Double Oaks Bed & Breakfast

Pleasant enough staff, but not interested in or capable of providing a good customer experience. Room OK, but the whole place is very unloved and deteriorating. On arrival we were shown to our room and given a hurried introduction. They were having a public wine tasting/Jazz band evening and there was a very strong garlic smell everywhere. The main purpose of the event seemed to be to sell food and drink. Breakfast is served in a public coffee shop and guests go to the counter to get theirs. We were given a frittata which was OK. Nothing else was offered, no juice, no toast, no cereal, no fruit, no refills, nada. Although no one told us, we noticed that the information book in the room said “no turn down service, but ask if you need anything”. After being out all day, we found that what it really meant was no housekeeping whatsoever, not even coffee pod replacement. The second evening, the whole place stank of frying with old fat. Second morning, the same cook offered us the same frittata. When we said that was the same as yesterday, he said he could cook us something else, but all he had was eggs and vegetables! We asked for scrambled eggs and toast. We got an overcooked egg pancake and rye toast - we were never asked what bread we would like and would not have chosen that. Truly, we would have been disappointed by this place even if it had been half the price.

While we haven’t stayed overnight here, on April 13, we attended Wine Tuesday with family and friends. My niece lives in the area and seems to bring husband, family and others to this location for dining. We walked in and a GREAT jazz band was playing. We enjoyed wine, a dill pickle pizza, Buffalo wings, tater tots as well as the company and music. The back yard has beautiful trees providing great shade and atmosphere with several tables for casual dining out doors. There are also some veranda tables available. It’s all first come first served. You place your order with the cashier and bring your own drinks back to the table, but your food order is brought to you when ready. We’d been there a couple of hours, and were about ready to leave when the band was finished. We did enjoy the wine itself. I prefer glass to plastic, but given the outdoor setting, I understand the practicality of plastic. The price seemed a bit much, however there was no cover charge for the band, nor was there a minimum order. The food was fun and good as well, making the whole evening simply delightful beyond expectations. I spoke with NIcole as I cashed out and she encouraged me to tour the bedrooms/suites that were open rather than occupied that evening. Our whole group did. Completed in early 1909, the Harden Thomas Martin House - now known as Double Oaks - is one of only a handful of surfing examples of Colonial revival style architecture in the city of Greensboro. It was accepted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The rooms/suites we viewed were just beautifully done! While I love my niece and her hospitality, when my husband and I know our dates for a return trip to Greensboro next year we definitely plan to check on availability at Double Oaks. My niece and her husband said they would like to join us, too.