UPDATED - Absentee Innkeepers at the Ice Palace Inn in Leadville, CO

We booked a Bed and Breakfast called The Ice Palace Inn in Leadville, Colorado on our road trip out West last month. Apparently, these innkeepers are deceptive in more ways than one. First off, they don't advertise that they're a gay B&B. All my correspondence and telephone calls were with a woman named Sherry Randall, who we assumed was married since she referred to the innkeepers as "we". Since arriving at the B&B, all communication has been done with someone named Marcie Stassi, who we've never heard of. Upon returning to NY, we googled their names and discovered they are lesbians who run a B&B catering to gay guests.

The Ice Palace Inn has a very tight opening to check in - between 4 and 6 pm. We obviously managed our itinerary that day so we would arrive around 4:30. We showed up. The innkeepers did not. Instead of being greeted at the door by Sherry and oriented to our surroundings, we found an envelope taped to their front door with a key inside along with a letter from some woman named Marci! The letter told us there was a problem with the room we had booked, a water problem, I believe and we were supposed to take another room. We had specifically booked the room we wanted so this was the first of many ways in which the Inn broke their commitment to us. The letter directed us to go in a strange house by ourselves in a strange neighborhood! Can you imagine a single woman doing this! Once we were in the house, we were supposed to find a telephone to call Marci to tell her what we wanted for breakfast! She signed it - "Have a great night!" Yikes! Does Colorado have something called self-service B&B's?? We're an elderly couple who have traveled both in the US and Europe and normally stay in B&Bs. This whole situation was most peculiar and unsettling.

Since there were no other envelopes on the door, we had to assume we would be the only people in the house and would have to address all the situations that might arise. When darkness approached, lights would need to be turned on inside and outside the house for our safety. This is not a guest's responsibility. The outside temperature was already in the mid-forties. Heat may be required so we would have to figure out how to regulate the inside temperature. This is not a guest's responsibility. A ringing telephone would pose a dilemma - to answer it or not. Or what if someone knocked on the front door? This is not a guest's responsibility. And were we supposed to wander around the kitchen looking for snacks or tea and coffee and cups or spoons?

We therefore responded to the letter on the door by informing this woman named Marci that all of this was most unsettling to us and not according to an innkeeper's responsibility, nor to our contract. We now had to look elsewhere for overnight accommodations and requested that our $51 deposit be refunded. We never received an email and finally we wrote Marci after we found that she had charged us the remaining $51 on our bank statement! $102 for what!!! This matter is now being litigated and we are hopeful that we will see our money again or at least the Colorado licensing board will be made aware of these absentee innkeepers.

I have posted this review on TRIP ADVISOR and YAHOO TRAVEL as well in hope that other travelers will be spared this nasty experience. When you're retired and living on social security, $100 is a lot of money to lose!

UPDATE:
Since posting this review, Sherry Randall has contacted me to inform me that I have been mistaken. Ms. Randall writes, "I am only an employee of the Ice Palace Inn and my responsibilities include reservations only. The inn is not targeted to gay couples as you have wrongly suspected... Please remove my name from your posts and your accusations regarding my sexuality as it is private and since you do not know me personally, it is rude of you to advertise this publicly."

I submit the following descriptions that are readily available on the Internet. It's obvious that Ms. Randall has suffered some kind of memory loss.

Go Magazine: (gomag.com) - "The Ice Palace Inn
'Yes, we certainly are; we are lesbians and we are very friendly to everyone.' Owner Sherry Randall’s candid answer to my 'Is your B&B lesbian-friendly?' reflects the warm and open atmosphere of her inn located in Leadville, Colorado. 'Leadville’s gay community is ‘out’ more than it is in my hometown in Michigan. One of our main objectives was to have a place where we could cater to the gay and lesbian communities without facing the homophobia we have experienced in other areas.' While Leadville is a small town, don’t expect its residents to be anything less than friendly and accepting. Randall describes it as a diverse population where every lifestyle is accepted. Randall’s dedication to guests’ comfort is obvious in the décor and with each delicious homemade meal she makes."

