I just attended a wedding a Clover Cliff Ranch and, as a guest, I would highly recommend this…read morevenue. First, it is absolutely stunning. Beyond that, though, the staff was so friendly and helpful. There were a lot of people from all over the country at the wedding. Many were in the Flint Hills for the first time. As a native Kansan, Clover Cliff Ranch made me feel so proud of my state, as it showcases the very best of the land I love. Our whole weekend in the nearby town of Cottonwood Falls was magical, and Clover Cliff Ranch was the jewel on the crown. Thank you for creating such a special place.

I've eaten here before as event staff many many years ago like mid 90s when it was just a bed &…read morebreakfast. The new owners have built an event center behind the magnificent old limestone houses. Very beautiful picturesque views. Went for the buffet. Sat next to the windows. Spent most of my meal time ogling the cowboys working the bison on the pasture. Great food, fantastic ambience, drinks, friendly staff. Loved the whole experience. This isn't just a lunch/dinner it's an event every visit!! Very happy overall. Something you don't want to miss out on.

I both stayed at the hotel and ate dinner at the restaurant. In my opinion, the hotel experience is…read moretwo stars. The restaurant experience is four stars. Add them together and split the difference: three stars. The plusses about the hotel are that it looks cute and has themed rooms. The lobby is very cozy, with comfy couches and a little bar off to the side in a corner. (Fun fact: The bar at Grand Central Hotel was the first operating bar in this town!) It's a pet-friendly hotel. You also get warm muffins and coffee at breakfast time. The minuses about the hotel: Someone had used the restroom in the bathroom in my room and didn't flush. When I tried to flush, it wouldn't. So I asked for a new room, of course. In my new room, the TV didn't work (which was no big deal because I don't watch TV anyway) and the door wouldn't lock. So I went downstairs and talked to the person in charge, and she muttered something like, "Kids these days don't know how to get into a hotel room without a key card." I was like, um? I don't know how young or stupid you think I am, but I'm not too young or stupid to know how to operate a lock. (Also: Thanks for thinking I'm young!) It turns out that you need to jerry-rig the knob to lock it. If you need to finesse a lock in order for it to work, it sounds like you need to replace the lock, or come up with a different system. However, later that night, I had the pleasure of eating at the hotel restaurant. The Grand Central Grill is definitely the place to eat in the area. I got the chicken fried steak, which is a Kansas specialty and served here Friday and Saturday nights only. It came with mounds of mashed potatoes and gravy, and it was one of the best dishes I had in south central Kansas. The Caesar salad was just OK (the dressing came poured on the top and not mixed, which it should be), but the chicken fried steak made up for that. They have a decent wine list for a small town, which was appreciated by me. The service was great, and even though they were busy, our server was very attentive and we got everything we needed.

I had the pork loin and a baked potato. I don't know if I have ever had a better restaurant dinner…read more It tasted like home

Wow! This place is absolutely amazing!…read more The mansion is incredibly beautiful. It's in a nice, quiet neighborhood in Emporia within walking distance of ESU, downtown, and residential neighborhoods. The rooms are elegant yet comfortable. Each room is a work of art, with hardwood floors, beautiful beds, and windows overlooking various patios and the nearby neighborhood. The service is impeccable. The people are extremely gracious, kind, thoughtful, and responsive. The food is excellent, thoughtfully made, and a perfect breakfast after a night of sleep in a gorgeous mansion. Definitely recommend! Way better than staying in a hotel for sure. Please check out Gufler Mansion!

My family and I recently celebrated our mom's birthday at the Gufler Mansion, and our experience…read morewas one to remember. Our wonderful hosts, Brad and Susan were warm and welcoming, and so kind and gracious. Our dinner, prepared by Susan, was absolutely delicious (even the kids liked it!). The house itself was spectacular, with so many historic architectural features intact, and Brad's knowledge of the history there was vast and impressive. This is a truly special place, and the care, respect, and consideration that Brad and Susan have showed this remarkable home was clear and so appreciated. This one of a kind place is absolutely worth a visit, and Emporia is lucky to have it and its caretakers. We would love to visit again for an overnight stay, and couldn't have asked for a better place to celebrate our beloved mother!

Country Dreams Bed & Breakfast is an interesting place to spend the night after a grueling day at…read morethe salt mines in Hutchinson... and a retreat when one drives back to KC from Hutchinson. Sofie and I enjoy the B&B places to get a flavor of the area. A good B&B will allow one to sit with the natives, have conversation and enjoy their hospitality. For that, I'd never serve up less than 5 stars when I am hosted by good and kind people. Country Dreams Bed & Breakfast is "far from the madding crowd"... or at the end of a 2 mile dirt road where the sounds you will hear are cows lowing and frogs croaking. We were treated to a fine sunset in the evening. We enjoyed walking about looking at the long horns and seeing the pond change colors at twilight, sundown and sunset. It was a natural show that gave me pause to think: this happens every day! We came back from our walk to discover some warm cookies waiting for us on the table! They were especially delicious because we had no dinner. This place is not at all close to any restaurants - so plan on eating before you get there or bring something to make a sandwich with. There were some movies and a player in the community area, so we watched the Walk the Line movie about Johnny Cash. Nice. I always wanted to see that movie while we ate nuts and cookies. Breakfast was fun talking with the family - 3 generations discussing the days events. Country Dreams is a nice place to spend the night, but more important, it's an experience. Who are the people of Kansas and what are they about? You can get an idea at Country Dreams. Good people. Good country.

