Carpe Diem Guesthouse

I received a recommendation for this guesthouse a few months ago – back then, the Google reviews were excellent. Luckily, I didn't check them again before booking. First off: yes, the guesthouse is showing its age. The plaster is crumbling in places. It's also a shame that there's no breakfast Monday through Wednesday (not even coffee in the morning) – however, they do offer a voucher for a great café next door (which could easily be more than $6 – you're guaranteed to lose money that way). The website's description ("Carpe Diem's ​​evening Wine and Cheese Hour is renowned for the opportunity it offers guests to relax with different wine choices, a wide selection of finger foods, and the ability to meet and mingle with other guests") is a bit of an exaggeration. In reality, it was just one type of wine, cheese cubes, sliced ​​sausage, and crackers (and a few olives). But: I met the friendliest hotel employee I've encountered in a long time. Warm, cheerful, and genuinely interested. I received an upgrade and some great tips for my stay. I didn't use the whirlpool or sauna, but everything was working and looked fine. The location is also fantastic, and the bed was very comfortable. I would definitely come back, if only for the great service.

… for 500 USD we felt campground-atmosphere; in any aspect. Whereas the room was nice and clean (but small) this property is a disaster and needs more than just a bit attention. Hot tub not working, no OJ for breakfast (“we ran out …) … etc — needless to say that this price is just ridiculous for what is offered. But - unfortunately - the homepage nice and promising.

Several regulars told us how wonderful this place had been and expressed their sadness at its current state. A new owner is letting the place deteriorate rapidly (stained armchairs, no hot water when we arrived, an interior garden in a pitiful state), and the service is deplorable despite the good intentions of a very young staff who are clearly overwhelmed (barely cleaned, mediocre breakfast)... Avoid without hesitation.

We recently stayed here and was a little disappointed. Upon arrival the staff was very friendly and accommodating for my larger vehicle to park on the property. The first disappointment was when we learned the hot tub was not working due to a couple reasons and for a few days. The property overall needs attention. Koi pond was nasty with multiple dead fish, accent lighting in shambles and most exterior doors need repairs. Inside the same story, soaking tub / jacuzzi tub did not work, the toilet paper holder was missing the piece that actually holds the toilet paper, the air vents were pretty gross, the cushions on the chairs need to be replaced as well as the mattress. So I was not really impressed. On a good note, Kevin was great at breakfast time offering to cook up what was on the menu and the location was perfect.

We; stayed at Carpe Diem from July 16 to July 21 and paid $3,000 to stay here. I have stayed here many times over the years, including in 2020 during Covid. I have always had a wonderful experience. Since my first stay, I have never considered staying anywhere else. I always stay in the Robert Frost room, and I plan my stay in Ptown based on its availability. I realized something was amiss immediately upon check in. The front desk clerk asked for information about my car (a small coupe) and then she told me that parking was limited and on a first-come-first served basis. She said they no longer double parked cars to fit more, because the new owners (first I heard that the property was under new corporate ownership) perceived it to be a “liability issue” (an email I received a week earlier said they still double parked cars). She said if there were no spaces, we could walk half a mile down the street to CVS and park there for $30 a day! Odd as well, they ran my credit card for payment before we arrived at the inn … I got a notification from Amex on my phone about an hour before we arrived. On the walk to the room we started to see things had changed. In addition to the monosyllabic conversation from the clerk, that included no talk of amenities and a casual wave at the spa area, we could see that they had done no planting for the common areas. When we got to the room, there was one key on the bed and when we asked for a second, she made it seem like she was doing us a favor to provide another. The room was worn, there was a whole it the ceiling, and two lamps were broken and another reading lamp that had been there for years was gone. As we settled in, we realized we had no hot water (not fixed until the next morning) and the toilet made a loud, annoying, but somewhat comical wailing sound every time we flushed it. Over the course of our 5-night stay, they cleaned our room only 3 times. Unfortunately, their idea of cleaning means making the bed and replacing towels only if we piled them on the floor. A couple of nights we had to take some towels from the spa to take a shower. They didn’t replace any of the dirty glasses or provide new soap (those little bars must be very expensive!). Breakfast, usually a joy here, was fair at best, and one day they didn’t cook anything (“we are doing continental-style today”). The fresh cut fruit looked and tasted like it was left over from the day before. Pre-made bags to take to the beach with towels and water, an amenity from before, were nonexistent. There were no robes or slippers in the room as before. The nightly happy hour was fine. The spa area was somewhat clean and functional, but unless you are handy-man type, good luck because there are no instructions on how to operate the spa, steam room and sauna, and there’s no one around to tell you how. The only friendly person on the staff was the cook. The rest, and there weren’t many, were cold and non-communicative and avoided guests, including eye-contact, at any cost. I did hear one team member talking to a guest, she said Carpe Diem and several other properties had been bought by a big corporation and the new owners were trying to figure things out because they weren’t used dealing with gay people (Really? In Ptown? Shouldn’t the property condition and customer service be the same for anyone?). If any of this sounds whiney to you, please keep in mind that we paid $600 a night to stay here. In the past, I gladly paid the price because it was a wonderful B&B and Spa that was beautiful, friendly, comforting, and inviting. NOT anymore. Upon checking out, I went to the front desk and I told the General Manager, who was manning the desk, that I had left the keys on the bed. He tentatively looked up and said, “OK.” That’s it. No “Thank you,” or “Did you enjoy your stay,” or “Have a nice trip home.” Just “Ok.” He, like the new Carpe Diem, have the personality of pet rock.

