The Osthoff Resort is a historic resort that sits on Elkhart Lake and includes 500 feet of sandy beach along the lake's shore. I visited in December and it's not as noticeable or something that's a standout feature as it would be in the summer time. However upon arrival it looks very historic and old regal glamour. Parking is definitely old school with two small lots right in front only ... in the summertime it's probably not a big deal but wintertime it sucked. We had to park in another lot on the backside of the resort instead of in the front two lots right outside the lobby -- which made it a bit more difficult if you had heels on and had to walk a ways from the car to the hotel with the snowy icy ground. The rooms were veeeeery old school and in need of renovation. The wood didn't match -- from the dresser to the doors to the bathroom vanity. Flooring was really old and carpet was stained in many areas. Water damage on ceiling and the bed was quite stiff, not comfortable at all. Our room was very drafty which made it difficult to lounge without have a good pair of warm sweats or jacket. I wouldn't have been pleased if I was staying here for a long period, luckily my stay was just one evening. The bartender was very very nice -- she was personable and tried her best to change the channels on one of the TVs to what I wanted to watch. She was quick with the drinks and made them to my liking. The front desk staff were also very pleasant and friendly. They were quick with the check in and check out process as well. Overall I was underwhelmed with this resort. Perhaps winter is just not the time to visit as there is not much to do in the tiny town and the Christmas market that happens across the street honestly wasn't anything superb (we have several Christmas markets in the Twin Cities which are MUCH more superb to this one). Perhaps the summertime is the best time to visit to enjoy the true beauty of the surroundings which may make up for the old school regal of this resort. read more

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We are enjoying our time at the resort and the team has been amazing. I will share photos that my son took with his camera sharing the beauty. We are disappointed in the unit we have as none of the lights work and we do not have access to anything. We don't know who to call. The resort should could a ready to call sheet in each room to help guests. read more

I think your experience will all depend on which room you get. If you are in the newly remodeled area and have a view, you'll probably really enjoy your stay. If you're in an old room with a parking lot view, you'll probably think it is not worth the money. I always enjoy The Osthoff but they need to maintain their appearance. Garbage sitting in the hall for days. A sauna with an out of service sign. Little things like that are a turn off. I'm sure the resort will always be popular though. read more

The Osthoff Resort - Love the decor and vibe! - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Not a fan with my most recent visit to the Osthoff. I had been here one time before and loved the experience much more. I was shoved into a room with a view of a parking lot. Mind you, this is the only lot on this side of the hotel so you likely will need to park on the street. Similar to prior reviews, the rooms feel dated and smell like it, too. My room smelled like mildew and it felt humid in the room in May. Things like the mini fridge showed wear and tear (broken handle/duct tape). Considering how much one must spend for a simple room like this, you'd think they could update things a bit more. I've not been impressed with the dining options so found a local food truck event on a Wednesday night for better food. Also, I had a room credit as part of my booking but because it wasn't considered cash, I was charged tax on the credited amount. Also, they charge by the 1/2 hour after check out at 11am so be aware! Lots of silly things like this that felt like they were nickle and diming you. The staff were friendly but I don't know if I would make my way here for another conference, let alone a relaxing spa vacation. read more

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This was the Most disgusting vile resort i have ever stayed at. We got to the room and this was in the toilet. Not only did the staff not take responsibility but they also gaslight us and said it was "our fault" when we had just showed up to the hotel. Then the first thing the manager did was flush the toilet to hide the disgusting evidence that was in the toilet. Never stay at this hotel. Not only is it disgusting, management is terrible and should be fired. read more

The Osthoff Resort - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Gave our room away to someone else and didn't tell us. This review has to be at least 85 characters.

