This was our second visit to The Lodge at Geneva and it wasn't nearly as nice as the first visit. We had planned to spend two nights (weekend before Valentine's Day), but after the first night, we decided to go home early.

Our room was on the first floor on the wing where the swimming pool is. We initially thought "great! the pool is right down the hall". But unfortunately, that also meant lots of children were running up and down the hall screaming and talking loudly (even in the evening hours when were were trying to sleep). We asked to be moved but they said children were all over the hotel and they couldn't guarantee it would be any quieter. It was very disappointing.

Last time, we had a very nice suite; this time we ended up in a very basic room with two full beds. The room we were in is in dire need of redecorating. The walls were bare except above the beds; the paint was an ugly green, the shower curtain liner was about 5 inches too long and laid on the bottom of the bathtub. The coffee maker didn't work and the sink drain was clogged. The maintenance guy finally came by as we were leaving in the AM. (We did find someone to put clog remover in it the night before and that took care of it.)
The beds were ok, but not very comfortable and the beddings / towels seemed cheap. We "remembered" the Lodge being much nicer when we booked this second visit.

Now for the GOOD part of our trip: Our reservation came with breakfast and that part was great! The meal was good, and so was the service. We had the buffet which had just about everything we could possibly want except waffles. We had a nice dinner the night before at "Chops" (about 5 miles down the road); we had a great waiter that reminded us of Cuba Gooding, Jr.!

We spent a Saturday night at the Lodge in the off-season, for a one-night getaway with friends. We stayed in a king suite as part of the "Bed and Breakfast" package, which included two breakfast entrees or their reasonably substantial buffet -- including gratuity.

Our first impression was excellent: Arriving in the mid-afternoon, we found the lobby bathed in sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows. The architecture is impressive, giving a modern "lodge" feel without any overly rustic kitsch. Our room wasn't ready when we arrived (two hours before the official check-in time), but a half-hour later we got our keys.

The king suite was nicely sized, with a hide-a-bed couch, armchair, rocking chair, desk, and TV in the living-room area, a small, four-seat dining table, and a tiny "kitchenette" which was really just a microwave, dorm fridge, and single-cup Kuerig coffee maker. (It was stocked with two full-caff brews, one decaf, and one green tea; additional k-cups were available in the gift shop for $2 (!) apiece. These k-cups were, I suspect, long expired, as both the coffee and tea tasted awful.) A small selection of dishes were stocked, including mugs but oddly not including glasses of any kind. Bring your own wine glasses or plan to buy them there...or order a glass in the bar and take it to your room.

The four-poster bed was in a separate room, with another flat-screen TV. The bathroom was off this room, and was the standard motel style (shower/tub combo with plastic liner). As an added bonus, an additional sink and vanity were situated outside the bathroom.

The suite had two balconies, one off each room, both equipped with two vinyl-strap chairs and a small glass-topped table. This was Room 226 -- fairly close to the lobby and central hub of the property -- and afforded a view of the outdoor pool, a fairly spacious park, and the lake (viewed at an angle). Given the choice I would probably pick an odd-numbered room in the high 220s next time, for a slightly better view of the lake.

Sounds pretty decent, right? Well, "decent" is exactly the word for it. The space was adequate but entirely underwhelming. I don't know who the Lodge got to do their interior decorating, but they need to fire that person. The rooms are utterly devoid of warmth, with a style that resembles a mid-level medical specialist's waiting room. Only fake potted plants would have completed the illusion, but thankfully these were nowhere to be found.

The couch was overly firm due to the hide-a-bed, and neither the armchair nor the rocking chair were comfortable enough to want to spend much time in. The dining table was an excellent addition, considering we had plans to play board games with the other couple we were traveling with...until we discovered the almost entire lack of light in the kitchen/dining area; only a small wall sconce added any illumination. If you plan to use the table, plan to move one of the table lamps into the area, or plan to eat in the dark.

Moving to the bedroom, we found a mattress that was somewhat lumpy and uncomfortable -- clearly coming to the end of its usable life. (One amusing thing: The bed is unusually high...so the hotel has thoughtfully provided small steps on each side.) Bed linens were adequate but unremarkable.

