It's come to this: the service industry has us servicing ourselves.
When I received information about my stay at Glade End Guest House I learned that I'd check myself into the building via a keypad at the door. There, I'd find an envelope with my name on it. Inside it I'd find a room key, a building key, and information about how to find that room and building.
This could all be very intimidating and it's certainly not great if you're looking for someone to greet you or schlep your bags up stairs. But if all goes well and you can manage your own bags, Glade End Guest House is quite a spiffy place to stay.
First off, it's in Marlow, a town which might just be the definition of charm. Second, the grounds, the buildings (there's only 2 small buildings), and the rooms are immaculate. Breakfast is included and it's quite marvelous: a full spread of fresh fruits, cereals, and breads to help yourself to and a hot breakfast, prepared to order, chosen from an ample menu of offerings. That breakfast is served up, like the rest of the place, in a clean, nicely outfitted space. The whole experience here strikes me as tidy and pleasant which are nice words to ascribe to a place where one eats and spends the night.
I have only two wee caveats about Glade End Guest House and neither is a deal-breaker: first, there's that whole self-check-in thing. There's numbers to call at any time assuming things go amiss or you require some assistance however those of us traveling from overseas might not be readily adept with making international calls. Nothing required a call, mind you, but if it did this might have proved challenging.
Second is the fact that the Hobart Room (in the building beside the main house) sits well off the street but the street it sits well off of is busy. Like: roadway busy. If you want a quiet night's sleep, request a room that's not facing the front of either house.
That's it. Glade End Guest House, like the rest of Marlow, is an immaculate little charmer. A quick check on expedia and the like reveal that rooms here (including that breakfast) can be had for about $102 per night which strikes me as a very reasonable offer. read more