The Osthoff Resort is one of the more family-friendly hotels in Elkhart Lake. It's where you want to stay if you have children and want that all-in-one experience, because it has indoor pools, an arcade, gum ball and candy machines (?!), a kids' club where parents can drop off their kids to be supervised and entertained, a spa, a cooking school, and lots of private dock space on the lake. I had the pleasure of visiting Aspira Spa at The Osthoff, which was a supremely relaxing experience, and will be reviewed separately. I also had breakfast and dinner at the hotel, and I took a cooking class here (which was amazing!). My experience bopping all around the hotel was a fun experience -- there's so much to do here. My experience here only included eating and relaxing and cooking and roaming around the hotel -- but not sleeping. So, I don't know what it's like being an overnight guest here. But from what I've experienced at The Osthoff, I'm a fan! read more

This is our fourth year staying at the Ostoff. Past years have been great. We thought that as regular, returning visitors that we would be treated well. Couldn't be further from the truth. This year we were given a tiny room with dirty carpet overlooking the parking lot. Totally different set up from previous years. Asked to speak to the manager who was dismissive and cold. Total disappointment. Even the woman in the hotel store was unfriendly and too busy to answer questions. The bell boy was kind and friendly, a bright spot in a dismal check in experience. read more

First time in Wisconsin !! This resort is great. Chill time many amenities a lake restaurants etc rooms are very nice read more

The Osthoff Resort - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

No recognition of our 35th wedding anniversary, has in the past from other 4 or 5 star hotels. The grounds and lake was beautiful, Walked 4.5 miles inside without going out side. read more

The Osthoff Resort - Osthoff Resort - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

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Our daughters purchased gift cards for a two night stay at a resort we had visited many times. Terrible experience! 1. Took our debit card to hold $200 for incidentals. Wanted to switch to a credit card and ended up with two cards with a hold of $1142 2. Had a shower head break as we were getting ready for a dinner reservation and it could not be repaired. Moved to a new room which had a torn up screen on the balcony. When returning, the keys did not work. 3. Upon checkout we were charged for 2 pontoon boat rentals and the one we rented had already been paid at the time of rental. Untrained staff should not be allowed to process payments. Terrible experience! read more

The Osthoff Resort - Damaged balconies by screen - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

I took my mother here for her birthday dinner. Even after indicating that the food was subpar, no accommodations made the chicken was clearly reheated or overcooked. I really expected more. read more

Awesome resort, Came here for two nights and the place was awesome clean and cozy. There were lots of things to explore like arcade. The arcade was very nice especially the air hokey and pin ball. The room was clean and very big with everything just like an apartment building. There even was upstairs. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the restaurant was ok. Overall I'd recommend this to everyone. read more

We have stayed at the Osthoff Resort on two different occasions in 2024 and have had excellent experiences both times. The latest visit was for the Christmas Market. The Front Desk staff went out of their way to welcome us and ensure we found our room. Our room was as clean and neat as the room we had in September, one in the North Wing and last week in the Main. We attended the Christmas Tree lighting as well as the Christmas Market. Both were fun experiences and I could not have envisioned the size of the Christmas Market until seeing it for myself. Overall, I can give the facility high marks for service, accommodations as well as the events and activities available. We will return again in 2025 to check out more of the amenities of the resort. read more

The Osthoff Resort - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

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Review of Osthoff Resort We recently stayed at the Osthoff Resort and it was underwhelming. I've seen so many positive reviews and heard such good things that we decided to spend a couple well-deserved nights away from home. If you're looking for a luxury resort experience, don't stay here. Its spa is rumored to be wonderful, and it should be for the prices they charge. The services we looked at were about twice the going rate elsewhere, so we decided to skip that. But it's the only reason I might recommend visiting. I will start by praising the employees, who were kind, respectful, and helpful. I liked several things about our room. It was clean - or it appeared to be at least. The jacuzzi tub was wonderful, and it was great being able to open the patio door for air. When we arrived, our room was 76 degrees Fahrenheit (in April), and we needed it to be about 8 degrees cooler to sleep. So, opening that door to let cooler air in was essential. I can't imagine what it's like in summer. They had some great-tasting gourmet candy in the gift shop, which is open 24 hours a day. It was mostly quiet. They have room service. They only provide housekeeping upon request, so we didn't have to actively avoid housekeeping, so that was great. And it's better for the environment. Now on to my criticism. The room looked like it was decorated decades ago and hasn't been updated recently. The bed was average, not great or awful. No robes or slippers were provided, and though the jacuzzi tub was nice, we had to bring our own bath bombs/salts. They were not provided, though at other comparable (at least by reputation) places we have stayed, they provided bath salts every day and provided robes and slippers. The toilet did not have a light by it, so we had to rely on lighting from other parts of the bathroom. It would have been nice to control each light in the bathroom separately. The toilet paper was awful. Bring your own. Though it was mostly quiet, the resort is in a residential area, so you can hear lots of things from the neighbors, which for us involved a dirt bike race. Room service closes at 8 pm, and the times we would use room service are past 8 pm. There are supposedly mobile ways to check in and check out, but these weren't functional. I know these criticisms sound small and come from a place of privilege. I am not comparing this to chain hotels that we've stayed at, like H2 by Hilton. We know what to expect when we go there and love the funky decorations and atmosphere. I might have even preferred that to the Osthoff, were it not for the jacuzzi tub. But this was to be a splurge to relax and enjoy. Other places with the same price point and reputation as the Osthoff have the previously mentioned amenities and more. If I were to sum up our experience in a word, it would be underwhelming. read more