Fodor's Review: Rooms in this lovingly restored Victorian—some with jetted tubs for two—have period antiques and luxurious featherbeds. Innkeepers Sherry Randall and Marcie Stassi are just as inviting.

wehonews.com - Colorado, which was the MOST "Homophobic" State in the Union until very recently, does not have a lot of gay accommodations but here is a list of the most important ones around the State... Ice Palace Inn B & B, 813 Spruce St., Leadville, http://www.icepalaceinn.com

purpleroofs.com - Your LGBT key to world travel
Lesbian Owned Clientele Welcomed: Gay Men Lesbian Bisexual Straight
813 Spruce St., Leadville, CO, 80461, USA
Lodging Type: Inn
Hosts: Sherry & Marcie
(LGBT (or GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people)

directory.mountainprideconnections.com - Mountain Pride Connections Business Directory : GLBTQ-Friendly Businesses in Boulder, Colorado and Beyond:
Ice Palace Inn
813 Spruce Street
Leadville, Colorado 80461
Innkeeper: Sherry Randall
Romantic guest rooms, gourmet breakfast, exquisite scenery. Elevation 10,202 feet. The highest B&B in America. Lesbian-owned and operated.

b&bfinder.com - lists both Randall and Stassi as innkeepers.

colorado-bnb.com - lists only Sherry Randall as the innkeeper

todaysbedandbreakfasts.com - lists both Randall and Stassi as innkeepers

bedandbreakfast.com - lists both Randall and Stassi as innkeepers.

innsofcolorado.org - lists only Sherry Randall as the innkeeper

Lodging-world.com - "Welcome to the Ice Palace Inn, fall in love with Leadville at the Top of The Rockies in the highest bed and breakfast in North America. Experience the beauty of Colorado while pampering yourself with the luxury of a gourmet breakfast, suites with private air-jetted tubs that sit within a three story turret with panoramic mountain views, and in-room sterno fireplaces. Immerse yourself in the enchantment of Victorian elegance in this 1899 home, and you'll discover why it was voted America's Best Mountain Retreat in 2005 by Inn Traveler magazine.We look forward to your stay!. Sincerely, Innkeepers Marcie Stassi and Sherry Randall."

hotel-contacts.com - "Sherry and Marcie were charming hosts."

uptake.com - If you ever find yourself in Leadville, COME STAY AT THE ICE PALACE INN! Sherry & Marcie (& their cat Charlie) are excellent hostesses & went above & beyond the call of duty.

pettprojects.com - "Sherry and Marcie welcomed me at their bed and breakfast after my train trip and a stroll around the town."

FINALLY, THE TRUTH

New England newspapers are featuring this headline today - "Teen killed self after booze bash". Last February Elizabeth Mun, a 16-year-old Concord Academy student from Wellesley, was found partially submerged in an icy pond by police after boyfriend Joshua Reed reported her missing from the Valentine booze blowout at the Andover home of Zachary Zimmerman whose mother left him home alone for the weekend.

After reading about the death of Elizabeth Mun, daughter of Korean immigrants and the decision to keep her autopsy results from the public, I remembered reading an article about the high rate of suicide about Asian Americans. Studies show that:

Asian immigrants' drive for material success and shame-based culture may be causing many to place impossibly strict expectations on their children. Health and social workers say rates of depression are disproportionately high among Asian American youths, and in some cases this results in suicide. Asian American girls have the highest rates of depressive symptoms of all racial groups and the highest rate of suicide among all women age 15 to 24, according to an American Psychological Association study in 2003. Pressures facing Asian kids have changed little in the 30 years. For the bulk of Asian parents, it is all about succeeding, and there is no middle ground.

Since friends, teachers and family all described "Lizzy" as a happy child, I wondered how they accounted for the fact that she went outside at 5 am, dressed only in shorts and a jacket, and walked out into a cold, wintry night down unfamiliar paths. I questioned whether she was drunk, drugged, depressed or disturbed. (see my February 24th posting) As it turns out, I was right on the mark.

I'm sure Lizzie's suicide would still have been kept secret if it weren't for the possible criminal case against the Zimmerman family. You can imagine in Asian culture, the shame her suicide has brought to her family. And perhaps they should be ashamed because this lovely girl obviously did not feel unconditionally loved by her parents, two successful Boston doctors.

JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL

The privately-educated, rich Jewish boy from Andover, Massachusetts who thought underage drinking was so, so cool perhaps thinks it wasn't so cool after all. Six months after a Wellesley girl's death following a teen sleepover, host Zachary Zimmerman plead not guilty to supplying alcohol to a minor at Lawrence District Court yesterday. Note that the cocky kid still does not bear responsibility by his "not guilty" response. He hosted the party, collected the money from his 15-20 friends gathered at his home at 56 William Street and then drove his friend, Morgan Ingari, to a liquor store where she purchased alcohol using a fake ID.

Morgan plead guilty in court yesterday and was placed on probation. She must complete 50 hours of community service and attend a half-day Brains at Risk program. Judge David Cunis also ordered her to stay away from alcohol and be prepared for random drug screenings.

When police searched the Zimmerman home, besides liquor, they also found six marijuana smoking pipes, a grinder and a leather sunglass container holding the drug. The liquor included two empty 30-pack cases of Coors Light beer, three bottles of Smirnoff Vodka, a bottle of Jagermeister alcohol, a bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila, a bottle of Lindemans Chardonnay and several beer cans and bottles.

So since Zach did not own up to his bad boy deeds, his case will be continued until September 29 for a pre-trial conference. Because he will be at college, his presence will be excused. Cool Zach faces up to a year in jail or a $2,000 fine on the charge if found guilty. Yes!

Typically, Zach is feeling sorry for himself these days. He said he was wrong to host the party, but insisted that it was a low key gathering and that no one was drunk (gimme me a break). He complained that his reputation has been destroyed (rightfully so) and that he has already been punished enough (far from it). Concord Academy suspended Zimmerman for a year and Ingari for six months (I like this school). He said that they independently earned enough credits to graduate, but were not allowed to accept their diplomas with the rest of the graduating class (ouch!). He said his suspension hurt his college admissions (let me get out my violin), his friends have ostracized him (good decision on their part) and his family has suffered financially (well, lawyers are pricey, Zach).

Yup, still doesn't have a clue on the ramifications of the illegal use of alcohol and drugs and one dead girl. Too bad the courts couldn't drag in Zach's mother, Laurie Zimmerman who was not home that fateful evening. The single divorced mother had opted instead to spend the weekend with her latest honey. No parent in their right mind should ever believe they can trust their teenage son, especially this one who had enjoyed his booze for years. What was this woman thinking?

I couldn't help but notice that Laurie has once again taken down her business web site (Zimmerman Associates) as the news media pumps out her name. Google's cache features the following in her bio: "Laurie began her firm, Zimmerman Associates, Inc., now in its 18th year. She has two beautiful children, 3 Black Labs, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, four parrots, four cats, two ferrets and a rabbit. Laurie typically works about ninety hours per week, and in her spare time, she trains animals." Perhaps she should add "On February 15, 2009, Laurie's home in Massachusetts was an active crime scene after missing 16-year-old Elizabeth Mun was found dead in a nearby icy brook."

OBAMA'S "BLOODY MESSAGES"

A new national poll suggests that four out of five Americans have a negative view of Muslim countries. The poll verifies that Americans distrust Muslims and rightly so. Barack Hussein Obama is presently on a goodwill tour of the Muslim world this week trying to heal old wounds and start anew. He says it's his job to communicate that the Americans are not their enemy (Say what?) Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda's no. 2, is warning Muslims against heeding the "elegant words" of Barack Hussein Obama. Zawahiri says, "His bloody messages have been received and are still being received by Muslims, and they will not be concealed by public relations campaigns or by farcical visits or elegant words." Why do Muslims always talk about blood?

LET'S HEAR IT FOR CONAN!

Leno graduated from my high school and it was interesting to watch his career take off after his Boston gigs but he rarely made me laugh though his writers occasionally came up with funny material.

The fact that Conan comes from a big Irish Catholic family right outside of Boston makes me love him for starters. I've been a huge fan of his for years! This guy is SO grounded, such a breath of fresh air from all those comedians who let LA rule their decadent lives. Last night's premiere was hilarious and so welcomed after years of mediocre entertainment on the Tonight show which was so lacking in originality. Conan is such an awesome performer with genius talent as a writer as well. Rarely does a comedian emerge with such intelligence and integrity. My only suggestion for the new show would be to get rid of Andy Richter.