As for the bathroom, I have to say I expected more than a room that could have been transplanted from a Red Roof Inn. Not that there was anything particularly wrong with it (well, aside from a slightly malfunctioning shower head, which I'm sure maintenance would have replaced if we asked). It was just surprisingly spartan for one of the nicest rooms in this relatively expensive hotel. As for the towels: ouch. I suspected that with a little ingenuity I could have gotten mine to stand up on its own, as it was incredibly stiff and rough.

It was similarly surprising to return to the lobby in the evening. The soaring space, comfortable chairs and couches, and cozy-looking stone fireplace were drenched in the corpsifying light of high-powered compact fluorescent bulbs. A space that was warm, inviting, and charming in the daytime was turned into an aseptic house of horrifying skin pallor at night. I recognize that CFLs are more energy efficient, but you know what would be even more energy efficient? Not having super-high-powered CFLs blaring off the three-story ceiling at all.

By now I'm sure you're wondering why I'm giving the property four stars. There are a few reasons. First: dinner. We started out in the lounge (which is also in bad need of a new decorator, but I'll get off that) and had a wonderful server bring us very reasonably-priced -- and very large -- drinks. After we'd finished a round, he facilitated a smooth transfer into the restaurant, where we had a wonderful meal next to the fireplace.

The food was almost universally excellent. My and my wife's steaks were cooked perfectly to order. She loved the garlic mashed potatoes that came with mine, and I went crazy for the crispy skin-on potatoes that came with hers, so we switched. A starter of "popcorn walleye" was light and fresh-tasting, with an excellent sauce. We only had two complaints: The tasty dinner rolls were unevenly warmed, ranging from ice-cold to lukewarm in a single roll. And the tortilla chips that came with the queso dip were the kind of bright-yellow rounds you find at the grocery store in clear bags with the store logos on them. Aside from these two minor issues, dinner was simply outstanding—and very reasonably priced for the amount of food and drink and the quality and attentiveness of the server.

Breakfast wasn't quite as outstanding, but then, we got the buffet -- along with just about everyone else in the joint. The eggs were fluffy, the bacon crisp, and the sausage tender. We sampled some French toast and some pastries, and all were good if not exceptional. But our service was friendly and reasonably prompt, given the packed room.

Had our only experience with the Lodge been our room, this would be a three-star review, easily. But add in the top-quality meals and the excellent service we got at every turn, and the place edges into four-star territory -- if only just.

This is a place I'd return to, but only if the price is right. We went on a Saturday during the off-season, and paid what I'd consider a pretty reasonable two hundred (including tax) for the suite and breakfast. If those prices go up substantially as the weather warms (as I strongly suspect they do), it becomes a situation where you're not quite getting what you pay for. Some smart decorating choices could change that situation easily...but as it is now, I'd be very careful to check rates before returning.

We decided to have a romantic getaway in march and decided to go to the lodge... Excellent decision!! We had taken advantage of the wine package and it was a great deal.. the staff was amazing ..it was also during spring break so there were more children there than I had thought there would be however the place is Soo spacious we didn't even notice :) the restaurant ..the bar..the gift shop all fabulous!! We also took advantage of the wineries very close by :)

We stayed at The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake for a quick weekend getaway the first part of May. The Lodge was more than accomodating to us for last minute reservations as we called the day we wanted to stay. The morning breakfast offered in the restaurant was good for the day and you could enjoy it looking across the lake. The area is full of wineries and covered bridges. The lodge offered a shuttle pick up and drop off at the wineries for a small fee. There are a few wineries that you can just walk to from The Lodge. Most of the wineries had entertainment throughout the day into the evening and it wasn't even their busy time of year yet. The front desk offered maps to try to follow to find the many bridges all the while passing a new winery along the way. Would want to definately plan on being there for the entire weekend to be able to sample more than a few of the many wineries and see more bridges! Did find out information about a 'progressive dinner' that the area wineries do offer several times a year. Can't wait to return to this area.