The Osthoff Resort is the perfect place for an overnight getaway with that significant other. Elkhart Lake is just a fun lakeside community with a few different unique places to stop for a drink and a bite to eat. The Osthoff is a very comfortable hotel right on the lake. They take care to try and present that high end image and for the most part they are a success. This is just one of those places you can see yourself having that glass of wine on the deck overlooking the grounds or in the lobby seated near the fireplace. The entire property is well maintained. The hotel certainly allows children, but to me this place just exudes couples getting away from the kids for the night. I find myself more fond of the thought of staying at the Osthoff than at what is supposed to be the swanky & not too distant American Club in Kohler. read more

The Osthoff Resort - Fall in Wisconsin - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

NOT FOR FAMILIES I have stayed at the Osthoff Resort for many wonderful vacations until this past summer. I always book lakefront rooms to hear the quiet lapping of the Lake from my room balcony. This year, I discovered that the Osthoff has begun a "Summer Music Festival" by having local bands play outdoors at the beach bar. Unfortunately, the bands' music can only be heard as "music" for the few people at the bar. The rest of the Resort hears distorted out-of-phase noise instead of music. The loud noise invaded my lakefront room, and I could not fall asleep because of the racket. On Sundays, the Village of Elkhart Lake does not allow boats with motors to operate. This makes for a very peaceful, tranquil vibe. The Village of around 900 people is a perfect small-town escape from ordinary, high-pressure, big-city life. On Sunday, the racket from the beach can be heard all over the Resort because they play "music" all day at the bar. When I complained to the management, I discovered that the music program had created a problem for those who do not like or want noise to ruin their vacation by the Resort; and even worse is paying a resort fee for what you do not like or want. That is due to Osthoff's demand for more income. They would rather sell more beer to bar patrons than give their guests the peace they expected and paid for. Being on the beach at Osthoff, we thought we might have stumbled into a time warp and landed in the middle of spring break in Daytona Beach (without the spring breakers). My family could not even talk among ourselves anywhere when the beach noise was being made. I have sent letters to Osthoff's General Manager, who has answered me very disingenuously. He told me that I was the only person to complain about the noise. I have discovered that Osthoff's noise problem is notorious at Elkhart Lake, and the GM has been forced to appear at Village hearings to defend the nuisance he creates with the "music." You will not enjoy your stay at the Osthoff if you want to enjoy beautiful Elkhart Lake quietly. Due to the noise, we could not sleep or talk to each other. read more

I was hoping to leave a 5 star followed by a narrative detailing our wonderful visit- unfortunately the esthetics of the resort and grounds is what earned the 3 stars- customer service was a huge disappointment! The stay was booked with Priceline, all of the rooms were advertised as "garden view" or "lake view" ours was a "deluxe king suite" had a balcony with a view of the parking lot/loading dock and surrounding trees. The manager, Rosa stated that we were given the wrong room but was unable/unwilling to honor the reservation, even though we paid a premium for the advertised garden view! Not good business. My issue is the false advertising and lack of a true customer service response esp when facility acknowledges mishap. We made the best of the trip, room was spacious with a couch, dining table and kitchen; large tub and large bed- very clean. The highlight was walking outside along the tree lined trails and down to the beach area. Overall, we would have liked to enjoy the gardens from our balcony-very disappointed with the false advertising and poor quality of service for the price point. read more

