First time we decided to spend the Christmas weekend at Starved Rock Lodge. Luckily, we reserved a room, the Sunset Double, on short notice. So lovely to walk those glorious trails, the crunch of crisp leaves under foot, the sound of water streaming either in brooks or falls. The cabin room was warm and rustic and in the evening we'd see a lovely sunset through the western window. We didn't realize that the shared cabins have thin walls, but we had no problem since the neighboring guests kept noise levels down. Although on the last day a parrot chattered incessantly through the walls. It calmed down after the guests left a country music radio station on rather loud and left the room for the evening. We couldn't sleep and complained. Management was very understanding and moved us to a room in the lodge and comped our last night due to the nuisance. Nonetheless, our stay was adventurous and nothing more magical than to see a pair of bald eagles bathed in a rose sunset as they sat in their roosts across from the rock! We'll go back again--but not for a shared cabin room-- because overall the staff are welcoming and helpful, great lodge restaurant! The glowing fire places and holiday lights made it so much warmer!

We had a wonderful winter trip to the Starved Rock Lodge this week, our fourth visit, but our first in which we reserved one of the larger cabin spaces.

We had previously stayed in one of the old lodge rooms, one of the new lodge rooms, and one of the small cabin rooms. Even though the other rooms were nice, the larger cabin was SO cool! We got one that faces the river valley - about fifteen feet from the edge of the bluff, so the view was nice even though there was a walking path between our room and the bluff.

We got the larger cabin this time - it has plenty of room with a comfortable king bed, small bathroom with tiny sink and just barely adequate bath/shower, stone fireplace, and LCD TV. The cabins are good ol' fashioned log cabins, divided into four suites - two small and two large. Our suite just HAD to be one of the best! There were people in the adjacent suites, but very little noise carried through the thick log walls.

The cabins are also situated about a minute's walk from the entry to the main lodge and more importantly, the Great Room, the dining room, and the bar. All three of those features are fabulous - constructed of beautiful old timbers back during the great depression. The Lodge reminded me of the Old Faithful lodge, but not near so ornate or so huge. The Starved Rock Lodge is manageable but beautiful.

Both the great room and the dining room have huge stone fireplaces that are blazing away during the winter months. There are sofas and chairs that surround the fireplaces for those who wish to warm up a bit. There are checkerboards and reading chairs and a nearby bar. It's no wonder the place was jammed with folks and families on Christmas Eve.

For those who wish to hike, there are plenty of trails within the large park. There are also two more state parks nearby that offer a more variety. Best of all, there is a great little town, Ottawa, nearby that has some nice dining options and a lot of history to explore.

Generally, the Starved Rock Lodge is in better condition than equivalent National Parks, while remaining affordable and offering a wide variety of nearby activities. I'll be back again!

This was our first visit here after reading an ad in the "Midwest Living" magazine and checking in out online. We loved it...never imagined a place like this in Illinois!!! The lodge has a rustic, cozy atmosphere and the huge "great hall" has a very large fireplace with plenty of seating to snuggle in with a good book, play games, snooze, or just people watch. There are also many "cozy corners", with comfortable chairs...we found a comfy corner, on the second floor, by the big windows overlooking the pool area. We stayed in the newer section of the main lodge and found the rooms to be very clean and comfortable.
The first night we were there we booked tickets for the dinner show. We saw the Legacy Girls Tribute to the Andrew Sisters... very entertaining and a good buffet.
The lodge is situated in a huge state park with lots of well-groomed trails that wind around acres of forest, canyons and hills. There is also a visitors' center close to the lodge with lots of info on the history of the area and a very helpful staff to answer any questions you might have.
After some early morning trail walking, the dining room, with it's warm fireplace was just what we needed!! The food was very good and the service also. I would recommend trying the "Gobbler" sandwich...delicious!! Plan on sharing it though as it is quite large!
We will definitely come back and visit again...perhaps when it is a little warmer for trail hiking:)

After a good long hike in the cold and rain, I was so happy to take my seat at a table next to a window with a view in this beautiful lodge. Even though it was late in the afternoon, my server was very attentive and brought my Starved Rock Ale right away. It was exactly what I wanted - robust flavor and chilled perfectly. I chose the prime rib with brie and roasted pepper sandwich and fries. Every bite was so delicious, but I could only eat half, but knew that I had the remainder to eat later that night. My server wrapped the leftovers nicely and even put it in a bag for easy transport. The prices were very reasonable and I truly enjoyed the atmosphere so much. The lobby fireplace is a wonderful place to sit and relax either before or after a meal here.