I have a very revealing experience to share. I am the owners only niece and i am seven years…read moreescaped from this cult of a family. And I have several things to share about this "establishment".
First of all, believe every single low review. The majority of the five star reviews have been written by people that I personally recognize as family members or family friends.
I can attest to the state of the "mansion". It has always been run down, dirty, and full of roaches. And if you think the rooms are bad, the private quarters are worse. The bugs, the dirt, the clutter, the old plumbing and electric.
And finally, I'd like to call out every lie that I've seen from the owners in their replies. First of all, "world class wine shop"? I love my red wine and theirs was barely worth a sniff, let alone a taste (and that's if anyone but Tony drinks it all). If you want a good midwest wine, try Purple Toad. Secondly the roaches (and Tony, you've been hearing this since I was 10 and complained about it to the both of you), roaches are not something to expect just because "it's Illinois" I have lived in various places in Illinois for 17 years of my 23. Bugs are quite easy to manage. Third, the house was not used as a hotel for a century. It was an abandoned house and that's why they could afford to purchase it. Finally, I've had their coffee after being woken up at the crack of dawn to babysit their four children for free. It's shit.
Onto the second reply from Beth (Beth I had higher hopes for the woman who took pity on me during my fathers neglect and bought me new clothes but I guess you conformed to the Eckert ways and I pity you and your children's souls).
First of all, y'all are a half hour from the Shawnee national forest, which is more towards the western side of Southern Illinois, whereas you are located on the eastern border; and this excuse doesn't even hold water! Cockroaches, which are what your victims are complaining about, prefer to live deep in cities, which is why they are more common among inner city residences. Secondly, "extensive renovations and upgrades"? You literally had to! No one, not even you and your family, wanted to stay in it in the original state. It had no modern elements. And I can recall on several occasions where you and Tony talked about how to do the absolute bare minimum to get the place running so you could start extorting people for the "historic experience". And yes people, this is their home... and actually examine this. If they are willing to show you roaches in your rooms, imagine what it's like behind the scenes. Dirty dishes everywhere, the kids rooms smelled like pee, and roaches sitting with you on the couch. It is absolutely false advertising because you are not disclosing that you have a "historic" bug problem, you do not advertise what people will actually experience while here! And the walls are most certainly paper thin. I could hear anyone move in the house at night. So clearly that I could tell who was moving and what they were doing. Third, if the room isn't ready for someone, why would you let them check in? Because it's just an excuse. Additionally, "complimentary bottled water"? It is a crime to not allow access to water for customers, and for the luxury price people are paying, I'd expect luxury water to go with it. And considering, from my understanding, you have never given dissatisfied people a refund, I'd hope they drank the complementary wine as well. People traveling deserve to have a reliable place to stay, where they don't have to "roll with the punches". And lastly Beth, there's a significant difference between eclectic and just rundown and gross.
If you want to know exactly who these people are, I'll tell you. The Eckert clade is a cult, simply put. The founder, my paternal grandfather, is a pedophile. I experienced this since I was 3. Everyone knew and did nothing. I was physically, psychologically, and sexually abused by my father as well until I left when I was 17. They brainwash the women into going along with everything they do, luckily four of us escaped. Maybe I should add on how there's a significant chance that my eldest cousin is actually my half-brother, since my father and uncle were doing the same woman at the same time. I bet my younger cousins were fed many lies about why I left, but the truth is plain and simple, I left because of the abuses I suffered in this family. Thank you for listening, and if I can leave you listeners with a parting message let it be this: This family does not deserve your money, your patronage, or your time.