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The Osthoff used to be a much looked forward destination for our family's fall getaway. After six years of visits, this likely will be our last. The entire property has become run down. Landscaping lights are broken, furniture in the lobby is dated, and the courtyard is all torn up, leaving a very lackluster view that was charged at a premium. The room we were placed in was appalling. It was reminiscent of a roadside efficiency, complete with mismatched appliances circa mid 90s, the smell of stale cigarette smoke, marked up/chipped walls, broken air conditioning units, and the smell of hair grease on the bedding. As someone who expects hotel stays to be at or above my living standards, this place has fallen significantly short. When we took our concerns to the front desk manager, Rosa, she lacked any candor or sense of empathy. She essentially told me she could not and would not do anything for our family. My concerns of cigarette odor were met with a can of Lysol and disregard for the asthma problems smoke creates for me. As for the 85 plus degree temperature of our suite, we were told to "open the windows". With 30 degree lows and seasonal allergies, this is also unacceptable. Rosa passed me the card of the guest services manager, who conveniently can not be reached, and we were left to sleep in a hot, dusty, smelly room at $375 a night. Did I mention that the hot tub has sand in it? The beach has been closed for almost 2 months... does anyone clean anything here? Elkhart Lake is beautiful this time of year, but the Osthoff has become a giant eyesore with subpar service. read more

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Stayed here for a friend's wedding. Booked for two nights, the night before the wedding and the night of. They made it for the night before the night before the wedding and the night before the wedding. Did not realize this until halfway through our "stay" when they texted asking how things were. When I called to correct it they told me they were booked up. Ok, my bad. Before we even officially check in the charge my credit card $500 as a holding fee on top of the $300 I already paid to reserve the room. Then when I actually checked in I explained I wanted to use a different credit card. They tried to to ALSO charge that $500 as a holding fee. They the text morning they tried charging $300 additional dollars. We're now up to $1600 for a $600 stay. Of holding fees. Thanks, didn't want to use my credit card to actually pay for things anyway.... Also, wedding sucked. Moldy food. Put wine out but no bottle opener. For what they are charging they are stealing boomers retirements and millennials ability to live. Cool, thank you. read more

My family has been going to the Osthoff Resort for the past 30 years. This July was our 12 th visit. I booked two - 3 bedroom condos. The decor in the rooms was still from the 1990's. Colors, worn chairs, scratched tables, window treatments, pillows all need to be replaced/updated. The kitchen appliances were very old. The resort was overcrowded and has grown too much for the space. It seemed hard for the very young staff to keep up. We had to ask for fresh towels, have our room straightened and garbage removed numerous times before it was done poorly. After asking for toilet paper repeatedly, my husband tracked down a maid cart and took a few rolls himself. There are 3 pools, none of them are dedicated to adults only. Too bad because there are plenty of people there without children. So we spent the whole week trying to relax and swim surrounded by screaming kids and floaties. How about having one pool that doesn't allow any toys. My 4 night stay cost $9,000 for a luxury hotel, and in return I got an average hotel I do not think we will ever return unless they change the way they are currently doing business. read more

Beautiful resort on Elkhart lake with a private beach. Our room was spacious with a private balcony overlooking a wooded parking lot. Two person whirlpool tub, fridge, microwave, bar sink and an extremely comfortable king bed with 7 pillows. Luxurious. There are two pools -- one for adults and one for children, Very considerate. This is a large resort with beautiful grounds, many restaurants on-site, a spa, and a private beach with water sport rentals. read more

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I was really expecting a wonderful resort but was let down when we went to our room. When we first walked in we were greeted and great reception. However when we went into the elevator that is the first clue that the upkeep is not up to standard. Going down the hallway and into the room it continued to go downhill. I really thought this was an upscale resort but it is not. I should have read the reviews beforehand. I did read Yelp reviews regarding the restaurants and they were all rated 3 stars. Not good for a resort restaurant. We did not eat at any of them. Developers build these huge resorts but the resorts seem to run out of money for the upkeep. I know I will never stay or come back here again. read more

