Do not ever stay here. This is a historic hotel that is in great need of TLC. We were so looking forward to our stay, but found it to be dingy and dirty. Our first room was very small and cramped, had black moldy caulk in the shower, spiders on the ceiling, one window had NO window covering, rotting spot on wall, a "full" size bed that felt like a single bed. We had to ask for a sheet to hang over the exposed window. We asked to be moved to another room. The lady at the front desk gave us pushback even though it was slow season and hardly anyone was there. My husband insisted and they moved us to another room. It had a little more space, a queen size bed that was clean and bathroom was nice and clean. The rest of the room UGH! Gross, dirty air conditioning split that looked like it had not been cleaned for years, MANY spiders and bugs in every ceiling corner, stained light shades, dusty ceiling fan. One thing I need when traveling is a clean room. Elbow grease, paint and regular maintenance would go a long way helping this property. This is the worst hotel we have ever encountered. This was our first visit to Lakeside. I am sad for the Lakeside Community that the hotel is in such disrepair. The historic hotel deserves better. We ended up leaving and staying at a hotel in Port Clinton. It was a relief to be out of the Hotel Lakeside. read more

See all

As much as I love Lakeside, I have to give Hotel Lakeside a thumbs down. While I realize it's designed to be a step back in time, it still needs to be functional, safe, and clean. We had a hugely disappointing experience with a bed that creaked loudly every time you barely moved (no sleep for us), no hot water the entire time we were there, topped of with an unclean bathroom and dusty fan. There were no grab bars in the bathroom (despite the advanced age of most of the guests), thin towels, and dirty carpet throughout the hotel. No hangers in the wardrobe and a very tiny dresser with minimal storage. There were literally no shelves or flat surfaces in the bedroom or bathroom for storage other than a shared bedside table. The hotel maintenance staff did address the issue with the bed, however, the bed was left pulled out in the middle of the room after repair and felt like an unfinished project. The hotel was understaffed and those who were working were overwhelmed and unprepared to help patrons. I'll be back to Lakeside as it holds a special place in my heart but won't stay here. Makes me sad as I can see that if the original hotel continues to decline, it will go so far down that it will be razed at some point. With as many people who enter Lakeside and the cost to enter the grounds, I know the Association can do better than this. read more

The area is charming as is the wrap around screened porch of the Inn. It's a 150 year old Inn. I would have expected them to do some maintanence in that time, but apparently not. The rooms are a dump. They were clean, but wall paper is peeling off the walls. Paint and plaster coming off the ceiling. Everything is plugged into extension cords and then into powerstrips. Window air conditioners that work well, but are old and noisy. My tub/shower must have had a hole in one of the surround panels. It was patched with 2 strips of duck tape. Not what I'd expect at this price point. My reservation was for 2 queen beds. They were definitely doubles. When I addressed it with the front desk, she texted the manager who replied another guest had that same comment a few weeks ago so she had someone measure the beds and they measured as queens. Anyone could simply eyeball these beds and know they were doubles. She should have looked herself. I think that saying "don't pee on my leg and try to tell me it's raining" is appropriate here. There is really no beach at all, although the pool was very nice. Parking is horrendous. I reserved online with a credit card and then they charged me a 4% fee for using a card. Not sure how else I could have done it. Restaurant is way overpriced. While the Inn gives you a voucher for $25 (per room) for the restaurant, on Sunday they only have brunch for $18 or $25 per person depending on whether it's before or after 10:30a. It feels like a rip-off. For what I spent, I could have stayed in the Lodge at Geneva on the Lake and had Breakwater Beach nearby. But we wanted to try something new. This is definitely a one and done for me. read more

I really am a "glass is half full" type of person; however, I really felt compelled to leave a review, and unfortunately it's not too good! My husband and I rarely (if ever) go on vacation. We have a toddler, daycare expenses, etc. etc. We were really looking forward to staying here, and understood that this was a historic hotel, and we were prepared to spend a few extra dollars for the area (Lakeside). We also had he expectation that things wouldn't be perfect. However, we were really, really disappointed with our stay. I'll try to outline it as best I can: 1.) We had a room on the top floor- the floors were so severely uneven, my son slipped in the bathtub. One lamp in our room was broken and continued to slide off the table/dresser because of the uneven floors. The room was extremely extremely small and dusty. I understand the building is old, but man the musty smell was pretty horrible. There was no TV and no fridge--but honestly, those were the least of our concerns. Overall, I was floored at how much we paid for a room that was worth about 50 bucks a night at most. 2.) The breakfast: Due to covid, you could not serve yourself buffet-style; someone asked you what you wanted a then made you plate. I'm not kidding when saying this--the French toast bake looked like someone had vomited on our plate. The sausage didn't even look (or taste) like sausage. It was one of the absolute worst breakfasts I've seen in my life. The next morning, I opted for fresh fruit (which was on the brink of being rotten. Never again! read more

Once again the Hotel Lakeside doesn't disappoint as long as you know what you're getting: an historic hotel that hasn't changed much since it was built over 100 years ago. The rooms look and feel about like they did back then, except for the fact they're air-conditioned. The Lakeside experience isn't for everyone. It's a step back in time, and the folks who return every year are actively looking for that. To some eyes this hotel looks like it's seen better days, but for others it evokes a time when families gathered and interacted and helps encourage that kind of a family vacation. read more

Charming as all get out but the bed was made for a little girl's tea party. Please see my review of Rosie's in Port Clinton. Spoiler alert- I recommend eating heartily at Rosie's read more

Such a beautiful historic hotel! We ended up getting one of the nicer suites in the hotel due to it having a fridge and extra room for our kids. We loved sitting out on the screened in porch and watching a storm roll in! The room was clean and was serviced every day. The air conditioning was cold in the room and was very homey. There are no TVs in the rooms which should definitely be changed. WiFi worked well and staff was always friendly. They do not serve breakfast in the hotel, but you are given a ticket to go over to the fountain inn for a continental breakfast or an $8 voucher to Avery's cafe which was a 5 minute drive. The breakfast was nothing special: vanilla yogurt, orange juice, milk, assortment of cereals, bagels, English muffins, muffins, and coffee. read more

See all

I have stayed at the Hotel Lakeside and Fountain Inn many times over the years and have never been disappointed with my experience. If you prefer a charming, historic setting, then the Hotel Lakeside is for you. If you'd rather stick with more modern accommodations, try the Fountain Inn. Both are conveniently located to downtown Lakeside. Personally, I prefer Hotel Lakeside. They have a lovely restaurant with tasty breakfast options. And sitting in the rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the lake is on of my favorite Lakeside pastimes. read more

Definitely a historic building so if that is what you are looking for you won't be disappointed. Rooms need updating desperately. We moved up the road to a different hotel because of the musty smell in the room and the walls are made of brick which made it a little stale. read more

If paint flaking in sheets off the wall and windows dirty with cobwebs older than your kids are your idea of a "historic hotel" then this is your place. The food in the hotel restaurant is underwhelming and overpriced, and dining options nearby are slim. read more