Been going there for 15 years won't go again. New corporate owners have taken away the all the best reasons for the wonderful stay. Fired all the staff, breakfast was incredible now it is terrible. Hot tub cloudy . Spa towels changed to paper towels. Very impersonal staff and grumpy owner. Save your money very expensive and completely downhill

I’ve stayed here many times. This was my most disappointing stay. This beautiful property has fallen into serious disrepair. The new owners simply are using it to generate cash but will definitely lose the loyalty of repeat business without investing in it. Peeling paint, furniture fabric was torn, on last Saturday, the whole property lost hot water and no one bothered to let us know via a text or email. This morning, there was no hot breakfast… coffee machine was empty. For such an expensive property, these sort of failings are just not acceptable. I certainly hope the new managers and owners get their priorities straight.

The list is long as to why you need to avoid this place. It’s trash. 1) they violated their own policy and charged my card before I arrived 2) there was no cleaning staff— and we were told it was our issue at check in 3) ran out of soap 4) it was run down— I mean disgusting 5) toilet flush made a crazy noise every time 6) the manager was down right rude and useless 7) the morning breakfast was non existent. I could keep going but avoid this place at all costs.

BEWARE Terrible new owner!!! This place used to be our favorite for the past 7 years, we’ve come every year with my husband for our anniversary. A corporation just bought this guesthouse mid June 2022 and the new ownership is ruining the hard work previews owner Paul and Steven have created. All the staff is gone, no housekeeping service, no breakfast or pathetic “Continental” breakfast with bread in plastic bag on the counter, manager’s wife verbally assaulted my husband at breakfast this morning making this place very uncomfortable to enjoy for the rest of our stay. This is really sad to see this place going down! We won’t return and really don’t recommend this place to anyone. I never write bad reviews and usually just move on, because I don’t like to harvest negative behavior but the word needs to go around that this Fantastic place that used to be the “best in Ptown” has become a nightmare that no-one should experience. This really breaks my heart :(

Very disappointed. My partner and I live in town and used to come here to get day passes for a relaxing afternoon. Apparently the new ownership has discontinued this service. This is exactly the problem when corporations purchase small town businesses; they lose their charm and hospitality. I won’t be recommending this property to friends and family any longer. 😞

This is a great location. Near Commercial Street with all of the activities, but far enough away were you will not hear noise. Everything is walkable, so a car is not needed. They treat you with a wonderful cooked to order hot breakfast. They have a wine and cheese social hour with wonderful selections. The spa is part of this in, so the guests have access to the steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi. Your room has high quality sheets and linens. It's an old house, so expect the charm and nuances that go along with that!

Incredible spa, the owners are so sweet & the perfect location! We will definitely be coming back