Complaint Review: The Railroad House Bed & Breakfast

CORNER OF W FRONT ST & S PERRY ST MARIETTA, RAILROAD HOUSE PA 17547 I contacted the owners of Railroad House Bed and Breakfast on March 17th, 2009 to use a gift certificate. After some discussion they agreed to honor it and I made reservations for October 6th & 7th, 2009. On October 6th in the AM. I called them and left a message on their answering machine, stating our arrival on October 6th & 7th. We arrived at their location to find it closed. We left and the owner called and said he got our message and he or his wife would come to the Perry St door to meet us in 10 minutes. We went back and waited 30 minutes, called them and got answering machine. We left message it was getting late and we would grab a bite to eat and be back. We came back and called and nothing. We tried calling and emailing to no avail. This couple is deceiving and lied to us. They are supposed to be in the hospitality business, not the robbery business. I highly recommend not dealing with them in any way shape or form. In PA there is no expiration on a gift certificate. Thats the law and a fair one at that. If someone pays you for a service and you do not get to perform it, it does not entitle you to keep the money. After 2 yrs from the issue date, the inntaker in this case should send the money to the PA Treasury department; they have a form for this. The holder can apply for a refund through this department. If the innkeeper does not turn the monies in to PA and I make a claim with the certificate; they will be fined and will have to pay the value of the gift certificate. This is the Treasury Department so if they find the innkeeper in violation, they will get their money. My story is I hade 3 old gift certificates that I found and tried to couple them together for an anniversary get away. Two B&B's didnt have a problem (Cashtown Inn & Quiet House). The Railroad house said they would honor it when I made a reservation on 3/17/09. Could them day of reservation 10/6 + 10/7. Answering machine said they were closed on Tuesday. It said the bar and restaurant. I went drove over their and knocked on doors and no one answered. So I headed back home and was going to stop to eat. The owner called me and said he had no reservation but he has vacant rooms and can accommodate me. I said I will turn around and be there in 15 minutes. He than said are you the person with the 4 year old gift certificate? I said yes. He said he or his wife will meet us. I started wondering if they didnt have my reservation, what made him ask about the gift certificate. We turned around and went there and knocked, and knocked, and called, and knock, and called. Nothing! We saw two walkers and they asked us did we need help. They said the Inn keepers live in the building. We left a message that we were grabbing a bite to eat and will return. When we returned still nothing. My concern is this: If they didnt want to honor the gift certificate, just tell us, don't make a fool out of me and my wife. If we stayed there we would have certainly spent money in the bar and restaurant. So I just don't understand their cowardly approach to this. They are in the hospitality business and they treat people like this. I told all the Inn keepers up front about the date and number on the gift certificate.