The units are condos. When there are problems the resort either cannot or will not correct them. It's too bad as the grounds are beautiful and if you happen to get a good unit you'll be glad - but if not . . . read more

What an absolutely beautiful property! We were torn between a couple of the resorts here as far as where to stay for our anniversary and after some sound advice from some friends chose here and couldn't be happier. All of the staff has been fantastic and acts and treats you as though you are the only guests. After trying to grab a drink at one of the other hotels in the area I can say we definitely did not get that same warm feeling that we got when we arrived here and are so glad we chose The Osthoff! We will definitely be back. read more

The Osthoff Resort - Sunset - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Fun, friendship, family, food, and frivolity. This has it all. We enoyed our week there for a family reunion so much, we have started to look in to owning one of the condos. But . . . we spent way too much time at the Tiki Bar nearby. Unbelievably good food at the restaurant. read more

Tyler from front desk is very very cooperative and kind totally recommend this place.He was very helpful and helped get my family the things they needed. read more

We planned a weeklong getaway to Wisconsin for our wedding anniversary in mid-April. We started in Door County, then ended the trip in Elkhart Lake. This was our first visit to The Osthoff Resort and we could not have been happier with our choice! The property is massive and totally self-contained. We came here for relaxation after a rough start to the year. We only left once in our three day stay, to take a drive around the nearby countryside. We will definitely return. read more

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Taking a trip to northeastern Wisconsin? Then I suggest you stay at the Osthoff Resort. This place is absolutely beautiful and the staff will bend over backwards to accommodate your every request! Gotta love Wisconsin! The rooms are all 1, 2 or 3 bedroom suites- which either have a view of the Elkhart Lake or the surrounding woods. They have a complete kitchen, living room with fireplace, dining room and deck off of both the living and bed rooms. The bed was so comfortable that it was hard to believe I was in a hotel! Even though I was here on business- recreation is the name of the game. The grounds are exquisite with gardens surrounding a reflecting pond leading down to the lake. We rented a couple of boats and spent our afternoons spinning around the lake partying on the pontoon boat and skiing on the ski boat. Take a swim. The lake was formed by the glaciers- it is clean and refreshing and 116 feet deep at it's deepest point! Or go out fishing. There are 2 outdoor pools, an indoor pool, bikes to rent and hayrides offered through town. There are even belly dancing classes offered at the spa (another story for another time!) The spa is nice and offers a wide variety of services. My only criticism here was that the "quiet room" (you know the one that you get to listen to the trickling water while candles flicker about as you reflect on your life) is located right behind the check in desk. You really couldn't relax as you could hear all transactions taking place. Shush, people! Quiet please!!! All in all- a great resort located less than three hours from Chicago. But it feels like a lifetime away. read more

The Osthoff Resort - Osthoff - Resorts Near Me - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

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The spa is amazing but doesn't seem fit for the resort that is aging and it shows a lack of upkeep and the kitchen floor was filthy and garbage left in the living room. The food was inedible. read more

This resort is the best place to have a wedding in the Midwest! The venue is gorgeous and our photos are amazing. The service was excellent and the staff made our wedding smooth as french silk pie! read more

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Beautiful rooms and beautiful grounds. Ample pools with options outside and inside. Adorable small beach perfect for families with young kids. Snack bar is fun. Service has improved considerably since we first visited 5 years ago. Water rentals are fun. Only wished they had motorized boats ( eg sking , tubing and jet skis). Fortunately you can do this next door ( if you get a reservation in time)! Love this place and the memories we have made here read more

Overall everything was good besides the pedicure. i had gel nail polish on my toes beforehand and i went in to get a pedicure and the lady asked if it was regular polish and i said no. she told me they cant take off gel and proceeded to yell at me with other customers in the room. she was trying her best to be nice but i almost cried. read more