This B and B is one of my family's favorites. My relatives are all from central Kansas so we use…read morethis place as our home when we visit. My husband and boys love the fishing. I love the sunsets on the back porch, walks on country roads, and the longhorns. Alice is amazing. The breakfast is amazing. We love this place. You will too!

My husband and I flew in from Southern CA for a wedding here and found ourselves immediately blown…read moreaway by the most beautiful hotel in the smallest little town of Marion. Let me say, I have traveled 48 states and stayed in many types of inns, hotels, bed and breakfasts etc over the years and have never experienced a place like this. Between the friendly staff and many conversations over the weekend, the delicious food at the Parlour 1886, and the unique ambiance. It was truly one of a kind. I saw so much love poured into every inch of this place. I truly hope we can make our way back to Kansas one of these days, so we can visit again. Thank you Jennifer and Alicia!

We are always so spoiled when we visit! We were married here two years ago and return annually for…read morethe beauty and memories. Jennifer goes above and beyond every time we step through the door. The historic hotel is a treasure we hope to enjoy for many years to come!

Got here late and the price was very nice. View from outside also nice. Close look once in room not…read moreso nice. If you just need a place to sleep (that was us) this works. We did forget a jacket in room, called back twice speaking with two separate employees- one being manager. Never heard back anything on the jacket. That was frustrating! Faucet would not stop dripping, carpet tore up near door inside room and poor patching of walls in several places. Overall neither good or bad experience.

This was the cleanest room I've ever stayed in. We were passing through Emporia and just needed a…read moreplace to stay for one night. The room was cheap, the staff (husband and wife) was friendly, and everything worked. It was a basic room with a microwave and fridge. The tub and toilet in the bathroom were a striking blue color. If we are ever in this area again, I will make it a point to stay in this motel. The owners clearly take pride in this place.

Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve is just phenomenallllll, and I can honestly say it has some of…read morethe bestest trails in Kansas! I wish I got to know about this national reserve sooner but better late than never. It's about 1.5 away from Kansas City near Strong city (10 mins away) and Emporia (25 mins away). I went out to the vast grasslands on a late Sunday afternoon after stopping for lunch in Emporia and was completely blown away by the beauty. I had heard the trails are amazing, but I stayed on the easier starting trail and didn't go into the bison area since it's breeding season and they can be more aggressive. By the time I arrived, the visitor center had already closed, but friends told me the staff there are very friendly and share helpful details about the park, possible hazards, bison behavior, and even things like bugs you should avoid. The park has clean restrooms, and since it's open 24/7, you can even go stargazing but just remember it's at your own risk!!! There are three types of trails here: backcountry hikes that can take up to 12 hours, a wildlife trail that takes about 3 hours where you might spot bison, and front country trails that take about 2 hours and loop around a meadow. I've heard all of them are a lot of fun to explore. Honestly, if I could rate this place a 1000000/10 then I would!

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is one of the few places like this that is completely free to…read morevisit. Usually, national parks and preserves charge a fee, but not Tallgrass Prairie. And there's a lot of stuff to see, so you're getting a lot for nothing! You will be walking a bit here, so keep that in mind. Many of the outdoor exhibits are located a walk from each other. Stop at the visitor center first, where you can learn about the ecosystem of the area. You'll find out that this is the only National Park Service unit that's dedicated to celebrating the tallgrass prairie. This preserve is the largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in the world, and you can see it here! It's kind of mind-boggling that this part of the United States used to be covered with tallgrass prairie, and now ... not so much, due to expansion. But you can step outside and see the grasses that used to cover the land as far as you could see. There are also some historic buildings to visit, which belonged to a family who ran the ranch. You can walk into the barn, explore the house and see the three-person outhouse. (Why would you want to use the restroom next to other people?) This was a very interesting place to visit, and it gave me a greater appreciation for this part of Kansas.

I had to take the time to share how impressed our family was. First, the price was cheap so I…read moredidn't expect a whole lot. However, from the moment I questioned an online price they honored, and this family was sweet and professional and even prepared a snack bag for us. Room, bathroom was clean, beds were comfortable. Who ever did their paint job in that room didn't complete. Nevertheless, we rested very well there.

The people that run this hotel are very nice. The rates are unbelievably cheap. For the most part,…read moreI got what I expected and paid for. However, there was only cold water in the shower. That was a bummer. Otherwise, if you need a really cheap room with a bed, toilet, and A/C, this is the place. Surprisingly, they have way more premium TV channels than the Holiday Inn Express I stayed at last week that cost 4x as much per night.