I had a similar situation happen to me at Hereford Inlet. When I get more time, I'll tell you what happened (if you search "Hereford Inlet", you might find it). I have "boycotted" the lighthouse because of it, originally seriously, now more of a "joke".

Just forget about it...don't let it tarnish your views of the beautiful lighthouse. I went to The Plaza today for the liquidation sale, and we got treated rudely, too. They kept telling us to wait in the rain another half hour, another half hour. The people who were taking the furnishings out were protesting with loud drums and cymbals, deafening us all. I looked down on the ground and saw a piece of wood that fell off the top of the building. I picked it up, put it in my Borders bag, and walked to the St. Regis. I'd seen people with umbrellas emblazoned with their logo walking past the Plaza.

I popped in, hoping to buy one in the Gift Shop (actually a marble closet with barely any St. Regis stuff). I asked at the front desk where I could get an umbrella, and was told to ask the doorman. He said to just take one from the rack just inside the door (he obviously thought I was a guest). I took one and headed back to my mom's office, a piece of New York's greatest hotel and a free umbrella from another great hotel on my person.