Glenmere Mansion

Lunch again with friends. Perused the menu online hoping to avoid a bad choice. Ordered the Veggie Burger with vegetables. Big disappointment. The burger was mushy and saturated with pickle juice from an over abundance of pickle slices. On the plus side, the burger was quite small. The vegetables were good, but nestled in a cup full of their cooking liquid. This kitchen is in big trouble. The food has been on a lengthy decline since last year. Maybe the Frogs End diners don’t get food prepared by the chef. Maybe the last 4 times we’ve eaten there the chef had a day off. I think they need a new chef and a revamped menu. Glenmere is a charming comfortable property. When my friends and I want to have a first class dining experience we go there. Unfortunately with the first class atmosphere, service and surroundings, you will get third class food.

We stayed at the Glenmere mansion when we attended an event being hosted there. The service was amazing and the staff were especially attentive and helpful. The room was very nicely decorated with our own private balcony. We enjoyed dessert at the pub which was very cozy and comfortable. The library and living room is spectacular and very elegant. We enjoyed breakfast in the “supper room” which was delicious. The grounds are beautiful and very private. I would love to return in the winter, I imagine it would be beautiful.

This was the second disappointing lunch in the Frogs end in as many months. As always the atmosphere and service were first-class. The food however is failing. First time I ordered the French onion soup and Caesar salad. The soup (usually my favorite) was awful. I’m an experienced cook and I detected elements of catsup and Worcestershire sauce. The salad was tired and drenched in an overly salted dressing. Both gave me the impression of being salvaged leftovers. The next time I ordered the QP burger without the bun. Now QP stands for quarter pound according to the waitress. No way the minuscule overcooked burger was a quarter pound. The bacon accompanying was also over cooked and cold. The chipotle sauce was bland. The Glenmere mansion has much to recommend it. Lately though the food falls below even mediocre standards. Without the food being a draw what is the reason to pay first class prices for second class effort on the part of the kitchen.

Two months ago a friend and I booked rooms for a two-night stay at Glenmere, and paid in full as required. With six days to go before departing, the management called to say that Glenmere's owners had approved a "last minute" event on one of the days we were there. The hotel, normally quiet, would be very crowded. They offered us a chance to change the dates or a refund. We took the refund. Pulling the rug out from under us at the last minute was a terrible way to do business. We'd built our schedules around this mini-break for two months. I was especially surprised it happened because Glenmere is a member of Relais & Chateaux, who are known for higher standards. We won't be booking again.

We had a wonderful stay at Glenmere (our second visit). The food, property, spa and service were all top notch! We really enjoyed their game room, yoga class and massages. Pamela and Ariana were particularly exceptional and helped make our stay exceptional. We had delicious meals and cocktails at both Frog’s Tavern and the Supper room. Looking forward to returning.