THE STRANGE CASE OF ALICE NUNES

I love a good mystery so I therefore follow many missing person cases in the news, which nowadays seems to occur much too frequently. It is a sad indication of how family life has deteriorated in this country. Very often missing cases develop into crimes either because there's a kidnapping, a murder or the missing person has duped everyone by purposely disappearing. In today's world we are continually bombarded by deception and what we perceive as the character of a friend or family member is not always the truth. The recent case of the Craigslist killer Philip Markoff is a perfect example as well as Clark Rockefeller, whose trial began last week in Boston.

There is a strange phenomenon that the family is sometimes the last to come to grips with the reality of these situations. The first case that comes to mind is tot-mom Casey Anthony who stands charged for the murder of her three-year-old daughter who went missing last year. The evidence points overwhelmingly to a guilty verdict though her parents remain in denial of any wrongdoing on her part.

In the case of a missing husband or wife, in most instances, it ultimately leads to the horrible outcome that the spouse was actually murdered by the one who promised to "love, honor and cherish" them the rest of their lives. Two Peterson names come quickly to mind - Scott and Drew. Sometimes it feels like an epidemic.

So now we come to the case of Alice Nunes, an immigrant Portuguese woman from a blue-collar family who made her home in Peabody, MA with her husband of 39 years along with her unmarried daughter and her two children. There was no publicity on the case when she suddenly disappeared last December right before Christmas, which in itself causes one to wonder about this case. Alice Nunes walked out of her house on the evening of December 15th without telling anyone in the house where she was going and not even a goodbye to her husband. RED ALERT HERE! Close friends and family indicate she and her husband were "inseparable". There was no argument. It was a typical Monday evening. Witnesses have come forth telling the police that she was seen at a local bar that evening, though she never had a habit of ever going to a bar alone. She seemed distressed and spoke to no one. Shortly thereafter, during a cell phone call with her daughter, she informs her that she is in Lynn and that her car is filling up with water and she needs help. The phone goes dead and Alice Nunes is never heard from again.

Since that night, all ponds and rivers have been searched within a 15-mile radius of the cell phone signal. Nothing has showed up. Instead of calling 911, her husband uses almost a full tank of gas driving through the streets of Lynn looking for his wife. There was no massive flooding in Lynn that night so it's a bit bizarre that he thought he would find her on the city streets.

You can't help but think of the weird case of the 55-year-old divorced Newburyport woman named Michelle Harrison who went missing back in 2006. She exhibited strange behavior one evening as well and then went missing for several weeks until she was found in her submerged car near the Rockport pier, a case of an apparent suicide in which she had chosen to keep her family from ever knowing what happened to her. That cruelty makes me shudder. And just last week a young Pennsylvania mother named Bonnie Sweeten faked the kidnapping of herself and 7-year-old daughter. We live in a strange world these days and we need to be vigilant and aware that often times "the owl is not what it seems".

So much for family love...

E! News has learned that as recently as this morning, Kate Gosselin's brother Kevin Kreider has been shopping his tell-all take on the situation to media outlets for $30,000. The low life appeared today on CBS' Early Show with his equally outraged and camera-ready wife, Jodi, complaining that their nieces and nephews were being exploited. Yeah, definitely being exploited by Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jodi. Yikes! What pathetic people. Their gibberish is so white trailer trash talk and mean-spirited. I wish someone would grab some duct tape and slap it on their mouths so none of us would have to hear their nasty dribble again.

You can tell that these two rascals are estranged from Kate because they'd be badmouthing Jon instead of family because let's face it, Jon is the problem. Kate did not look beyond her marriage for friendship and romance. Her husband did. He is the one having some kind of meltdown or life crisis. True, Kate has always been hard on Jon, but that’s because he begrudges his life. If he was happy with just having two children, he should never have indulged Kate with her desire to have more children. But he made that choice and he better darn live with it. He needs to be responsible not only to his eight children, but to his marriage as well. Jon needs to grow up. Life is never a field of daisies. I cannot stop thinking about that silly Hawaii trip when they renewed their marital vows promising their little ones that Mommy & Daddy will always be together. What a disaster they have on their hands now, thanks to Jon's immaturity.