B & B and both are wonderful people and gracious B & B host. We have a great working relationship and they trust me with their home to provide the wonderful tea parties that people have hosted there. This is unfortunately the first negative reply/review that I have been aware. Again, I sincerely apologize for this situation. In responding to Gary's defense, I do offer water when anyone would like it before, during, or after a Teaparty. There are areas in the home that are designated for the guest of the B & B. Of course, many of the tea party guest would not know this. This brings to my attention to make this comment prior to each teaparty. That to please ask me if you need anything at all while the guest are attending the tea parties. The Oakwood is absolutely wonderful for a Tea Party. I hope the comment doesnt discourage anyone from experiencing how sweet and beautiful the home is and how wonderful the Tea Parties are.

• Pros: Victorian Tea Party with Loose Tea and Beautiful China

05/18/09

Beautiful Place, But a Negative Comment to Share

by wolfpack919 at Citysearch

I actually did not stay at the B & B, but held an event there.I can't comment on the rooms, but the grounds are lovely and well-kept and the lower-level of the inn is beautiful. It is a charming inn in the Oakwood area ofRaleigh.

I held a tea party/baby shower there one weekend. The owners of the inn have an arrangement with a local catering company and allow them to use the dining room and parlor of the inn for tea parties. The owners of the inn charge the company a rental fee or a per person fee of some sort to use the space.

While the tea party was lovely and the location beautiful, I felt the staff of the inn were rude to me on two occasions.

On the day of the tea party, the pregnant guest of honor helped herself to a drink in the refreshment area of the inn (while we were cleaning up the inn after the party). These were intended for B & B guests; however, as the guest of honor didn't plan her own shower, she had no idea that the B & B was essentially a third-party leasing out their space. I, the person that planned it, wasn't there to stop her from getting a drink. A male staff member (or perhaps the I believe it was the innkeeper, Gary) made a big deal about her drinking the drink and told her they were for guests only. She offered to pay for it as she didn't know, and he was still short with her (but didn't take the money). I feel like the appropriate thing to do would have been to ask the person in charge of the catering company to reimburse them the cost, rather than insulting the guest of honor.Once I saw her drinking the drink, I had planned on mentioning it to the head of the catering company, so I could offer to pay for it. But to make a big deal out of it to the guest of honor was simply rude and uncalled for. Since they received some money for us being there, we were in a sense their guests. One drink wasn't going to break the bank.

Also, prior to the shower I stopped by to see the space and ask about parking. They made a HUGE deal about how we couldn't park in the back and needed to park on the street. I completely understand this, but the tone in which the message was delivered was really rude.

I can see that all the reviews have been stellar for the inn and I am the only one with a negative review; however, I thought it was just worth sharing as another perspective of how people who use their facilities (who are not guests sleeping over in the inn) were treated.