Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Upon our arrival, we were given very little direction when purchasing our tickets and checking in for our two night stay. This was our first visit and we were handed the daily schedule and given the keys to our room without any additional information. If I had not read about the activities offered online, I would not have known to ask pertinent questions nor would I have been given any direction. We stayed in the Trustees Office in a Shaker style decorated room, but the plumbing in the bathroom was a challenge during our entire stay. We immediately called about the toilet not flushing properly and they sent someone while we were at dinner, however, we continued to have problems along with the sink and tub not draining properly during use. There was very low water pressure while taking a shower on both mornings. Also, because we were one floor above the restaurant, we could constantly smell the food in our room, hear the guests talking, and dishes clamoring. We could also smell fresh paint that was being applied for our two day visit in the new shop at the front of the building. When eating at the restaurant our 2 dinners and lunch were very good with generous portions, however we had a negative experience for breakfast at 9 AM. They were serving a buffet style, but we were told to choose the items we wanted & it would be brought to us by the server from the kitchen. It was obvious that the food had been cooked hours earlier. Nothing was hot or fresh. We were highly unsatisfied and the manager did not require us to pay since we ate very little. When touring the buildings that were open to the public, we saw few artifacts because the Main building had been emptied for the renovation that would begin soon. Viewing the interior architecture was very interesting, but it was disappointing to have driven all the way from Wisconsin see a limited exhibit. We had a excellent experience with the two music programs and I would have to say that this was the highlight of the visit. It would have been wonderful to have had other well informed guides throughout the village to provide more structured tours for the guests. There are so many missed opportunities at this museum for first time guests who are unfamiliar with the Shakers. Most people do not take the time to read but do enjoy guided tours. There were no interactive activities or demonstrations other than the music program where history came to life. We enjoyed our short wagon ride but it was not worth $20.00 for 30 minutes. The Dixie Belle was enjoyable, but it was very difficult to hear the tour guide over the noise of the boat unless you sat directly under a speaker. The Village has extended hours on Friday night, with live music outside the Trustees Office and drinks from an outside bar. There was a fire in the fire pit and marshmallows were supplied for roasting. This was enjoyable but ground maintenance began mowing around the patio area as guests began to assemble before the music began which was not very conducive to a relaxing mood. We hope to revisit Pleasant Hill once the exhibit is restored.

Upon our arrival, we were given very little direction when purchasing our tickets and checking in for our two night stay. This was our first visit and we were handed the daily schedule and given the keys to our room without any additional information. If I had not read about the activities offered online, I would not have known to ask pertinent questions nor would I have been given any direction. We stayed in the Trustees Office in a Shaker style decorated room, but the plumbing in the bathroom was a challenge during our entire stay. We immediately called about the toilet not flushing properly and they sent someone while we were at dinner, however, we continued to have problems along with the sink and tub not draining properly during use. There was very low water pressure while taking a shower on both mornings. Also, because we were one floor above the restaurant, we could constantly smell the food in our room, hear the guests talking, and dishes clamoring. We could also smell fresh paint that was being applied for our two day visit in the new shop at the front of the building. When eating at the restaurant our 2 dinners and lunch were very good with generous portions, however we had a negative experience for breakfast at 9 AM. They were serving a buffet style, but we were told to choose the items we wanted & it would be brought to us by the server from the kitchen. It was obvious that the food had been cooked hours earlier. Nothing was hot or fresh. We were highly unsatisfied and the manager did not require us to pay since we ate very little. When touring the buildings that were open to the public, we saw few artifacts because the Main building had been emptied for the renovation that would begin soon. Viewing the interior architecture was very interesting, but it was disappointing to have driven all the way from Wisconsin see a limited exhibit. We had a excellent experience with the two music programs and I would have to say that this was the highlight of the visit. It would have been wonderful to have had other well informed guides throughout the village to provide more structured tours for the guests. There are so many missed opportunities at this museum for first time guests who are unfamiliar with the Shakers. Most people do not take the time to read but do enjoy guided tours. There were no interactive activities or demonstrations other than the music program where history came to life. We enjoyed our short wagon ride but it was not worth $20.00 for 30 minutes. The Dixie Belle was enjoyable, but it was very difficult to hear the tour guide over the noise of the boat unless you sat directly under a speaker. The Village has extended hours on Friday night, with live music outside the Trustees Office and drinks from an outside bar. There was a fire in the fire pit and marshmallows were supplied for roasting. This was enjoyable but ground maintenance began mowing around the patio area as guests began to assemble before the music began which was not very conducive to a relaxing mood. We hope to revisit Pleasant Hill once the exhibit is restored.

Upon our arrival, we were given very little direction when purchasing our tickets and checking in for our two night stay. This was our first visit and we were handed the daily schedule and given the keys to our room without any additional information. If I had not read about the activities offered online, I would not have known to ask pertinent questions nor would I have been given any direction. We stayed in the Trustees Office in a Shaker style decorated room, but the plumbing in the bathroom was a challenge during our entire stay. We immediately called about the toilet not flushing properly and they sent someone while we were at dinner, however, we continued to have problems along with the sink and tub not draining properly during use. There was very low water pressure while taking a shower on both mornings. Also, because we were one floor above the restaurant, we could constantly smell the food in our room, hear the guests talking, and dishes clamoring. We could also smell fresh paint that was being applied for our two day visit in the new shop at the front of the building. When eating at the restaurant our 2 dinners and lunch were very good with generous portions, however we had a negative experience for breakfast at 9 AM. They were serving a buffet style, but we were told to choose the items we wanted & it would be brought to us by the server from the kitchen. It was obvious that the food had been cooked hours earlier. Nothing was hot or fresh. We were highly unsatisfied and the manager did not require us to pay since we ate very little. When touring the buildings that were open to the public, we saw few artifacts because the Main building had been emptied for the renovation that would begin soon. Viewing the interior architecture was very interesting, but it was disappointing to have driven all the way from Wisconsin see a limited exhibit. We had a excellent experience with the two music programs and I would have to say that this was the highlight of the visit. It would have been wonderful to have had other well informed guides throughout the village to provide more structured tours for the guests. There are so many missed opportunities at this museum for first time guests who are unfamiliar with the Shakers. Most people do not take the time to read but do enjoy guided tours. There were no interactive activities or demonstrations other than the music program where history came to life. We enjoyed our short wagon ride but it was not worth $20.00 for 30 minutes. The Dixie Belle was enjoyable, but it was very difficult to hear the tour guide over the noise of the boat unless you sat directly under a speaker. The Village has extended hours on Friday night, with live music outside the Trustees Office and drinks from an outside bar. There was a fire in the fire pit and marshmallows were supplied for roasting. This was enjoyable but ground maintenance began mowing around the patio area as guests began to assemble before the music began which was not very conducive to a relaxing mood. We hope to revisit Pleasant Hill once the exhibit is restored.