You know what they say about hotel food. In general, I don't go there. But when you are dropping 300 bones a night at an Omni, you'd think that normal prejudices might not apply.
Not at Bedford Springs.
After years of talking about it, K and I finally decided to make it down to this magnificent hotel that takes its name from the seven southwestern Pennsylvania mineral springs that have long been viewed as a panacea for an array of medical ills. The hotel, in various forms, has been around since the mid-1800s. President James Buchanan stayed there as president on the eve of the Civil War. It grew immensely popular in the Victorian times when wealthy, big name capitalists and their fams came to escape the congestion of urban America. And by the mid-1900s, it was a getaway for middle class mid-western Americans including K's grandparents. Needless to say, a place this steeped in history and genealogy has long been on our "must visit" list. We finally made it.
Bedford Springs is pretty awesome. It's got one of the oldest indoor pools in the country and to this day is fed by nearby mineral springs. The renovation work in the 2000s spared no expense and the place, though practically rebuilt, has the air of the Gilded Age. Historical photographs and artifacts contribute to the overall ambiance of local history. A spa, outdoor pool, mountain hiking trails (sweet!), golf (who cares?), and the pretty cool nearby town of Bedford with intact business district round out the array of things to do.
The only downside to an otherwise stupendous trip was our dinner at the Crystal Room. As part of our package, we were promised a three-course meal. Unfortunately, however, we were given no advance indication that the three-courses actually meant a self-serve buffet. I shy away from the all-you-can-eat phenomenon. I just don't get it. It's unhealthy. It's a haven for germs. It takes away the excitement of reviewing a menu and ordering. And, most importantly, it's just not something that one does in the Mediterranean. I still can't comprehend how Omni equates a three-course meal and buffet. It confounds me.
Our server recorded my reaction to these events and quickly offered that our second course could be chosen from the menu. We thankfully obliged but were relegated to the buffet for our first course (salad) and third course (dessert bar). The menu offerings, though better than buffet fare, turned out so-so. I had what the menu called "Pecan Crusted Laurel Hills Farm Trout with brandied baby carrots, wild rice cake, Lancaster bacon-balsamic butter," but no bacon balsamic butter was to be found. K had "Brined Pork Chop with cipollini, candied apple risotto, garlic spinach, cider demi-glace" but the risotto mysteriously appeared as pureed sweet potatoes.
Sadly, the Crystal Room was pretty much a total bust... But I have to say that I kind of saw it coming. On the grounds of the hotel was a sorry collection of thirsty, wilting beds sporting a sign "chef's garden." I don't think so.
Pie Hole Rating: 1 of 5 stars