Let me first say, I don't leave a lot of negative scores. Finding this as a top resort in the state by many accounts maybe my standards were too high. Food-there are "three" restaurants-Elk Lodge, Otto's and Concourse. The Elk Lodge, while open and beautiful, is just a bar with an appetizer menu that is exactly the same as the app menu for Otto's. We went to Otto's for dinner the first night and had some decent food, but not worth the total bill. We then went to Elks for drinks and we're met by a bartender (both nights) who was extremely unfriendly and a terrible drink maker. We got a late night pizza from Elks which was awful. It smelled like bleach. Our first morning, we went to Otto's for the breakfast buffet. Half of the warm food was completely empty and during the 45 minutes we were there, they weren't refilled. Of course buffet food is usually substandard, but you could taste the dry, powder in the eggs, the sausage was undercooked and the actual type of food was extremely minimal. Not worth $40 for 2. On the plus side...after our first night of food disaster we tried to find a nice steakhouse within 30 minutes. We drive for an hour and a half to 3 different restaurants, all which were closed outside of their normal hours. We ended up back at Concourse at Osthoff and the steaks were terrific. Barbara, our waitress, was awesome as well. Aside from all this, the entire resort is very outdated, wallpaper is yellow and peeling, carpet was dirty. We booked a couples massage at their spa. My wife emailed and called and let them know she's pregnant which they said they'd note an accommodate, but when we arrived, the masseuse was unaware, had to try to make other accommodations and failed which made for a miserable experience for her. Considering the price, the resort, surrounding area and amenities, I expected a lot more. Maybe the summer is way better since it is on the lake and has outdoor activities but I wouldn't bother in the off season. read more

Sad. This place used to be the gem of the Midwest, I would have rather have stayed here than any 5 star hotel. Now, it has slid so far from that. Overtly rude and indifferent staff, filthy facilities, and ZERO attempt to deliver any kind of hospitality. There is "understaffed" and there is "poorly staffed". Unfortunately, this place is the latter. read more

Don't waist your money the place is filthy dirty, no one wears a mask as a precaution from COVID-19 and all the hand sanitizers in the lobbies and on every floor are empty. The vents to our 3 bedroom two bath resort were dusty and the place had not been cleaned. The stove was dirty, the jets in the hot tub were super dirty and the furniture had food stains on them because the furniture had not been cleaned. and garbage was left by the person/ person who occupied the room prior to us. Their were Cobb webs all over the lamps and in the room. This was very disturbing for me because we are still in a pandemic and here we are trusting that we are staying at a resort that puts its customer's safety first and not for a profit. To add insult to injury there were three other families complaining about the same issues as us. I paid close to $900 for a two night stay mad that was a rip off for the way the resort is kept! I demand some form of a refund and will not accept anything less! read more

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This was our first trip to The Osthoff Resort. The grounds were beautiful and the food was fabulous! The staff helpful and friendly! The only complaints....when we first checked into our room, there was a dirty used towel on the porch and dental floss on the bathroom floor. The beach is suppose to be for hotel guests only, but it was full of locals that crossed over from the public beach to the hotel beach. read more

My daughters and I had a bachelorette weekend celebration at the Osthoff and had the time of our lives! Our two bedroom suite was big, beautiful, clean and comfortable and the perfect place to relax. The property offers so much to do and is right next door to many additional amusements in Elkhart Lake. The lake itself is spectacular, the best in the state I'm sure! And every staff member we encountered was helpful, cheerful and kind. We visited the spa in January and that was wonderful too! We plan to come back yearly at least. Just the best! read more

We were pleasantly surprised at the lovely two room suite with fireplace and full kitchen. We were more than disappointed that the bed in this handicap accessible room was too high for the occupant to navigate! Had to sleep on the couch and in a chair all night. The carpet was also dirty and spotted. The two on-site restaurants were very good; both food and service. Let the front desk know at checkout about the bed dilemma but have had no contact or apology from the hotel. read more

My wife and I were very optimistic but the quality of the air in room 315A made my wife and I sick. My wife had symptoms of a sinus infection, couldn't breathe with a sore throat and coughing. As soon as we left she got better and all symptoms disappeared the next day. It was her birthday, which was ruined and thank god we didn't have to take her to the doctor, but was very close. I spoke with the general manager to voice my concerns who never called back. Do not recommend.. read more